carb leak

[lild]

I have a 63 Valiant with a slant 6 and it has a Holley carb that developed a leak at the bowl. I read that the cork gaskets dont hold up well so I went and bought a sheet of Felpro gasket material to make my own. I cut it, installed it and it was sealing fine. Let the engine idle for a good 15 minutes or so and shut it off and it was dry. Left it and came back out about an hour later and it was leaking slightly. The bottom screw worked itself loose so I tightened it and it was fine again. Left it and a couple hours later checked and I had a huge pool of gas on the manifold. What did I do wrong here?

 

[Bulldozer]

you didnt buy a carb kit.

 

[lild]

Didnt want to buy a kit for one gasket. Carb was rebuilt a few months ago

 

[racerhog]

Use a flat surface and sand the bowl flat.... More that likely the ears are bent on the bowl....

 

[jhdeval]

racehog I have had a small problem as well and rebuild the carb. I like your suggestion though. What grit sandpaper would be best? Like 400?

 

[BillGrissom]

I always had a little seepage in my 1920 w/ cork gasket. I agree the problem is likely that the cover is bent a bit, probably from over-tightening. If the screws keep backing off, try a drop of red Loctite next time, however, with most gaskets you need to re-tighten after a little use since they compress.

My concern with cork is if little bits could get inside the carb and clog bleeds. I wonder if that is one reason for many problems with 1920's, plus the fact you can't access most of the internals to clean. Not sure the best alternative. Most rubber sheets used with is fuel some special type, usually red. Not sure the material, but you see it in Holley fuel regulators, and their fuel pump gaskets. Wish they made it for the 1920 bowl gasket.

 

[racerhog]

racehog I have had a small problem as well and rebuild the carb. I like your suggestion though. What grit sandpaper would be best? Like 400?

120 or 180 is fine thats what I have used....But if you got 400? use it....

 

[1wild&crazyguy]

warped bowl, over tightening on those is quite common.

 

[lild]

It seems as Ive got the tri-fecta. Bent tabs, warped or bent mounting surface and burs around the screw bosses. I filed and sanded the surface flat and file the burs off but ran out of time to make a new gasket. Hope this works.