WH46 gushing fuel when bulb squeezed

[pcrussell50]

Middle WH46 carb, port side

Gushing out the vent jet when bulb is pressurized
man’s
Gushing out the tube in the bottom that shoots forward and upwards, when bulb is pressurized

Hopefully this video clip I took will show it:

https://youtube.com/shorts/m2Xd0tAVzV8?feature=share

Since the float is perfect, IMMA guess it’s the needle and seat that needs replacing?

-Peter

[Baker343]

Pull the carb and check the float height. Set the carb back on without bolting all four nuts down and retest.
You may have to change out the needle and seat. Have you ran these carbs or are they new to you?
If the float height is correct you can swap needle and seats in that carb to see it the problem changes sides.
You can throw a used needle and seat in for a quick fix if you have extra WH carbs setting around.
Tap on the float bowl while pressurizing your system, you may get lucky.

[pcrussell50]

Damn! I love this place!

Perfect response. Perfect because it perfectly aligns with what I thought might be the issue.

-The carbs are new to me. I got them off ebay in very good condition. But I opened, cleaned, re-gasketed, and set the float level per the manual. Dead on.

-Carb is already off, and float is still as perfectly set as it was when I did it a couple of months ago. (Wish that was it). Needle and seat look good too. But I have a fresh new needle and seat from ProMarine that I will try anyway.

-I like your idea about tapping the float bowl. The way it was gushing I’d almost bet the float got stuck open somehow (insides of the carbs are spotless).

-Peter

[skialot2]

Only 2 possibilities.
1. Needle and seat (Most probably) Check the tip of the needle carefully. Sometimes the rubber tip pulls out or has a crack that is hard to see. Also check in the seat for an obstruction.

2. Stuck open enrichner valve. (Highly doubtful)

[pcrussell50]

And…

Even more evidence of a stuck float… I just pulled out the needle and seat and inspected (looked fine), re installed them, and the float and dummied it all back up on the motor, using your advice and not tightening down the carb screws, pumped up the bulb…
…and…
Perfect. Tight as a drum and no leaks. Even with the old gaskets. (I have fresh new gaskets for the final install of course, but I was just testing).

Anything else it could have been than just a fluke, stuck float?

-Peter

[tlwjkw]

new ta you carbs!... new needles and seats, all new gaskets in all three of 'em.. set floats and don't look back...... ;)

[Baker343]

And…

Even more evidence of a stuck float… I just pulled out the needle and seat and inspected (looked fine), re installed them, and the float and dummied it all back up on the motor, using your advice and not tightening down the carb screws, pumped up the bulb…
…and…
Perfect. Tight as a drum and no leaks. Even with the old gaskets. (I have fresh new gaskets for the final install of course, but I was just testing).

Anything else it could have been than just a fluke, stuck float?

-Peter
So, what did you change to fix your carb flooding. 6 new needle and seats are a good piece of mind.

[pcrussell50]

So, what did you change to fix your carb flooding. 6 new needle and seats are a good piece of mind.

I literally did nothing more than disassemble, inspect, and re assemble. I did not put in new needle and seat even though I have them. And I did not even put in new gaskets, even though I have those, too. I pumped the bulb tight and it didn’t leak a drop. Then I showered, went out to dinner, came back nearly two hours later and it was still so tight and leak-free, I couldn’t even get half a squeeze of the bulb, before it was rock hard again.

The “old” needle and seat were clean and the needle was not worn or mishapen. It looked so perfect I couldn’t bear to toss it.

That’s where I am right now. I’ll go to bed soon and check it again in the morning. The boat is in our garage.

If it passes a leak check in the morning, I’ll back it in and check it while running on the trailer.

-Peter

[pcrussell50]

So, it held pressure all night barely took a squeeze of the primer to go full hard. So I took her out again. Horrible rough windy day on Lake Mead today. But she held up just fine. And again, that was with the same needle and seat that got stuck open. :shrugs:

I don't know what to assume other than the fact it got stuck the first time was some kind of fluke. But I'll be keeping an eye on it for sure.

-Peter

[skialot2]

Probably just a piece of dirt in the seat. I recommend a new fuel filter.

[pcrussell50]

Probably just a piece of dirt in the seat. I recommend a new fuel filter.

Could very very well be. This occurred during the third or fourth shakedown run on a new powerhead, and I’ve been running nekkid (no filter) during that time. This newer-type 2.4 uses the square pump in the port side and it does not have a screen like the figure-eight pumps do.

Because of your insightful suggestion, I have moved proper filtration to the top of my list. I have a Racor water separating filter in the box, waiting to go in.

-Peter