Dellorto 36 float level

[arpbus]

Can someone tell me where the correct float level would be in the bowl of the carburetor. I know that the level should be set at 6mm on the lid. I'm questioning my method for adjusting the float or maybe the needle valve is bad. My fuel pressure is 2.5-3psi. Or maybe someone could explain exactly how to adjust floats. I do have the dellorto tech book but it seems there are some discrepancies in wording

[Danwvw]

It would be good to clean the carb and set the float via the instructions in the drawing but check it with no gas by turning the carb upside down and back right side up a few times making sure by blowing on a small hose you can attach that the valve is opening and closing every time. Make sure it does not hit the sides and that the float valve needle is centered within the fingers that move it and not wedged to the side You can also punch a hole in the gasket the carb top gasket and drop in your calipers as a dip stick to measure the gas level once it's installed and operational. It will have about 26-29mm or so of gas from the bottom of the float bowl. Generally though a problem with sticking needle valves result with getting gas in the motor oil after setting with a full tank of gas overnight. A leaking needle valve can also cause hydrolock and the engine won't crank over until the gas is cleared by turning the engine over slowly and gently with a wrench.

The float cross member is there so make sure your not hitting it which will cause high readings.

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1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths!

[Type 5 Joe]

The floats bend upwards over time... Especially in dunebuggies, bajas, and sandrails.

They all slowly bend upward with use.

I set them slightly down in the bowl from horizontal as shown in the diagram.

When they get serviced a year or two later, they will rest slightly above horizontal... Again I set them down just a bit.
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[modok]

even with the step top in the emulsion tube

[Danwvw]

What Here? That would be about 25mm of standing fuel if measured to the bowl bottom with the floats installed and the carb top on.

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1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths!

[modok]

Well, maybe not exactly
maybe as high as the bottom edge of the big holes, but certainly no higher than that, depending on what your doing.
I rather be low than too high, too high you get a lot of spillage in turns and bumps.

[Danwvw]

Found this: https://www.highpowermedia.com/blog/3971/the-emulsion-tube

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1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths!

[modok]

LOL, that's clearly not drawn to scale
this is what it actually looks like

I made those a long time ago, I did learn some interesting things doing all those measurements.

For instance, my areas are noted in round mm diameter squared, but I think weber's aux vent size is equivalent hole size. Meaning a 4.5 nozzle has the same exit area as a 4.5mm hole. Both carburetors have 5mm ports leading to the aux vent, but notice the nozzle size of the dellorto aux vent is clearly much smaller than 4.5, in weber terms it would be perhaps 3.8 or 4.0
Dellorto clearly had plans for larger aux vents and alternative emulsion tubes, but they were never made

Anyway, after actually looking at it I think just below the four big holes must be right for the fuel level. DRLA has quite a strange emulsion tube, I never will know why it is the way it is, but, seems to work so I guess it's magic

[arpbus]

Thanks for your posts. Very helpful. These were the best instructions I could find. The instructions found in the CB performance book do not make any sense to me at all. They say nothing about holding it vertical which is super important and the details about pressure points of float arm and needle are foggy at best

[Danwvw]

Interesting, Makes since to check it that way, I always blow on an attached hose and check the 5.5mm where it shuts off. It should be where the top of the float is parallel with the top of the carb.
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1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths!

[Type 5 Joe]

Like I stated before... Set slightly less that parallel with the lid.

Expect to see them above parallel with the lid the next time you service the carbs.

They slowly bend upwards over time. The fuel pressure moving them up and down against the stop + bouncing around causes them to tweak upwards over time.

Start down a little and you'll be fine.
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[modok]

[Type 5 Joe]

Dellorto floats are made of cellular foam inside....

They are all the same, and if they are cracked or sugaring they need to be replaced.

Usually they are good and I have seen little variance in the couple hundred or so sets I have dealt with.

Almost all the carbs I have seen that have been run and not maintained have floats set extremely High. I'm sure its from years of use and not re-setting them.
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[74 Thing]

I like to use an allen wrench as a gap checker tool for the float (5.5mm)

[Matthew Tolbert]

I need some help with my fuel levels on my 36mm dellortos... I think. I feel like they are too high due to tuning issues I’m having but I am not 100% certain my method isn’t flawed. Everyone always speaks of how to set the float heights and I’ve set them to the recommended 6mm/13mm. What I am doing until I find a better way is simply I start the engine and let it idle for a few minutes until I know the bowls are filled. Ive done the following with the engine still running and off. I then pull the main stack out and wipe the fuel off of it and then just place it back in the hole without threading it in like a dipstick and when I pull it back out the wet fuel line is right above the holes it is supposed to be below from what I have read and understand. If I thread it in it is way above the holes actually at the top of the emulsion tubes. Am I way off base here or do I have other issues I need to address like possibly fuel pressure?
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Matthew Tolbert
1958 ragtop
1961 doublecab
1965 Notchback S

[modok]

I don't really know, I'm guessing, and I could be wrong.
The only official specifications are the float level 5-6mm, and
some specification of 20-22mm which the meaning of is not clear.

[Matthew Tolbert]

Lol Modok your first sentence is exactly where I am at this moment except it reads more like I have no clue, I’m definitely guessing and I’m sure I’m wrong. I just hope I can find a simple definitive answer to measuring fuel levels. It would at least get it out of my head as a possible issue.
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Matthew Tolbert
1958 ragtop
1961 doublecab
1965 Notchback S

[Matthew Tolbert]

[modok]

I have an idea.
We know that the float height is 5-6mm, so all we need to do is float the float, and see how many MM of iceberg is above water.

[Alstrup]

I agree with the general setting.
However, I have lately come across a series of 36 Dells that would not work properly with the normal 5-6 mm float stop. They bucked and jerked and spit at me and I was like,,,, Hmmmmm! Tried up and down with the jets to figure out where I had gone wrong. Improved it some, but nowhere near good enough. Then I thought OK, here is something unusual, so I looked into it some more. Everything looked right. But since it wanted huge jets for a slight improvement I thought that I would lower the float height to 4 mm and see how it liked that. Sure enough, now it responded to my jetting abhout as normal. Ultimately I set them at 3,5 mm and the engine goes waaarp just off idle (?) The float level is VERY close to the discharge hole, but for what ever reason these carbs want that.