Hi all,
First off I must say thank you to everyone on here, you guys always help me out with good, accurate info. Now, back to my question. I have a 1980 Ford F100 with the 302. There is an aftermarket 3 speed shifter that was installed on the floor, and the speedometer does not work at all. My problem is this. Anytime I lug the motor, the carbureator floods and kills the engine. Here's an example:

Ill be going up a steep hill
Instead of shifting to 2nd i'll leave it in 3rd
By the time I get to the top of the hill, I smell gas BIG TIME and the truck turns off
If I try to start it back up it wont start and all i smell is gas
After waiting approx. 30-45 mins it starts back up fine
1 more thing, there was 1 time where this happened, and as soon as the truck cutoff my friend kickstarted it and a lil bit of black smoke came out of the exhaust as if there was a lot of fuel in the carb

Does anyone know what may be causing this? I am thinking that something could be wrong with the carb, orrrrrrrr, it may be that the speedometer cable is not attached and the computer(i dont even know if these trucks have one)thinks that the truck is going 0 miles per hour and keeps giving the carb more and more gas to make up for it. I had a 1982 Chevy Citation X-11 that had that problem. All help is appreciated guys. When responding remember, I am not an expert mechanic and adjusting the idle speed is about all i have done to a carb :-) I am just trying to figure out should I replace the speedometer cable and see what happens or just plan on trying to find someone to rebuild my carb or sell me one. If these trucks dont have an on board computer then I can pretty much nix it being the speedometer cable and just worry about getting the carb fixed. Thanks again!

JP White
1975 F100 ???
1980 F100 302
paul@pbunyan.net

 

These old trucks don't have onboard computers, if you could post the numbers off your carb on here so we can help you find a rebuild kit if you plan on doing it yourself. Check the chokeplate at the top of the carb and make for sure its staying open all the way..if it isn't then thats your problem. too much choke causes and engine to run way rich and will flood it quickly. (done this one many times myself.) take it easy and keep on truck'n

 

If it is a Holley I can tell you all you need to know about the flooding. I had to pull mine apart a few times to figure out what was going on. You are experiancing a stuck needle and seat or to high of a float level. If you look at the top of the fuel bowls you will see a big screw and jamnut (needle and seat). Loosen the screw and back the nut out. You just pulled out the needle and seat. Look for any debris on the plunger in the center of the housing. If it is fine you will have to adjust the float level. Simply reinstall the needle and seat and snug the screw down on the nut. On the side of the fuel bowl you will see a large brass plug. This is the fuel bowl sight plug. Remove it (Fuel will run out if it is full) and start your truck. Adjust the screw and nut until the fuel is just at the bottom of the sight plug hole. You have now just set your needle and seats. If all else fails go to www.holley.com Click on low octane version. (You'll see what I mean.) Then click on the troubleshooting guide. It will run you through the rest of the steps. It also has a illistrated parts break down. Hope this helps.

 

I like the choke idea. If it was not all the way open, revving the engine would probably overcome the spring tension and force the choke open. But as the engine slowed, the spring tension would slowly close the choke and make it flood out. Just a theory, but it does fit well with the problem. Maybe a little wd40 on the choke linkage would be enough to loosen it up and maybe the problem would go away.

 

>If it is a Holley I can tell you all you need to know about
>the flooding. I had to pull mine apart a few times to figure
>out what was going on. You are experiancing a stuck needle
>and seat or to high of a float level. If you look at the top
>of the fuel bowls you will see a big screw and jamnut
>(needle and seat). Loosen the screw and back the nut out.
>You just pulled out the needle and seat. Look for any debris
>on the plunger in the center of the housing. If it is fine
>you will have to adjust the float level. Simply reinstall
>the needle and seat and snug the screw down on the nut. On
>the side of the fuel bowl you will see a large brass plug.
>This is the fuel bowl sight plug. Remove it (Fuel will run
>out if it is full) and start your truck. Adjust the screw
>and nut until the fuel is just at the bottom of the sight
>plug hole. You have now just set your needle and seats. If
>all else fails go to www.holley.com Click on low octane
>version. (You'll see what I mean.) Then click on the
>troubleshooting guide. It will run you through the rest of
>the steps. It also has a illistrated parts break down. Hope
>this helps.

Well its a stock carb, did they make holleys on stock trucks back then? Its an F100 custom, 2BBL. I havent had a chance to look at the choke plate just yet. I hope I can identify it on my carb, im not the greatest mechanic in the world :-)

JP

 

>These old trucks don't have onboard computers, if you could
>post the numbers off your carb on here so we can help you
>find a rebuild kit if you plan on doing it yourself. Check
>the chokeplate at the top of the carb and make for sure its
>staying open all the way..if it isn't then thats your
>problem. too much choke causes and engine to run way rich
>and will flood it quickly. (done this one many times
>myself.) take it easy and keep on truck'n

Where can I find the numbers off my carb on here? I found one at AutoZone for $140. I figger if it don't work at least I can take it back. I also plan on finding me an old Holley or something that I can rebuild so I can learn how to rebuild carbs...

JP

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 16-Feb-02 AT 01:06 AM (EST)]there should be a small metal tag on the top right or left side of the carb in the front, this will have the numbers on it for you to purchase a rebuild kit. the most expensive i've seen for my truck was like 40 bucks at autozone. post those part numbers and someone will tell you what you have and what you will need.

(me thinks its probably 2150 or 2100 series motorcraft)

 

>there should be a small metal tag on the top right or left
>side of the carb in the front, this will have the numbers on
>it for you to purchase a rebuild kit. the most expensive
>i've seen for my truck was like 40 bucks at autozone. post
>those part numbers and someone will tell you what you have
>and what you will need.
>
>(me thinks its probably 2150 or 2100 series motorcraft)

Phew. LOL,
I checked like 5 mins ago and it said this conference was down for maintenance arggghhh. Im glad i decided to check back before I roll. Ok I'll look for that tag pronto...Ill post the number when I get back, and post some pics too
JP

 

Hey are you from the Bemidji area?
If you are, you know that late model 96 black Bronco?
with 31s?

Mike

 

Ford had Holley two barrels and four barrels, Rochester Quadrajets, Carters, and a few more. All carbs are pretty much set up the same. Just take your time and look at how things are taken off. You can also buy a book for your truck that will have break downs of all of the carbs that came with your truck.

 

>there should be a small metal tag on the top right or left
>side of the carb in the front, this will have the numbers on
>it for you to purchase a rebuild kit. the most expensive
>i've seen for my truck was like 40 bucks at autozone. post
>those part numbers and someone will tell you what you have
>and what you will need.
>
>(me thinks its probably 2150 or 2100 series motorcraft)

Ok here's the numbers:

E OT E
BRA
B9G2

And here are a couple of pics of the carb itself. I know its bad taste to keep them large, but I wanted people to be able to see every detail. If you look closely, you'll notice the vacuum hose running from the top of the float bowl to something. It is wrapped up in black tape. I replaced that because it was the only vacuum hose that needed to be replaced. I also replaced the hose running from the oil cap to the air cleaner. The filter element was replaced as well. The carb looks like it has a fresh fuel filter on it, maybe its not in too bad of a shape.... I looked at that big plate on the top of the carb(choke plate maybe?), it doesnt appear to be sticking. I also sprayed the carb liberally with carb cleaning solution. It still acts like it wants to flood when i lug the motor thoguh...Any suggestions???

JP


http://paulbunyan.dyn.dhs.org/temp/carb80.jpg
http://paulbunyan.dyn.dhs.org/temp/carb81.jpg