Why do I have high fuel pressure...

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by steve meltzer

i seem to have lost my 5/32 clutch head bit, but found a small screwdriver that works fine
(heresy, I know) s

If you can wiggle it in, then it will do. I think the only reason Holley chose a clutch head for the six secondary screws was so that they could sell a $20 screwdriver to stupid people like me.

[patrickt]

You might as well rebuild the primary side, since you have the kit and carb sitting there on your dining room table.... If you haven't cleaned off your metering block in a few years you might be surprised at what the ethanol in the fuel does to the Holley coating. I've written a zillion posts on clogged air bleeds and here's a perfect shot of the crap that's in there that clogs them up. Yes, Ellie's butt in the background there is cleaner than that metering block. Just use carb cleaner, a toothbrush, and compressed air and it'll be almost as good as new. If it is horrifically bad, just buy a new metering block.

[steve meltzer]

I came to the same conclusion and the carb is ready for the reinstall. Blew out all passages with compressed air, new needle/seats, gaskets and new power valve. Floats set to horizontal with bowl upside down. thanx...more later. s

[1795]

Steve,

I have been following this thread from the start. Patrick is a great resource (don't let him know that I said that) and it is nice to see how much you have learned and are progressing. Can't wait for the post that says "She is running like a champ!"

[steve meltzer]

Yep and this isn't the first (nor probably the last) time Patrick has rescued my sorry glutes!
Set the carb in the turkey pan this PM, but didn't have time to plumb all of the stuff....gotta walk the mutts, don't you know! Thanx for your interest. More later. s

[patrickt]

Here's a factoid of which you are probably unaware, but since you wrote that you set your floats "dry," it came to mind, so I went down and pulled my bowls off to snap this pic. Most people think that the bowls are the same on both the primary and secondary side (aside from the fuel inlet fitting direction). But you can see from this pic that the sight hole for setting the float adjustment is noticeably lower on the secondary side. And you know you can do "micro-tuning" by turning up the float a bit, which will act like a slightly bigger jet, or turn the float down a bit, which will act like a smaller jet. Now I'm not talking much, maybe an eighth of an inch or so. But you do have to set your floats "wet" as soon as you get your carb fully hooked up. Even if the car is running great, you have to set them. And, of course, start with it set to "just barely a dribble" out the hole when you rock the car.

[steve meltzer]

Patrick, thanx for the trouble you took to shoot the photo. Got the carb on, but the carb flooded, I think....no leaking anywhere, but couldn't get it started. I think I tried too many times and now the starter whirs but won't engage. I've done about 10 Holley's in the past, so I think I rebuilt it right, but there was just too much fuel to light. Again, floats set dry, that is to say, perfectly horizontal with the bowl inverted. s