How should a carb be stored?

May 31, 2022, 04:40 PM

62Galaxie

I used a 650 QFT in footbrake last year that worked really, really good. Took it off in October and sprayed some WD-40 here and there. Put it back on the SAME engine this year and it runs like crap. It doesn't idle well at all. Whack it at 1600 and it stumbles. What the hell??? Did I do something wrong?

May 31, 2022, 05:44 PM

1320racer

Spray the air bleeds with 2+2 carb cleaner while the engine is running if after a few minutes it still doesn’t idle take the carb off the engine and take it apart, spraying all the orifices in the metering blocks and main body and blow them out. Reassemble and reinstall.

June 03, 2022, 03:28 PM

Brktracer

Store it with race gas in it. Nothing oxygenated. No alcohol of any type.

June 04, 2022, 06:49 AM

Curly1

quote:
Originally posted by 62Galaxie:
I used a 650 QFT in footbrake last year that worked really, really good. Took it off in October and sprayed some WD-40 here and there. Put it back on the SAME engine this year and it runs like crap. It doesn't idle well at all. Whack it at 1600 and it stumbles. What the hell??? Did I do something wrong?

Yes, air bleeds are probably clogged now and the WD-40 helps draw dirt and dust that clogs them. When you spray the carb cleaner in the air bleeds you can hear the change when they are opened up. I do it with motor off, does not matter and I like to be able to tell when they are open.

A Carb usually works very good but you need to regular spray out the air bleeds as we usually do not run filters and those air bleeds clog easily.

Also in my opinion you need to change floats at least every other year. When I ran one of those Nitrophyl (sp?) I changed it yearly. Rear jet extensions nick it and it starts absorbing fuel and getting heavy. But the problem you are having now is not your floats it is just dirty air bleeds.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/np3zpruo/
"Dunning-Kruger Effect"
-a type of Cognitive bias where people with little expertise or ability assume they have superior expertise or ability. This overestimation occurs as a result of the fact that they do not have enough knowledge to know they don't have enough knowledge.

Before you argue with someone ask yourself, "Is this person mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of a different perspective?" If not there is no point to argue.

4X NE2 CHAMPION. 2020 TDRA NE2 Champion

June 04, 2022, 09:09 AM

Bad News

quote:
Originally posted by Curly1:
quote:
Originally posted by 62Galaxie:
I used a 650 QFT in footbrake last year that worked really, really good. Took it off in October and sprayed some WD-40 here and there. Put it back on the SAME engine this year and it runs like crap. It doesn't idle well at all. Whack it at 1600 and it stumbles. What the hell??? Did I do something wrong?

Yes, air bleeds are probably clogged now and the WD-40 helps draw dirt and dust that clogs them. When you spray the carb cleaner in the air bleeds you can hear the change when they are opened up. I do it with motor off, does not matter and I like to be able to tell when they are open.

A Carb usually works very good but you need to regular spray out the air bleeds as we usually do not run filters and those air bleeds clog easily.

Also in my opinion you need to change floats at least every other year. When I ran one of those Nitrophyl (sp?) I changed it yearly. Rear jet extensions nick it and it starts absorbing fuel and getting heavy. But the problem you are having now is not your floats it is just dirty air bleeds.

Not just the air bleeds can get plugged. The dye in fuel gets left behind everytime the fuel dries out, time after time. The wells and emulsion tubes can get clogged up as well with the dye. Pull the metering blocks and spray them out or soak them in lacquer thinner and blow them out. When storing a carb clean it out with a spray cleaner so there is no fuel or dye residue.
As far as the floats go, changing them every year is a waste, unless they show signs of absorption they should be fine.

June 09, 2022, 10:06 PM

ChuckT

For what it's worth, even here in Pittsburgh, I leave my carb on all winter, running 80% 93 octane, 20% 110 race gas. I cover it so no mice try to make themselves home is all. We typically get a couple or few decent days over the winter where I can fire it up and push some fuel through it. I haven't had a problem.

June 10, 2022, 05:49 AM

Holytown

Running Alky, I just choose to clean my carb once a month. takes minimal time/tools to do it. No sense in taking a chance IMO.

Not to mention I get bored, and it gives me something to do for 30 minutes.

June 11, 2022, 10:07 AM

Eman

I'm guessing the OP is running pump gas. For that I would disassemble and clean carb then WD-40 it if you're going to go through the trouble of removing it every year. My car sat after the 2019 season until the start of the 2021 season. Carb stayed on the car in the enclosed trailer. At the start of the 2021 season all I did was start it up. I don't think I even pulled it apart at all just went racing. I run AV gas and it never leaves any residue or dye the inside of the carb is always spotless.