Leaky old carbs

[Normspeed]

I've gotta admit, I'm really tired of these sloppy old Carter B&B carbs I'm running. Try as I may, these things behave for a while but always end up stinking up the car like raw gas, dribbling fuel onto the intake manifold, flooding when parked. They've been behaving for a couple of weeks since the weather cooled, but today I pulled up to the house, shut off the electric pump, shut off the engine, and 5 minutes later...stinking, dribbling and flooding again. I've just about had it with B&Bs.

Pete and everyone running Carter Webers, Holley Webers, what's your honest opinion. Do they perform well, are they easy to install and set up, is a pair of little 2 barrels better or worse than a pair of 1 barrels? Progressive linkage 2 barrels? What part numbers should I look for, what's the best source and best price to look for? Do they stink, dribble and/or flood?

I love running the original B&Bs for looks but learning to hate 'em.

[55 Fargo]

I've just about had it with B&Bs.

I love running the original B&Bs for looks but learning to hate 'em.

Hi Norm, and how long have you been feeling this way.......LOL

Okay on the serious side, I experience some of this with my 1 bbl B&B too..............Fred

[PatS....]

For being a simple unit, it sure is cantankerous, like the brakes.

What are the alternatives??

[Normspeed]

I'm hoping to hear from Pete and anyone else running more modern carbs. Don't want to go from bad to worse, but I'm really sick of smelling raw gas. Been through my Carters more times than I should have and they are really getting me ticked off.

[Young Ed]

Both of mine are pretty well behaved (they are on 2 diff cars I dont have any dual setups installed). I wonder if the elec fuel pump is over pressurizing the carbs? Also have you ever sanded the top cover? I did that to both of mine. Now I did have some issues with both of these. My truck one the accel pump never seemed to want to work. I finally just left it alone and after a bit it started working. I think it had to work itself enough to be seated well. My car had some surging issues that I ended up replacing the fuel bowl to fix. Both have stayed good once I got them there though

[Don Coatney]

My B&B's both have leaking issues. But they run terrific. I have a pair of Carter Webber's sitting on my work bench ready to install. I have not done so as I am not yet ticked off enough at the B&B's. It seems my B&B's leak the most when I first start the engine. Once it is running I never smell raw gas.

[oldmopar]

I do not have any noticeable problems with my carter b&B's I do rebuild them when I get them as I guess most everyone does. I do have stock set up with one carb and the standard fuel pump.

[Reg Evans]

Just for fun once I tried a Rochester carb on my truck. The carb was for a Chevy 235. It fit and the linkage was the same. I didn't notice any increase in power so I removed it and went back to the B & B but last time I checked NAPA still carried them unlike the B & B's.

[Suddensix]

I run 2 B&B's on a Fenton Manifold with a dual action fuel pump and they don't leak. When I rebuilt them I spent a lot of time with a sheet of emery paper attached to a flat surface so that I could make sure the mating surfaces on the carb top and the bowl were flat. It took some elbow grease and a little light hammer work but they ended up flat and even after being apart a few times and reusing the same gaskets they don't leak.

[plymouth49]

There is nothing intrinsically wrong woth the B&B carburator design. These are actually pretty good carbs. If they are not running right, there is something wrong.

You mention that you have an electric fuel pump. That might be your problem. These carbs only need 2 or 3 lbs fuel pressure. Most electric fuel pumps put out way too much pressure, and it overwhelms the float and needle. Either install a fuel pressure regulator, which is kinda dumb to pump up to a high pressure and then regulate it down, or replace it with a unit designed for older cars. I got a nice 2 to 3 psi electric from my auto parts store. It is designed for older British cars like Jaguars that also require low fuel pressure. It cost something like $40 and it has separate positive and negative leads, so it works on our positive ground Plymouths (Old Jags also used positive ground).

[claybill]

its the fuel pump.!!! install a switch to turn it off for basic driving..

bill

[randroid]

Gents,

I agree with those who suggest the pump might be the problem, but this thread reminded me of something I did to a '48 Ford 1 bbl. carb some years ago that had a similar problem and, since the cure worked, I figure this might be a good place to share it.

I trued both mating surfaces as best I could on a flat surface with emery paper, as has already been mentioned here, then cleaned the roughened surfaces with alcohol but didn't remove any scratches. Then I applied a thin coat of liquid aluminum to the mating surfaces on both halves, laid a smooth piece of Saran Wrap between them, and screwed them together without gaskets. The next day I used a sharp knife to remove any excess that squished past the mating surfaces, slapped that puppy together with the gaskets, and it held tight until I lost track of the new owner.

