weber dfev 32/36 blocked

[timspider]

I have a 5 month old weber with less than 2000 miles on it. After multiple issues, it is now blocking fuel at or close to the inlet.
I pulled the filter screen and cleared some tiny debris. No change.
I'm hearing references to a needle that may be the culprit.
where is the needle? Can I get a visual on it?
Any other suggestions as to how to get this fired up?
Thanks

[vandor]

The needle and seat are in the float bowl, screwed to the top of the carb. You have to undo the 5 screws that hold the top part on, lift it off being careful that the gasket goes with the top, and then you will see the float that moves the needle valve.

Is it a Weber, an EMPI, or a chinese knockoff?

[majicwrench]

Hmm, what do you mean by "blocking"?

[timspider]

I might be wrong with that term. Gas is getting pumped up to the carb via new electric pump. Pulled the gas line off at the carb and confirmed that.
But i don't see any gas going into the throat.

[majicwrench]

Well, gas isn't supposed to flow down the throat.
Does car run??

[timspider]

Here's the long answer:
Car died while sitting at idle last week, after running well on a 1600 mile trip the week before.
I've had a new facet electric pump in the trunk for a while now, so took this opportunity to install it. Wired it to coil per a forum post. Power works. Fired up the car and it ran well past 2000 rpm, but very stumbly at idle. Drove around block: 4 mile trip mostly at 50 mphwith 4 stops.
Went to start the next day and would not start. When it behaved like this last fall I had it towed to my garage guys. They said it had gone way out of time.
remembering this, and not knowing how to use a timing light, I tinkered around the distributor and found yellow marks on the base that coincided with the shaft.
I'm guessing these were marks for TDC, and they were very far apart. So I moved them a little closer to what I thought might be 10 degrees.
Tightened it back down and it started. Ran crappy at idle but very smooth as you accelerated.
then later in the day I thought I was going for a haircut and she wouldn't start.
so that's where I am now.

[majicwrench]

If car won't start, you need to check for spark and fuel. and figure out which is missing.

[timspider]

Yes. That's basically what I've spent the last few days doing.
I guess I'll just keep chipping away.

[majicwrench]

With all due respect, you are guessing. Need to test a few things.

This should take a couple minutes.

Find an old plug, pull a plug wire off, stick in old plug, lay on head. Have someone crank engine. Spark?? Yes or No.
If No, pull coil wire from dist. Install old plug, lay on head, crank. Spark?? Yes or No.

If you have confirmed you have spark:

Fuel, look down throat of carb, pump throttle. Should squirt fuel down from accel pump discharge nozzle. THIS IS HARD TO SEE!!
If in doubt, put a teaspoon of fuel down throat of carb. Now try to start. Does it start, run a few seconds, and die?? Yes or No.

THen go from there. Which is missing, spark or fuel??

[bradartigue]

Agree, be systemic. Check one thing, move on.

Sounds like rust in the old float bowl to me. I'd check that, fuel delivery, the carb first. If you're finding debris past the fuel filter then it is tiny particles, and if they are getting in the bowl they'll let the car run until the bowl drains. If you have it in the bowl then its in the tank.

[vandor]

> When it behaved like this last fall I had it towed to my garage guys. They said it had gone way out of time.

That is very strange. Cars rarely just 'go out of time' on their own, so much so that it does not start!

I wonder if while adjusting the timing, you made things worse. How sure are you that what you did was correct?

The not idling problem may just be a clogged idle jet or passage in the carburetor.

[timspider]

Yes, I'm guessing. No, I'm not sure of anything I'm testing. That's why I post here. I'm clueless in search of a clue. I guess it's best to know that's the guy your trying to help. Have a shop manual that is occasionally helpful and willing to watch youtube videos but I basically just get tools and parts as I need them.
It probably looks like I'm throwing parts at this aimlessly and while that's partly true, these are things I've been wanting to do anyway, so might as well take the opportunity.
As for my adjustment making it worse. Sure, that's possible, likely even, but that wasn't the issue when I brought it in last as I had not touched anything then.
The points seem finicky. They wear fast. So I'm replacing them.
I'll take a peak at the float later today. Tiny debris is making to the clean out screen at carb.
is that indicative of bad stuff in the tank? Filter is pretty new, plus I'm running a 75 micron screen back by the tank.
is there a cleaning additive for the fuel tank that is a good idea?
Thanks

[timspider]

update: it's working. did a lot of things but cleaning out the 3 needle valves I found and their seats with carb spray cleaner made a big difference.
one of them was almost black with grime. I didn't expect that since the carb is pretty new with less than 2500 miles on it.
So I'm thinking I've got stuff coming from the tank? Makes sense as it sat for 23 years in a barn.
Is there a clean out solution that is worth a shot or should I consider a new tank?
nice to be up and running again- thanks for the help

[bradartigue]

Removing the tank is a pretty easy job, I would recommend you remove it, drain it fully, remove the sender. Plug all of the holes except the sender and fill it up with a strong degreaser mixed with water. Then flush it out a bunch of times and leave it in the sun to dry. Get a flashlight and check out if anything is left in there. If there is rust, etc, then you can get a tank cleaning and coating kit from various places but ask around, people have had mixed results.

Some radiator shops do fuel tank coatings, they boil the thing out and paint them inside and out with fuel resistant stuff. I've never done this, I've just cleaned them out, maybe even filled with BBs and shook them around to get any residual crap, and washed them thoroughly. Seems to work.

Once you reinstall put a good glass filter in line and, after the glass one, put a cheap aluminum one. Run it that way until the glass one gets nasty, then change the glass filter element and eliminate the aluminum one.

[majicwrench]

Removing tank is WAY overkill at this point, unless filter is full of debris. Have you seen what is in the filter?? Either just shake it out on a clean paper towel or cut it apart to get a look inside. If full of junk, THEN you may wish to do something about tank.
Glad it is getting better.