dirty carb

[ggdad1951]

So I've been wondering this for a while, taking the pics for Hank yesterday it highlighted it again for me.  In normal light it doesn't look as bad as with the camera flash, but is this a "normal" look for a carb?  Seems it should be cleaner than it is....

 

is it leaking near the input?  Or along the interface between the halves?  OR?????

 

[Don Coatney]

I have never seen a B&B that does not leak.

 

[48Dodger]

In some carb designs, the fuel in the bowl gets sloshed around and sneaks past the "dried" gasket. You could try and fight it, but its just the nature of the beast. Maybe double check the float setting to see if its filling to high. But really, if its running great...cuz it doesnt look bad at all...leaver be.

 

48D

[Dave72dt]

I don't recall seeing a carb, regardless of brand that didn't develop a bit of varnish on the outside. Gasoline wicks readily and will travel through the gasket. Aluminum parts distort easily and the unequal pressure is applied by the screws. Keep some carb cleaner and some rags around to make it nice for the shows.

[Jeff Balazs]

Mark;

These carbs are subjected to a lot of heat coming up from the manifold. Enough to percolate the fuel in the filter and float bowl under certain conditions. I watched it do this on mine this past summer. Engine was at operating temp and had only been running about 15 minutes when I shut it off and observed this happen.

So there is no way you will ever get one of these carbs to seal up and stay sealed.

 

I am planning on working on some sort of insulating spacer for mine this spring as I really think this could have some serious benefits. If I can't get this to work the way I would like then I will be looking at a different manifold arrangement altogether. I am a huge fan of side draft webers....and I could easily picture a big DCOE and headers as step forward for my truck.

Jeff

[greg g]

Looks like the float level might be a smidge high.  I would adjust it down a 32 or so, clean the carb up and see if the damps spots come back.  Mine start out each season looking like yours and ed up looking like Don's.  Unless you are willing to carry around carb cleaner and cotton swabs, you not going to keep it much cleaner than in your picture.  The other fix for the air horn to float chamber wicking is to place a piece of fine grit sand paper on a piece of window glass and dress the mating surfaces of those parts so the gasket is working against flat and true pieces.  

[ggdad1951]

Greg, I already sanded the mating surfaces a while back.....I had a thread someplace about that.  It is WAY less now then back then.

 

Good to know it's not just me, thanks all for the confirmation.  I'll look into the float come spring.

Edited December 6, 2013 by ggdad1951

[Dodgeb4ya]

Looks normal to me.All carburetors all will sweat fuel externally over time.

[HanksB3B]

Your carb has that "Just Bead Blasted Look".  Initally I like that look but it leaves the the porus pot metal hungry for liquid something.  O.K. I saw you did not bead blast but in any event carb cleaner also gives the pot metal that "bright but dried out look".  They used to use some chemical that gave a greenish hue to the pot metal and while that would be correct for the Ball & Ball era I guess it's another thing the EPA banned. 

 

All the suggestions above look really good but what I've learnt is to prolong clean look and consistent patina, it helps to spray the carb with  WD40 a few times over a couple of days.  It will darken the appearance a shade or two but since the carb body is already saturated, it'll deter the minor leaks from staining the otherwise thirsty metal at concentrated weep points.

 

Hank  

Edited December 6, 2013 by HanksB3B

[ggdad1951]

Your carb has that "Just Bead Blasted Look".  Initally I like that look but it leaves the the porus pot metal hungry for metal

 

will be right back (computer probs) 

 

no bead blast, just cleaned w/ carb cleaner

[Fernando Mendes]

"FLOAT CIRCUIT OR FUEL LEAVEL:The float circuit is important because it controls the height of the fuel level in the bowl and in the nozzle.If the fuel leavel is too HIGH,it will cause trouble in the LOW and the HIGH speed circuits.The float bowl acts as a reservoir to hold a supply of fuel.The level of the fuel in the bowl is controlled by a combination of parts which are:

FLOAT AND LEVER ASSEMBLY

FLOAT BOWL COVER

NEEDLE VALVE AND SEAT ASSEMBLY"

I suggest to change the PIN float lever too.

Good Luck.

[JBNeal]

a clean flathead engine compartment is a flathead that ain't being used...invest in some old toothbrushes and clean every square inch once a month and ya oughta sleep better at night

[ggdad1951]

a clean flathead engine compartment is a flathead that ain't being used...invest in some old toothbrushes and clean every square inch once a month and ya oughta sleep better at night

 

my larger worry was fuel getting on the manifolds and going "WOOF"

[MBF]

All of my mopars leak at least that much.  3 have Carters, 1 has a Holley.  They've all got seepage.  Luckily no woof yet.

[JBNeal]

carrying a fire extinguisher around is standard operating procedure in my neck of the woods...grass fires can flare up in the summer (which is about 6 months long) from hot or malfunctioning farm equipment and carrying around a fire extinguisher behind the seat can be a life saver, even on lawn tractors...be prepared

[wallytoo]

as echoed above, looks pretty normal. certainly, cleaner than mine.

the staining on the manifold is probably more moisture related, as that part (the throttle section) turns ice-covered soon after starting in mid/low temperatures with moderate humidity.

[Don Coatney]

carrying a fire extinguisher around is standard operating procedure in my neck of the woods...grass fires can flare up in the summer (which is about 6 months long) from hot or malfunctioning farm equipment and carrying around a fire extinguisher behind the seat can be a life saver, even on lawn tractors...be prepared

Good point. I carry a fire extinguisher in the trunk of my car. Many car shows require an extinguisher.

 

[Jeff Balazs]

I have always carried a small fire extinguisher in my vehicles. It is a good thing to have handy. Had to use it twice over the years. Once to put out a electrical fire in someone else's car on the freeway.......and once to deal with an electrical fire in one of my old British cars. These small fire extinguishers work well for this purpose......if deployed quickly. For a fuel related fire in a hot climate it would almost have to be instantaneous to prevent serious damage. I know I don't want to be in a position to have to test the effectiveness of one of these on a fuel fire in my truck.

 

The original design of the manifolds on our trucks leave something to be desired in my opinion. It stands to reason that much of the heat in the exhaust manifold is transmitted directly to the intake manifold and up into the base of the carb in this design. Then there is the fuel filter ahead of the carb that is perched directly above a hot manifold and the line up from the fuel pump.

All this may work fine in a very cold climate but the repeated hot and cold temperature cycles in the metals make it next to impossible to eliminate the potential of some sort of a fuel leak in this area. At the very least it creates a situation that needs to be very closely monitored and well maintained. Hoping it doesn't go whoosh is not a mode I want to operate in.

 

Jeff

[HanksB3B]

I carry a small Kidde and would like to mount it but I has a nylon mounting bracket that I don't trust.

 

Hank