Flooded and Soaked

[Tom Skinner]

Hello Forum,

I tried to take my Chrysler for a ride today, when I went to start it, it started ran rough smoked and smelled like gas. I tried again. Same thing. I finally put the hood up and it had just flooded gas all over the carb base from halfway up the carb down, top of the intake manifold, etc.. What do I do take the carb off and get a kit and rebuild it? It smelled and sounded like gas had pissed into the crank case to on the oil stick. Its a C-38 single throat Carter Carb, the Trans is Fluid Drive, any ideas as to how to proceed? It looks like my options are to try it myself or send it out to be rebuilt.

Tom

[Plymouthy Adams]

Odds are a rebuld kit is not needed..if your car was running good prior to this incindent I would just remove the carb top..find out what is keeping the needle off the seat on the inlet or see if the float is sticking or possibily has a pin hole and is full of gas sinking to the bottom of the carb therefore not shutting off the flow of fuel.

[Reg Evans]

My sediments exactly.

[Norm's Coupe]

Also, if you have an electric fuel pump, it may have taken a dump on you and caused the flooding. Especially if it's the bellows type electric pump. Had that happen to me with a rebuilt carb. Fuel pump would fill up the carb in a second or two after that bellows broke. Went back to the original mechanical pump and that solved the problem.

[Don Coatney]

All who have replied to date correctly address how to fix your problem. What ever you do, dont make an attempt to start your engine if the oil pan is full of gas. There are true horror stories of blowing the oil pan off of the engine under these conditions. Find and fix the problem. Change the oil, and then start the engine.

[greg g]

I concour wit the likely hood ofo a stuck, dirty needle and seat at the gas inlet. If you think the crankcase got a good dose of gas, you would be well served by changing the oil.

[Tom Skinner]

It was a failed Flange Gasket!

I took the Carb off, then apart with my manuel there was sediment in the float chamber but needle was free. I cleaned a good little bit of sediment out then I looked straight down the carb throat and whats to my surprise the

Botton Flange Gasket #43 in the book had shrunk on the two sides there are no screws on all the way to the middle of the throat/chamber partialy blocking the choke butterfly.

The screws were not tight when I took them out, I wonder if the cold snap we had last week did this when I parked it hot after a 30 mile drive.

Well any way a Carb Kit is on its way. Then the oil change before I start it.

That is good advice Don, This could have been "Curtains" for my old Chrysler

if I didn't have the good sense to catch it right away.

Thanks for the replies it helps when you know people care!

Tom

[splat1955]

Hey Guys,

I'm am still new to these cars and the flatheads....so this question may be really lame, but again, I'm still learning. Now, I've seen fuel pumps on GMs malfuction in my day....putting some fuel in the pan. But, I am curious as to how fuel from the carb might get into our oil via the dipstick or oil filler neck....or did I read the original post wrong. I've had carbs dump fuel into the oil in old GM motors too in the past......over flowing, open valves and seeping past the worn rings...and I suspect that could happen in our flatheads as well. Anyway, I was just curious and hope my question makes sense. Oh, yeah, and fuel in the oil, I agree...not a good thing at all.

[Don Coatney]

Hey Guys,

I'm am still new to these cars and the flatheads....so this question may be really lame, but again, I'm still learning. Now, I've seen fuel pumps on GMs malfuction in my day....putting some fuel in the pan. But, I am curious as to how fuel from the carb might get into our oil via the dipstick or oil filler neck....or did I read the original post wrong. I've had carbs dump fuel into the oil in old GM motors too in the past......over flowing, open valves and seeping past the worn rings...and I suspect that could happen in our flatheads as well. Anyway, I was just curious and hope my question makes sense. Oh, yeah, and fuel in the oil, I agree...not a good thing at all.

Splat;

Suspected point of entry was just as you mentioned. Through the top of the pistons. Not through the dipstick or oil filler neck.

[splat1955]

Thanks Don......I had a feeling I'd read it wrong after I began to reply.....But, it doesn't hurt to ask as I've found so many...errrr, ummm, " different " things with this 'ol Dodge of mine. Like today, I thought I'd replace the positive ground cable from my battery. Easy enough. I couldn't see where the other end was connected to cause it ran under the genny. Figured down on the engine block somewhere....lifted the car, got under and find that there is an odd shaped plate...that has to be removed if you want to see up under the genny....plate that mounts flush with the frame...kind of. Used my mirror and flash light from above to see if I could find out where the ground cable terminated....looks like maybe on the back of the genny mount...but not sure. Decided at that point to take my daughter to town for lunch and an ice cream. Tomorrow is another day. Just thought I'd share that " ground cable " thing...Never would I have imagined changing the ground cable was going to be so involved...

[greg g]

Some of of our cars were sold with a sheet metal dust shield that surrounded the engine at the level of the pan to block seam. I have the pieces from mine but I removed it. There is a special bolt on the bracket that holds the genny bracket to the block. it screws into the block to hold the genny but then has a threaded protions sticling up with a nut on it to accept the end of the ground wire. Some cars also have a headbolt with a taped head to accept a short stud to accept the end of the ground strap up on the head on the outer 1st head bolt near the water outlet neck.

[Don Coatney]

Special bolt as Greg mentioned. Here is the location. Star washer recommended for a better connection.

[splat1955]

Hey, thanks Greg, Shel and Don for the info and pics. Well, I'm going to get after pulling that cable today...rainy and cold here which means maybe using 2 blankets on the garage floor....and a second cup of coffee. I'm only replacing the cable cause first, I don't think it is a thick as it really needs to be and second, there is about a 6 or 8 inch section that for some reason the shielding is missing from, kind of like it getting hit by the fan at some point in it's life....and some of the steel inside the shielding has even been shaved or cut. After so many posts about engines not turning over very fast, I figured I'd give that a try first as mine is not real quick at turning over even though the battery is only a few months old. It starts every time, just think it could turn over a bit quicker. Same speed turning over whether the engine is hot or cold. Also, there is a ground wire that seems to come up from where the cable is mounted under the genny and I think goes to the VR....or in the vicinity. Anyway, I'd better probably start my own post on this Cable/Ground Wire thing....I kind of feel guilty already about hijacking this post and mentioning the battery cable here.....sorry Tom....didn't mean to get off your topic.

First is the, hard to see, special bolt of which Greg speaks.

Course thread into the engine holding the genny bracket in place.

Fine thread and nut hold the battery cable.

Second is a connection, of which Greg speaks, at the head bolt.

The head bolt is threaded to accept a bolt to hold the battery cable.

[Normspeed]

I'm running the 6V and getting good starts, but I gotta admit, hearing how strong Darin's P15 cranks with a 12 volt system and (I believe) a 6 volt starter motor is pretty impressive.