Holley Street Avenger float levels

[oletrux4evr]

OK, got a nice 750 CFM Holley with float level sight gages......no removable plugs. The thing is filling both bowls up to 1/2 of the sight glass, which is too high. Anyone have a method to lower the fuel in the bowls so the levels can be reset?? Or, is there a secret way to remove the sight gages??

[cstmwgn]

Ed - never seen an avenger - doesn't it have the regular needle and seats that screw in the top of the bowl?

[cstmwgn]

I just googled it. So it you loosen the slotted screw on the top of the bowl then turn the hex nut clockwise it should lower the float level.

[oletrux4evr]

I watched HolleyTV's video Allen, and they said you cannot take the level down, externally, with sight gauges. They say to remove the screw, the rock the car to slosh excess fuel out of the bowl. Then they warned of bottoming the float out in the bowl, but said to loosen the screw, then turn the nut clockwise to raise the level........No mention of how to lower it with sight gauges instead of the screw 'window' in the side of the bowls.
It sure looks to me like you could screw the adjustment down to restrict flow, and lower the level with the engine running, then raise it back up as needed......... I think I'll put a call in to their tech section tomorrow..........thanks.

[yellomalibu]

I guess trial and error. You lower the float with the hex nut, just like all other Holleys. Unless the car is running, the fuel level isn't going to show any lower until you burn it off.
Another way to lower fuel level in the bowl is to back out or remove one of the bottom bowl screws. Fuel comes out when you do that. Be sure to have a rag under it to catch the escaping fuel. Also, before doing it this way, be sure to have replacement gaskets for the bowl screws - if it doesn't come with the plastic ones that are reusable, I recommend that kind.

[anotheridiot]

if the fuel bypassing that make you think its too high? For the most part, every sight glass, even in industrial, the reason you have a sight glass is to have the level of the fluid halfway up the sight glass.

[oletrux4evr]

if the fuel bypassing that make you think its too high? For the most part, every sight glass, even in industrial, the reason you have a sight glass is to have the level of the fluid halfway up the sight glass.

I agree, but the Holley video says it should barely be visible..............if the carb has the screw out plugs, it should barely leak out.........beats me, I've thought it was fine for years. Truck has been dieseling on shutdown, so I noticed this while trying to figure out why.............

[yellomalibu]

]I guess trial and error.[/B] You lower the float with the hex nut, just like all other Holleys. Unless the car is running, the fuel level isn't going to show any lower until you burn it off.
Another way to lower fuel level in the bowl is to back out or remove one of the bottom bowl screws. Fuel comes out when you do that. Be sure to have a rag under it to catch the escaping fuel. Also, before doing it this way, be sure to have replacement gaskets for the bowl screws - if it doesn't come with the plastic ones that are reusable, I recommend that kind.

Re-reading this, it seems as if it could be unclear what I meant.

Yes, with the old style, you remove the plug and the fuel should just barely trickle out the hole. With the sight glass style, that's not an option. What I meant by "trial and error" is just to turn the adjuster nut down/ clockwise a bit at a time (maybe a 1/4 turn) then snug it back together and run the engine or drive the car to see if it acts better. See where the fuel is within the window after running the engine for a bit.

Anyone have a method to lower the fuel in the bowls so the levels can be reset?

You can drain a fuel bowl by loosening or removing one of the bottom 2 bowl screws

[oletrux4evr]

Well, I learned 2 things here;
1 - you can't talk to Holley unless you have an hour or so to wait. To their credit, they returned my call but I didn't hear the phone for noise in the shop. Didn't try again.
2 - you can do just as we all thought........I moved the adjustment nuts clockwise two flats at a time and the level came right down to where I wanted it.
Now if I can figure out why it's dieseling on shut down.........

[corvettedad]

What RPM are you idling at? If 800 to 1k, which should be good you might try bumping timing down a 2 or 3 degrees and then bring idle back up if it doesn't hurt performance or mabey its our high quality gas there selling us. A thought, an expensive thought, buy a 5 gallon can of VP 104 and see what that does.

[yellomalibu]

What else has changed since before it started dieseling?
When I've had that issue in the past, the engine was either running hot or as corvettedad suggested, the idle speed was too high - or of course the timing was set too high. Having the idle too fast could also cause the timing to be too high...

If everything else seems to be adjusted fine and the car/ truck runs great (except the dieseling) shut if off in gear.

[antmnte]

I guess trial and error. You lower the float with the hex nut, just like all other Holleys. Unless the car is running, the fuel level isn't going to show any lower until you burn it off.
Another way to lower fuel level in the bowl is to back out or remove one of the bottom bowl screws. Fuel comes out when you do that. Be sure to have a rag under it to catch the escaping fuel. Also, before doing it this way, be sure to have replacement gaskets for the bowl screws - if it doesn't come with the plastic ones that are reusable, I recommend that kind.

In a pinch use a washer from a roofing nail for the little gaskets on the bolts. Just FYI.

[oletrux4evr]

Set it all up last night, had it idling a 800.....perfect. Started it this morning, idle is now at 1500, and it stumbles a tad. Above 2000 runs like a top, at about 180* by the temp gauge. Cleaned and serviced the air filter, pulled a plug from both banks, which seem fine (light gray/brown, although they both smell a little more like fuel than I like). The PCV valve seems to be working OK, no air leaks at the base of the carb, distributor is still tightly bolted down. I added some fresh 91 octane to the tank along with a bottle of octane booster (never used that before), and put 120 miles on it today. I'm wondering if I've developed a vacuum leak.......maybe on the RTV seal at the front of the intake/block joint....losing some oil right there..........I'll check the intake for leaks, then I'll check the timing. I think both the idle issue and the dieseling issue are related..........Thx.

[silver_bullet]

Ed, I've had similar issues when a bit of corrosion built up on the mechanical advance in the distributor, not allowing it to return to true zero advance... had me stumped for a while... it was caused by moisture trapped during the off season...

[oletrux4evr]

I'll check that too Patrick. thx.