C1 WCFB Float Settings?

[Bob B.]

Hi all,

I believe that the float in my WCFB is not limiting the flow into the bowl, since, when I start the engine gas is coming out from all the openings inside the carb and out of where the butterfly rods comes out. Then the engine floods and dies.

So, I took the top off and thought I would check the float adjustment and I cannot seem to find specs anywhere that tell me the float settings. Can someone supply these for the front and rear floats? My carb is the 2818S model.

It is simple enough to measure the setting when the float is parallel almost with the gasket, but where do I measure the float drop? On the end of the float near the hinge? The other end? Or in the middle?

Thanks,

Bob

[William C.]

Re: C1 WCFB Float Settings?

If it doesent bind when you raise the floats don't worry about the drop. The issue you are chasing is the high setting which as you described is easily measured with the top of the carb upside down and the floats level with the top.

[Bob B.]

Re: C1 WCFB Float Settings?

Thanks, Bill, but do you know what those measurements should be? - Bob

[William C.]

Re: C1 WCFB Float Settings?

They are in the ST-12 "Corvette Servicing Guide", a must-have book for any solid axle Corvette owner, Settings are Primary: 5/32 and drop 2", Secondary 9/32 with 2" drop. Measure top of float to gasket bottom surface. If excessive flooding a problem, look for problem with needle and seat, dirt or whatever.

[Gene M.]

Re: C1 WCFB Float Settings?

Just to add to Bill's answer......some of the current WCFB rebuild kits have mismatched parts for the needle and seat. When the wire clip is installed to capture the float hanger it bottoms out on the top seat before the needle freely seats. I just ran into this problem on two chapter members cars with purchased rebuild/restored WCFB's. (So much for not doing it yourself). They had the same flooding fuel all over as you described. Used a taller original needles solved the problem.

[Clem Z.]

i have also found with both WCFB and AFB

carb kits the needle seat to top cover gaskets have too large a in inside diameter hole to seal tightly and you have a leak there. if the gaskets do not have to be "threaded" onto the needle seat they can leak as they have too large a inside diameter hole

[Mike B.]

Re: i have also found with both WCFB and AFB

I have 2x4's that were recently rebuilt. The front carb gave me a lot of woes right from the start for several reasons. The first was that the new float was defective and fuel leaked inside destroying any hope of operation. So while you have the carbs open, you may want to disconnect the floats and shake them to double check that they are dry inside. But even after replacing that float the flooding continued. I never thought of the shorter needle or wire fixture causing the problem as others have described but when I set it to factory specs the damn front carb would continue to flood. So by trial and error (two more times) I gradually reduced the distance it would take to put the needle on the seat until I found the point where the flooding stopped but there was plenty of fuel in the bowl (for those important times when one feels like mashing the gas pedal).

One thing that caused me to question the factory settings is that when I stepped back and looked at the angle the engine sits in the bay versus a level line, it is off by several degrees. So intuitively it made sense that the factory setting may not work because the fuel would seek its own level thus causing flooding. I don't know if that was the root of the problem but I am happy to report that it now starts on a touch hot or cold and runs like a dream. The plugs have a nice tan tinge to them too, not wet or carbon fouled from richness.

Keep trying, you are getting close.

Mike