This is my first post. Thanks to all who have accidentally answered my questions over the years as I searched the old threads! I just reinstalled a flathead after replacing the Ferrous flywheel with an Alum. one, upgrading to 11" clutch, pressure-plate, bell-housing, and starter-plate from the trucks. That part went fine. Now both large-logo Stromberg 97s spray gas from every opening. Fuel pressure is almost 0 as there is apparently no resistance from the float valves with 100% of the fuel-pump volume venting through the carbs. I cannot imagine that they both failed at the same instant coincidentally. What could have caused this?
1# Do you have a fuel pressure regulator. 97s like around 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 pounds of pressure. #2 when you put the lighter pressure plate on did you go back through the engine and rebalance it for the lighter flywheel. #3 why did you go with an 11" clutch insted of an 10" or 9"
#1 I have a regulator, but without any back pressure I am not even developing 1-1/2 psi #2 Actually the 11" pressure plate is heavy, so the combination of heavy pressure plate and lighter flywheel (with steel insert wear plate) is only a couple of lb ligher than OEM. But no, I did not rebalance #3 the 9" was not up the the power of the flathead with Isky full race cam, high compression pistons, dual carbs, and headers. I was hoping the 11" would support a more agressive launch.
It begs the question, what is the timeline between the time your car was running last and "I just reinstalled a flathead".
For more history - the carbs were rebuilt 5 years ago, and have run about 12,000 miles since with only minor leakage, showing the brown "stains-of-honor" indicating that it is actually driven. This is my daily driver when the weather is good, but in northern IL this means the car gets a 4 month nap each year, during which I am not very good about exercising it and the garage is not heated, so it suffers some abuse.
Do you have an electric and mechanical pump? I’d suspect either your pump or regulator may be varying in pressures. The only other obvious problem is stuck needle valves or float issues.
mechanical pump The regulator has a guage which reads nearly 0 when running. I guess the guage and regulator could both be dead. I will try gravity feed. Now to calculate the height required for gravity to apply 1.5 lb...
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