Please help, Leaky carb...

[amilicia]

I've got a question I hope someone can answer because I know next to nothing about carbs. I went to use my boat this weekend and when I fired it up there was fuel leaking/seaping from what looks like some sort of plug on top of the carb float bowl. Luckily I noticed this before heading to the lake. Any ideas as to why it might be leaking from there? I took it apart and couldn't see any way of tightening that plug or sealing it. Any help would be greatly appreciated, unfortunately my warranty ran out in August. Picture attached of problem area. Thanks in advance.

 

[Don S]

Re: Please help, Leaky carb...

What's that carb on?? Are you sure it's a marine carb????
It looks like a fuel bowl vent for an automotive application. Marine carbs would vent the bowl into the carb.

 

[amilicia]

Re: Please help, Leaky carb...

Don,
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I'm sure its a marine carb. Its a Holley 2300 marine carb, Its on my 2006 Glastron w/ a 5.0L Volvo engine. The engine only has 30 hrs on it, but its out of warranty now. I thought it might be a vent too, but I don't think fuel should be seaping from it and dripping down the engine.

 

[mkast]

Re: Please help, Leaky carb...

A picture would help.
It maybe the sight plug for adjusting the float. If it is, it should have a slot for a wide flat tip screwdriver.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Please help, Leaky carb...

i sure ain't the carb guy so take my comment with a grain of salt. but to me.....

it looks like where the mfg drilled and tapped for the needle and seat that i assume is just behind the fuel inlet. then plugged the hole with a factory plug. that apparently leaks.... mfg defect.... don't know the fix.... epoxy glue maybe?

 

[amilicia]

Re: Please help, Leaky carb...

Mkast,
Thanks for the reply. My original post should have a picture attached. In case its not working correctly here is a direct link to the picture.
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg152/amilicia07/Holley2300Carb.jpg

 

[amilicia]

Re: Please help, Leaky carb...

i sure ain't the carb guy so take my comment with a grain of salt. but to me.....

it looks like where the mfg drilled and tapped for the needle and seat that i assume is just behind the fuel inlet. then plugged the hole with a factory plug. that apparently leaks.... mfg defect.... don't know the fix.... epoxy glue maybe?

Ziggy,

That was pretty much what I was thinking. I have an email into Holley to see what they say. I was thinking about just getting some JB weld or some sort of fuel resistant epoxy and coating over that "plug". Thanks for the reply.

 

[mkast]

Re: Please help, Leaky carb...

Holley used that boss to hold the needle and seat, for adjusting the float. If you remove the four hex-head screws, the float bowl will come off. Appears the plug was pressed on. Remove the bowl, inspect the inside of the boss, possibly peen the pressed plug, inspection will tell.
Find an exploded view of the carb, might have an o-ring involved.
In any case, the float bowl can be acquired used. The next one could have an adjustable float.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Please help, Leaky carb...

If thats a marine carb it should have a overflow hose runs back to the fuel pump.

Wonder if it's got a slot on the underside to tighten it. Screwed in from the bottom?

 

[JustJason]

Re: Please help, Leaky carb...

nope thats just the welch plug to plug up the holes during cross drilling when they made the carb.
the needle and seat sits underneath it.
Whel the needle closes, the fuel pump is still pumping.... it's all low pressure so the welch plug should contain it.
You can try epoxying over it.... but your best bet is calling Holley and asking them nicely for one. Pull the old one out, (drill through the middle of it and use a pick to rip it out) and coat the new one with loctite (or whatever holley recomends, and tap the new one into place. Let the loctite dry before you put it back into service....
your probably gonna want to take the fuel bowl off and support it from the inside to do the work.

 

[Don S]

Re: Please help, Leaky carb...

I got to thinking about your picture, and what seemed odd to me is that the carb wasn't red. Volvo also had a recall on Holley carbs, was yours replaced? If that is the replacement carb, contact your dealer immediatly.
What is your engines serial number? I think that would help me track down some other information also.

 

[amilicia]

Re: Please help, Leaky carb...

nope thats just the welch plug to plug up the holes during cross drilling when they made the carb.
the needle and seat sits underneath it.
Whel the needle closes, the fuel pump is still pumping.... it's all low pressure so the welch plug should contain it.
You can try epoxying over it.... but your best bet is calling Holley and asking them nicely for one. Pull the old one out, (drill through the middle of it and use a pick to rip it out) and coat the new one with loctite (or whatever holley recomends, and tap the new one into place. Let the loctite dry before you put it back into service....
your probably gonna want to take the fuel bowl off and support it from the inside to do the work.

Thanks CaptJason, I went home last night and tried tapping it in a bit tighter but it still seaped a bit while the engine was running. So I got out the trusty JB Weld, cleaned all the paint off the surface and sealed it up. Hopefully that takes care of the problem, if not then I'll bother Holley for a replacement plug or fuel bowl. Thanks again.

 

[amilicia]

Re: Please help, Leaky carb...

I got to thinking about your picture, and what seemed odd to me is that the carb wasn't red. Volvo also had a recall on Holley carbs, was yours replaced? If that is the replacement carb, contact your dealer immediatly.
What is your engines serial number? I think that would help me track down some other information also.

Don, thanks again for replying. My carb in my boat is volvo red, I got that stock picture from Holley's website since I didn't have my own picture handy at the time. My carb has not been replaced, it is the original one in my 2006 Glastron GX205, and it only has approx. 30 hrs on it. I don't have my engine serial # handy right now, but I will post it up tonight and maybe you could let me know if mine was in fact one of the recalled carbs. Thanks agian for the help.

 

[Don S]

Re: Please help, Leaky carb...

Personally, I would take it back to a dealer anyway. I would bet money Volvo would warrant that part from leaking anyway, even if it was out of warrany 6 months, let alone only 2.
Or even call their customer service number.
But post your SN and I will see if it's in the list.