vern hodgson
Well-known member
Can the gas shut off be repaired and if so any pointers or cautions? 24 coupe.
Dripping gas
- Thread starter vern hodgson
- Start date
Royce P
Senior Member
Install a ball valve shutoff at the carburetor.
The petcock on the fuel strainer can be made to stop leaking. You have to drain the gas, then use lapping compound to fit the tapered surfaces to one another. Carefully clean out all the lapping compound, and use a bit of aircraft fuel lubricant on the valve surfaces before assembling it for the last time. I use a product called "EZ Turn". You can order a tube online from Aircraft Spruce Inc.
The thing is, if you use the valve more than a few times it will start leaking again. That's the reason for installing a shutoff under the hood at the carburetor.
The petcock on the fuel strainer can be made to stop leaking. You have to drain the gas, then use lapping compound to fit the tapered surfaces to one another. Carefully clean out all the lapping compound, and use a bit of aircraft fuel lubricant on the valve surfaces before assembling it for the last time. I use a product called "EZ Turn". You can order a tube online from Aircraft Spruce Inc.
The thing is, if you use the valve more than a few times it will start leaking again. That's the reason for installing a shutoff under the hood at the carburetor.
redmodelt
Well-known member
The question is kinda open ended. When and where is it dripping? If it's dripping at the carb when the car is not running, Royce's suggestion is what many of us do. If it's dripping when priming the car to start, that's normal. Royce's picture shows a regular type brass shut off valve. I have found that many of them stick badly after a while and you need a pair of pliers to use it. The next one(s) I install will be the ball type. While they do not look era correct, it's a safety item and it better to be able to shut the gas off quickly if needed.
A shutoff at the carburetor is very convenient but....you still need the shutoff at the tank to be operational. Most fires are under the hood where a carburetor shutoff may be in the fire and a common source of leaks which you will need to turn off the gas to fix will be the line from the tank to the carb.
Royce P
Senior Member
Totally agree - my point is, if the shutoff under the car is used every time you drive, it starts leaking. That's why you keep the one at the tank operational, but leave it on 99% of the time.
