Stromberg WW leak

I have a 67 Dodge Camper special and it has a newly rebuilt Stromberg on it, and recently it has been leaking gas from the lower plate joints on both sides sometimes a little and sometimes a lot, it only leaks when the engine is off. Does anybody know how i can stop my carburetor from leaking?


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SweptlineTrucker wrote:
> I have a 67 Dodge Camper special and it has a newly rebuilt Stromberg
> on it, and recently it has been leaking gas from the lower plate
> joints on both sides sometimes a little and sometimes a lot, it only
> leaks when the engine is off. Does anybody know how i can stop my
> carburetor from leaking?
>

I'm somewhat familiar with this carb having rebuilt several for
Studebaker V-8s... unfortunately it seems that "they all do that." I'm
not sure which joint you're describing as leaking but what I find most
often is that the upper part of the carb is warped and won't seal to the
main body correctly. Sometimes a double gasket helps... but what I
suspect is the root of your problem is that when the engine is shut off
the gas is percolating out of the fuel bowls, going up through the
passages in the carb, and then out and onto the throttle plates where it
runs both into the manifold (making it hard to start after sitting a
few, but only a few minutes) and also out the throttle shafts and onto
the manifold (which is a little unsettling because it lands right on the
exhaust crossover.)

I'm not really sure what a good fix is, because they didn't do this when
new, but that's not because of an issue with the carb - it's because gas
was different back then and didn't boil so easily. But you might try
lowering the float level 1/16" or so and seeing if that helps any
without causing any driveability issues. Other than that, you may need
to have the throttle shafts rebushed to keep the fuel from running out
there when it inevitably boils over. Still not ideal but at least it
would be contained inside the manifold. Finally you might want to get a
thin heat insulator to replace the gasket under the carb to keep it from
getting so hot.

good luck,

nate


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Besides Nate's suggestions, they started putting gas return lines on
them to avoid the vapor lock/ puking gas out issue with carbs.

Does yours have a return line that maybe went rusty and got
disconnected?

They do sell inline fuel filter with 2 outlets and one could be fabbed
up I suppose.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
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SweptlineTrucker wrote:
>
> I have a 67 Dodge Camper special and it has a newly rebuilt Stromberg on it, and recently it has been leaking gas from the lower plate joints on both sides sometimes a little and sometimes a lot, it only leaks when the engine is off. Does anybody know how i can stop my carburetor from leaking?
>
> --
> SweptlineTrucker
>
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> View this thread: http://www.carstalk.net/viewtopic-400724.html
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Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> There are two things you need to address he The leaks themselves,
> and the causes of fuel having occasion to travel through those leaks on
> engine shutdown.
>
> Nate's suggestion is a good one (double-gasketing the junction between
> the main body and the throttle body).

Actually it's the top plate that I was thinking of; that's where I've
always found warpage on WWs. The throttle body is fairly beefy; I
can't see that warping.

>
> You'll also want to check to see that the throttle shaft isn't loose in
> its bushings-that's another common leak point, and even the
> less-disreputable carburetor "remanufacturing" factories like Holleys
> scarcely ever rebush them. One good test for this is to let the engine
> idle and spray carburetor cleaner at the base of the carburetor where
> the throttle shaft passes through, on both ends. If the engine idle
> changes noticeably or if you see the carb cleaner rapidly sucked into
> the carb at that junction, you've got excessive throttle bushing
> sideplay.
>

This is where I have seen carbs leak on hot soak; I ASSume this is
actually what's happening here and that it's due to percolation.

> The necessary rebushing can be done, and warped castings repaired so
> that they seal, by any of several skilled carburetor rebuilders (not
> the same as "remanufacturers"). One such goes by the name of the Old
> Carb Doctor, 800-945-CARB. You mention you've got the original carb.
> Originals, no matter how grimy and old, are always easier to refurbish
> to as-new condition than abused "remanufactured" units, so you may want
> to carry on living with the annoyances of the "reman" unit while you
> send off the original for a proper refurb.
>

I've heard nothing but good things about Daytona Parts as well,
although I haven't had an occasion to use them yet. There are DIY
rebushing kits available for some carbs, but probably only 4bbl units;
not sure if any of them use the same size throttle shaft as a WW.

