C2 Holley 2818 Carb Rebuilder Recommendation

[Wayne K.]

Re: since this engine has a aluminum intake

James,

Hopefully Clem will chime in as I'm sure he forgot more than I know about this stuff but from my experience with Holley carbs if you have any warpage of parts be it metering blocks or plates, main body, etc. that are the source of the leak it can very well take more than 3 hours of cool down before the fuel starts leaking. If this carb hasn't been apart since you got it back from the rebuilder and put it into use I would advise taking the carb off and remove the bowls and tighten all screws again as it is possible that through heat cycling the gaskets need a little more pressure to seal when engine is cold. When I worked in a service station and we replaced a Holley be in new or rebuilt we often had the customer come back with a leak so we removed the carb and tightened things up and problem solved. Just a thought.

Wayne

[Wayne K.]

Re: since this engine has a aluminum intake

James,

Hopefully Clem will chime in as I'm sure he forgot more than I know about this stuff but from my experience with Holley carbs if you have any warpage of parts be it metering blocks or plates, main body, etc. that are the source of the leak it can very well take more than 3 hours of cool down before the fuel starts leaking. If this carb hasn't been apart since you got it back from the rebuilder and put it into use I would advise taking the carb off and remove the bowls and tighten all screws again as it is possible that through heat cycling the gaskets need a little more pressure to seal when engine is cold. When I worked in a service station and we replaced a Holley be in new or rebuilt we often had the customer come back with a leak so we removed the carb and tightened things up and problem solved. Just a thought.

Wayne

[Brian Monticello]

Re: since this engine has a aluminum intake

Put a flat edge across the main body faces (bottom and metering block sides) slie feeler gauges underneath. Do the same on the metering blocks. My EBAY bought 2818 leaked gas all over the manifold hours as it cooled down. When idling it was dry and after I shut the car off it was dry. Sure enough, the next day I had gas puddled in the intake valleys.

I took a flat file to the metering block faces and filed everything down until it was all shiny (bubba's mill). Did this on the three faces of the main body. The meterin blocks were fine. Put it back together with the nice blue reuasble holley gaskets and it is dry as the desert.

pick below shows a depression in the metering block face.

[Brian Monticello]

Re: since this engine has a aluminum intake

Put a flat edge across the main body faces (bottom and metering block sides) slie feeler gauges underneath. Do the same on the metering blocks. My EBAY bought 2818 leaked gas all over the manifold hours as it cooled down. When idling it was dry and after I shut the car off it was dry. Sure enough, the next day I had gas puddled in the intake valleys.

I took a flat file to the metering block faces and filed everything down until it was all shiny (bubba's mill). Did this on the three faces of the main body. The meterin blocks were fine. Put it back together with the nice blue reuasble holley gaskets and it is dry as the desert.

pick below shows a depression in the metering block face.

[James W.]

Re: since this engine has a aluminum intake

Wayne,

Thanks for the reply. The carb has not been apart since being rebuilt/restored 2 years ago. I did notice when I initially put the carb back on when it came back from the rebuilder that screws that hold the float bowls and the accelerator pump on where all really loose and leaked gas almost immediately when I started the car for the first time. The same for the float adjustment nut locking screws so maybe you are correct in that all it needs is to have the screws holding the metering blocks to the main body tightened a little. This will be my job tomorrow after filling up on turkey!!!

Again thanks for your input, and I'll let you know what the outcome is.

Happy Thanksgiving!

James West

[James W.]

Re: since this engine has a aluminum intake

Wayne,

Thanks for the reply. The carb has not been apart since being rebuilt/restored 2 years ago. I did notice when I initially put the carb back on when it came back from the rebuilder that screws that hold the float bowls and the accelerator pump on where all really loose and leaked gas almost immediately when I started the car for the first time. The same for the float adjustment nut locking screws so maybe you are correct in that all it needs is to have the screws holding the metering blocks to the main body tightened a little. This will be my job tomorrow after filling up on turkey!!!

Again thanks for your input, and I'll let you know what the outcome is.

Happy Thanksgiving!

James West

[James W.]

Re: since this engine has a aluminum intake

Brian,

I'll give it a try if they prove to be warped. If they are warped, that just proves that the rebuilder didn't do a good job. I would think for the dollars spent on the carb restoration that would have been included.

Thanks,

James West

[James W.]

Re: since this engine has a aluminum intake

Brian,

I'll give it a try if they prove to be warped. If they are warped, that just proves that the rebuilder didn't do a good job. I would think for the dollars spent on the carb restoration that would have been included.

Thanks,

James West

[Clem Z.]

Re: since this engine has a aluminum intake

i drilled a 1/8" hole in the caps back in 60s because of the flooding problems even back then as it would put gasoline into the oil pan. the tank is higher than the carbs so once it starts you get a siphon effect

[Clem Z.]

Re: since this engine has a aluminum intake

i drilled a 1/8" hole in the caps back in 60s because of the flooding problems even back then as it would put gasoline into the oil pan. the tank is higher than the carbs so once it starts you get a siphon effect

[Michael M.]

Re: since this engine has a aluminum intake

Jim,

Did you try checking the accelerator pump surfaces to see if they were warped? I've had this occur on my L79 engine Holley and on double pumpers as well. A few strokes with a fine file on both surfaces will tell you if there are low spots. This cleared up a problem on my L79 engine after a recent rebuild. It demonstrated the same leakage issues that you described. Good Luck!

Mike Marion

[Michael M.]

Re: since this engine has a aluminum intake

Jim,

Did you try checking the accelerator pump surfaces to see if they were warped? I've had this occur on my L79 engine Holley and on double pumpers as well. A few strokes with a fine file on both surfaces will tell you if there are low spots. This cleared up a problem on my L79 engine after a recent rebuild. It demonstrated the same leakage issues that you described. Good Luck!

Mike Marion