Only happens on the highway. I get really bad whiffs of fuel, worse when window is open., Its not a constant smell, it comes and goes. It doesn't matter if tank is full or empty. Once in a while, if tank is full and make a sharp turn, I get the same smell. been like this for 10 years. No leaks anywhere. I changed the fuel tank, sending unit, cap, most of the fuel lines, fuel filter, on my third carb.....where the heck is this smell coming from???? I ran a vapor return line from the tank to the carb, but that didn't help. Someone told me I could have a pinhole leak on top of one of the fuel lines...but that doesn't make sense. I can't tell if its coming from the front or rear of car.
I'm afraid one day this smell will set the car ablaze...so any suggestions? Thank for your help.
Joined: Fri Jan 18 2008, 10:06PM
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 383
I had a 440 with an Edelbrock 750. I had a high volume fuel pump. I would get those smells. I believe the pressure from the fuel pump was overcoming the float needle and seats and overfilling the float bowls at high speed. If your car is running rich, like Dacuda said, this might be part of the problem. I put an inline fuel pressure regulator on mine and set it at 5 psi. That got rid of the problem. Also, if you have changed the float bowl inlets to something not stock for the carb, that can mess up the float operation too.
Joined: Tue Oct 11 2005, 01:33AM
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 5893
A thought, on my car one of the tank vents runs up into the trunk and eventually back down again. If this vent line is damaged you would get fumes in the trunk and these might be the source of your problem.
Also on carbs, my 440 started with an Edelbrock 750 cfm which tended to flood so we swapped it for an Edelbrock 600 cfm which works way better. My fuel pump was putting out around 7 lbs and after taking to Edelbrock we added a regulator and set it to 4.5 lbs. Made a big difference.
The tank vent lines are a definite place to look... I notice that smell sometimes when I'm in my trunk shortly after a fill or drive where it might slosh.
Joined: Fri Jan 18 2008, 10:06PM
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 383
Fury440 wrote ...
A thought, on my car one of the tank vents runs up into the trunk and eventually back down again. If this vent line is damaged you would get fumes in the trunk and these might be the source of your problem.
Also on carbs, my 440 started with an Edelbrock 750 cfm which tended to flood so we swapped it for an Edelbrock 600 cfm which works way better. My fuel pump was putting out around 7 lbs and after taking to Edelbrock we added a regulator and set it to 4.5 lbs. Made a big difference.
I purchased my Edelbrock 750 around 1997-1998. The fuel regulator got rid of most of the problems, although I never completely got rid of the rich idle. I even tried drilling holes in the throttle plates. Glad to hear the 600 is a better carb.
Joined: Tue Oct 11 2005, 01:33AM
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 5893
benmonaco wrote ...
I purchased my Edelbrock 750 around 1997-1998. The fuel regulator got rid of most of the problems, although I never completely got rid of the rich idle. I even tried drilling holes in the throttle plates. Glad to hear the 600 is a better carb.
Paul had a great conversation with the carb boys at Edelbrock and one point they made was most 440 guys go for the 750 and then get frustrated trying to get it to run properly. They felt stock and mild builds use 600 and to only look at 750 in engines built for racing and can handle that much volume. It's one case where bigger isn't always better.
Joined: Fri Jun 04 2010, 10:30PM
Location: Illinois
Posts: 464
Fury440 wrote ...
benmonaco wrote ...
I purchased my Edelbrock 750 around 1997-1998. The fuel regulator got rid of most of the problems, although I never completely got rid of the rich idle. I even tried drilling holes in the throttle plates. Glad to hear the 600 is a better carb.
Paul had a great conversation with the carb boys at Edelbrock and one point they made was most 440 guys go for the 750 and then get frustrated trying to get it to run properly. They felt stock and mild builds use 600 and to only look at 750 in engines built for racing and can handle that much volume. It's one case where bigger isn't always better.
You guys must be running the Performer series carbs which are a Carter AFB. I'm running a Thunder series 800 cfm which is a Carter AVS, on a stock 440 Magnum and have had no issues what so ever. It's very tunable and after playing around with it have reverted back to the jets and air bleeds it came with out of the box.
Joined: Fri Jan 18 2008, 10:06PM
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 383
Fury440 wrote ...
You are correct, perfomer series.
Mine was Performer as well. Got rid of the car in 2006. Have never run an Edelbrock since. Might try the AVS one day. I am running a 4160 Holley 600 on a 440, vacuum secondary, no problems. Ben