> Mike's babble about the "fuel return line" on your Dodge is his
> customary hallucinatory babble. There were no Stromberg WW carburetors
> of any year with fuel return lines.

Oooh... I'm gonna have to check when I get home; I thought (although I
may be confusing them with the later "R-series" engines) that the 57-58
Studebaker models with a supercharger had a return line. So there

> So, there's no such a line to have
> rusted or otherwise become damaged. His basic idea is sound, though:
> You need to reduce the effect of percolation, which is when heat
> transferred to the fuel boils it when the engine is shut off. There are
> several ways of tackling this problem. A carburetor heat shield can be
> made in the form of a carb-to-manifold gasket that extends outward
> several inches in every direction. An extra-thick carb-to-manifold
> gasket also helps insulate the carb from manifold heat.

Alternately, take a couple thin sheets of stainless and punch holes in
them to match the gasket. Alternate these with thin base gaskets.
Apparently this works; Mr. Gasket sells a stack like this for AFBs and
people that have tried them have claimed that they worked. (of course,
I have only had the problem you describe with one AFB, and that was
because it had a stuck float.)

A block of phenolic machined to match would work as well, or dense
hardwood (seriously!)

>
> Often, percolation begins not in the carburetor but in the fuel line
> that runs from the fuel pump to the carb. You can rework this line to
> significantly reduce heat transfer to the fuel: Remove the metal line
> that runs from the fuel pump to the carburetor. Install a 5/16"
> IV-flare-to-5/16"-hose-barb brass fitting in the fuel pump outlet and
> another in the carb inlet. These fittings can be had from any
> well-stocked hardware store that carries the Dorman "orange drawers"
> line of springs, fittings, etc. The Dorman part number is 492-024;
> Everbrass number is 1791.
>
> Between these fittings, run a length of 5/16" I.D. _fuel injection_
> hose marked SAE 30R9, not the lower-test old-fashioned 30R7 stuff that
> doesn't do well with modern gas formulations over time. Be sure to get
> fuel injection hose clamps, too. Route this line carefully away from
> sources of heat (exhaust manifold...) and away from moving parts. Make
> sure to leave enough slack in this hose so that it is not stretched
> taut at any point.
>

I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of the hose, although I'm sure it
works as you say it does. I'd definitely invest in some of those
plastic coated clamps and make very sure it never touched anything
metal.

Another thing that I've seen done on older cars is to wrap the fuel
line with asbestos cloth; obviously you can't do that anymore but you
can get heat protective tape and sleeves. I'm using some on my '55
right now to protect the vacuum hose for the dist. and the wire for the
electric choke (the stock carb. used a hard line to the dist. which an
Edelbrock does not have a provision for; and obviously there was no
electric choke. There's also no handy bolts nearby to which to attach
anything to which to zip tie the wire/hose.) Not sure how hot it gets
inside that sleeve, but it passes right over the exhaust crossover and
I've had no problems.

> Think carefully about how you place the fuel filter, and use one with a
> *metal* can, because the plastic ones sometimes don't do well with
> current gas formulations. The fuel filter should be installed in a
> vertical or near-vertical orientation, inlet at the bottom and outlet
> at the top, and in as cool a location as possible.

