need carburetor help

[jayteeaz]

I have a Kingston L4 carb that is plugged up.
It has gas in the bowl but the 24 T won't start.
How should proceed in resolving this problem?
Thanks,
John

[Mark Gregush]

How far open are you setting the spray needle and are you priming it using the choke? How is compression and spark? Are the plugs firing in the correct order and is it set to fire with the spark lever up just after TDC? Have you opened the drain on the carb and checked for flow to make sure gas is getting to the carb? Except for idle circuit, vent hole and fuel shut off valve there isn't really a lot that could get plugged up on the L4's.

[jayteeaz]

I checked the plugs, firing order and timing..all are perfect.
gas comes out of the carb drain.
opened the spray needle 1 full turn, choked for several turns then checked plugs (still dry).
Is the problem in the area of the spray needle or is it something else?
should I take it out and try cleaning it with steel wool?

[Steve Jelf]

How's your compression? If the valves leak the engine won't suck fuel from the carb. An intake manifold leak can have the same effect.

[Mark Gregush]

The spray jet valve is just a simple metering device, at this point cleaning it more then likely will not do anything except make it shiny. Have you checked the float level? If the fuel level in the bowl is too low will make it hard to suck gas into the engine. To ask again, have you check compression? If it is too low same thing, will not suck gas in. You could also have vacuum leaks around the manifold, at the block and carb. Push come to shove, try taking the plugs out and prime each cylinder with a small amount of gas, put the plugs back in and try to start. If it will run, check for vacuum leaks. Could even be a valve issue, not sealing. Checking the compression or leak down test will tell a lot.

[jayteeaz]

will have to find a way to check compression.
the car did run some a week ago then quit.

[jayteeaz]

have access to compression tester ..will report results when I perform this.

[Norman Kling]

How high is the level of gas in the tank? If you have a T before 1926 the tank is under the front seat and if the level gets too low the gas does not get to the carburetor. If you choke it until gas runs out, you are flooding the engine and it won't start until it sets about 10 minutes or more. Another thing you could do before you try to start it would be to take out the spark plugs and put a few drops of gas in each cylinder, then install the plugs and try to start. If it sputters and quits, you might not be getting gas from the carburetor to the cylinders. Another test would be if you have another T which runs, take the carburetor and swap. If it now starts, but the other one does not start, your carburetor has a problem.
Norm

[jayteeaz]

As it turns out, I have 2 problems to address.
1 When I drained all the fuel from the carb it didn't refill.
options: Try to fix the Kingston, try to get a rebuilt Kingston or change out to a rebuilt Holly.
problem 2 compression results don't look good.
Piston 1 35 PSI, 2 30 PSI, 3 25 PSI, 4 UNDER 20 PSI.

[Steve Jelf]

1 Failure to refill the bowl can be due to a stuck float needle, or it can be due to debris clogging the inlet. Neither one requires buying another carburetor.


2 If all your compression readings were close to that 35 psi the car might not have the power it should, but it would start and run. But the very low compression readings you got suggest you have some serious leaks. That could be from valves, rings, or head gasket. It could even be from all three.

[Norman Kling]

If you disconnect the fuel line from the carburetor, will the fuel flow through the line? If not, the clog could be in the outlet to the gas tank, the sediment bowl or the fuel line and not the carburetor.

If fuel flows through the line when disconnected from the carburetor, the problem is in the carburetor intake valve or float is stuck. Usually it is caused by a little piece of dirt which clogs the intake jet.
Norm

[jayteeaz]

the gas does flow out the disconnected gas line at the carburetor so, probably dirt or stuck needle valve or dirt. Thanks to all of you for your input.
John