Setting Fuel Level Weber DCOE

[240260280z]

Had fun with my good buddy Dr240z refining the tuning of his triple webers.

 

The last time we set them we used a fuel level of 25mm below the cover-body margin (as per Keith Frank's recommendation).  It turns out this is way too high and caused the cruise to be too rich... something that could not be tuned out. Idle and WOT were easy to set however.

 

This time we set the fuel level to 29mm and used a new rig to do this as precise but much faster than the pipette method or the caliper method.   

 

It turns out that a column of water 8' to 9' high "head" gives a pressure of 3.5 to 4 psi at the base  (simulating that of the fuel pump on a Z.) so we strung a funnel and hose near the garage ceiling and ran this into a carb lid on the floor. 

 

The carb lid sat on a clear plastic tub with water levels from the top scratched into it for reference. the top of the tub represented the top of the carb body.

 

By filling the system with water, it flowed through the needle valve at ~ 4psi. When the flow stopped, we measured the fuel level and bent the float tabs as required to get 29mm.

 

Once all 3 carb lids were the same, we continued tuning and finally dialed in the carbs to a powerful yet non-stinking/non-fume delight at idle, cruise, and WOT.

 

FYI: Gasoline would have been more accurate but water worked and was safer.  FYI the S.G. of gas is ~0.70 so a float would sink lower in it.

 

 

9' Head

 

29mm fuel level

 

The Doctor

This post has been promoted to an article
Edited August 9, 2015 by Blue

[Patcon]

That's a great way to do that. Simple and precise

[Mark Maras]

 Fantastic idea. Whenever I have set float levels, I have never been absolutely sure that they were right. Love the simplicity of it. Red Green would be proud.

[bpilati]

Say hello to the doctor for me, and it appears he's started a saline IV for the patient (carb).

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Watch out for altitude corrections on this head level calculation.

 

Rho * G * H

 

IN Colorado it may be a smidge different than in New Orleans.  HAHA

What a great idea man.

 

I am so going to try this to see how close I got mine using the gage I bought from Keith.

Edited November 3, 2015 by Zedyone_kenobi

[swa240z]

Hey Blue - I have been working on setting the float levels of my carbs today and just ran across this thread.  Great idea!!!  One question though, I assume I should use a carb gasket between the carb top and the bowl to simulate the correct height of the floats relative to the carb body?  

Also, does anyone know how to get a hold of Keith's float level tool?  I didn't see it on the website with his other stuff. 

Thanks!

Steve

Edited September 4, 2016 by swa240z

[240260280z]

You can use the gasket or compensate for it.

 

Check the pipette tool from sk racing.

[zKars]

Ok, I feel obliged to point out a few things.

1. The liquid level you get in this experiment is dependant on the cross sectional area of the container. The boyancy effect of the float displaces a set volume of liquid, which causes  the level to rise to a height that's = displaced volume/container area. If that cup is not the same diameter as a float bowl, you ain't even close....   Think about submersing a basketball into a bath tub or pool. You think maybe the bathtub level might rise a bit more than the pool? 

2. Don't even get me started with the water/gas density difference being negligible. It's a 30% error in displaced volume.

3. So even with all these rather significant errors in float level settings, the car is then shown to run well. Hmmm.... It couldn't be that maybe the float level setting is not all that critical, could it? Foreshame the thought to challenge such a well accepted "truth" 

I feel obliged to apologize in advance for my rather gruff tone above. I seek only to bring enlightenment and to stimulate discussion.  It's been one of those weekends....

[240260280z]

The float will always close at the same level no matter how big the basin.  It is vertical height only from the lid to the float. Fluid density is the only other factor. 

Think of pressing the lid into the surface of a fluid rather than filling the basin... it may seem more logical with the reference being the lid moving up and down over the surface.

In the experiment we did, had we have used a bath tub, we would just have to pour more water in but the results would be the same.

That 370z is messing you up.

[swa240z]

Hey Blue - I can't find that pipette tool you mentioned above.  Do you have a link you can post that would point me in the right direction?  Thanks!

Steve

[240260280z]

Here are photos:

Here is where you can order:

http://lupinusflower.ocnk.net/product/58

 

[240260280]

Water Column Height (Head) to PSI at sea level.

240z pump output pressure is  3.4PSI so use  ~7' 11" for Weber bowls or stock SU bowls.

If you use an electric pump and external pressure regulator, dial the regulator to 3.5psi and use 8'

 

If you use gas in the hose rather than water, multiply the psi in the table below by 0.75.  You will need ~10.5' of gas head to get 3.4psi.

 

Edited June 5, 2018 by 240260280