Eh, I have not had a problem yet with the Wix brand plastic ones,
although I'll probably eliminate it on my '55 as I finally found a NOS
fuel pump with the "stone" filter and glass bowl built into the inlet
side (would rather catch the nastiness before it gets into the check
valves rather than after)

>
> With this setup, a lot of the bìtchy hot and cold start problems
> disappear, because you're no longer boiling fuel in that metal line
> when you shut off the engine. In extreme cases where it's not possible
> to isolate the fuel line sufficiently from engine heat, then a
> vapor-return line such as Mike was trying to talk about can be added.
> It involves the use of a 3-port fuel filter. The two normal 5/16" ports
> are present, as well as a smaller 1/4" port near the top of the filter.
> One such filter is the NAPA #3040. You connect a new 1/4" fuel line
> hose to that 1/4" port, which must be pointing upward. Loop the 1/4"
> hose in a full, loose 360° loop, then either run it clear back to the
> fuel tank where it connects to a new 1/4" nipple you've added to the
> fuel tank sender plate, or -- preferably -- form and install a hardline
> for the long length of the truck.
>
> DS

Yup, or alternately you could solder or braze a hose barb or female
flare seat into the filler neck, if that is more convenient.

I would like to think I wouldn't have to say this, but if you are going
to solder or braze anything onto the filler neck, this should be done
with the filler neck removed from the vehicle and thoroughly cleaned to
remove any fuel residue. (hey, you never know who might be reading
this) Worst case would be that you would have to put it right into the
body of the fuel tank, but unless you REALLY know what you are doing
and take all precautions, that's best left to a pro (not going to say I
haven't done it, but do as I say not as I do.)

nate

N8N wrote:

> > Nate's suggestion is a good one (double-gasketing the junction between
> > the main body and the throttle body).
>
> Actually it's the top plate that I was thinking of; that's where I've
> always found warpage on WWs. The throttle body is fairly beefy; I
> can't see that warping.

No, the throttle body usually doesn't warp, but the bottom gasket
surface of the main body can do. I agree the top plates can warp as
well (just like the Carter BBS/BBD carbs).

> There are DIY
> rebushing kits available for some carbs

For carburetors designed with field-serviceable bushings, yes. For the
likes of WWs, BBSs, BBDs, WAs, etc...no.

> > Mike's babble about the "fuel return line" on your Dodge is his
> > customary hallucinatory babble. There were no Stromberg WW carburetors
> > of any year with fuel return lines.
>
> Oooh... I'm gonna have to check when I get home; I thought (although I
> may be confusing them with the later "R-series" engines) that the 57-58
> Studebaker models with a supercharger had a return line. So there

That's certainly possible. I was talking about Chrysler products, since
that's what the OP's working with.

Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> N8N wrote:

> > There are DIY
> > rebushing kits available for some carbs
>
> For carburetors designed with field-serviceable bushings, yes. For the
> likes of WWs, BBSs, BBDs, WAs, etc...no.

FWIW I am pretty sure I have seen some available for either AFBs or
Q-jets... basically an extra-long drill bit and some Oilite bushings.
Never bought one though.

nate

you might check the in-line connection, tighten if necessary while using
a back-up wrench, and any gasket area for leaks.

If it has cap screws over the jets, check for a faulty / broken gasket,
and looseness.

mho
vfe

On Sat, 01 Apr 2006 17:21:49 -0500, Nate Nagel >
wrote:

>I'm somewhat familiar with this carb having rebuilt several for
>Studebaker V-8s... unfortunately it seems that "they all do that." I'm
>not sure which joint you're describing as leaking but what I find most
>often is that the upper part of the carb is warped and won't seal to the
>main body correctly.

Yep. Some Holleys are like that, as well.
You can rekit and swap throttle body-to-float-chamber gaskets until
you are blue in the face, but the bowl will still drain down (on teh
Holley). You could try milling the surfaces, but they'd just warp
again, so why bother?

I've seen people throw away brand new carburetors, in disgust, and
switch to a different brand (usually an Edelbrock Quadrajet clone).

Another winner was the Motorcraft 2700 VV. What a nightmare.
Even in California, it was deemed legal, under emissions standards,
to replace those pieces of **** with a standard fixed venturi model,
like a 2150xx..

And those damned Stromberg CD's that were common on Volvos and Jags,
always failed diaphragm (making engine burn VERY rich, but still ran,
and was driveable, though barely).

Fond Memories...
LOL!








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-john
wide-open at throttle dot info