Fuel line problem

[Alfisto]

The float bowl in the Solex carb in my 61 spider empties about one third of its contents overnight. Turning on the electric fuel pump neither fills it nor the inline fuel filter situated just prior to the inlet into the Solex. The pump just keeps whirring away until I crank the engine. Then after a while compression suction will fill the bowl and the car will start and run fine. I cannot find any leak anywhere so I must assume the carb is leaking somewhere, or air is getting into the system - but where ?
Graham Arlen

P.S.: There is plenty of gas in the car and the pump works fine.

[101/105guy]

Any sign of fuel stains at the carb??
The accel. pump on the Solex has two rubber gaskets with an alum. plate between them. On one of my cars, someone overtightened the screws and warped the plate. After one or two days there was no gas in the carb!

Check the fuel pickup line at the gas tank for a loose connection. This will let air in and the pump has to work like mad to get fuel up to the carb.

[Gordon Raymond]

Is the fuel in the bowl going away when the engine is HOT and cools, or will it vanish if you just start up and shut it down right away?
What is probably happening, is the fuel, sitting in the HOT carburator bowl from the hot manifold, expands, and overflows into the intake manifold. Then, on cooling, the fuel leval in the bowl is now lower than with the hot engine running.
When you try to start from cool, the vacuum from the engine, or vibration from starting, causes the needle, possibly stuck from overflowing, to drop, allowing the pump to refill the bowl.
Try replacing the needle and seat, and checking the float leval and drop. Replace the float as well, if the needle contact area is dimpled.
That should fix it. Gordon Raymond

[GTD]

Graham
Since you mention an electric fuel pump we know some things have been modified on your Spider. Does it have the correct spacer plate (105.00.04.164.00) with gasket above and below it?

[Gordon Raymond]

Ah yes, and besides that spacer, Alfa also planned #'s: 1315.44.075, 1315.44.076 and 340.510040 to drain the manifold when the fuel does runnith over!
Best, Gordon Raymond