Odd carb part help

Hey guys,

As some of you know I recently bought an 83 Plymouth Sapporo from California. It is in really good shape considering it was in a salvage yard 2 years ago. However a few days after getting it I took it on the freeway and it struggled to do 50 mph. It seems to be running out of fuel. I have pulled the carb out and took it apart without finding any obvious issues.

However in the float bowl just under the float lies an odd arrangment of things. There are two pieces of copper or brass that are hinged just under the float. In-between the hinges there is a decent sized steel ball in track sort of setup. What it looks like to me is some sort of early fuel cut in case of roll over or a collision. I think this because if you tip the carb too much the ball rolls to one side and flips the corresponding piece of metal up and it wedges the float up shutting down the fuel.

I found this out the hard way when I replaced the carb to find no fuel getting in the bowl. Any ideas as to what this is for? Can it be removed without affecting the carb? Should I just forget the whole thing and drop in a 13B?

Shotgun?

Thanks, Chris

Anyone??

Maybe some more info on the carb and pictures. Any identification/marks on the carb?

I would love to post pics but I am on vacation now camping. It is a Mikuni carb if that helps and it is the stock unit with three million vacuum lines on it.

Hey guys,

Sorry for the delay on pics,but we just got home from vacation this weekend. Here is a link to a few pics of the piece I am asking about:

http://web.me.com/cdirado/Diradosite/83-Sapporo-Tech.html

Chris

Humorous Plymouth Import content :

Back in the early '80s I worked for a Chrysler/Dodge dealership. One customer came in and asked for parts for "one of them Plymouth Shapiros" (And I think of it everytime I see the Legal Zoom ad...)

Unfortunately I don't remember the carburetor internals...

I had a Plymouth Arrow, I've rebuilt more than one of those '70's/'80's import carbs and I have never seen anything like that before.

Don't know... Leave it out and see what happens...

Anyone else?

Did you try asking on Classic Motorsports?

Well, I'd sure take it out and try running it without it. Wouldn't throw it away either. Just squirrel it away in a baggie to be lost later on.

So I got it back together this evening with the ball bearing and such back in there. I somehow lost the rubber gasket that goes between the carb,and air cleaner. Is that real important? The amazing thing is that the motor fired right up with the smallest touch of the key,and idled perfectly. Maybe it was because I turned the engine over a few times with the spark plugs out to get the coolant out of the intake/head from when it leaked from a port in the intake base where the carb mounts. I broke a spark plug wire,but crimped it back together. Is that a good fix? Now I need to road test it tomorrow. Wish me luck.

-C

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