Triumph Repair: car acting up, dash pot, british cars

Question
QUESTION: Howard I have a 1972 spitfire IV. weird things happening if I make a hard left the car floods out have to hold the pedal to the floor to restart. Also if I have to slam on the brakes to stop I get the same thing floods out engine dies. Dash pot has oil but the air filter when I removed it today the lower parts was wet with gas and gas odor. Its my daily driver and its has been doing great on a rebuilt carb for a month now today now this... any ideas as to why this might happen? thanks Mark

ANSWER: Hi Mark,
If it is really flooding, than you need to look at the float levels, the condition of the needle and seats and check to see that the fuel pressure is not too high. If it was just trash in the needle and seat you should put a inline fuel filter between the pump and the carb if it don't have one.
Howard

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QUESTION: Hi Howard, How do I check for high fuel pressure? When you say trash the needle and seat get a new one right? Thats the needle that moves the floats right not the long pin looking needle..thanks Mark

Answer
Hi Mark,
To check fuel pressure you need to purchase a fuel pressure gauge. Most any auto parts store even Wall Mart have them and they are not expensive. Some come with a "T" fitting to install in the fuel line at the carb. If it don't come with one the auto parts store will have them. Make sure you put clamps on the hoses so a hose don't come off. You want to see 1.5 to 3 PSI at the carb. I found when the pressure is up around 5 or higher it will flood the carb/s on most British cars.

The float is what closes the needle on it's seat. The float level needs to be set at a specific setting depending on what kind of carb you have. If you have SU carbs you set the float so it closes the needle at 3/16 in. between the top of the float and rim of the lid. If you have a Stromberg the setting is 17mm from the bottom of the float to the rim of the carb body when it has the needle closed.

If you are going to keep the car you should get a service manual for reference and you can contact me when you have a problem. A picture sometimes is worth a thousand words.

Let me know how you do.
Howard