Stopping Q-Jet fuel bowl leaks

[Greg L.]

What's the best way to do a permanent fix on the plugs at the bottom of the fuel bowl? The kit comes with a sponge type of pad and I have heard of some people using epoxy. Does either one work any good or is there a better fix these days?

Do the smaller two at the front require sealing as well or just the larger two at the rear of the bowl?

Thanks,

Greg Linton
#45455

[Clem Z.]

Re: Stopping Q-Jet fuel bowl leaks

the later ones with the spun in aluminum plugs do not leak. to check to see if you have a leak set the carb body on a clean sheet of white paper and pour some lacquer thinner into the float bowl. let it set for a while and then check the paper for wet spots. use a 2 part epoxy if you find a leak

[Greg L.]

Re: Stopping Q-Jet fuel bowl leaks

Thanks Clem that's good advice. I guess I'll put the main body back together and give it a shot. Can you tell from this pick if these are the type that leak or are these the spun in aluminum ones?

[Clem Z.]

Re: Stopping Q-Jet fuel bowl leaks

yes those are the spun in alumium plugs. just set that part alone on the paper with the those plugs resting on the paper and pour in some lacquer thinner in the float bowl to check for leaks. when i modify Q jets for racing i have to remove those spun in plugs to modify the fuel passages and they are a PIA to remove so there is very little chance of them leaking

[Jim T.]

Re: Stopping Q-Jet fuel bowl leaks

About when did the QJets get the spun in plugs?

[John H.]

Re: Stopping Q-Jet fuel bowl leaks

Jim -

I don't have a specific date, but as I recall it was in late '69. We shut Lordstown down for two days when we were notified, gathered up every Q-Jet in the plant, removed them from every car on the property and in the shipper's yard, replaced them with fresh Q-Jets brought in overnight by chartered plane from Rochester Products, and shipped the old ones back. Same thing occurred in every GM assembly plant that built cars with Q-Jets.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Stopping Q-Jet fuel bowl leaks

Sounds like the General needed some relief from warranty claims, and it was spelled "S-P-U-N-I-N-P-L-U-G-S".

[John H.]

Re: Stopping Q-Jet fuel bowl leaks

Chuck -

What GM needed relief from was engine fires, especially on cars with the "hot-slot" in the carb pad on the intake, which melted the lead bowl plugs; this was the biggest safety recall in GM history at the time, and came only a few months after the Chevy V-8 motormount recall, which was a close second.

[Greg L.]

Re: Stopping Q-Jet fuel bowl leaks

Well it's been sitting for about an hour now with the laqcuer thinner in the bowl and so far no indication of a leak so I quess I was worried for nothing.

I thought all Q-Jets had this problem and didn't realize that it was was fixed back in 69. It's amazing how a reputation like this can carry on for so many years after the fact!

This carb is a 7029207 service replacment built sometime in 73 but I also have a 7028212 that was built in 68 so now I think I'll pull the throttle plate off and have a look and see what those plugs look like....as if I don't have enough on the go already!

Thanks again guys.

[Clem Z.]

Re: Stopping Q-Jet fuel bowl leaks

mrs clem and i were on a road down south years ago and in front of me was a oldsmobile. i noticed black smoke coming out from under the car so i tried to catch up to tell them. just then they turned of on a off ramp so i followed them up to the stop sign and by the time i got out of my car there was flames coming out of the engine compartment and they had no idea something was wrong. i got this older couple,my age now,out of the car before it went up in smoke. i left when other people stopped.i bet the Qjet had sprung a leak. they also had a problem with the plug in the front of the float bowl when the fuel line went in at a 90 degree angle on chevy carbs

[john daly]

Re: Stopping Q-Jet fuel bowl leaks

In today's lawsuit happy environment they would never have called them fires. They're now referred to as "thermal events".....no joke.