Stock 'X' heads. 4779 Holley. Insulated fuel lines. This last stoppage, the fuel bowls were easy enough to touch...nowhere near the temps bubbling fuel bowls have been up to in the past.
Fuel lines come into the Holley from the front, are well away from header heat...as far away as I can get it, anyway.
Yes, I have a phenol spacer. It's just not on, yet. Yeah...helpful. I did replace the needle/seat assys today. The sealing o-ring was barely larger (.001") than the barrel of the needle assy... .304". I didn't see any leakage from the fuel level holes, but the car wasn't hot, either. I turned the float level down a turn just for fun.
Isn't that the point of the air gap? ...to keep fuel in the carb from getting hot?