Z 22 Zenith

[Frank Macfarlane]

My carburetor is leaking,  over flowing from the top of the float chamber. I believe I replaced the washer at the bottom inlet valve and the need is not seating resulting in petrol overflow.
My question is How do I set the float level.The original washer was perished so cut out a new one using gasket paper. 
Really would appreciate some advice
Thank you

[Howard Wright]

Hi Frank

Assuming the carb wasn't leaking before you replaced the washer ....

Firstly I would check that float chamber cover is seating properly, then check that the small levers attached to the float chamber cover are not stuck and are moving freely when the needle is moved up and down, then I would make sure the float is floating ie isn't full of petrol and finally on the assembled carb that when you press the needle down (the top protrudes through the cover) the flow of fuel stops. This indicates that the needle is seating properly in its jet.

I would not proceed to adjust the float level until you are really sure all these things have been covered.  However adjusting float level means moving the little brass lever seating up or down the needle.  Small movement means large differences in petrol level and can really affect the running so be careful.

Cheers

Howard

[Steve Jones]

The float level is set by moving the collar on the needle up or down. To lower the fuel level, the collar needs to move up the needle, to raise the float level, the collar has to move down the needle. If it's an original needle, the collar will have been soldered to the needle. In the case of a flooding carburettor, the Zenith instruction book says "....unsolder the collar on the float needle and move it a shade further from the point". Rather than unsoldering, I've moved the collar up the needle by holding the needle in aluminium jaws in the vice and using a length of suitable tube, gently tapped the collar down "a shade". It's worked fine for me a number of times but do it at your own risk!!

If nothing else has changed, it is most likely that the initial cause of your problem is that your replacement washer is not the same thickness as the original and if you were to remedy that, the problem may well go away.

Steve

Edited to add: Of course, the checks that Howard lists above are the obvious starting point before trying to adjust anything.

[Frank Macfarlane]

Thank you both. I believe the replacement washer is definitely wrong.The one I made must be at least 50/60% thinner than the original.
Tomorrow is "new washer" day

Frank

[Ian McGowan]

Hi Frank,
             If you do need to check the correct fuel level on a Zenith 22 carb., this is how to do it.
With apologies for my rubbish art work!!

REMOVE CARB. FROM MANIFOLD.