No heat related issues since installing about 3 months ago. Lots of hard pulls in warm weather with the cabover. But I may install a metal filter instead just to be safe.

 

Signing off for now. Thanks for all the help.... Ford trucks rule!

 

That is the breather for the primary float bowl.
If you have a stock 4180 carb there should also be (elbow tube like) breathers on the front and rear bowls.
The excess fuel should spill out there first.

I have only had a "gas fountain" when a float was well and truly stuck in the down position.

Personally, if you were that far off, I would pull the bowls and do the dry setting again. At least then you're at a baseline.
When you're adjusting the wet setting, fuel should be at but not spilling out of the sight plug at the side of the bowl.

If you're going to prime the carb, just squirt about 50cc's of fuel down each of those "tubes". (front & rear)
That will fill the bowls through the breathers and allow you to start immediately... if the fuel passages in the carb are clear.

 

I like the idea, but would be more concerned about the rubber hose that isn't protected by the heat shield.
Also where you cut the end of the insulated metal line isn't beaded.
The spring clamps that came with that filter maintain constant tension, unlike the screw type hose clamp trying to hold the hose to the fuel line.
When the rubber 'creeps' (and it will!) the screw clamp no longer has any pressure on the metal line.
Without a bead on the end there is nothing keeping it on.

I'm not trying to be a safety ****.
But I have watched people lose their vehicles, and their lives, to fire.
Take what you feel are acceptable risks.

 

Okay, Thursday when my buddy and I were trying to crank this thing, I noticed that when I turned the key to acc getting ready to crank, that the radio and gauges were not working. But when I held the key with slight clockwise pressure, everything started working. Today, I decided to try to crank again before going to town. When I got in the truck, Jims comment about the ignition wiring suddenly hit me. I primed the carb with a little gas, and spun the starter, but kept slight pressure on the key when the engine caught. VOILA! It runs! You are a good troubleshooter Jim. Bought new switch at the Zone today, will install tomorrow.
Goes to show, you just never can tell what will fix things. But for every symptom, there is a good reason.
Good call Jim!

 

Before you open the box on a non-returnable electrical part you should know that the electrical portion of the switch can be adjusted up and down the column.
Try loosening the two 10mm bolts and sliding it up, just a little and tighten it back down.

Have the hood open so you can quickly pull the 'S' wire from the starter solenoid in case you moved it too far.

This may just be the answer to your issue...

 

Decided to go ahead and install new ignition cylinder (key switch on column) before dropping the column and installing new switch at base of column, just to see if this is the problem. After reading many comments about this, and not finding any hole on the outside to release ignition cylinder, I went ahead and pulled the steering wheel using a friend's tool. Common procedure seems to be to remove turn signal and various other items to access key switch. After staring at all the stuff inside the hub, I noticed a piece of white plastic with a slim copper strip held to the front with a small rivet. The strip seemed to fold under and behind the plastic which is held in place by a small phillips head screw. It is in the upper right quadrant of the steering hub, in line with the rear of the key cylinder. Just for fun, I unscrewed this and pulled it to the side and exposed the base end of the cylinder. The copper strip makes contact with a wide copper strip on the key cylinder. The good part of this is that after looking for a few seconds, I saw the access hole and release pin right in front of me. I took a small dia star drive screwdriver and pushed on the tip of the release shaft, and the cylinder popped right out. The access hole points slightly down, so you cannot push straight on, but mine worked anyway. Another sharp point tool with a slight crook on the end might work better for some trucks.
After installing, the key was still sloppy and still do not have power for the engine in the run position. I guess this means that the problem is either the linkage or the switch at the base of the steering column.
Jim, can I loosen the 10mm nuts and adjust without dropping the column, which I will have to do anyway if the switch itself is bad?

 

Do you have tilt wheel?
The pot metal piece (ignition actuator) is known to break at the hinge.
(there are many threads on this)

Yes you can loosen the electric switch and adjust it with the column in place.

 

No tilt wheel. Think I'll try to adjust without dropping column. I'll leave the key on and adjust until I hear the radio come on. Thanks.