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Gasket failure at carb spacer to intake
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CSRacing
DRR Trophy
posted
I've got a 2" carb spacer on an Edelbrock intake manifold. BBC and Dominator carb for what that's worth. The front and rear edges of the gasket keep failing. No backfires or anything like that. The gasket is always wet when I take it off. Not sure if it's just a poor quality gasket, insufficient torque or what. Intake and spacer are flat. Anyone seen this before?

I'm hesitant to go much tighter on the carb base nuts for fear of breaking a mounting flange off. Thinking about getting rid of the gasket and putting a bead of Right Stuff down but figured I'd ask first in case there's something I'm not thinking of. Strange failure...
 
Posts: 85 | Location: Oostburg WI | Registered: October 16, 2020Reply With QuoteReport This Post
ski_dwn_it
DRR Sportsman
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quote:
Originally posted by CSRacing:
I've got a 2" carb spacer on an Edelbrock intake manifold. BBC and Dominator carb for what that's worth. The front and rear edges of the gasket keep failing. No backfires or anything like that. The gasket is always wet when I take it off. Not sure if it's just a poor quality gasket, insufficient torque or what. Intake and spacer are flat. Anyone seen this before?

I'm hesitant to go much tighter on the carb base nuts for fear of breaking a mounting flange off. Thinking about getting rid of the gasket and putting a bead of Right Stuff down but figured I'd ask first in case there's something I'm not thinking of. Strange failure...


Is the gasket over a period of time just flattening and causing things to be loose? Where a retightening after the giving of the gasket would reseal it?

Other thought is spacer is growing and shrinking with hot and cold. Retighten when its at operating temp?
 
Posts: 1552 | Location: St Marys | Registered: January 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
CURTIS REED
DRR S/Pro
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I can't speculate on what is causing your problem but if you think that it's possibly a gasket issue look into the Cometic Aramid Fiber carb gaskets. I just randomly bought one and it's the best I've ever used. It won't fuel soak and they are really tough.
 
Posts: 3425 | Location: KIEFER, OK. | Registered: August 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Lenny5160
DRR S/Pro
Picture of Lenny5160
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Jeez, I think I've used the same base gasket for at least 15 years. I've been throttle stop racing for 10 years, and am always swapping the stop on and off between bracket and NHRA events. Never replaced anything.


Tony Leonard
 
Posts: 3326 | Location: Inver Grove Heights, MN | Registered: March 18, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Goob
DRR Pro
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There are some early 3-circuit Dominators that had a problem with the intermediate feed tubes dribbling fuel. Maybe it's soaking the gasket?

But I'll also say that something apparently is not flat when bolted down.

I've also got a stack of carburetor / spacer gaskets that I'll never use because the same ones have been fine for 20+ years. Cool


"Despite the high cost of living, it remains popular."
Dave Cook
N375
 
Posts: 2030 | Location: Indy | Registered: November 21, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
CSRacing
DRR Trophy
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Thanks guys. Your comments help me convince myself I'm not crazy. I'll do a deeper dive into the fit of the spacer to intake, maybe I'm just missing something. Have snugged the nuts several times, made sure I'm not running out of thread etc. Aluminum spacer. Just the dumbest thing ever.

This is a 2 circuit carb for what that's worth.

It's always something right?
 
Posts: 85 | Location: Oostburg WI | Registered: October 16, 2020Reply With QuoteReport This Post
RPROGAS
DRR S/Pro
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Not saying that my process is the best way to treat carb base gaskets but what has worked well of me is to spray both sides of the gaskets with WD40 before installing them. I let the gasket air dry, which takes about a minute.

Like Lenny, I've used the same gaskets for a very long time, I never have a air or fuel leak.

Bob
 
Posts: 3386 | Location: Lakeside, Ca | Registered: February 15, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post



Goob
DRR Pro
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I can remember when the first GM TBI trucks came out, we had a stretch of insanely cold temperatures, and we were knee deep those vehicles with leaking base gaskets.


"Despite the high cost of living, it remains popular."
Dave Cook
N375
 
Posts: 2030 | Location: Indy | Registered: November 21, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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