shelf life for a sitting carb

[madvette74]

hey guys, what do you think about a carb sitting for 1 or 2 years, it's been drained and stored in garage, do you think it would need a rebuild for sitting? now this carb was bought new, and used just a couple of months.

 

[mike weyman]

sitting with no fuel should not hurt it, there may be a dried out seal but that should be it.

i've heard people saying that if you turn a quadrajet upside down , it will cause damage,I don't know what damage but that's what the old guys say..

 

[ruby76]

rebuild.

I'd hook her up and see what happens. Like hesaid, worse case is one seal or so is a little leaky. rebuild kit for a qjet isn't much. I rebuilt my qjet in an hour, really not much to it. Not THAT many parts inside either. If your worried, get a rebuild kit and just replace the gaskets and seals. It will include a new needle and seat, along with accelerator pump. :

 

[1979toy]

It didn't get put on the shelf because it was working good! There may be other hidden issues to contend with byond just dry seals.
I always factor in doing a complete rebuild on any used carb that I buy as a minimum.

 

[I_R_DA_ONE]

I'd hook her up and see what happens. Like hesaid, worse case is one seal or so is a little leaky. rebuild kit for a qjet isn't much. I rebuilt my qjet in an hour, really not much to it. Not THAT many parts inside either. If your worried, get a rebuild kit and just replace the gaskets and seals. It will include a new needle and seat, along with accelerator pump. :

This gets my vote
Mike

 

[ruby76]

It didn't get put on the shelf because it was working good! There may be other hidden issues to contend with byond just dry seals.
I always factor in doing a complete rebuild on any used carb that I buy as a minimum.

I see your point, but honestly more often than not, they work fine, but folks don't take the time to tune it, so they buy a Edelbrock or Holley as a replacemtn, and shelf the qjet. It doesn't take much to get one tuned. There's only one way to find out!

 

[RodsnRides]

The reason you don't turn one over that is full of fuel is that the sediment in the float bowl (like that red powder you see every so often) will plug the jets and the needle and seat.

If you can't run it dry first by disconnecting or clamping off the fuel line, I just hold it up and keep working the accelerator pump 'til there isn't any gas left. Make sure you're not standing over the flower bed...

Rick