Weber idf 44 leak!, Help! Options

[Milkman7286]

Hello all,
I've got a 71 4 banger with dual weber idf 44's on it and the driver's side front barrel has sprung a leak.
Here is a little detail before I go further into the leak:
The webers are about 6 years old and have about 7,000 miles on them. The car sat in storage for about 3 years but was started and driven every 6 months or so. For all I know this leak has been there all along and I never noticed, but I don't think that is the case.

The leak:
The carb is leaking gas down the front barrel on the drivers side. It appears to be coming from the progression / transition holes but it is hard to tell. The other thing I noticed is that the gasket just above the float bowl is very wet and the gasket between the carb/manifold is also a little wet. I have been dealing with this for about 2 weeks now and have read every possible thing I can find and none have solved this.

Here is what I have done so far:
-Float set at 10.5mm measuring with the gasket in place.
-Butterfly was loosened and repositioned in the bore.
-Needle and seat have been tested both with fuel and air and are good
-float is free in movement and does not hang up in the bowl
-float is still a float and does not sink
-idle circuit is free flowing and not clogged
-fuel pressure is 2.5
-float bowl gasket does not accidentally cover any holes or vents


Any ideas on this one? I feel like I have tried everything and for the life of me I can't figure it out. Last night I was watching the fuel puddle on top of the butterfly and it seemed like maybe it was coming from the seam at the float bowl gasket. Any reason why fuel would be coming from there?

As FYI:
This happens when the car is hot or cold, doesn't matter.

[ThePaintedMan]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) With Mark.

If one of the circuits is stuck open, it can DUMP fuel into the cylinder(s) and into the engine really quick. Do not run it like that if you can avoid it.

If that is the case, the easiest way to fix it is with the carburetor off of the engine. You may get lucky and get it to unstick by actuating the lever that Mark pointed to in the diagram, but you might also end up sticking up the other enrichment valve. Again, better to pull the carb off and then remove the carb top to inspect and/or plug the circuits.

Interestingly, I have not yet seen a Weber 44 with enrichment circuits - only on 40s. If it's got the lever on the side of the carb top, it almost definitely means that the carb has the circuits though.

[Milkman7286]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) With Mark.

If one of the circuits is stuck open, it can DUMP fuel into the cylinder(s) and into the engine really quick. Do not run it like that if you can avoid it.

If that is the case, the easiest way to fix it is with the carburetor off of the engine. You may get lucky and get it to unstick by actuating the lever that Mark pointed to in the diagram, but you might also end up sticking up the other enrichment valve. Again, better to pull the carb off and then remove the carb top to inspect and/or plug the circuits.

Interestingly, I have not yet seen a Weber 44 with enrichment circuits - only on 40s. If it's got the lever on the side of the carb top, it almost definitely means that the carb has the circuits though.

Mine does not have a lever, just a little block off plate with the weber logo.
Not sure if that changes things...

[ThePaintedMan]

Mine does not have a lever, just a little block off plate with the weber logo.
Not sure if that changes things...

The only way i know to verify if the carb has patent enrichment circuits is to remove it, and the carb top. There will be two recesses behind that block off plate. Each holds a valve assembly, assuming that the carb body was drilled for them from the factory.

As Mark said, someone could have removed the lever assemblies but kept the valves in place (and put the blockoff plate in place of the lever), hoping that they would stay seated and not open. But they're only held shut by a very thin spring and often they do indeed pop open. You might have enough room to pull just the blockoff plate off and see if there are two brass valve assemblies inside that recess. But it would be easier to take the carb off again IMHO.

The float bowl gasket is in contact with fuel - it does get wet.