need quadrajet help

[jeff1976]

I got rid of my Edelbrock and installed a quadrajet. After talking to a couple of 4x4 shops, I did as they suggested and mounted the quadrajet backwards.(secondaries towards the front of the vehicle). I was trying my new set-up when I climbed a steep incline and ran into a small engine fire. Evidently, some fuel poured out of the carb and cought fire. Luckily I had my extinguisher handy and snuffed the fire but it had already destroyed my air filter and a vacuum line. Why did this happen and what can I do to fix it? Also, does anyone else run this setup?

 

[4x4k20]

i do not know what caused that but i have never heard of mounting the carb backwards i ran an edelbrock for a while but went back to a qjet and havent had any trouble with it at all at any angle the edelbrock would cough and sputer anytime i hit a bump or try to climb a incline but even with the qjet mounted backasswards i dont know what could have happened

 

[Triaged]

It sounds like the fuel leaked out the vent for the float bowl. I had problems w/ that (the motor would bog because the fuel splashed into the primaries) and solved it by putting a piece of fuel line to extend the breather.

 

[MudbogAD]

Why would you possibly want to mount your carb backwards? I have never heard of that before. It was designed to be installed one way and one way only. Your fire started probably because it was backwards. I would flip it back around if I were you and not listen to mechanics that tell you to put things on backwards.

 

[bogginnut]

I second Triaged fix of adding an extension to the vent

 

[chevyracing]

Backwards, upside down, sideways, heck, whats the difference.. I am curious as to how you ran the linkage, especially if it is an automatic.

John

 

[Twiz]

I've heard of turning a Q-jet around backwards.

I don't see the point.
With the secondaries in the front, and on a incline. They would run out-of fuel. Causeing a lean back-fire through the carb, possibly igniting any fuel that might be avalible.

Trun it around, back to it's stock location.
The primarie jets are more centered in the boal, and there is less of a chance of them running them dry. Even if they do, it's possible that the carb still won't run lean enough to cause a back-fire. (beacause at WOT, the primaries offer far-less air, when compared to the toilet boal secondaires)

The only ressom I can think of, as to why someone would run a Q-jet backwards would be some kind of fuel spillage problem. Maybe, they think the fuel is spilling past the metering rods, or something? - I'm not sure.