Worked for me, and it was kinda fun.

-Randy

[Don Coatney]

Gents,

I agree with those who suggest the pump might be the problem, but this thread reminded me of something I did to a '48 Ford 1 bbl. carb some years ago that had a similar problem and, since the cure worked, I figure this might be a good place to share it.

I trued both mating surfaces as best I could on a flat surface with emery paper, as has already been mentioned here, then cleaned the roughened surfaces with alcohol but didn't remove any scratches. Then I applied a thin coat of liquid aluminum to the mating surfaces on both halves, laid a smooth piece of Saran Wrap between them, and screwed them together without gaskets. The next day I used a sharp knife to remove any excess that squished past the mating surfaces, slapped that puppy together with the gaskets, and it held tight until I lost track of the new owner.

Worked for me, and it was kinda fun.

-Randy

Sounds like a good idea. I have done a few such things in my life but I have forgot most of them.

[Frank Elder]

Is there any extra workload associated with the mechanical fuel pump having to pull fuel through a non-running electrical unit?

Early demise of afore mentioned mech. pump or will it function normally?

[plymouth49]

Is there any extra workload associated with the mechanical fuel pump having to pull fuel through a non-running electrical unit?

Early demise of afore mentioned mech. pump or will it function normally?

Depends on the electric pump. The unit I referenced in my earlier reply works fine with a mechanical pump pullling the fuel thru.

[Normspeed]

Here's more info. They run fine, no complaints there. They only leak after shut down and the leaking seems a bit erratic and also worse in real hot weather.

The electric pump I use is a pretty free-flowing design, with an anti siphon valve included. I checked by blowing through it in each direction. It's designed to put out a max of 5-6 lbs. I have a fuel pressure gauge in the line and if it's accurate I'm getting 4 lbs or less. My mechanical pump is plumbed in but only as a dummy, the actuating rod is removed and the gasket area has a thin blockoff plate at the pump flange.

I usually switch off the electric pump 30 seconds or more before I park and shut down, to drop the fuel level in the bowls and relieve fuel pressure. At that point the fuel pressure is zero. Sometimes even if I do that but for less time, say 15 seconds then shut it down, Come out 20 minutes later to the fumes and leaking. Sometimes no leaks or fumes at all. My floats are set way low.

The leaking is internal, meaning no problems at all with gaskets. Both carbs do it or neither does it. Usually not just one of them.

What I get is, after shut down, raw gas fumes, gas seeping out around the throttle plate shafts and eventually seeping down onto and into the intake manifold. Carbs are dry on the outside above the throttle plate shafts. I don't think loose shafts are the problem, they're just a place where gas seeping downward finds a way to exit out of the carb.

The photo shows what has seeped down in just the last couple days since I cleaned the manifold up. That's around town driving with plenty of short stops. After a few weeks/months it gets pretty nasty.

So, theories? suggestions? good advice? bad advice?

[Frank Elder]

Is there any way to check the accuracy of your pressure, both pump and underhood gauge? Try a different gauge maybe yours is off, or perhaps it is just the expansion of the hot fuel, try a fuel cooler can?

Did this happen while you lived in Cali., Could the altitude change make a difference?

I know I'm just throwing out some rookie questions and not providing any help, wish I was of more help. Frankie

[randroid]

Norm,

That happened with my carb when I neglected to reinstall a ball check valve during a rebuild. If your carbs were rebuilt at the same time then the likelihood of both of them missing are actually fairly good in that noticing it on one would make the rebuilder realize his mistake on the other. If you can pull the tops off the carbs the check valve balls can be seen to one side opposite the fuel inlet.

Wouldn't it be nice if it were something so simple?

-Randy

[Normspeed]

Simple would be good. I really appreciate any and all suggestions. As far as the pressure gauge, I don't fully trust it so I'll consider picking up another, they're inexpensive.

[plymouth49]

Both carbs should be vented to the atmosphere. When you remove the top plates to see if the check balls are in there, also make sure that the vent tube or passageways are not plugged. The fuel might be percolating after heat soak, with nowhere to go.

Also, 5-6 psi is a little high. Set it down to 2-3. Really, even 'zero' is enough (imagine if this was a motorcycle and you were just using gravity to feed the carbs - they would work just fine).