WCFB bowl cover gasket leaking

[Bob S.]

I have a 59 with single WCFB (2818S). The bowl cover gasket is leaking leaving gas on the intake manifold on both sides inviting fire concerns. I have repalced the gasket with new and retightend the screws to no avail.
Does anyone have any "tricks of the trade" of suggestions? Thanks, Sully

[Clem Z.]

Re: WCFB bowl cover gasket leaking

I have a 59 with single WCFB (2818S). The bowl cover gasket is leaking leaving gas on the intake manifold on both sides inviting fire concerns. I have repalced the gasket with new and retightend the screws to no avail.
Does anyone have any "tricks of the trade" of suggestions? Thanks, Sully

set the top on the main body without a gasket and see if the top is warped. if it is try using 2 gaskets

[Bob S.]

Re: WCFB bowl cover gasket leaking

I'm headed for the garage now. If this is the problem, will two gaskets affect float settings?

[Clem Z.]

Re: WCFB bowl cover gasket leaking

I'm headed for the garage now. If this is the problem, will two gaskets affect float settings?

no problem with the float level

[Bob S.]

Re: WCFB bowl cover gasket leaking

Thanks. I'll let you know.

[Edward J.]

Re: WCFB bowl cover gasket leaking

Sully,Are you certain the air horn gasket is leaking fuel? sometimes with the ethonal in the gasoline the floats have to be dropped a few 32ths to allow for expansion with the heat from the cross over. what I have seen is fuel dripping after shut down in the throat of carb. onto the throttle blades and then out onto the intake. food for thought Ed

[Bob S.]

Re: WCFB bowl cover gasket leaking

I think Clem had the answer.
I can dry off the manifold and run the car in the driveway and not see anything but when I drive the car 3 to 4 miles around the block the fuel is on the manifold when I get back. I can't identify where it came from. I changed to 2 gaskets and the left side is completely dry and there is only a trace on the right side. Possible residual. I am going to let the car sit tonight (I have been told I have some other things that need attention), clean the manifold and give it another test run.

[Stuart F.]

Re: WCFB bowl cover gasket leaking

Bob;

FWIW, back in the day (late 50's and 60"s), I did a lot of messing with WCFBs and I recall they were very prone to dragging their floats, specially in cornering. The two sets of floats pivot some distance away from their needle/seats and require very close attention to adjusments to ensure they are centered in the float chambers, and that the pivot pins have very minimal play so as to avoid movement from side to side. As I recall, after adjusting the level and drop, I would pinch the pivot pin holes in the float arms to remove excessive play and, in fact, let most of the float movement be within the pin holes in the top plate standoffs.

It was common knowledge back then that WCFBs did not make for good carburetion on circle track cars due to the float drag problem. Not to brag, but I set up a number of dual quad WCFBs for cars running in quarter mile stock car races and they worked fine. It was just a matter of paying attention to little details - a sort of "blue printing". But of course, race cars usually benefited from larger than stock needle/seats combined with slightly lower float levels.

Also, WCFBs really don't like any dirt or contaminents in the fuel. I recall rapping a number on the top with a small hammer to dislodge dirt hanging up a float out at the drag strip. The give away of that was flames coming out of the header outlets (lots of unburned gas), Ha!

Stu Fox

[Bob S.]

Re: WCFB bowl cover gasket leaking

Thanks Stu, I'll take a look at that. I know when I had the bowl cover off to look at the gaskets there is a lot of "slop" at the float pivots. Do you happen to know where I could get a set of carb gages other than the little paper one included in rebuild kits. Yea, I know I am dreaming.

[Stuart F.]

Re: WCFB bowl cover gasket leaking

Bob;

There are a number of Carburetor specialty companies out there and some do carry (or at least catalog) tools specific to servicing old carburetors. However, unless you plan to do a lot of work with carburetors (as in a business), such tools tend to be cost prohibitive. For the occasional tune up or repair at home on your tool bench, the basic paper gauges or short metal pocket rulers work just fine - and a good eye. I know I have been tempted to buy special tools to work on AFBs, such as those used to change small jet tubes and air bleeds, but they are expensive and may not even be in stock anymore. Besides, most replacement jet tubes and air bleeds are no longer available either.

This past week end I bought a 145 piece set of drills (numbered and lettered) just because I was missing 4 drills from my other set. It cost me about $80. just to replace those 4 drills!! But, they were in the range of .104" to .110" which many carburetor main jets and needle seats are. My eyes aren't as good as they used to be so I often use them for measuring jets as I can't read the small stamped numbers on the jets, even with a magnifying glass. Besides, many of the new jets available from some specialty companies don't measure up as advertised (I don't trust them).

Stu Fox