Carter 4MV Quadra Jet Leaks

[57vroom]

I found your sight when trying to figure out what might be wrong with my 4MV carb.  Specifically I cannot get it to seal to the manifold and leaks fuel along the front edge.  The FelPro gasket seems to be bottoming out on the nylon spacers so I hate to crank it any fruther and warp the base.  I have taken a straight edge and both the carb base and the intake seem straight in multiple directions.  I know of the fuel leak as I am having to 'prime' the carb from a fuel can and see the fuel seaping our at the lower end.
 

[omaha]

   depending on the year of the 4MV, the older they are, the more the bottom plugs are prone to leak. (they are located under the main jets and are part of the main body, visible after removing the baseplate from the main body)
So, this may be  one of the possible culprits of you gas leakage. Another concern would be the gasket which you say seems to be bottoming out. To help the diagnosis, I would try a gasket without the nylon spacers and see if this makes any difference. This way you could help diagnose the problem through process of elimination... the only other things that could come to mind might posible be a bad needle and seat or float or something in those areas.  Is your baseplate tight to the main body?? I am not a big fan of the spacers in the baseplate gasket.

[57vroom]

Thanks for the quick response!

I rebuilt the carb myself and did epoxy the plugs, and replaced the other items that came in the kit but wonder is there a way to bench test the seats?  Not sure the age of the carb but the numbers on the body are:
    17058213
    1308 BJB

I too wondered about the gasket bushings and think i will remove them an see if i can get it to seat.  Any advice on how much torque to apply?  I hate to be the one that warps the base!

[57vroom]

Ok guys, I took the nylon spacers out of the mounting gasket [Fel-Pro 60249] just to satisfy my own curiosity on the spacers preventing the carb from seating and I still have a leak on the LH front portion of the unit at the intake.  I am not sure how much torque is too much but wonder why this would be still happening?  Granted removing the spacers made placing the gasket a bit tougher but I would have thought it would have allow me to compress it enough to stop the leak?

Am I expecting too much from the gasket?  Am I creating an issue by pouring fuel into the bowl and seeing it weep out of the gasket at this spot?

Thoughts on next steps?  [I am gonna let the vehicle sit overnight and see if the fuel drains out of the bowl suggesting my rebuild was sub-par  ]

[57vroom]

Ok, so I took the carb of the engine after I was not able to see the accel pump any fuel when the engine was off and the bolw was full of fuel.  After taking air horn off I found the following:

1.  The needle valve spring was incorrectly installed through a loop vs. hanging on the front as I have since learned it should
2.  The accel pump gasket was down within the spring

I have since filled the body with fuel, it has sat covered for several hours now with no visible leaks on the bottom suggesting to me the plugs are fine... agree?

So am I looking at the impact of ethanol on a standard kit that may have resulted in my accel pump gasket failing and falling?  Would that be why i am finding i need to really fill the bowl and baby it on a cold start but several hours later it will start up as the bowl is still full enough to let the accel pump function?  But why would the carb work fine after the engine is warm and other than a slight lag at the light on WOT perform well??

Will the basic kit from Cliff be all I need to put this back together and get it to cold start?

[Cliff Ruggles]

Accellerator pump failure is a common with over the counter pumps.  All of our kits will contain the upgraded accl pump assemblies with custom wound springs and good Viton seal. 

They also contain the high flow Viton needle/seat assemblies.

Contact the shop to order kits, 740-397-2921......Cliff

[57vroom]

Thanks Cliff.  Called earlier and order the kit [along with the cam and spring?] and looking forward to getting my truck back on the road!

[Cliff Ruggles]

Thanks.  You will love the parts in the kit, we have zero issues with them on this new fuel.

Headed out this morning for a round of golf and some adult beverages later this afternoon!.....Cliff

[57vroom]

Cliff a follow up question if I may on this same carb....

The kit appears to have come with a cork gasket that I am am not sure where it goes?  [hot idle compensator maybe?]   If it is the hot idle, is there a real need for this feature as my carb does not have any of the components for this section.

[Cliff Ruggles]

Yep, the cork seal is for the HIC, if equipped?  If it's not there, don't install it, that system didn't work that great anyhow....Cliff