Technical Single barrel Holley float level?

Hello, hoping to get a little help. Got my wagon running pretty damn good but fighting an off idle stumble. Full tune up is done, dwell set to 37 per manual. Full system new. Smoke test showed very tinyyyyy leak on one intake runner and minor leak around carb linkage. Carb is rebuilt but I’m thinking fuel level is low. Idle bleed screw is out 4.5 turns. This seems excessive to me.

The book shows checking fuel level with power valve off. Of co**** it doesn’t give depth. Just a special tool not made in ages. Anyone know the approximate depth from the top of the fuel bow the level should be?

mine is .95” from top of bowl.

Timing 5 degree idle

also ran it today for 40 miles. Stumble hasn’t gone away and plugs look fine to me. No issues running down the road or idling.

59 Edsel wagon by the way. 223 I6

 

Also someone add this pvc type system. My second though is, I’m drawing to much air below the carb base?

 

Pinch that hose off and see how it acts.

 

Just tried that, pulled hose off and plugged the intake. Idle drops some, had to screw in idle bleed 1 turn but still stumble. I guess I’ll pull this carb back off and hang it upside down to see if float is parallel with body

 

Is the vacuum advance working?

 

That’s a damn good question. Havnt made it that far

 

Went ahead and pulled the bowl. Float was downward angle when I pulled up on the float. Adjusted the float, to where it was parallel with body when the needle was seated. Height came up to .80 inches. Stubble did go away some. So I’ll try some more tomorrow. Dark now

 

I had the same 223 setup in my ol ‘61 pickup. The float bowl and carb body were so distorted from the float bowl screws that the float would hang up no matter where where I bent it. Yours is distorted too, notice the bowl contacts the body under the screws. You may try a thicker gasket under the cover…

 

Good eye! And oh, by the way, HOLY **** ! ! !

 

I did notice that, but it didn’t leak and the pictures make it look worse than it is. But I will go ahead pull the carb back off and put a straight edge on it. Thanks for the pointer.

edit. No way the float can touch the bowl.

 

Old Motors manual shows wet level at 11/16 inch

 

Thanks for the measurement. I set it to that this evening. Stall still there. I’ll dig in more over the weekend.

 

So did some more digging. Set the level to what sunbeam said. And stall still there. Took carb off and float was hanging level with body upside down. It did have a 60 jet. Manual wanted 62. All I had was a 65. So I put that in there. With ethanol fuel I figured it could use a couple bigger sizes. Ran a lot better with the 65. No more stall but took some messing with it, figured I’m just dealing with a 63 year old carb that’s been messed with a bunch.

https://www.carburetor-parts.com/***ets/manuals/holley-1904-manual.pdf

Good read here I found.