MTFCA Forum

Hello all.

I am about to rebuild a 1909/10 Kingston 5 ball carby, I am interested in the correct height of the fuel/gas level in the bowl to relation to the jet?

Thanks Simon

This might help….
https://modeltfordfix.com/rebuilding-th ... el-t-ford/

Thanks for your response,
Yes i have read this with no mention of the fuel level.
I will set it up with the fuel 1mm below the top of the jet and see how we go i guess.

Simon, I'm going from memory but there is no easy way to adjust the fuel level on a 5 ball. If you are replacing the float make sure the replacement is identical in shape to the original. It's easy to make one from a block of float material using a lathe. I purchased the block sold by Langs.
If you are determined to adjust the height of fuel in the bowl, use small shims between the float and the float valve arm where it attaches to the float to lower the gas level. Remove material on the float so the arm attaches further down the float to raise the level. Ive done both when using an original float that was not the best. My best results came from simply replacing the float . The fuel level was not a problem
All that said, one carb rebuilder modifies the fuel inlet valve by adding a Grose jet with a screw at the top that can be turned to adjust fuel height in the bowl. Another used a Grose jet ajusted by a stiff piece of brass shim stock. Kinda cheesy.

After reading something about them in the Club Carburetor book, don't try bending the arm. The book is good from Holley G's and NH's, not so good for early Kingston 4 or 5 ball.

I run three Ts with 5 balls on them. They all have brass floats new arms with an adjusting screw, A modern viton tipped needle and bore the seat and replaced with a new one. I have set the gas level about flush at the orfice with good luck, a bit higher might even work as it will probably not leak with that tension bubble that might make starting a bit easier.

Thanks all for your feedback.
I am interested in the brass float as I need to make a new float as I don’t have one.

I don't have access to the drawings, pictures, and part numbers at the moment but I believe the float number was 299477 Briggs and Stratton. The same float was used on an early Holley carb for a 1911 T. I think that number is obsolete and the replacements might be plastic. Some of the non OEM aftermarket brass floats are not annealed and tend to crack I believe Stan said this in one of his posts a few years back. I bought a Jewelers torch with different tips that works great for delicate items like this and a turbo torch with different size tips for more heat if needed on items.
A new arm was machined and I believe a 4-40 or 6-32 screw to adjust the level. The needle and seat was Viton tipped from a Rochester carb. The body and seat were machined and soldered into the body, the needle was shortened a bit to achieve the proper fit. This was done on a few carbs that preformed very well over the years. Hope this helps a bit. Pat

Thanks for your reply’s, it has been helpful.

I have gone through and clean everything and made up a lap in ball for the seats of the balls.
I have relaped the seat and the ball seats and back together
Set the float-fuel level so the fuel is 1mm below the top of the jet.
Bolted it up to the car and no leaks… I start the car a then fuel starts to drip out of the bottom and after messing around with the mixture it didnt won’t to come down to idle/low engine speed, it just wants to stop….
I thought I had the float fuel level to high, so I brought it back down to 3mm below the top of the jet with still the same issues, dripping fuel when running and wants to stop at low speed…
Next step, I have are air fuel ratio gauge and fitted it up. Started it up again and above idle the fuel mixture is about correct 14.2:1 with no load, but when I lower the rpm the fuel mixture leans right out. I have looked for a vacuum leaks as…
I am thinking I have the incorrect main jet, but it seems to be the same as picture in the diagram. Any ideas?

My cars you do not have to adjust the mixture when at idle or cruising speed. Are the balls seating properly? I would try stuffing a rag or taping around the out side where the intake of the balls are to see if it will idle.