Dumb Rochester BC 1bbl question...

[KnuckleBuster]

OK, here goes - How do you keep them from leaking???

I rebuilt the one on my Chevy last year and it was great. Strated running it this year and it's leaking fuel from what appears to be the top of the bowl. Float level is right and if the 4 screws on the cover get any tighter they'll start squashing the damn thing. Makes a lovely varnished intake look, though - liquid Patina I guess.

Help is apreciated as always.

Thanks,
Jay

[CptStickfigure]

I'm probably not the best person to answer this, but open it up and check the lip around the bowl. I think there's supposed to be a groove or something there to make a tight seal. From what I've heard, the lip can wear flat, especially after a rebuild, and cause leaks.

[Bruce Lancaster]

And check flatness of top casting at joint. I would be suspicious of FUEL level, as distinguished from float level, as several types of problem can disassociate one from the other...
I don't know a thing about that particular carb, so can't reccomend how to approach this, but you need to find what actual fuel level is. Are plugs sooty??

[yorgatron]

quit cranking on those screws!!! you're just warping the top at this point,that's how they usually get warped in the first place.you should pull the top off anyway and make sure the float isn't sinking...

[KnuckleBuster]

If the top is warped, is there anything I can do to fix it? Will loosening it up help any at this point?

I'll have to check the float sinking/actual fuel level thing - very good points!!

[bigron]

my wagon's doing the same thing. starting to run like shit too. i need to pull the top off mine and see if the float is sinking as well.

[Bruce Lancaster]

The ideal would be to see actual fuel level with carbv together, the way you set early Ford carbs, and I have no idea if you can do that with this carb. Usually float is attached to lid, and once you takeitapart you can't tell anything about the level...some carbs have float attached to bowl, and you can see the level by pulling the lid. Sometimes you have to hold down a retainer at the pivot. Leaky brass float will slosh, solid plastic ones must be weighed against a difficult to find spec while they are freshly removed. If carb has a removable plug that goes into float bowl, you can rig a piece of clear tubing to it and see (maybe 1/16" high because of capillary action) actual fuel level.
BEFORE you worry about this, look at plugs right after running--black&furry? Wet??
If plugs have normal white-to-tan sort of color, fuel level is likely OK and your problem is simoly getting a good seal.