flooding carb. (Read 441 times)

[chrisdevon]

I had this problem ages ago, but been fine since but done it again today.
1.6 1988 carb, sunny.
Pumped accelerator as normal, pre starting, engine started as normal but within ten yards or so cut out. And would not start again, smell of fuel, and could see petrol in carb when I removed air filter unit. Its got a glass fuel level indicator on carb and its full, rather than half way. Tried foot to floor technique and waiting ten minutes and no accelerator travel, still not good.
I got the car going as I did once before by disconnecting fuel pipe from carb and getting lucky?

Its been fine since I got it going but, would like to know more should it happen again.

Both times had been wet days or raining. Could it be a float problem? electrical but resulting in flooded engine?

Has anyone had this before or any advice welcome, Many thanks..

[Talking Hoarse]

Morning Chris. Sounds to my untrained eyes and ears like the float needle /valve had stuck. That is the needle valve that controls the flow of fuel into the float chamber and is located where the petrol enters (and then excess leaves too probably) the top of the carb. Unlikely to be the float itself as the car would be flooding all the time (I reckon....). Not hard to fix, but can be fiddly and getting parts will be a challenge. There is still a company called Meat & Doria that produces service kits for old Hitachi & Nikki carbs - I found them eventually after woes with the Nikki on my Bluebird, I think I bought from Autodoc.
Good luck & let us know how you get on /where you get the bits. Its getting harder to find techs /mechanics who understand or dare touch a Nikki or Hitachi carburettor.
Ed

[chrisdevon]

Thanks Ed for the advice and info.
I will post something if I get any parts or solutions. But I'm not too clued up when it comes to taking carbs apart. Sometimes I leave things I don't understand alone..