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Re: the use of plumbing 0-rings for fuel leak

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Steven

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Re: the use of plumbing 0-rings for fuel leak

Just an update on my leaky Stromberg carbs. They were seeping fuel from the bottom of the carb, and I slipped an 0-ring around the plug on the bottom of both carbs. After 3 months I'm glad to tell everyone that the solution really works. No leaks, no drips, and no carb rebuild just because of a stupid fuel leak. This fix is totally permanent, and it works. Because of some naysayers in this forum, I bought spare 0-rings just in case. Fuel composition does NOT cause these to deteriorate. I pulled them and checked. After 3 months...good as new. Save yourself a few hundred dollars and invest in some 0-rings to seal up the drippy bottoms of your Strombergs.
 
Re: the use of plumbing 0-rings for fuel leak

Congratulations on finding a simple fix.

I'm not entirely surprised that the O-rings you found are compatible with fuel. O-rings are manufactured in massive quantities and sometimes it's cheaper for a manufacturer to make fewer different types in large volumes. It may mean selling some customers higher grade parts than they really need but it still costs the customer less.

Still, I wouldn't feel comfortable installing a non-factory seal unless I was confident that it was compatible. (Mind you, the Stroms on my car are directly over the distrib and starter. A leak means a fire. BTDT.) Your test indicates that the O-rings you got are compatible. The ones on the shelf at the next guy's store may or may not be not be. It was a good idea to keep an eye on them if you weren't sure what they're made of.

On the other hand you can buy the Stromberg plugs, with O-rings, without paying somebody to do a rebuild or buying the whole rebuild kit. As I recall I paid a few bucks each. In my case the plugs needed replacing too, not just the seals. It was money well spent.


PC.
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Re: the use of plumbing 0-rings for fuel leak

problem with buying the stromberg plugs is that you have to remove the carbs, and that's a real pain. I'm just glad my solution worked for me...and to let the word out to others that may not want to bother ripping the carbs out. My carbs are over the starter and gas drips find their way close to the exhaust pipe. That's why i wanted to seal it off real fast. If appearance is an issue, the 0-rings can't be seen. Any kind of seal is preferable to some of the inadequate factory tolerances for leaks. I'll keep my eye on it though.
 
Re: the use of plumbing 0-rings for fuel leak

I didn’t have to remove the carbs on my car. I had enough clearence to reach underneath and pop ‘em out. They were almost falling out on their own until I replaced them.


PC.
 
Re: the use of plumbing 0-rings for fuel leak

you must have put your car on a hoist to do it. I can't twist my arms enough to do it from above, and i can't get at it from below. Someday when I get the courage to rebuild the carbs I'll replace everything.
 
Re: the use of plumbing 0-rings for fuel leak

I presume you know that the Strom's are supposed to have an O-ring seated on the base of the bowl plug. If you have just plain old rubber O-rings there, they will get eaten. Viton would be the preferred material.
 
Re: the use of plumbing 0-rings for fuel leak

i don't believe plumbing 0-rings are ever old fashioned rubber because they won't last. Must be some kind of neoprene. I'm not a chemist, and using those 0-rings was a makeshift reaction to a pretty substantial fuel leak I had in the rear carb. I was really happy that it worked out so well. Yes, I'm aware of the 0-ring at the base of the carb plugs. I also know that British made 0-rings are not very good quality, just like brake and clutch master cylinder components. I've read from others on this forum, that leaks around the plugs at the bottom of the carbs are quite common, and a real irritating problem. Hope my solution helps someone else besides just me.....I'm such a generous guy!!!!
 
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