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Topic: My Holley leaks like a sieve!
in Forum: C3 Fuel, Emission Control, and Exhaust Systems
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My Holley leaks like a sieve! (1/7)
8/11/14 12:46pm
F4Gary
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Grapevine, TX - USA
Vette(s):
1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air.
Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1419
My Holley 4150 had a small leak out of the accelerator pump, so I decided to take it off yesterday and see if the screws were tight enough. Found that they were a little loose, so I tightened them figuring I had fixed the problem. While I had it off the car I decided to replace the bowl and metering block gaskets with those blue reusable kind and put new nylon reusable gaskets (the little white plastic ones) under the bowl attach screws.
Put it all back together and put it back on the car.
Now the bowl attach screws leak like hell no matter how much I tighten them. I even used a little socket wrench style screw driver to get them as tight as possible. What gives? Pretty sure the nylon gaskets aren't cracked and they are made by Holley to be reusable. I cannot drive this car because of the leaks. They drip until the bowl is empty.
I'm about to throw this old carb (yes, it has been rebuilt) in a box and buy a Quick Fuel.
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Re: My Holley leaks like a sieve! (2/7)
8/11/14 1:12pm
Adams' Apple
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Duncanville, TX - USA
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#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/autoMember: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Joined: 11/8/2003
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Gary.....did it originally have little cork gaskets on the bowl screws?
Are the screws beveled, or flat where they sit against the bowl?
Do the fancy new nylon washers/gaskets fit snug on the screws?(hole size too large, perhaps?)
I prefer using the cork, or paper style gaskets on the bowl screws.....the harder nylon stuff never seems to work right on the old stuff. 
Are you sure the screws are not bottoming out now? The nylon washers/gaskets are thinner, iirc....
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Joel Adams (click for Texas-sized view!)NCRS "Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
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Re: My Holley leaks like a sieve! (3/7)
8/11/14 1:27pm
F4Gary
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Grapevine, TX - USA
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1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air.
Joined: 8/26/2006
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The carb originally had paper or cork gaskets (1972), but I have used these nylon ones for a few years with no problems. They are flat nylon washers.
I think the screw heads are flat.
As tight as I have these screws, I don't see how they are leaking, but they are.
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Re: My Holley leaks like a sieve! (4/7)
8/11/14 5:52pm
F4Gary
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Grapevine, TX - USA
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1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air.
Joined: 8/26/2006
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Just ordered a card of 20 fiber gaskets from O'Rielly auto. Have them manana. 25 bucks
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Re: My Holley leaks like a sieve! (5/7)
8/11/14 10:52pm
Adams' Apple
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Duncanville, TX - USA
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#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/autoMember: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20142
Might just be the pic, but those things look more like spacers than washers!
I bet the other gaskets will take care of it. Were all 8 of them leaking?
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Joel Adams (click for Texas-sized view!)NCRS "Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
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Re: My Holley leaks like a sieve! (6/7)
8/12/14 10:50am
F4Gary
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Grapevine, TX - USA
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1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air.
Joined: 8/26/2006
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When I put it back together on Sunday, yes, they all seemed to seep. But before that, only one of them leaked. That's what puzzles me. Why did they work fine before but not now? Oh well, O'Rielly just called and said my gaskets are in, so that's the way I'm going.
Odd thing is, Holley sells a fuel bowl kit that includes a fuel bowl and all the gaskets for it. It uses the plastic ones!
Go figger.
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Re: My Holley leaks like a sieve! (7/7)
8/13/14 12:02am
F4Gary
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Grapevine, TX - USA
Vette(s):
1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air.
Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1419
Fixed! Installed the fiber washers and ran it. Bone dry. I do have a very slight weep from the back fuel line flare fitting, but I can live with that for now.
On to the next glitch...
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