Long Term Carb Storage Procedure?

[Rich C.]

I'm considering pulling my original carburetor and storing it for a few years until I restore the car. It's been overhauled once already, I don't want to wear it out, and plan on installing a replacement while I continue to use the car as a 'driver'. Anyway, any recommendations on the best way to preserve it during it's hibernation?

'73 LS-4 454 owned 21 1/2 years
39th B-day 10-20-2011!

[Clem Z.]

Re: Long Term Carb Storage Procedure?

I'm considering pulling my original carburetor and storing it for a few years until I restore the car. It's been overhauled once already, I don't want to wear it out, and plan on installing a replacement while I continue to use the car as a 'driver'. Anyway, any recommendations on the best way to preserve it during it's hibernation?

'73 LS-4 454 owned 21 1/2 years
39th B-day 10-20-2011!

no matter what you do the carb will need to be rebuilt if you reuse it later because the stuff in side that is wet with the fuel will dry out.

[Rich C.]

Re: Long Term Carb Storage Procedure?

I figured a rebuild would be in order, but with todays ethanol, I didn't know if storage w/o some sort of flush would wreck it. (If only you could see what it did to my snow blower carb!) Maybe I should tear it down to store?

[Clem Z.]

Re: Long Term Carb Storage Procedure?

I figured a rebuild would be in order, but with todays ethanol, I didn't know if storage w/o some sort of flush would wreck it. (If only you could see what it did to my snow blower carb!) Maybe I should tear it down to store?

take it apart and spray the parts and passages down with WD-40

[Patrick H.]

Re: Long Term Carb Storage Procedure?

If the car runs well with it I'd just run it.

If you decide to pull it I'd use something heavier like PreLube 6 or a similar oil rather than WD-40. You'll have to clean it and re-gasket it later anyway.

Patrick

[Ridge K.]

Re: Long Term Carb Storage Procedure?

Rich, for what it's worth, my 1966 Chevelle SS396 (California delivered Qudrajet car) had sat in a barn for 10 years without having ever been started or turned over.

It was parked in the barn in 1990. I purchased it 2000. It had sat for so long, what little remaining fuel was in the tank ....had virtually evaporated. The gas tank was bone dry.
I poured 5 gallons of gasoline in the tank, primed the carburetor, jumped the battery, and fired it up. Wound up driving it 175 miles to my home, after checking tires, radiator, etc.

Now 11 years later, that Quadrajet has still never needed rebuilding, Never have had one issue or leaking gasket. I drive the car roughly 1,000 miles per year.

Maybe some luck or fate was involved. But that's how my carb held up to storage in a non-climate controlled, Kansas winters and summers environment.....

[Stuart F.]

Re: Long Term Carb Storage Procedure?

I have several Carter AFB's that I have used on my 63 over the years. I am currently trying to work some issues with a correct 3461S, and when I need to remove it for bench work, I put my replacement 3721SB back on. So far, I have only had to use some light oil on the leather accelerator pump boots to keep them from drying out while not on use. Otherwise, the gaskets and needle/seats or Tomco valves (either w/Viton tips or discs) hold up well, and the Ethanol laced gas disappears from the float chambers and else where in as little as two days anyway.

My biggest problem is with my lawn mower on which I've had to rebuild the carb twice since I got lawn care service. I keep thinking I will use it for some touch up work some day, but I guess that day doesn't come soon enough as when it does, either it won't start or it leaks gas all over the place.

Stu Fox

[Clem Z.]

Re: Long Term Carb Storage Procedure?

if there is no water in the fuel you are OK but those aluminum AFBs are a problem if any moisture is left in the float bowls. that is why i said use WD-40 and blow the passages out to remove any moisture when storing the carb. i have seen AFB the float chambers where had to coated with epoxy to save them. the new E-10 fuel helps collect moisture in setting carbs

[Raymond W.]

Re: Long Term Carb Storage Procedure?

Just curious, would there be any need to take preventative storage measures for a Q-jet carb that's been completely rebuilt and not yet put into service?

[Rich C.]

Re: Long Term Carb Storage Procedure?

I neglected to properly service my snowblowers carb a couple years ago, I did put stabil fuel additive in. Next season (maybe 7 months), fuel turned to green jelly! Figured it was the ethanol. Didn't ever want to see that in the Quadrajet.

'73 LS-4 454 owned 21 1/2 years

[Ridge K.]

Re: Long Term Carb Storage Procedure?

I neglected to properly service my snowblowers carb a couple years ago, I did put stabil fuel additive in. Next season (maybe 7 months), fuel turned to green jelly! Figured it was the ethanol. Didn't ever want to see that in the Quadrajet.

'73 LS-4 454 owned 21 1/2 years

Most trusted sources I have read indicate ethanol has not been a good experiment for America. Primarily in light of the type of physical problems we have all heard of regarding it's use in automobile engines.

Not getting into it's political concerns, but according to Time magazine (summer 2011) ......"In America, 40% of the corn crop is currently diverted to make fuel for cars. "Ethanol uses 4.9 billion bushels of corn in the U.S. annually"
My understanding is that the actual corn crop used is #2 yellow corn, commonly referred to as "cattle feed corn".

I would like to see a fair and honest reconsideration that ethanol use in gasoline is in fact an advantageous partial solution to our dependence on foreign oil imports. Just my .02 cents.
Thanks to Rich and others stating their own observations as far as contamination problems.
Ridge