carburetor problem with 1978 merc

carburetor problem with 1978 merc
I recently posted that my car was sputtering on acceleration. I replaced the fuel pump, fuel filter, and air cleaner and it ran good for about a week. It had been starting good but not running well.

Now it won't start. Yesterday morning When I started it it ran for a few seconds and then stopped and wouldn't restart. There was gas all around the base of the carburetter. Now when I try to start it gas flows up thru the two vertical tubes at the front of the carburetter as tho something is clogged up inside the carb and forcing gas out thru the tubes. The carb was rebuilt about a year ago. What now?

It is a 400 cu with a 2 bbl

  bbaddog

either the needle or the float
the needle may have dirt affecting its seal on the seat or the float is gone/hole allowing it to fill with fuel and not float up and close the needle to seat
the fuel pump will keep filling/pumping the fuel bowl in the carb then overfill/flowing out through the top of the carb
you could try disconnecting the fuel line before the pump(between the tank and pump) and starting the car to run do the fuel level in the carb then reconnect the fuel and try it again this may flush dirt off the needle seat/reset/ the float if it doesn't work you will need to open up the carb and check the needle and seat and float and replace as nessasary

  osborste

ok. I disconnected the fuel line and took a rubber mallot and knocked on the carb a few times but that didn't help. I've never opened up a carb before but I thought what the heck, if I can't start it Ill have to tow it to a mechanic anyway so I opened up the top making sure not to lose anything. Only 6 screws and I could then see the float. It was stuck in a down position so I just moved it up and down a few times and then put it back together. The car now starts and runs good.

I wonder why it got stuck in the first place. The carb was rebuilt a year ago and I could see the parts were new.

  bbaddog