Hi! I changed some parts this past year, but ran into another problem. It won't start. I smell a rich fuel smell if I attempt to start it. I hear the engine turn with occasional mini sparks but it won't ignite and stay on. Should I continue to try and start it while smelling gas? I'm worried it might catch on fire...Here's a little history of parts changed.

-IGN coil
-IGN pick-up coil
-IGN module
-spark plugs
-battery
-starter relay
-fuel fileter
-air filter
-distributor cap
-ignition rotor
-ignition cap
-ignition wires
-pcv valve
-oil filter
-starter
-starter solenoid
-fuel pump

I use this truck for work. It's a bucket/boom truck combo. So when I'm installing things I have to leave the car on. When it gets really hot, I have trouble starting it.

Today, I tried starting it. The first try to started (ignited) and it sounded like it was having trouble staying on, like it was starving for some fuel. It shut off. After that I tried starting it again with no luck. After a while I began smelling fuel.

What should I do?

Thanks

 

What year/model/engine? Does it have a carb or fuel injection?

 

Oops totally for got...

Ford F350 Gasoline Carb 7.5L

BTW...I had the carburetor rebuilt 2 months ago

 

Take the aircleaner off when you smell gas, and shine a flashlight down the carb throat and see if there is gas going everywhere and dripping down into the engine. If there is, I suspect you have dirt and or rust in the fuel system, and it's holding the float needle open in the carb. That makes the fuel level too high in the carb and it spills over into the engine, flooding it. The carb float and bowl works just like the tank on the rear of a toilet.

I would check the fuel filter, if it's clogged it's probably bypassing and letting dirt into the carb. If you keep having problems like this, you might end up replacing the fuel tank.

Once you replace the filter, take the plastic handle of a screwdriver and peck the top of the carb to try and jar the dirt out from under the needle. If you can't get it, you will have to take the carb apart and get the dirt out of it.

P.S. Since you have a holley, you might be able to extract the needle out without taking the carb apart.

 

Have you run a compression test and I am assuming you did check to verify timing and the distributor is actually rotating inside the distributor? If it is flooding out you could be washing cylinders down with fuel. Many other things it could be and hard to determine from here. You might want to pull plug and see if it is fuel soaked. If so pull them all and let cylinders dry out then change oil and filter.

I always go to square 1 and verify you have correct fuel pressure, spark, and compression. Then check timing and fuses/wiring connections/grounds if that all checks out.

 

It appears that numerous parts were thrown at the problem. It is usually a solution that works, but it is also the most expensive. That being said, how confident are you in your carb rebuilder? I regard carbs as a wear item similar to a fuel pump in efi engines. Basically, I buy a new one every 5 or 7 years something like that. I trust the master holley techs way better than myself or another mechanic.

 

@glovemeister I replaced the parts BECAUSE there were previous problems years ago with the truck. After replacing the listed parts, the truck ran a lot better.

Luckily I was still under warranty, the mechanic came my place to take apart the air filter and the housing. Not sure what he did, but the carburetor was flooding. I'm not too familiar with carbs, but as soon as I used Fraklin2 example about the function of the rear tank of a toilet, he said the problem with my carb is similar to it. I can't remember what he said, but something about a valve that wasn't functioning correctly cause the gas to overflow.

Need to look at Wikipedia and read more about carbs

Thanks guys for your help!

 

Dn, that is good to know. I misunderstood that you utilized the parts for this particular problem.