Is this a stuck float

[azopelnut]

A friend has a Ascona with a Solex that starts right up, idles beautifully for 5-10 seconds and then start dumping fuel. He wants to keep the Solex. Any suggestions on a fix for this???

[BQS4]

What do you mean by "dumping fuel?"

[baz]

paul when you say it "dumps fuel" do you mean it has gas coming out of the venturi so much that it floods ? if so then yes it sounds like the needle valve in the float chamber is sticking open or the float is holed,flooded and sunk leaving the valve open all the time

[azopelnut]

the main delivery tube (maybe 1/8" wide) leading into the mid point of the two barrell pours fuel into the carb

[BQS4]

sounds like your needle& seat is stuck open. There are rebuild kits out there on Ebay, but, I think Duane Foley has a stock of them.

[timemachine]

This can also happen to Solexes due to heat expansion. If the fuel dump happens when the engine is turned off warm, make sure the top plate gasket is okay and the screws are pulled down tight. On warm cars, heat off the manifold can cause expansion that pulls cooler air right into the float chamber and pressurizes the fuel right down the chute minutes after the engine is turned off. You also sometimes see a surging/stalling effect with hot Solexes that is mistaken for vapor lock, (which is a separate and real problem). Same answer for this, tighten the screws and snug the carb to the manifold, but don't get carried away with the latter or it will warp.

[deaner]

Originally Posted by timemachine This can also happen to Solexes due to heat expansion. If the fuel dump happens when the engine is turned off warm, make sure the top plate gasket is okay and the screws are pulled down tight. On warm cars, heat off the manifold can cause expansion that pulls cooler air right into the float chamber and pressurizes the fuel right down the chute minutes after the engine is turned off. You also sometimes see a surging/stalling effect with hot Solexes that is mistaken for vapor lock, (which is a separate and real problem). Same answer for this, tighten the screws and snug the carb to the manifold, but don't get carried away with the latter or it will warp.

A sign of this is, an improper adjusted fuel bowl vent to the charcoal canister. During acceleration the bowl is vented from with in the Carburetor. At part throttle and idle, the bowl is vented to the canister, This should vent fumes and heat out of the bowl area and prevent purging into the venturies. The setting is more critical than you would think.

[azopelnut]

Originally Posted by BQS4 sounds like your needle& seat is stuck open. There are rebuild kits out there on Ebay, but, I think Duane Foley has a stock of them.

OK
I took the top of the carb off and the needle valve was clean but the float was filled with gas so I took a good float off another solex and now the car starts beautifully, idles for about 3 seconds and dies. If I pump the gas pedal it will stay running but barely.....any ideas???

[azopelnut]

BTW
I also took the gas line off the carb to see what the flow of fuel was like from the pump and it half filled a smaller peanut butter jar in about 30 seconds.

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by azopelnut OK I took the top of the carb off and the needle valve was clean but the float was filled with gas so I took a good float off another solex and now the car starts beautifully, idles for about 3 seconds and dies. If I pump the gas pedal it will stay running but barely.....any ideas???

Paul;
Still sounds like the carb needs a good internal cleaning.

[Gary]

Originally Posted by azopelnut A friend has a Ascona with a Solex that starts right up, idles beautifully for 5-10 seconds and then start dumping fuel. He wants to keep the Solex. Any suggestions on a fix for this???

The Solex in my '72 wagon was "dumping fuel" in a similar way. It cleared up when I took the Idle air valve out and cleaned it. It is right above the air mix screw. It has a hex shape with a screwdriver slot in it and a ball in the center of the screwdriver slot. (great description, eh)

[baz]

Originally Posted by Gary The Solex in my '72 wagon was "dumping fuel" in a similar way. It cleared up when I took the Idle air valve out and cleaned it. It is right above the air mix screw. It has a hex shape with a screwdriver slot in it and a ball in the center of the screwdriver slot. (great description, eh)

clear and concise and all in highly technical terms gary