Autolite 1100 float adjustment

[sparky65]

Guys, Having nothing but trouble getting this car to run right consistently. Last weekend I got it warmed up backed it out into the street did a quick u-turn brought it back into the drive way and then it refused to idle. Now I had an issue earlier where the carb would occasionally flood enough so there was puddles on the head, but it hasn't done that recently after I went through and adjusted the choke. However I noticed fuel siting on top of the carb around the vent valve this time. I decided it must be flooding again so I decided it was time to take the carb off and check the float adjustment. Well my readings show it at 1- 3/16" to the lower part of the float and 1-7/32" to the higher side of the float.

Wouldn't that mean the float isn't going to allow enough fuel into the bowl? Why would fuel come out of the vent valve? I also checked the float and it looks really good and when I dunked it I saw no air bubbles and it floated just fine. The needle and seat also look brand new, should be since it was rebuilt about two years ago. Any ideas? Would you reset the float or leave it?

I was also playing with the power valve assembly and when you depress it it sometimes gets stuck, not really sure how that works or what that means.

Carb is a C6OF-AC, car is a 67 mustang automatic, no emissions

 

[78merKri6]

.Sparky 65, I too have had problems with my '65 1100. From flooding to stalling----everything!
It seems tome that ideally,the float needs tweaked so that the bottom (top if inverted) should be level or square with gasket surface. Float in carb kit pics show a float with round bottom (top if inverted).This may be important, don't know.
Anyway I squared mine this summer---trying anything to keep the mustang from stalling when hot,acting vaporlockish and then being hard to start.
Early on I discovered flakes of varnish from the metal lines caused flooding. Be sure your filters are fresh and look closely in the passage where the needle&seat go. Try slightly lower float level. About all youcan do for powervalve is penetrant and manually moving it until you think it's free. It seems that today's poor fuel + alky is affecting these carbs.
One member said his pump made too much pressure,caussing flooding.

You,ll fix it,keep at it. Good luck.

Gary

 

[sparky65]

So you think I should lower it even more? its already atleast 3/32 lower then spec.

 

[Route--66--]

Hi chap
I've been having the same problems since fitting a new fuel pump a couple of weeks ago..
see here for my thread,
http://fordsix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=68644
as 78merkri6 said, as I had just put a new pump on I thought it was that that was giving too much pressure as all was fine before I put it on... but this and other threads all seem to point to maybe some rubbish being stuck in the needle and sticking it open.
Am going to take the top of the carb off this weekend to have a look...

threads posted on other forums ; http://www.allfordmustangs.com/foru...e-fuel-pump-pressure-gives-flooding-help.html
http://www.mocgb.net/forums/showthread.php?50382-Massive-fuel-pump-pressure-gives-flooding
I've just had a rockauto discount code btw if you want to use it : 109032555781911

all the best!

 

[CobraSix]

Might be time to replace the float. they can get fuel logged.

 

[Route--66--]

yeh, am going to take the float off and give it a bit of a shake to see if there's any fuel got in there ... if i can hear some in there I'll just hold it over a gas ring .. heat it enough to evaporate the fuel out ... although on second thoughts maybe not .. .

 

[bubba22349]

on the brass ones I use to open the crack or hole a little with a pick drain and dry them out and than solder the hole back up.

 

[sparky65]

Might be time to replace the float. they can get fuel logged.

Mine doesn't sound logged. I'm starting to think maybe its the vent rod? How tightly is that supposed to fit? It doesn't seem like it would make a good seal.

 

[jimlj66]

Might be time to replace the float. they can get fuel logged.

Mine doesn't sound logged. I'm starting to think maybe its the vent rod? How tightly is that supposed to fit? It doesn't seem like it would make a good seal.

I have not figured out what the vent rod even does other than possibly help with emissions. When I got my car, it only had a piece of tubing where the vent rod goes into the carburetor with a 90* bend on it, open to atmosphere. It looks to be a factory piece, not some PO's "fix". I thought "that ain't right" and put a rubber cap on it. I drove the car that way for a couple years with no apparent problems. Here a few weeks ago I pulled the cap off and according to my highly accurate butt-o-meter, the car runs better than it ever has. I did some other fixes at the same time so I will have to put the cap back on and see if that had anything to do with it.

 

[Route--66--]

according to my highly accurate butt-o-meter, the car runs better than it ever has.

excellent!

