Michael Mayben
IHPA Tech Moderator - Retired & No Longer Online
so with the symptoms described are you thinking fuel contamination at the carb? With all the ignition problems it's hard to not want to start there. So if I pull the screw by th sight glass at idle should fuel come out or should it stay steady? If fuel comes out does that mean I need to drop the bowl or do I need to pull the "new" carb all the way down?
If trash went through the filter, then it contaminates the needle/seat cartridge. As fuel continues to flow though that point, it will normally "self-flush and the debris will fall to the bottom of the fuel bowl and metering black and simply lay there...looks like extremely fine rusty power (which is what it is). Only if it should build up to the point it begins to block one or both main jest will create a drivability issue. Larger chunks/flakes of rust will lodge in the needle/seat cartridge and create a major flooding issue with raw fuel running right down the throats.
If when you remove the sight hole plug fuel runs out, then the fuel level is too high, that also creates the internal flooding issue. Fuel level is adjusted with the engine running at idle...and that is based upon the fuel pressure being correct and within the nominal 4>6psi range. The float and needle seat can handle that, any greater pressure will force the needle off it's seat and flooding will occur. Those carbs are rated at a standard inlet fuel pressure of 5.5psi, that is within tolerance for the oem mechanical fuel pump.
Fuel level is adjusted by barely loosening the slotted lock screw on top of the bowl, then using a box end wrench to carefully raise or lower the seat by gently turning the adjusting nut, then locking down the screw for verification. Put a rag under the hole in the side of the fuel bowl so that spilled fuel won't hit the hot exhaust crossover on the intake manifold and ignite it!

I guess I know just enough to be dangerous but not nearly enough to feel confident I could get the system operational from what I have now.