Swoopy

Hi all. 71 olds cutlass hard top 350. Had since 1987. Trying to put on road again, new battery after a year, spray WD 40 in plug holes then turn over by hand. Try to start and gas bubbles up and flows out the vent tube.

Have not started olds in a while and when started this time wow, pouring out of vent tube. Float stuck? I mean it flows out the vent almost 1 inch full flow.

Holy 4150 650CM. Any speculations?

svnt442

That's what it sounds like to me. Stuck float. The carb probably needs a good cleaning/rebuild.

Rickman48

Might try rapping the front fuel bowl w/a screwdriver handle!
Now that it's wet again, might free-up and be O.K.!

Jamesbo

Welcome aboard

I'd vote to toss the Holley for a Q-jet. Just MHO

MDchanic

Stuck float. No big deal.
A couple of sharp raps with something non-lethal, like a big screwdriver handle or a hard plastic hammer should free it.
Worst case, open it up and clean the gunk out of it. Idle jets may be clogged anyway.

- Eric

Oldsguy

If the car has sat for quite a while it may have stuck because debris from the tank was lodged between the seal and needle. It would be a good idea to change the filter, and perhaps even have the tank inspected/cleaned.

Welcome to CO.

Swoopy

Thanks all.
Yup stuck float, cleaned both bowls and she ran fine. I will change the filter and the fuel tank is original, never cleaned, same pick up etc... I see the prices for a new tank and pick up, but was wondering about the cost to inspect and clean the tank. I'm in Salisbury MD a rather small town east of Baltimore and 45 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean, so choices are limited if I don't want to haul the tank to B-more. She has been garage kept for last 14 years. Tank from outside looks good, still have rubber coating plus some additional tire coatings, but interior most likey has gunk and build up. After I pull the tank, could I just shake and rinse with fresh gas or is a professional look-see warranted. Plan to drive couple of times a week. I have a quad-jet and have rebuilt it a year or so ago...hmmnn might put the Q back on. Feels good to have power again after driving my 4 cyl B2300 (425,000 miles original motor, never opened), pole position once again!
Pleased to be a member, Dave.

gearheads78

Plan on a rebuild. Since its been sitting the seals will be dry and will start leaking once you start driving more than likely.

MDchanic

Salisbury - Damn.

I drove through there once on the way to see my girlfriend's home in Crisfield, back in the days when nobody thought it was weird if your girlfriend was 13. And especially nobody down there . I'd imagine it's been cleaned up a lot since then, but, man, that was one rough place back in the day.

Oh, yeah - content: Figure a lot of seals and rubber bits will decide they've had enough, one right after another. Aside from leaking seals and gaskets, be prepared to change the fuel pump and distributor vacuum advance (rubber diaphragms).
As far as the tank goes, you MIGHT be able to look inside with one of them newfangled fiber optic video inspection lights (empty tank, and don't make any sparks!), but, in my opinion, so long as you change the hoses and install a large auxiliary fuel filter (one of those disposable round clear plastic ones with the paper element) just before the fuel pump or carb, you don't need to mess with the tank unless gunk in there clogs up the fuel line completely, and even then, you can always disconnect the tank, blow out the line backwards from the front, and install a second filter right at the tank. After a while, and crud will have been picked up by the filters, and you're good to go, unless the tank develops pinholes, in which case you'd need a new one.

Oh - a porous rubber hose AFTER the fuel pump will seep fuel, BUT a porous rubber hose BEFORE the fuel pump will suck IN air, causing fuel starvation but no leaks.

- Eric

Rickman48

PLEASE DON'T use one of those plastic fuel filters, get the steel one for a little more!!
Have seen 3 engine fires from those melting on the manifold - NOT WORTH IT!!!!

And pourous rubber line before the fuel pump will only leak when the car is off!!

Swoopy

Hmm... back in the day, 13 was nearly a mother in Crisfield. Crisfield is a bit out of the way and was touched by the real estate boom with several waterfront condos that transformed the old fishing village. I never saw 5 story condos with screen porches until Crisfield! Damn mosquitos will carry you away! Maine has those little nasty flies right?
Steel gas filter, good call. I'll replace most lines too, but I forgot the distributor vaccum. Thanks again all, your logic is reasonable. Appears I'll be replacing more items, better now then later. Love the photos, that 69 HO sure is a sweet ride, and the 70 442 also, but wait the 66 rag top.. I love olds.

MDchanic

Okay, I have to agree to watch out for the plastic filters, but, if you keep them away form heat and vibration, they should be fine.

DO NOT use the glass-and-metal filters under any circumstances - they have a habit of coming undone at bad times.

Metal filters are good, and definitely safer, but you lose the satisfaction of watching crud accumulate on them over time. Also, for whatever it's worth, I've had the same set of plastic filters on my motorcycle (BMW /5) for over ten years without a problem.

Actually, prior to coming North to visit (and staying because her Dad didn't think it was a good idea for her to go back), she had been caring for her 2 younger brothers and her baby half-sister because her Mom couldn't put down the bottle. I've got some scary appalachian-style photos of her frolicking in a junkyard with the baby and her brothers, wearing her '70's faux-lambskin coat, at about age 12, looking like 40.

- Eric