carb flooding

dustman · #1 03-24-2009, 07:55 PM

I need some opinions my plane is and older plane RV3 that im putting back together. Went out sunday to do some taxi work. I switched on the fuel pump and I get fuel coming out of the cowling. I figured it is the float sticking possibly from some debri from replacing the fuel lines. Anyway pulled the cowling today started fuel pump ran the engine no more leaks. What should I do at this point? Thanks for any help.

videobobk · #2 03-24-2009, 08:45 PM

Double check your fuel pressure as there is a slight chance it is running high. The engine driven fuel pump CAN fail to higher-than-normal pressure. If it is right, I would at least clean the lines/carb. "Putting back together" can get debris in places it ought not be. If you still have problems, float and valve are in order.

Bob Kelly

brianwallis · #3 03-24-2009, 08:47 PM

Dusty, how long ago was the engine run before this event? Total time on engine and carb? How old is engine and carb? Has it ever had any auto fuel ran through it? Total time on the engine?
Thanks Dusty...
Best
Brian Wallis

dustman · #4 03-25-2009, 05:24 AM

The plane had been sitting for awhile and the carb had some auto fuel left in the carb, but I did have the carb gone through. It was pretty much gunked up. After it was cleaned up and put back on the plane it seemed fine other than the float sticking . Engine runs smooth less than 300 hrs on the engine.

mahlon_r · #5 03-25-2009, 06:06 AM

If it were mine, the first thing I would do is remove the carb again, take it apart and clean and inspect everything, double checking that the float and needle valve are OK and properly rigged /installed.
Good Luck,
Mahlon
?The opinions and information provided in this and all of my posts are hopefully helpful to you. Please use the information provided responsibly and at your own risk."

dustman · #6 03-26-2009, 06:35 PM

I took the carb off cleaned and inspected everything. I found a little bit of foreign material in the bowl that could have caused the float to stick. Put everything back to gether completly drained fuel tank through a strainer gas appeared to be clean. Hooked up fuel line started boost pump and gas poured out carb. Shut pump off restarted pump no leaks. Fuel press read 4 psi and steady. Shut off and started boost pump numerous times and had no more leaks. What should i do now help!

tomagin · #7 03-27-2009, 04:27 PM

Take any float problem seriously. On my Maule I had the engine quit when powering back abeam the runway due to a stuck float which then flooded the engine at the low power setting. It gets your attention. If you have any doubts rebuild the carb and insure you have a good float. There have been float AD's based on plastic floats that absorb fuel and sink. Water from alcohol in auto fuel or any water that settled in the bowl could corrode the mechanism and cause it to stick. By the way, my O-360 had only 500 hrs on it and was overhauled by a top name shop. The engine was 5 years old.

Anyway, the point is to take symptoms seriously!