Technical Car using a lot of gas

Got a 1950 flathead v8 and I just cleaned the carburetor. I figured that would help with how much gas the car is using but no luck. Anyone have ideas of what could be the issue? Cleaned the fuel pump too.

 

How much gas is it using?

 

What is your description of cleaning the carb?
How many carbs are you running?
What type of carburetors?
What type of distributor do you have installed?
What rear end are you running and what gear ratio?
We need alot more information to help you.

 

I started it and it ran for about a minute with me reconvene the engine and used 24 oz of gas

 

A 8BA with a good single carburetor should get...
10-20 MPG.
In other words 15-16 MPG + or -.

 

I was able to take it apart and clean it up. Took it all apart and did a soak cleaning.
One carb
It has a 7RT carb
I am pretty brand new to the car process. I am learning quickly. This project was my grandpa’s and I am trying to help since he passed.

 

I'm not real good at figuring Ounces-Per-Minute, O-P-M. By the data so far....24 OPM. How does this relate to MPG? I Kain't Know.
That's gonna take a lot of math.
In the mean time I would check the oil for gasoline It may be flooding past the needle and seat....

 

Get a shop manual.
You did use a "kit" for that carburetor and replace the gaskets and small parts?
Did you "set" the float?

 

24 ounces is a pint and a half, which if burned in one minute is a very rich condition. Is this at idle speed? That is 11.25 gallons per hour, or about the same as a Cessna 182 cruising at 140 Knots.

Is the exhaust from the engine black? If it is, then you likely have an issue with the carburetor that is causing WAY TOO MUCH fuel to be burned. Float level set way too high, jets not reinstalled, choke on, etc.

If the exhaust is NOT black, and you don't have a puddle of fuel dripping under the car, then fuel is likely ending up inside the crankcase through a bad fuel pump diaphragm.

What does "reconvene" mean in the above statement?

 

Sure did. And use the measurements from the manual to set the float.

 

@Charles Voelker Where are you located? This board is full of folks willing to help, so if you're close to one of us you may well get a willing person to give you a hand. Since you're a younger guy than most of us in this group, we try to encourage you fellas to get interested in the traditional hot rod hobby.

 

Reaving

revving. Auto correct error

 

All of it!

I'd start with a tune up regardless, it's a learning process. Carburetion is a big part of a sharp tune, but a lot of other things need to be corrected before a carb will operate correctly. Start studying period manuals and docs. Yeah, check the plugs for fouling, they will tell the tale. If real bad the crankcase oil, the dipstick will smell like fuel.

 

FYI,
There’s no quick fix.
It’s time to go through the whole tuneup process. We are all willing to help you along the way. A manual is a good start. Good luck. Glad to see you're willing to get this old ford running right.

 

check your oil level, you might find its gone up and is much thinner/stinks of fuel

 

Was that test started with an empty carb after the cleaning?

 

How do the plugs look? That is the prime indicator of a rich condition.

 

running an cold engine from a bottle, the gas will be used up very quickly,...not a good indication of normal use mpg

 

If I am Lucky I will get 18 mpg & I use High test Gas with NO Ethanol
in it but I don't care if I want gas Economy I would Drive my every day
Car.!
Like somebody said Get a Motors Manuel for older Cars & Read
one that Has your Car in it.
Is Your Car Stock or Modified, Is it the Car in your Avatar or What.??
Just my 3.5 cents

Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

If we knew what part of the country you lived in there is most likely someone near you that could help you. What country are even you in? Argentina?

 

Are you using a electric fuel pump? HRP

 

You really can't tell anything running it out of a container. I assume you are running it out of a bottle or a temporary tank. If you are running out of the factory tank, it may take a gallon or more before it "picks up". Running it like that is just to see if it will run. It does so lets move on....

What's the status of the gas tank?
What about the fuel lines?
What about the fuel pump?
Does it have brakes?
Does it have good tires?
Does it have brake lights?
Does it have a title and tag?
Electrical?...this is several topics in itself.

This cars appears to be a keeper that will run so....
Make the car where it will run off the gas tank.
Making it run well...this gets into all the tune up stuff.

The first thing to confirm is a functioning factory fuel system from tank to carburetor.

Don't be surprised if you need a new tank, lines and fuel pump....No telling what's been done in 70 years and what kind of goo-rust-junk or "quick fixes" have been done.
Untitled by Travis Brown, on Flickr

Get the fuel system restored from tank to carburetor. Then it's on to the next step. It's only when the car is going down the road that you'll worry about mileage.

 

Any idea if it has a Loadamatic distributor and a compatible Loadamatic carburetor?

 

OH!!!!
Make sure you have fire extinguisher handy!!!

 

Thank you so much for the help I am going to check the oil bath and see if there is an issue there. Then I will adjust the float and the idle screws. Keep trying different things. The carburetor still leaks even after new gaskets. So the top could be warped

 

I know a lot of info/ questions are being thrown at you in an attempt to help which is great but the first thing to do as already stated by someone else is to make sure that your not "gaining"oil meaning that there isn't gas going into the crankcase. This will thin the oil and wipe out your bearings ruining the motor.

 

Yes as everyone is advising - start from the beginning, measure the fuel pump pressure output at the outlet. A mechanic's vacuum gauge will do this test and it only takes a few minutes. Too much, or too little pump pressure will cause lots of hair pulling. Then, you can make any necessary adjustments to the float height/fuel height in the bowl with confidence. This is an important baseline setting for any carburetor and often overlooked.

 

I'm a little foggy about an important detail. I saw The OP mention a 24 oz bottle of fuel but it's not clear if the fuel was poured into the throat of the carb or was the "bottle" attached to the fuel fitting on the front of the carb somehow? Other mentions of leaks and float and bowel suggest that it was, but I'm not sure.

 

better do the smell test of dip stick - may be a fire waiting for you

 

I did pull the dip stick and it is very fuel heavy.