Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

In the last 3 years or so I have had this problem on several antique cars the most recent is a 52 Packard. I have several antique cars and this has now happened to 3 of them. The float sticks up and will not let fuel in the carb. Sometimes I can tap the fuel bowl with the plastic end of a screw driver and that will let the float drop so carb will get gas and it will run fine all day. Others I have to take the top off the carb and free up needle and clean seat with carb cleaner and Im good for a while. Last summer a car did this and I had fresh gas in the car and had driven it over 100 miles 2 weeks earlier.I have tried putting seafoam in the tank with fresh gas and that does not help. Its pretty frustrating when your all cleaned up ready to go somewhere and got to mess with the carb. The only gas thats available around here has ethanol Anyone else have this problem or have a fix for this?

Good Morning...Some of us keep Marvel Mystery Oil in our gas at the level on the bottle. I drive our 1949 Deluxe quite a bit and also a 1931 Model A Ford and I don't have any float trouble with either of them. However, friends that have cars that only are started/driven every few months do seem to have such trouble now and again. It appears to me that starting/running them on a regular basis is the key...if only around the block for five or six miles every other week. Ernie in Arizona

Since I only go through about two tanks of gas per year on the Clipper, I religiously put Stabil in the tank to help prevent old fuel varnishing. Once I had forgotten and let it sit for way too long (6+ months), and it gummed up my accelerator pump to point that it blew out the side of the leather seal.

Combining Ernie and Big Kev's posts, I always add Marvel Mystery Oil and Stabil when refueling (which sometimes is only twice a season) and I've never experienced the problem that 29tons reports.

After my last post I did notice that all the cars are 50s cars probably a coincidence.I will try adding the stabil and mystery oil.If anyone else has other ideas let me know.Something has changed with gas in the last 3 years.I have owned antique cars for 40 years and have never had this problem.

Good Packard Morning...Today's fuel is so different than what the Packard Engineers designed for...I don't know if they would laugh or cry or just get mad! I have heard people say that aviation gas is helpful if you live in a place where it is available...Ernie in Arizona.