Quadrajet flooding

Got a 350 with quadrajet in a 48 chevy sometimes it runs fine sometimes it floods pretty bad won't idle,choke is not hanging up.Is it the needle on the float?Ideas please.

 

i had that problem on a Q-jet once , it was the float...it was made from some sort of plastic type material and swelled up. the only way to know is to take it apart

 

Could be the float isn't set properly, could be metering rod issue, could be a bunch of different things. Grab a rebuild kit, a can of carb cleaner and do it up right. Quadrajets aren't that hard to rebuild at all, just keep track of where everything goes.

 

You can get brass floats for a few bucks. I've had good luck with the kits from NAPA.

 

q-jets use a plastic float that can go bad, there like foam filled and came become soaked with fuel and start sinking, when ever i have the top off a q-jet i replace the float, needle and seat and excilerator pump, i dont buy a kit just those parts right from GM.

 

Be sure to check the well plugs on the bottom of the carb body. They notorious for leaking. I epoxy them on every rebuild.

 

Had float sticking issues with those carbs.
I too would look into a replacement float along with proper adjustments.
The best sounding four barrel Ever!

 

While it's apart, be sure to replace the fuel filter in the inlet to the carb. People forget they are there and dip the carb in cleaner, then they can break down and bugger up the needle and seat.

 

What brand of sealer will hold up good on the welch plugs??

 

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When you replace the float, do NOT hook the float needle clip in the round hole on the float arm . Doing this may cause the needle to bind and stick open before seating and closing off the incoming fuel. Place it directly over the tab for the needle. Good luck..H..

 

JB Weld works good on the well plugs, they used to include some in certain carb kits I think.......snapper is CORRECT on that float needle clip!

 

I had a problem with the rochester on my 55 packard flooding. What was going on...is there there is a clip that attaches to the needle, and the clip gets caught on the inside....I kept my clip but bent it differently, and removed part of it. Once that was done, I had no problem. When you open it up, it will be obvious.
Tim
MBL

 

99% of all quadrajet flood overs happen when its hot and its because of the float being saturated.

HOWEVER that being said there is a reason that little clip was put in there. Properly installed that clip will not cause a problem.

Thought this was an ol skool site. Nobody remembers what it was like before they started putting those clips on needles?

The clip helps pull the needle open in cold starts. When an engine cools off the seat can cling to the needle. Car starts and kills and then you got to whack the carb with something to get the needle unstuck.

Many people don't take the time to sand the indentation off their old floats when they put in a new needle and seat. The contact between the float and the needle has to be flat or you are just asking for problems.

 

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Yeah, most remember, But the question asked was about Quadra-jets ....H

>>>>Thought this was an ol skool site. Nobody remembers what it was like before they started putting those clips on needles?>>>>

 

I've used JBWeld on carbs for decades, awesome stuff! By the way, take a center punch or something and peen those lead plugs a little bit first, it tightens them up so they probably wouldn't leak, then cover 'em with that magic goo.

 

Do a fuel pressure check while you're at it - Q-jets don't like much over 5 lb.