Stovebolt.com Forums The Shop Area The Engine Shop What carburetor is this

You should just knock the casting plug in and replace it.

Doug,

Guessing that you are looking for a short-fuse temporary solution to the failed plug.

I would suggest if you can't readily replace it with a new metal compression plug, pull out the failed plug (you should be able to hook it and pry it out) and then replace it with a temporary freeze plug [autozone.com] like this one available from your local FLAPS.

Just get a basic diameter measurement and go to your nearest FLAPS and pick one up. These are frequently kept in stock just for situations like this.

As noted on the plug, make sure it and the surrounding surfaces are dry when installing for it to work as designed.

Dan

I have to agree with Otto. Just replace the plug with a proper one. Easy enough to get out by screwing a lag screw in and prying it out with a prybar. The replacement just taps in (after cleaning the hole.)
The JB Weld approach is a bad band-aid fix. Who's to say there isn't another hole ready to rust thru right next to the one that's leaking? Why do the job twice?

Guys this plug is in a hard to reach place. I'd have to hang upside down with the hood off to even see it.

If this bandaid doesn't work I will have to do something just don't know how I'll get to it..

Thanks for the ideas and suggestions..

Try raising the truck and going at it from the bottom. If that plug is rusted through (as it seems) the lag screw/pry bar method might or might not work. That is to say I've had those which didn't have enough metal left in them to let me get them out that way. But if you're patient and resourceful, you'll get it. As for a Carter carburetor, I don't currently have what you'll need, however if you will send me a PM I can mention some other ideas.

I suspect that you might have to bite the bullet and remove the manifold assembly, in which case do all of them.Have a nut splitter handy to avoid snapping the exhaust flange bolts. IIRC there are two core plugs on that side of the engine. If that one is rusted through the others are probably not far behind. They are available in bronze which will forestall a repeat of this to beyond our lifetimes. There is also one on the back of the block that's partly covered by the bell housing and up against the firewall. Fixing that one entails removing the bell housing, which is a lot of dirty work. One might have to pull the engine to get at it; I haven't tried. I dread that day should it come for me.

Got engine running again last night and it purred like a kitten... have a unusual noise I hear in the cab but not the engine compartment.. I'll work on that.

Good news is looks like the carb is working fine... and the freeze plug leak is plugged..

I have another leak that is a drip so I'll run that down.. a drip I can handle.. I remember many times I had cars as a kid that I drove around from one filling station to another putting water in it.. this isn't that bad..

Thanks for all the support and suggestions.. I'll keep the journal updated as things progress.

Well wouldn't you know it.. after finally getting it running last night it purred like a kitten.. idled right down and stayed there so carb is not an issue..

see my other post.. have a cracked block that is dripping now... out comes the JB weld again.. this is how we fixed things when I was young and poor..

Now I'm old and poor.. ha... seems some things never change.. I'm going to tackle this problem tomorrow... I'll attach the pics of Ole Smoky's cracked head..

Opps.... will have to edit them in from the ipad.. desktop doesn't have access to them.. lol

btw I'm too stubborn to give up easily..

After I de-greased my truck's engine when I got it, I discovered a sloppy JB Weld repair on the driver side rear that had been done who knows how many years ago? It's ugly but works just fine. That's the advantage of a zero pressure cooling system.

After the JB Weld has had a chance to slightly harden, you can press a piece of course sandpaper or something into the repair to make the surface resemble cast iron. Once painted, no one will know.

Thanks Otto. That gives me more confidence the patch job if done right will last a while. The sandpaper trick is a classic. Love it