Yesterday, I filled my 26 roadster pickup with gas. I turned the fuel shut off valve to the open position. I went around to the other side of the truck and smelled gas. There was a decent sized puddle under the truck. I got back over to the passenger side and saw fuel dripping steadily out of the carb. I shut off the fuel and it stopped leaking. Turned it on and it leaked again. I shut it off and started the truck. I let it run until the carb ran out of gas. When it was dry, I turned the fuel on again and started it up and it ran great the rest of the day. No leaks the rest of the day. Why did the carb overflow? Is this a problem with the float, the needle, or something else?

Perhaps just the needle valve.

The float when the bowl fills lifts up to close the needle valve. Sometimes the needle sticks and prevents closing, sometimes debris is present in the needle valve seat preventing closing. That will allow the bowl to over fill and excess spills out.

If this persists, then clean the needle and/or re-set the float to close the needle, and allow the needle to drop down and re-fill the bowl as the engine runs.

Sometimes a lite thunk on the side will jar an obstruction loose and the needle will seat and close.

Dan and Mark:
Thanks for the quick replies.
Dan: your postings are always filled with many helpful nuggets and great pictures. Many thanks.
Eric

Eric,

How long had it been since you had the gas on? Sometimes the float can stick to the bottom of the bowl, especially if it sat long enough for the gas to evaporate and form a varnish. Same cure, give the carb a whack and it will break it loose.

Jerry
It had only been about three weeks since my last adventure in the model t. Don't know if that was long enough to create the symptom you mentioned.