Carburetor Bleed Valve

[a.flood]

For the Winter and on some other occasions, I've had to remove the bleed stopper screw from the bottom of my carburetor. This is useful to access the quality of the gas coming to the carb.

This on my boat is very hard to get at and gas can spill and some awful language from my mouth too.

So a little kit would be nice with a simple valve that replaced the plug and possibly a small tube that could be either attached or left on this during operation.

Aongus
Sabre 28

[ArtJ]

Suggested tool

This is very hard to reach the main passage plug on the Tartan34c when removing the
main passage plug to flush carb.There is no room for a container to hold
the ejected gas - allowing 1 or more pints of gas to be flooding into
the bilge under the engine -
very dangerous.
What if a barbed hose fitting was available that mates with the special main passage threads?
Then a 2 foot long hose could be attached allowing
the ejected gas to be collected in a convenient placed container. Possibly
even a in line shutoff valve rather than the easily lost plug?

[joe_db]

I must be doing winterizing wrong, I just run the engine until it quits instead of draining the carb.
A valve would be nice, but there is a very obvious very dangerous point of failure involved If I ever did this, I would cap off the valve when not in use so draining gas involved removing a cap and then opening a valve.

[ArtJ]

This is useful for more than winterizing for example,flushing a clogged float valve.
Not all engines have access under neath to collect spilled gas from a
routine or urgent flush when carb quits while underway. My initial thought was just for a easily installed threaded hose barb for use when necessary as a temporary replacement,however, this allows
what ever gas is in carb to spill into bilge since no access to place
a container,. In any case a threaded hose barb that fits in main passage is a big plus a safely installed valve with a plug is a plus.
Are small male threaded adapters available for this unusual threaded passage?

Best Art

[ndutton]

Art, how often do you have to drain the carb? I'm not a winterizing guy but if I were I'd probably take the carb home for the winter. As for other reasons, if you're experiencing frequent debris problems, where is the debris coming from? If you're experiencing other carburetor related shutdowns, how often do you rebuild? Do you rebuild on a schedule or wait for problems?

I understand your access difficulties but wonder why there's such a frequent need. I've never removed my passage plug except as part of a rebuild.

[Bratina]

Interesting. I'm in Southern Ontario so winterize each fall. Engine is usually laid up until April. I don't attempt to run the carb dry, I don't bleed it, and don't remove it for the winter. My engine starts 2nd or 3rd attempt each spring.

I have clean ethanol-free fuel, annually change both a fuel-water separator and a 10 micron inline filter that sits between the (electronic) fuel pump and the carb.

Others no-doubt will disagree, but I don't see an advantage to bleeding or removal of the carb. Worst case is a hard-start in the spring, in which case I can easily remove, clean and replace the carb (but this hasn't happened yet).

[Al Schober]

Not sure whether this discussion is about the drain plug in the bottom of the bowl or the plug for the main jet? Both of these are straight thread vs tapered pipe thread.
I'm leery of adding any plumbing to either of these connections. Potential problems would seem to be far worse than any benefits. I'd also want to read the USCG regs on fuel systems to see if such a mod would even be legal.

[Dave Neptune]

Safety first

Angus, an access panel may work be better. That plug is sealed for a reason called leaking which can cause a big boom . I don't even like the adj jet for that very reason, a possible drip.
In 34 years I never removed the plug to check the gas as I would of checked it at the separator as it would accumulate there first.
Any fuel problems need to be addressed at the tank first and then work to the carb.
If draining the carb helps for a bit it is not fixed only catastrophe postponed .

Dave Neptune

[ArtJ]

The point is that there is only about 2 inches underneath the carb main passage and the oil pan bottom

Anytime the carb must be flushed all the gas goes underneath the oil pan
there is no room for a catch pan, For routine drains I use nearly a roll of
paper towels to soap it up. When the passage needs to be flushed
rather than drained potentially a couple of pints could be sloshing
around dangerously. If you needed a emergency flush - which I did
underway recently it is outright dangerous to have all that gas flowing
around inaccessible !! You may not need this , but others do.

I have a racor separator and a quality in line filter

[ndutton]

Isn't the drain path is still in a downward direction from the passage plug on the carburetor even with a hose?

[ArtJ]

My idea was originally for use only as a temporary hose to accommodate
using a container above the normal flow and only done during use of the
electric pump to flush it out, not routine draining .I mentioned a permanent connection in reference to the suggestion from the first post's author.
This would amount to some spillage during passage plug removal and
hose coupling connection. If there was a convenient way to have a permanent
connection was only a secondary possibility.
Having for only temporary use would be potentially helpful

[Dave Neptune]

Art, draining the carb will not FIX anything. If the carb needs flushing there is something wrong in the fuel system and not the carb! Draining may get her running gain TEMPORARILY and fixing the "fuel" will fix he real problem.

Nothing should get through the filters that would cause the carb to stick but water and emulsified krud from behind the carb to the tank will.

Dave Neptune

[ArtJ]

Dave you are right

My carb was brand new , but I let the gas get very low and probably
pulled crud into the new carb despite new filters, I still would like the idea of a temporary hose though

Thanks Art

[Clucas]

The last items on my winterizing procedure include draining the main passage and emptying the sediment bowl on the fuel pump (mechanical). I do both with a plastic deli container. The flexible container can be wedged to get below the passage plug and catch any fuel from the carb. I position the same container beneath the sediment bowl on the fuel pump, loosen the bail and drop the bowl into the container. I have a Racor and polishing filter but have had issues with ethanol killing the sediment bowl gasket and gumming up jets. This practice has eliminated those issues, though in the spring I'll often bring home the carb for a quick rebuild. Take care of her and she'll take care of you