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Holley Carb float bowl vent leaking

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Lakerider80 View Drop Down
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    Posted: September-12-2021 at 9:22pm
I noticed the other day that the carb float bowls vents (the ones on the bowls and not the ones aimed into the intake) were leaking at a pretty quick rate. I pull off the old sealant, clean the metal up with a wire brush and some brake clean and then used some JB Weld SteelStik as it apparently is more fuel resistant than other JB welds. Stopped the leaks and got me back on the water. Just figured I'd share my experience in case anyone else runs across the same issue. 

 
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KENO View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KENO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-13-2021 at 6:53am
Those aren't really vents, they're plugs that fill holes that were drilled to allow for drilling/machining internal passages in the bowl. When the drilling/machining is done the holes need to be plugged otherwise they'd be a giant unwanted leak

Under the epoxy job that somebody did originally, there's a plug with an O ring. The plug is pressed in and pretty much impossible to get out without destroying it.

The O ring can get old and brittle and then the plug leaks.

Your front bowl has 2 plugs like that and the rear has 2 plugs like that

I only see pictures of 2 that you did the epoxy job on. I'll guess that the other 2 got epoxied also by whoever did the original "fix"

The epoxy fix is pretty common. Whoever did yours maybe didn't do a good prep job

Some people will say that you need to replace the bowl, others go the epoxy route with good luck 

Here's a picture of what the plug looks like


Only one plug was destroyed to get that picture Wink


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KENO View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KENO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-13-2021 at 7:25am
Here's a picture with little red arrows pointing to all 4 plug locations on your carburetor




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Lakerider80 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lakerider80 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-13-2021 at 12:52pm
I tried looking for the replacement plugs and couldn’t find any. Any idea of a part number or where to get them or if it’s even worth trying to replace them? It’s far from a show boat so I’m really not too worried about the look. Especially if the JB does the trick but I do try to fix things correctly rather than cobbling things together.
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Gary S View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gary S Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-13-2021 at 2:15pm
There are no replacements you have to replace the complete bowel
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lakerider80 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-14-2021 at 9:04am
Well it looks like the JB weld fix is the way to go then, thats crazy to replace a $0.03 o-ring you have to buy a whole new bowl, and knowing Holley it’s probably at least $50 just for the bowl that will probably end up leaking within a few seasons. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote scootdogydog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-14-2021 at 9:48am
I understand Gary's statement that the plugs are not available by themselves but o-rings can be bought. I get o-rings at Fastenal, but you'd have to have a plug that isn't jb welded to the bowl in order to replace the o-ring
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KENO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-14-2021 at 12:19pm
Originally posted by scootdogydog scootdogydog wrote:

I understand Gary's statement that the plugs are not available by themselves but o-rings can be bought. I get o-rings at Fastenal, but you'd have to have a plug that isn't jb welded to the bowl in order to replace the o-ring

I guess you're gonna have to explain how to get a leaky plug (that hasn't been epoxied) out of the bowl without destroying the plug  Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KENO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-15-2021 at 8:33pm
Originally posted by KENO KENO wrote:

Originally posted by scootdogydog scootdogydog wrote:

I understand Gary's statement that the plugs are not available by themselves but o-rings can be bought. I get o-rings at Fastenal, but you'd have to have a plug that isn't jb welded to the bowl in order to replace the o-ring

I guess you're gonna have to explain how to get a leaky plug (that hasn't been epoxied) out of the bowl without destroying the plug  Wink

Sometimes you throw out that challenge like my quote above and then decide that you should maybe take that challenge yourself.

Today, after thinking about it some, I came up with a relatively simple way of getting the top plug out without damaging the plug or the bowl in the process. Side plug.............well that's a different story

And as an added extra bonus, you can put it back together with a new O ring. 

Pretty much any self respecting semi accomplished backyard hack can do it   Wink

Will it leak? Beats me, but I'll know tomorrow and post the process either here or in a new separate thread
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lakerider80 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-15-2021 at 9:38pm
I am really excited to see what you’ve come up with. I doubt I am the only one that’s had this problem with very old and dry O rings leaking enough fuel that a engine fire might be a real possibility. That’d be a real day ruiner.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KENO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-16-2021 at 12:36pm
Click on the link for what I did  Wink

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