170 Carter Carb leaking

[champion52]

I rebuilt my '52 Champion's Carter WE-715s carb last week & I noticed when the car is run in hot weather, then shut off, the gas will purge out of a tiny vent hole in the main carb body.Not a lot of gas, but enough to run down the outside,to the base of the carb. This will stop after a few minutes.The tiny hole is located on the drivers side of the carb,horizontal in the main carb body mounting flange, just above the throttle body. It is seen just left of the screw that holds the main carb onto the lower throttle body.
I was very careful to set the choke level to 7/16" with the bowl cover upside down,as suggested elsewhere in this forum. This setting is 1/16" greater than the shop manual calls for, which should bring my fuel level lower than stock.
Has anyone else had the gas percolate out of this hole after a hot shutdown? Should I lower the fuel level any further to stop the weeping?
I was very careful to soak all parts of the carb & blow out all passages. I was also careful to replace the 2 check balls.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Steve
'52 Champion 170 Sedan

[52-fan]

I guess that you are talking about the float level. I have always had some seepage from the WE Carter on my 52 Champion and I thought it was porosity in the bowl. If you have identified another source I would also be interested to know if anyone has a fix.
I do know that today's gas boils and/or evaporates very easily. Even years ago, I had trouble with the gas percolating out of the carb after a long drive making the car hard to restart.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[champion52]

The float bowl has no seepage. I can see gas percolating out of the defined tiny hole described above. I had set the float level so as not to have the bowl fill with excess gas which may lead to my condition. Unfortunately the gas still percolates out this hole after an extended drive.
52-Fan, does your WE Carter have this tiny hole in the main body flange? I have no other Carter to compare it to. Maby the hole should not be there? Maby this dribble of gas is common on this carb? Should I plug it to see what happens?
Any suggestions?
Thank's,
Steve '52 Champion 170 sedan

[52-fan]

I went to the basement and took some pictures of a WE I had down there. Which side is the leak on?



I thought some other forum members would have chimed in by now, but maybe they are lucky enough to be in Lancaster tonight.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[Anne F. Goodman]

Well I had the same problem with my Carb My husband put a piece of wooden BBq stick in it problem solved.

Mabel 1949 Champion
1957 Silverhawk
1955 Champion 4Dr.Regal
Gus 1958 Transtar
1955 President State
Fresno,Ca

[champion52]

Ok, I took a pic of the tiny hole in the main carb body flange.
52-Fan, I see from your pics. you also have that same hole, so I guess it is supposed to be there. Now all I have to figure out is why gas would percolate out of it after the car is shut down from a longer drive? The hole appears to be a vent for air, but I still would like to know what would cause gas to weep out?
Anne, I may just borrow your husband's idea & plug it with something.My only fear would be cutting off the vented air that the hole was designed to draw.
It would not be too bad to live with, except for the fact I really don't want it to get worse & have the raw gas reach the hot manifold.
Here's my pic. & thanks for all your help & suggestions!
Steve

[champion52]

Sorry 52-FAN, I didn't answer your question. The hole is on the choke warm air pipe connection side, (Driver's side of carb).

Steve

[52-fan]

I would have to take a carb apart and examine where that hole leads, but I find it hard to believe that a hole that low would be a vent. It is more likely an opening caused by drilling out an internal passage during manufacture and should be plugged by something that is now missing. I would do like Anne says and plug it and see how that effects the engine.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[champion52]

I'll plug it with something tomorrow & report back with the results.
Thank's again Anne & 52-Fan for the suggestions.
Sorry you had to go downstairs, 52-Fan, for those pics., but they did clear up the fact that this hole was factory made. I agree with you that the hole is too low to be a vent, but I could not imagine any other purpose? I'd like to see another WE with a factory plug used in this spot. I think if all the WE's leaked gas from this hole, there would be many more thread's about it.
Steve

[champion52]

Ok, the mystery hole is plugged. I sealed it with a little Liquid Steel. Took Abby for a nice long drive, shut her down, & watched the carb for leaks. None!! Easiest fix I ever did. I still would like to know if that hole was ever factory sealed?
Thank's Sooo much Anne & 52FAN for all the help & great advice!!!
I was feeling so confident, I almost took Abby to Lancaster for the day. That plan got squashed when I realized my Master Cylinder had a fluid leak! Oh well,gives me something to do tomorrow.

Steve