Carb gasket sealant?

I have fixed my whistling carb leak by tightening down the carb bolts last year. The whistle is starting to come back. I'll be getting new carb gaskets to see if that helps and I know they are put on dry, but I was wondering if there is a sealant that could be used to help seal the mating surfaces? or if putting two gaskets on might work if the issue is a warped bottom plate or something like that. I hesitate to torque the carb bolts too much for fear of breaking off the ear on the carb.

 

Typically no sealant is used there. When you get the carb off, check the mounting surface for flatness with a straightedge. If it's warped, you might be able to true it up by putting a piece of emery cloth on a piece of glass and rubbing the part in a figure 8 pattern on the emery cloth. If that doesn't solve the issue, some RTV should help. Just don't put so much on there that it squeezes out all over the place.

 

I like to use a wipe of the old fashioned soft Permatex. But the flange ears can definitely be warped and should be checked as above.

 

indian head shellac?

 

I'd be more inclined to use Permatex #2 than shellac. Shellac dissolves in alcohol, and fuel contains some alcohol now. Only the barest thin coating or #2. Sets semi-hard, and is removable with some hot solvent.

 

I just went with the dry gaskets. Got the manifold>phenolic and the carb>phenolic gaskets. Works for now. If it keeps getting vacuum leaks around the base I'll try something different then.

 

I agree... The #2 permatex after making sure all surfaces are true.
And....torque the nuts to spec. Over tightening leads to warped flanges and insulators in the first place

 

I doing this, are you at all worried about getting anything in the intake? Or do you stuff it with clean rags to catch the stuff? Were it me (I'm paranoid) I would only do this with the intake off the engine.

 

I have had to cross file a few carb bases because of warping (due over torque) with great success. Just have to go easy with it and check for flatness often.

 

"I would only do this with the intake off the engine."


I think the idea was to true and flatten the carb base, not the manifold.

 

If the surfaces are true no sealer should be needed.


Sent from my iPhone

 

Oh. Carb.
Sometimes it's the simple things I miss......