Fuel level

[submobstr]

What should the fuel level be in the Bing carburettor on my Seagull 1977 feather weight. Currently the fuel flows out of the carburettor throat. Why is there no information on this? I have the manual by Don Meyer there is nothing about the fuel level. Seems to me this would be pretty important.

CC D

[Todd]

I've never found float level specs for any of the Seagull carbs, either in the Clymers or the Seagull service manuals. I have, however, seen a couple of figures elsewhere, probably in this forum, for the Villiers float level: With the needle seated, a 3/16" drill bit will just fit under the hooks of the needle lever. Or if you prefer, 7/32" between the float and carb body.

Anyway, in the Bing carb, the fuel needle is attached directly to the float and doesn't allow for adjustment. If you've got gas running out of your carb, I'd suspect a dirty or worn needle valve seat, or a fuel-logged float.

[chris]

I have had the same trouble with the amal carb on a 102, I replaced the fuel bowl as the needle and seat was worn, sometimes giving the carb a good clean sorts it out and as Tod said it could be the float, The same thing would happen to most carbs if they are dirty or worn

[submobstr]

The float valve and valve seat are good. I have bent, ever so slighty, the brass hinge that attaches the float to the carburettor and have lowered the fuel level in the bowl to where it no longer runs out of the carburettor throat. I just don't know what the proper level should be. I have totally rebuilt this engine, I can get it to run for 2 seconds, it starts easy, but won't run for long. Spark is good. I am thinking I have a fuel issue and am trying to find out what it may be. I am currently changing the ring location on the noches of the needle valve, but of course if the fuel level in the bowl is wrong......................

[david]

Are you sure you don't have an air leak at the base of the cylinder?

[Vic]

Threes no much scope for bending the float hinge to adjust the level is there.

Id expect the top of the float to be parallel with the carb body when the needle valve is closed.

If fuel flows out of the throat there must be something more wrong with the float the needle or its seat than merely out of adjustment.

[submobstr]

Still haviing problems with the fuel level. The fuel float valve looks good to me, it is not perfect, but I would think it should stop the fuel flow. In any event I have ordered a new one. Is there a way to dress the valve seat? If the new valve doesn't work I guess that would be the next item to look at.

[Charles uk]

On a new Bing carb it is impossible to remove the float hinge pin, without opening the 2 slots in the hinge pin brackets, if these slots have been opened too far to ease removal of the hinge pin it might cause the float to float at an unusual angle not pushing the needle home properly.

The normal method to reseat the needle is to remove the float, replace the needle & give it a very light tap with a very small hammer, more often than not, it's shit that causes the needle not too close off the fuel properly.

While your float is removed check that it still floats properly, as these are made of a dense polystyrene type of substance, that looks like it could be a bit porous.

[submobstr]

This carb is a 1977. I used a pair of needle nose pliers to slide out the float pin as per Don Meyer's book. At one point I removed the float bowl, held a small glass where the float bowl would be and allowed the glass to fill, fuel stopped running at about 1/8" below the carburettor base where the bowl attaches (I'm assuming that this is about the correct level). At this point I'm thinking maybe the float is sticking against the bowl. Fuel does not overflow every time just most of the time. Sometimes it stops when the bowl is full sometimes not. I guess it's hard for me to believe the float valve is not cutting the fuel off it just doesn't seem to be in that bad a shape. I will rule that in or out when the new valve arrives. I've put a lot of time and money into this engine, more than it's worth, so I will persist. When it runs it runs great.

[Charles uk]

This looks like another Mayerism. On a Bing carb that hasn't been played with, the pin will not slide out without hitting the rim that the float bowl seats inside, unless you open the gaps in the lugs that retain the hinge pin, to allow the pin to tilt up to clear the edge of the rim.

I'm looking at a new Bing as I type this, the pin is firmly held by the lugs & requires a lot of pressure to move it sideways at all, so the pin doesn't rotate in the lugs the float rotates on the pin.

If you can't reseat the needle well enough to stop any leaks, replace the whole carb, if John can't find a replacement body, swop the carb for an Amal or a Villiers.

[submobstr]

I have a Villiers carb on a 102 cc power head W345DD3. Will it work on the smaller engine?

[charlesp]

Yes it will. The vast majority of the Forty series came with a Villiers carburettor, the Bing units were fitted when the factory couldn't get hold of the Villiers units.

[atoyot]

Still haviing problems with the fuel level. The fuel float valve looks good to me, it is not perfect, but I would think it should stop the fuel flow. In any event I have ordered a new one. Is there a way to dress the valve seat? If the new valve doesn't work I guess that would be the next item to look at.

Hey,

Where did you order your parts? I've never done business with this place but have wondered if they're any good - http://bingcarburetor.com/boats.html I've also got a '77 with a Bing, a 40+ LS.

Going to the Va. Garlilc (& wine) Festival in Nelson County in October. You should come on down! The wife and I've been doing this for over 10 years and spend another day up & down the Blue Ridge sampling about every vinyard there is between Amherst and Afton.

[submobstr]

I have ordered from two British outfits. www.britishseagull.co.uk and www.seagullspares.co.uk. They have both been great. I haven't heard of the company you listed, but I will check them out. Regarding the Garlic Festival I've been there many times over the last 10 or 15 years. Hopefully this year I'll be sailing.

[submobstr]

I ordered a new float pin and a new float valve needle. It took 2 weeks to get them from England. I installed the parts and mounted the engine on my inflatable. It started on the first pull, ran about 200 yards and quit with fuel streaming out of the carburettor throat. Just as I suspected the float valve needle was not the problem. I believe the float is hanging somehow on the inside of the float bowl. Sometimes the fuel stops running sometimes not. I have an old cracked float bowl I am going to drill a hole in the bottom install it and check for clearance between the float and float bowl. Might have to sand or bend the float hinge to improve clearance or possibly get a new float. Maybe they swell with age, I don't know.