Topic: 64 carburator / spark plug question

[marcd]

I have a 64 1/2 Mustang with 260 V8. The car has been restored and is garage kept and gets driven ocasionally.  Because it's been sitting up, I recently began putting stabilizer in the fuel. I have been getting a lot of black sooty material out of the tailpipes. I called a local carburetor rebuilder and he informed me that this is caused by the floats in the carburetor not functioning correctly (2 barrel Motorcraft). So I plan to have him rebuild it today. I pulled the plugs out last night because they are fouling due to my carbaretor problem. I noticed that 1,4,7,6 seem to be burning fine with the others having the same black sooty material as out of the tailpipes. So my question is, do you agree with the carburetor rebuilder?  Also, my father suggested considering different heat plugs for different cylinders "hot plugs".
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Konrad]

I'm no expert in carburetors, but it seems to me that if it was a carburetor problem that ALL of the cylinders would be the same, seeing as they all get fuel/air from the same carburetor. It does not make sense to me to put different heat range spark plugs in different cylinders. That is not how the factory designed it to run, so that would only be attempting to treat the symptoms of a different problem, without actually finding out what that real problem is and fixing that.

[zray]

it's not that hard to take the top of the carb off and check the floats and float level. It's easier than taking out the plugs which you managed to do OK.
If this issue is carb related, or related to the stabilizer, after cking the floats, you should just put in a new set of plugs, a tank of FRESH gasoline, and DRIVE THE CAR for at least 45 minutes at highway speeds. This will give it a chance to blow out any accumulated loose carbon, and give you a much better idea of what is going on.

btw, it's not unusual for certain cylinders to be more prone to carb fouling issues. This can be due to different compressions, excessive clearances, etc. The cylinders that haven't fouled, would probably do so eventually, if it is a carb problem.

Just so you don't forget, DRIVE THE CAR MORE, please.

Z. Ray

[Soaring]

I agree with ZRay.  It is not a carburetor float problem.  The heat range of each plug should be the same, so just change the plugs and drive it like it was stolen for a few hundred miles.  Blow that shit out.

[Tim175]

Another thing that can't do anything but help is on your next oil change, add a can of engine restore, you can get it at any parts store. I've been using it on mine and seems to help.