Went to take the 56 Olds out for it's weekly cruise and it stalled. It wouldn't restart. It acted flooded. Pulled the stock bat wing oil bath air cleaner to find mice stuffed it really good. Tried to start it again and without touching the accelerator it pukes large quan***ies of gas from the slanted bowl vent. What gives? Do these carbs need vacuum and won't run without an aircleaner or what?
Sounds like your needle and seat are stuck...and it probably is flooded...tap the fuel inlet line with a screwdriver handle or something...sometimes the vibration frees up the needle and seat and makes it work again..or you might have an obstruction (piece of rust or something) that has caused the needle and seat to not seal...
Clik - I have the same car. It will run without the air cleaner on. If I flood mine I usually take off air cleaner and hold open the choke - it usually starts. Rick
I was a little confused because the book kept talking about the float level being dependent on vacuum. When I held the choke plate open, as I would do on any flooded carb that I ever messeed with it, would periodically puke gasoline from the slanted vent like a volcano erupting. I figured a needle valve or a stuck float would keep running but this would do that little puke number. I pulled the carb and will rebuild. I'm not looking forward to it. I just did an Edelbrock QJ last month. Between my big figers, all those tiny parts and my little patience...AAaarrrgghhhh!!!
And of course now there's gasoline in the oil and with a flat tappet cam I'll have to change that several times in short order.
Found problem: Someone had been in there before and put a new plunger seal in but left most of the old one still in there.
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