fuel smell

[81chevyskullc10]

I recently installed a 600 cfm edelbrock 1406 with a 2701 intake. I put a fuel regulator on and i have it set at 4 1/2 psi. I noticed when i shut the truck off that the fuel filter has air coming back up through it and then the filter gets low of fuel or no fuel at all. then i end up with a strong gas smell outside truck and inside truck. I have looked down in carb to see if it is dripping in side but i did not see any gas dripping. any ideas or suggestion would be helpful. 81 Chevy with 305. thanks again!!

[Captkaos]

Regulator or a Gauge?  The fuel filter doesn't stay full all the time...
Why did you put a regulator on a Carb'd truck?  Are you running an electric fuel pump?

[81chevyskullc10]

yes a fuel regulator because my truck had a quadrajet and had an mechanical fuel pump pushing 12 psi and you are only suppose to have between 4 1/2 and 5 1/2 psi on a edelbrock I believe. i can understand the fuel filter not staying full but the smell is horrible after 5 minutes. I was hoping it was an easy fix lol

[thirsty]

Do you have an open return line?

[81chevyskullc10]

coming of my carb or my mechanical fuel pump?

[Captkaos]

What kind of mechanical pump do you have on there that has 12?

The return would be the outlet from the pump...
Have you check everything for leaks?

[81chevyskullc10]

I have not seen any leaks, i was just told that the mechanical pump had to much PSI for my carb. It would flood everytime i tried starting it because it would dump the fuel in. soon as i put the regulator on it stopped flooding and runs great. Just have that bad smell of gas lol

[Captkaos]

If it is a factory pump, it won't put out more than 5-7, which is perfect for carb's. 
If it is a factory mechanical pump, was the Edelbrock Carb new or used?

[thirsty]

It would flood everytime i tried starting it because it would dump the fuel in.

I may be wrong but I thought that is what the return line was for. The float stops the fuel at the correct level and the return like takes any extra from the pump back to the tank.

[81chevyskullc10]

It would flood everytime i tried starting it because it would dump the fuel in.

I may be wrong but I thought that is what the return line was for. The float stops the fuel at the correct level and the return like takes any extra from the pump back to the tank.

you are right but when the psi is higher then should be it still floods it, it was horrible lol

If it is a factory pump, it won't put out more than 5-7, which is perfect for carb's. 
If it is a factory mechanical pump, was the Edelbrock Carb new or used?

new carb, not sure on the pump but i know standing outside the vehicle trying to start it, i could see it pushing fuel in like a waterfall lol
i am going to try and make sure my return line is clear just in case it is not. other then that i do not know what to do.