A few years ago I had Bruce from WPM Racing, who used to be on this board, build me a carburator. I believe it's based on a model 4150 but I'm not sure. It's a double pumper, mechanical secondaries, annular discharge, four corner idle mixture, no choke tower etc. It has worked flawlessly up until now. When running the boat on the hose with the air cleaner off I noticed fuel dripping from the annular booster venturi on the primary corner of the carb on the side that the throttle linkage connects to. I also cannot adjust the idle mixture on this corner. What do you guys think? If I need to rebuild how do you clean parts? Boil them in water? Any help is appreciated!

Dave- Let me get you thinking before the endless resources of OSO kick in. Rebuilding a Holley carb is the easiest thing if you've not done it before. Stay away from the spray carb cleaners at the auto store. To do it right, you need the carb cleaning 'Dip Kits'. The fluid is extremely strong . It used to contain Chlorinated Hydrocarbons before the emphasis on the environment. All rubber parts must first be removed first including the seals for the idle screws. Just dipping the carb body a few times would make it look like new. Blowing out the passages with compressed air is also a must. On the dripping, make sure the accelerator pump on the primary side is adjusted properly. If you don't have the specs, you can carefully back off the spring loaded slotted hex screw on the accelerator pump arm half a turn when the carb is dripping to see if it stops. Keep in mind that if you have a bog when you crack the throttle under load,that you need to adjust that accelerator pump linkage to cover up that lean 'hole'. Just trying to help...

The same "bog" can be caused by a defective or wrong size of powervalve.....Been there done that

Bad-Habit- I agree totally. I assumed Dave would put a rebuild kit it in with new needle/seats, accelerator pumps and power valves. My logic was that with the new parts, proper adjustment of the accelerator pump and blowing out the passages, he should eliminate all the reasonable sources of his symptoms. That lack of response on that one idle screw could be the most elusive to run down. Thanks for making me be more complete in my response to Dave. Yours is an excellent point. Lou

I think the problem is a saturated float that is allowing the fuel level to rise above the intake port of the fuel well.. Check the float level or get a new float if it is the "foam" variety.

Send the carb(s) to Dean Nickerson ... you'll get better performance that before rebuild. My 1050's are running great after Dean went thru them.

Thank you all for the advice so far.

The floats are the brass style not foam.

I was thinking that the float level was to high on the primaries thus causing the fuel bleed, but I did not think that would cause the problem with the idle mixture.

Attack, how do I contact Dean Nickerson if I choose to go that route.

Put in a needle and seat. it will only take 5 minutes. If that doesnt clear up the fuel from the booster , then put a float in it.

Dave- Dean Nickerson is in Bristol,Pa. (215-781-1370). Nickersonperformance.com

Thanks :d :d