Leaking Holley on my '64 Galaxie - what to do?

Hello -

A few months ago, I posted about my '64 Galaxie (390/factory 4 spd) that was REALLY hard to start when warm. I got a bunch of good suggestions, most of which I took, including a phenolic spacer to prevent hot soak, checking timing, plug wires/plugs, etc. NOTHING helped.

Fast forward to today. Pulled the Galaxie out, gave it a wash, drove it home, then shot over to a friend's house a few miles away to let him see it. I pop the hood and notice a steady fast drip of gas coming off of the driver's side of the carb from the back corner, closest to the firewall.

I took a closer look, and the gas seems to be coming out of the base at the shaft for the secondary butterflies, on both sides.

I took a peek down the carb throat, and also saw gas puddling on top of the primary and secondary butterfly valves.

Here's my question:

Should I rebuild the carb (yes, I've done it before successfully with a Rochester 4bbl), sent it out to be rebuilt, knowing that the shop I use in CA will rebush the shafts, which I CANNOT do, chuck the carb and buy a new Holley, or get a different type of carb, i.e. Edelbrock, which, from what I understand is an updated Carter?

I'd hate to spend the money on a kit and the time doing a rebuild, just to have the same problem, or have the same hot soak problem with a new Holley.

I do not have a lot of experience with Holleys, so I don't know if they're prone to hot soak, or if this is just a worn out carb.

I pulled some numbers off of the carb, and as far as I can tell, it's a 600cfm vac secondary carb with electric choke, based on 80457-2 on the carb body. Other numbers are 1449 and 11761.

I'd appreciate any help or advice you guys can give me regarding the best course of action to take.

Thanks...

Chris

 

The holly shafts are not bushed they are sealed, you take a dremmel to the squashed ends of the screws on the butterflys and then you can remove the screws, butterflys and shafts. Depending on the age of the carb it will either be rubber O rings or teflon seals on the ahafts.

Here is my question what is it getting enough fuel to the secondaries to be leaking around the rear shaft. Maybe you should try adjusting the floats.

 

I checked the float levels on the front and back float chambers. Adjusted it till the fuel was just at the bottom of the hole. I've heard that that's where it should be. Am I wrong?

Chris

 

That is correct.

When the carb is at idle how far open are the rear butterflys. They should be just cracked, not open very much at all. If you rake the carb off the intake there is a little screw in the bottom of the base plate that allows you to set the static adjustment of the secondaries. If they are vwery far open at all it will draw fuel out of the rear booster while you are cruising or even idleing.

 

Fuel level is bottom of hole. Modern fuels tend to boil readily ,if needles/seats are OK a insulator between carb and manifold would probably help. The fuel on the throttle shafts is just a symptom of a different problem.

 

John -

I already have a 1" thick phenolic insulator between the carb and the intake, so I don't know what else I can do to insulate the carb.

I have an aftermarket chrome edelbrock air cleaner that's not huge, maybe 10" in diameter, so it's not a huge air cleaner that's holding heat.

Any suggestions?

Chreis

 

I've had Rochesters leak fuel out the the shaft bore with the engine off. It was caused by worn throttle shaft bores. It happens when the accelerator pump fires and there's no vacuum to suck the gas into the engine. If you can wiggle the shaft in the bore it's too loose.

 

A large air cleaner is a better bet, you have to think backwards on that one.

If your float level is good then the problem is 99% sure to be something causing fuel to be sucked out of your secondary boosters.

 

There shouldn't be any gas on the throttle plate with the engine not running. The fuel is supposed to be pulled up and over by engine vacuum and the venturi effect. Every port that fuel should come out of is supposed to be higher than the float level. Something is leaking. The gaskets might have dried out and shrunk or been compromised by the alcohol in modern fuels.

 

Fuel level is supposed to be BELOW the site hole. You should have to rock the car to get any to slosh out. I cannot remember if we discussed fuel pressure, but it is the most common problem for flooding, second being trash in the needle and seat . The primaries may be doing the same but the butterflies are probably open for idle setting. Do not take the butterflies off the shaft. A rebuild will not necessarily stop your problem. Check fuel pressure, try and run less than 7 psi, put a good filter between the pump and carb. You can pull both needle and seat assembles, blow out will compressed air, oil o-rings and screw back in, properly setting fuel level.

good luck, One of my favorite cars.

 

The best way is HIT IT WITH A BFH and throw it away. buy a new edelbrock

 

took stock carb off of my 66 tbird with a 428. put a 600 eldebrock. way happy starts good reasonable mpg. runs smooth. what more could a guy ask for. and its shiny too

 

I say the rear needle and seat is leaking. Remove rear needle and seat and install a NEW HOLLEY needle and seat. Make sure you lube the O~Ring when you put it in. Check the old one to make sure a part of oring did not get left in carb.

With lower washer on nut adjust it so slightly less than 1/2 the nut is on needle & seat for starters. Then run and adjust properly.

 

exactly what i was thinking,,, he didnt mention how long the galaxy sat,..if they sit for months on end the needles tend to stick,,,,,,,,DO NOT replace them with an edlebroke??? they are junk outta the box,,much easier to work on a HOLLEY than buy a pice of junk outta the box..

 

How are we doing on this problem? The front bowl may also be overflowing, but the butterflies would be more open to let drain into the intake.

 

Do what I did on my 60 Gal put an Edelbrock on it.

 

Its a rebushing job.......and 2 gaskets...No need to rebuild whole carb

 

Fuel leaking from the secondarys engine stoped is from one thing float bowl level to high. Causes leaking needle valve, if outside adjustable float level model the O ring on the needle and seat unit, or fuel expanding in the line from heat and overpowering the needle valve.

 

Agreed, fuel shouldn't be puddling down there to begin with so the shaft is probably fine. I think the needle and seat probably has dirt in it letting it overflow.