How likely is it that a rebuilt carburetor that has been on the shelf for 40 years is still good?

[lancemb]

Or would it automatically need another rebuild? Considering there hasn't been any fuel run through it to gum up maybe it is okay as is?

[MCHinson]

I would suggest that it may very well be good as long as you simply run pure gasoline through it, but some of the components in it are probably not ethanol resistant. If it were me, I would probably go ahead and rebuild it before trying to use it.

[JohnD1956]

+2 on what Matthew said.

[MrEarl]

I'd probably put the sucker and see what it does. If it goes bad, what have you lost, 15 minutes to change it out?.....If it's good you probably saved a couple hundred bucks. In fact I've got one waiting to go on my little Blue Bird Special that has probably been sitting on a shelf at least 20 years. (and will probably be 40 by the time I get around to doing it)

[Aaron65]

Take it apart and at the very least clean it out. If any junk/cobwebs/dead animals got in, you could have real problems. What if one main jet is partially plugged and you lean out half your cylinders going down the road? What if some trash is in the needle and seat and you're dumping raw fuel all over the place? It's not worth it.

[bhambulldog]

Put it on and drive it toward the nearest casino. If you're lucky enough to make it there, you'll surely be winner

[buick man]

You probably had it wrapped up in a plastic bag all this time anyways ":) ... So put it back on. The corn-a-hol fuel is making even the best recently rebuilt carbs run like pooh anyways due to the fact corn-a-hol is denser than real gas which is what our carbs were designed, flowed, jetted and floats set to run on. Corn-a-hol changes all of that due to the fact the metrics are all different. buick man suggests you get a gallon of real non-oxygenated fuel ( no alcohol added ) and run from the can to your new carb and see how it runs that way on real gas. Then switch it over to the corn-a-hol wannabe fuel and see how it runs on that if it does. At least this way you will know it is the fuel and not your carb that's bad. But the boys are right, corn-a-hol will eat up your nonconforming internal gaskets not spec'ed to be soaking in alcohol which is an excellent solvent.

Only folks that like it are the very very few who get paid to grow it, and those who get paid to sell it and the sell-elected mouth pieces for hire that get paid to require the rest of us to run with it by sanctioning it.

[Guest NikeAjax]

If it is 40-years old, it probably has a leather-pump-cup: if that is the case, bring on the cheap fool(fuel!) "You don't frighten us, English pig-dogs! Go and boil your bottoms, sons of a silly person..." sez the carburetor, "I has NOT'ING to worries me about!" Sorry, most of that was a quote from Monty Python's "Holy Grail" and not pointed directly at you...

I'm pretty sure that that's the only part to really worry about, though you may want to sray a bit of WD-40 on the pump cup and make sure it's still playable, and not brittle...

Jaybird

[old-tank]

If it is a 4GC for your 57 or 58 the cement for the bowl plugs is not compatible with ethanol laced fuel; they have been known to leak and start fires. Install it temporarily to be sure there are no other issues: some rebuilt carb had problems from the day they were made and will still have problems after being exchanged and rebuilt many times.

Willie

[smithbrother]

If if it AIN'T broke, DON'T fix it, so give it a try and see if it AIN'T BROKE.

I vote for Mr. Earl.

I wish you well,

Dale in Indy

[60FlatTop]

Is there no carburetor on the car now? If you have on existing carb and it is the correct one for your car use the rebuilt for parts.

Bernie

[MrEarl]

If it is a 4GC for your 57 or 58 the cement for the bowl plugs is not compatible with ethanol laced fuel; they have been known to leak and start fires. Install it temporarily to be sure there are no other issues: some rebuilt carb had problems from the day they were made and will still have problems after being exchanged and rebuilt many times.

Willie

If that is indeed the case then I retract my suggestion of try it and see. These type carbs have never needed any help from ethanol to start fires to begin with. Probably a third of my parts cars and one of my road cars show signs of carb fires.

So I'm curious, there must be a new ethanol safe cement for bowl plugs these days?

[60FlatTop]

I think a dab of JB Weld is still pretty resistant to just about anything. I came in for lunch. I'll check a package when I go back out.

Eating left overs and on the computer. I should be sitting under a tree.

It looks like JB Weld has a 24 to 36 hour lifespan in corm likker.

And this is interesting from some guys who can't walk home if their vehicle breaks down: http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/columns/max/index10.htm

Bernie

Edited August 11, 2013 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[lancemb]

Thanks for the feedback. My hunch was take it apart and check it out at least, and this thread confirmed that hunch. Will probably do at least a partial rebuild. It has NOT been in plastic, and the box is pretty ratty.

Something is not right about the idle linkage on my current one also, but haven't determined exactly what. If the rebuilt one that has been sitting around is more correct, then I will certainly use it.