 

[78merKri6]

65,
As per rt 66, this indeed can happen. I recall that when everything had carbs, there may be shards of rubber hose,grit,teflon tape (shouldn't be used on fuel fittings),other things getting into the needle&seat after opening and reattaching fuel lines. Develope a habit of flushing the line just before reattaching it. If you have specs, you might get away with 1/32 lower float setting,carefully install new filter, clean&look for "shards". Remember our fuel isn't at all what it was in 60's. The bowl vent is important,Ithink it needs it for metering under many circumstances. Make it work, keep it open.
Happy motoring.
Gary

 

[Route--66--]

It Worked !!!!
Took top oc carb off this morning, took float off and there it was .. a shiny metal shard stuck on top of the needle!! .. about 2 millimetres in diameter!
removed it, put it all back together and away it went good as new !!
.. apart from a bit of a carb cough and it idled really rough to start with as though it was a cylinder or 2 down .. but after a minute it was warm and happy and perfect again

 

[sparky65]

It Worked !!!!
Took top oc carb off this morning, took float off and there it was .. a shiny metal shard stuck on top of the needle!! .. about 2 millimetres in diameter!
removed it, put it all back together and away it went good as new !!
.. apart from a bit of a carb cough and it idled really rough to start with as though I was a cylinder or 2 down .. but after a minute it was warm and happy and perfect again

glad you got yours working. I'am not so lucky.

Final verdict is it is running way too lean. Backing out the mixture screw helps but its at the point were it is almost falling out and it still will not idle at low speeds. It bucks and shakes the whole car and will eventually stall if you try to put it in gear. With the choke on it is better, wont stall, but still runs rough. I re-adjusted the float to spec before putting it back on. I tried raising the float twice until it was at 1-1/32" and it still made no difference. Any ideas?

Just to rule out any ignition issues I put on the aftermarket holly carb that was on the car when I bought it. Really didn't think that would run since its been sitting for 8 years or so. It started right up and ran perfectly smooth so I am quite sure its the carb. I am going to start looking for another autolite 1100. Hopefully I can find one that works before I take the car to Hershey car show in October.

 

[Route--66--]

hmmm that really does sound like what mine was originally doing .. from idle as soon as i tried to move it it stalled... you deffo think it's too lean instead of too rich ..?
what I tried was .. start the car and step on the accelerator.. my thinking was that IF it was flooding then running it at high / higher revs sitting still would use enough fuel for it to not flood .. if u get what I mean .. which did work ..
so what I'm trying to say is if you rev it it will use the excess fuel that's being pumped in ..

When I took the top iff mine today I pushed the power valve in and out a good few times. It didn't feel very smooth at all and seemed to get a bit stuck after pushing it in (VERY) approximately 1/4" .. maybe 1/2" .. so just tried pushing that in and out a while as a token gesture to keep it freed up ...

anyway .. all the best, I'd be interested to know how you get on ..
Cheers

 

[sparky65]

Yea defiantly lean. If you choke it it will idle.

 

[bubba22349]

Have you disassembled, cleaned all the passages thoroughly in your carb (spray carb cleaner works good) and than installed a new carb Kit?

 

[Route--66--]

Have you disassembled, cleaned all the passages thoroughly in your carb (spray carb cleaner works good) and than installed a new carb Kit?

Got to be the way forward I think ... kits are really cheap in the US .. something like $25 from mikes carbs .. great .. except it costs $57 to ship to the UK .. luckily didn't need it though
OO there's also this on ebay; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Auto...Accessories&hash=item231b88cdda#ht_500wt_1288

 

[sparky65]

Have you disassembled, cleaned all the passages thoroughly in your carb (spray carb cleaner works good) and than installed a new carb Kit?

Well it was rebuilt about two years ago. At that time I think he said he put the whole thing in a tank. It looked really clean anyway. When I took it apart this time I did spray down all the passages with carb cleaner but I never took out the diaphragms or the jet or the spark valve thing. Used a whole can on it just didn't think I really needed to do a total rebuild. My guess is this has been a problem since I put the carb on about a year ago but I haven't really run it long enough to get the choke to open all the way. Honestly I forgot how smooth it could run until I put the old holly back on today.

I guess I could take it entirely apart and clean it again but my gut feeling is there is some other issue. Either the power valve is not right or something else broke/cracked when it was shipped back from the rebuilder. The box looked like ups used it as a football but at the time the carb visually looked okay.

The one thing I want to do is put the vacuum gauge back on it with the holly and see if it is still fluctuating madly between 12 and 18 "hg. It runs so much smoother with the holly my guess is that it is not fluctuating but maybe it is and the autolite design is just more sensitive to that.

 

[78merKri6]

Sparky,

According toyour last post,looks as if you've got similar problems I've had. Iused to work on and modify carbs but this 1100 has to be a bear. There are orifices/passages inthe mainwell that are hard to get to or even see. If you remove main jet, you can see one with a flashlight. Another one is under a lead plug just beside the main jet. If I could post pictures it would be easier explained. At any rate, dont be afraid to remove the main jet to spray in there. If those passages are stopped, then one has to drill at lead plug and at small cup plug on side; then seal back up with fishing sinkers/epoxie after probing with fine wire,using compressed air.

I could go on,but perhaps another carb is just as good if you prefer.

Gary

 

[ludwig]

Maybe he just need a clean donor body from one that was working. Whew. Never thought simple could be so hard.