Carter AFB on 327 300hp motor

[hokie04]

Stainless Steel Baffle Plate on Carter AFB on 327 300hp motor

The AFB carburetor on my 327 300hp was sucking air and wouldn't idle. I have removed it and ordered a new insulator spacer plate gasket. My question is on top of the insulator spacer plate is a thin stainless steel baffle plate. What does that do and without a gasket between the spacer, baffle and the carburetor how do I keep it from leaking air? Also the carburetor and spacer have what I call a smiley face cutout and this baffle blocks it so what is the purpose of the smiley face cutout??

 

[JohnZ]

Assuming it's a casting #3799349 intake, the "smiley-face" cutout is a heat channel to pre-heat the carburetor base at cold-start for improved fuel atomization before the engine warms up. The stainless steel baffle protects the carb base from direct impingement of the hot exhaust gases that come up through the passages in the intake that feed both ends of its "smiley-face" cutout (otherwise known as the "hot-slot").

The correct "stack" of the parts has the regular gasket on the manifold pad, then the insulator, then the stainless baffle, then the carburetor; there is no gasket between the stainless baffle and the carb baseplate.

If you still have a vacuum leak with the new gasket and insulator, it's likely that the carb baseplate is warped. I recommend that you plug the two small holes at the ends of the "hot-slot" in the intake pad.

 

[hokie04]

Thanks for the information. I was being told to leave out the baffle but I didn't think that was right. Just a quick question what would you plug the small holes with and you are talking about the intake manifold pad right not the carb?

 

[JohnZ]

Thanks for the information. I was being told to leave out the baffle but I didn't think that was right. Just a quick question what would you plug the small holes with and you are talking about the intake manifold pad right not the carb?

Yup, the pad on the intake. Drill/tap and use allen-head plugs.