Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

[solidgoldcaddy]

ok so i got my electrical problems under control. and now i see when the fuel pump is powered on during cranking, it fires, but one of two things usually happens; 1) Black smoke from the exhaust(which is too rich of mixture) and poor idle and performance, OR 2) Gas leaking out the base of the carb onto the intake manifold. it wont do both because i assume the black means its burning too much fuel and the leaking means its not burning it and has no where to go. Any help or ideas? its a 4.3L OMC King Cobra 4BBL Quadrajet. i guess i know what the problem is, i just dont know how to fix it.

also the fuel pump i have is the carter marine application rotary vane wired to a oil pump safety switch. thanks guys.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

Sounds like a sticky float or it is set too high.Time for a carb rebuild but those 4bbl quadra-jets are a PIA!!
Easy route would be gauranteed carbs on the net...about 200 bucks.

 

[solidgoldcaddy]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

the guy i bought it from said he just rebuilt it. how would i know if its set to high, you mean the mixture i assume, and how can i adjust the mixture, there are 2 screw on the front of the carb, i read turning in leans the mix and out richens it. is that correct? which should i adjust?

 

[Coors]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

Like Gary said; The leaking is a stuck float/needle and seat.
That is the first thing to fix.
Fast.

 

[solidgoldcaddy]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

Like Gary said; The leaking is a stuck float/needle and seat.
That is the first thing to fix.
Fast.

i dont know alot about carbs, how can i fix it?

 

[solidgoldcaddy]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

sorry to be annoying but does anyone know how to fix this stuck float problem?

 

[Coors]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

The kit comes with instructions, but if you ain't a gear head, you might want a shop to check it out.

 

[solidgoldcaddy]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

The kit comes with instructions, but if you ain't a gear head, you might want a shop to check it out.

the rebuild kit? im def. a gear head, but havent touched too many carbs in my day. im just thinking about a new one from flyingfishcarburetors.com and then ill know for sure.

 

[Coors]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

Quadrajet easy, you just need to buy that $50 gallon of Gunk carb cleaner, and soak it overnite, taken apart(it comes with a basket, to hold all the small parts)

 

[lee437]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

You may want to check your fuel pump pressure first. I just went through this with one of the local Mercruiser dealers selling me the wrong fuel pump, even though I gave them the carb tag number and engine no. The quardajet will only take about 5 psi fuel pressure. Above that and the pressure overides the needle and seat and floods it out. The fuel pump they sold me was putting out 15 psi so I put the old one back on and it read 5 psi with the boat now running fine.

 

[solidgoldcaddy]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

wow this thing is a class act, now after I replaced the oil pressure switch, the damn thing sounds like its seizing up. ill crank the starter and then it just stops, i dont let the key off at all it just stops. solenoid? it doesnt rattle click like when the battery is low. idk what im supposed to do with this thing anymore, its going in circles, i fix this and then this breaks. i have had it out running good once since we bought it on the 9th and it ran fine that day, ever other time we have had it out it has died from one thing or another. now this crap. part after part. the fuel pump i have is the carter p4389 rotary vane pump. max rated pressure for it is 6 psi. i dont have the money to pay the marina $75/hour to poke around and tell me it needs work. this is just rediculous. thanks for the web space to vent...

 

[Coors]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

Start at the ignition switch, and clean all connections, putting them back together with di-electric grease, and you will probably solve the problem.
If not, all of that is know to be ok"

 

[Bondo]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

Ayuh,............

What I can see is that your Fuelpump Is in fact Working,..........

But,.......
Your Carb. is Not...........

Either you tear into Your Carb,....... Or Replace it is up to You.........

As for your Electrical Issue,.........

Get a Test Light,+ Follow the Power.............

You're a Gearhead,.... So you shouldn't Need this,.......It's a "How To" from Don.......

Good Luck...............

 

[solidgoldcaddy]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

i already replaced all the connectors at the ignition switch and ran fresh wire to all areas from there. now, the carb issue makes sense to me because it has always idled like crap on start up and had ok performance. so that makes sense, plus its leaking gas out the bottom, which i understand is a bad float or stuck float. i wouldnt mind replacing it and may just do that. but what is so #&^*%#^&% frustrating is that i fix the oil switch and go to fire it up knowing the carb still needs work but trying to see if the pump was maybe flooding it out, and the damn thing cranks like *** now. it just amazes me how this thing has dicked us over in the last month and we have only had maybe 2 hours of normal operation and had to be towed in 3 times. now we dont trust it, its not even fun to take out, cause all we think is when will it break down.

i guess ill see what voltage is at around the solenoids and go from there, could be a poor ground i guess also. anyone know why theres a solenoid on the starter AND a separate slave noid? thanks fellas for all your help, i know im short tempered but i think i have good reason to be. when we test drove the boat with the guy it was flawless, we wouldnt have bought it if it wasnt. and then we get it home and heres the list

fuel pump was automotive and couldnt keep up, replaced with carter elec. COST 125 bucks

then the battery went out(it was a one month old everstart marine) so we had to exchange that under warranty, huge pain in the *** cause we didnt have the slip. COST HASSLE AT WAL MART

then the oil pressure switch went out, and sent the fuel pump running all the time, even with the key out. COST 14 bucks

this is after the guy walked us through the rebuild process he did and explained the carb was rebuilt and this was all new. well after seeing his choice in automotive fuel pumps for 45 dollars, id hate to know what else he cheap assed on. anyways. we bought it and spent more that what we were looking to spend because it was a fresh engine and had all new this that and the other thing on it. so we could add us and gas and go, i do understand things break and fail. i work on cars and things everyday, i know this. and i am a pretty mechanically inclined ,and i have NEVER EVER had this much trouble with a gas operated machine. idk, im not asking for simpathy, just explaining the situation to the helpers so they know i appreciate what they do and know im not being short with them, but the situation i am presented with. my girlfriend and i bought it together and tomorrow is our 5 year anniversary and i really wanted to take her out and watch a sunset for the first time on the boat together, i know she would love that... but i cant try and concentrate on our night with the boat being a crying little kid all the time. so thanks guys for your help and keep it comming, it makes me feel better.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

concentrate on our night with the boat being a crying little kid all the time.

Just be Thankful,.........

Kids are Way Louder,+ Cost Much Much More Money..............

And I'm Sure,....... You'll figure that out 1 day.......................................

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

This doesn't help you with your problem, but to answer your question as to why there are two solenoids for the starter... it has to do with the length of the wiring from the ignition switch to the engine. There is quite a voltage drop (in theory) with a wire run of that length, so a slave solenoid is used to energize the starter solenoid. It sounds like a crazy way of doing things to me, but that is the purpose. Just another thing to go wrong!

 

[solidgoldcaddy]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

yeah im going to order a new carb i think and then change out that cheapo slave solenoid and see what happens. i bet its a starter or wiring problem. but who knows without checking. its just frustrating to have 4th of july weekend here and not being able to go out. but thanks alot guys for the feedback. any other ideas what could be done to the starting/cranking problem??? i think the new carb will fix the gas delivery problem. hopefully

 

[Coors]

Re: Gas Leaking, Black Smoke on start-up

voltmeter, and start from the battery to the dash, and then back to the engine