I thought everything was fine on my Nikki carburetor after eliminating stuck needle/seats and getting the float levels set perfectly last year, but it appears to be flooding after a recent test.

For fun I put my old phone in the air cleaner for a quick rip just to verify the vacuum secondaries are opening ok, confirmed they open up fine when the engine is nice and warm. When I tried to take a better video on a colder day with the engine freshly off choke it stumbled a bit and the secondaries didn't open yet but fuel poured out of the secondary discharge nozzle and the secondary main air bleed.

I assume that's not normal, the bowl vent solenoid is bad on my carburetor but I have it jammed open in such a way that it shouldn't be causing any flooding, so I'm not sure what could be causing it.

First 5 seconds (Headphone warning) shows the secondaries opening normally with air/fuel being drawn in. Second part shows the secondaries not opening but fuel is pouring onto the secondary blades.

 

every thread that i have browsed on your topic seems to point to either the floats and/or the vent solenoid, both of which you referenced in your post. maybe it's time to revisit your past issues with them.

https://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-arch...oblems-238029/

https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...oding-1006990/

https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...d-start-83581/

 

Are you able to replicate the issue with the car stationary? Don’t know if simple engine speed triggers your issue or if you need to have the engine under load?

Want to test possibility that float/ needles are the issue. I had a similar problem, and to test the idea that bowls were overflowing ran the engine with fuel pump fuse pulled so emptying the bowls below the inspection window. I then put the fuel pump fuse back in, then ran the engine watching the bowl inspection window. I was able to see fuel climb up and past the inspection window then immediately after start flooding into the throat of the carb, proving to myself I had overflowing bowls and hence needles that were not closing.

I was unable to fix it through polishing needles or adjusting floats. Finally fixed it by installing a Holley fuel pressure regulator and dialing down the psi until problem stopped. If you are able to prove cause is overflowing bowls, let me know and I will find part number for fuel pressure regular and send pics of install.

Oh, and I wedged the vent solenoid open like you to take it out of the equation.

Or…. The test reveals the fuel level sits in the window where it belongs. In which case going lower in the carb is beyond my pay grade as have not had to mess around below the needles/floats/bowls.

 

I took the air horn off to check everything. One of the main air bleeds on the primary side was plugged by a tiny piece of metal probably from screwing it back in last time.

I took the 2 tiny screens off the needle seats last time as a part of troubleshooting the engine cutting out on the freeway but it ended up just being a fuel filter, so I guess I'll put them back since they're clean now.

The only other obvious thing is the rebuild kit I used last time had an airhorn gasket that was for a 79-80 and is missing holes featured on a 81-85 gasket circled in red. I've heard the two outer holes are apart of the altitude compensator (?), which I would think shouldn't even be active where I live unless that would still have some kind of affect being blocked by the gasket. I'll try to poke some holes in those spots.

 

Hey, how did that work for you? The only small hole my gasket has is above the middle one dead center. Of course I have neither of the small side ones so mine is neither in the picture. Anyway, I’m curious I’ve been having some problems. Has this flooding issue ever caused your car to die on you?

 

I ended up reusing the proper gasket that came off the car before, it was now in better shape than the replacement incorrect gasket. I see a tiny bit of fuel wicking on the gasket at the front fuel bowl after a drive, so I'll have to get a new gasket soon.

I noticed the air filter gaskets are always wet with fuel even after recently wiping them. In one of the videos the carb seems to be experiencing reversion causing fuel standoff, where the fuel actually sprays upward, at least from the secondary nozzles in the video, not sure about the primaries. I only saw it happening in the video with the engine still cold before the secondary blades would open.

Emattox: The only time I had a stalling issue was when one of the needle and seats would jam up, causing the front fuel bowl to fill up, replacing only that needle/seat fixed the stalling for me.