Ok, my first post and I need some help from Stromberg veterans. I tried to search past posts for info on a cracked carb body, but had no luck. This is my first attempt at truly rebuilding a carb (or a flathead for that matter) and I need some sage advice. There's a small crack on the body (maybe 1/2" total length) as you can see in the pics. I honestly don't know what metal these carbs were made out of. Looks more like pot metal than alum. Can this be repaired? Does it need to be repaired? O/A torch? TIG? JB Weld? Or is this fatal and should I start looking for a new one now? If you enlarge the pics you can see a red circle around the cracked area. Sorry for the quality, but it's the best the camera would do . Thanks much in advance for any help.
It's pot metal (die-cast, zinc alloy, etc.) and although you could probably fix it a couple of different ways, I'd suggest you just replace it. Most swap meets and online auctions have plenty of decent cores.
I think this can be kludged back ito service. I would not try anything like welding on that stuff...very soft, will melt in a heartbeat. I would clean it over and over, end up with brake cleaner that leaves no residue. I would add on the epoxy on the outside AFTER mounting it on an engine and apply with engine running and close the choke several times to put a strong vacuum on the crack and try to inhale a bit of the goo into the crack. After that's done I might add a thin scab of epoxy on the inside for the hell of it. This would be a ****py sort of repair in appearance and style points but there should be little stress there and all it has to do is block air. Cracks almost anywhere else on the casting...fatal. If your dog puts his tail between his legs and howls when the car starts in the future, you will know the leak has opened.
i have had one welded before, but the welder was one of the best asme code tig welders around, only for the most expert welders around, but then there is the guy at the swap meet that welds soda cans together with the unique welding rod, the carb is a cheap zinc and thin , silver solder might work well to
Personally, I would do nothing with that crack. As long it doesn't look like it's going to crack further, it won't matter if you get a minute bit of air through that thin crack. I mean, really, the open air horn is directly above the cracked area. And all the fuel is below. Nothing bad will leak out of there. If you really think you need to "fix" it, maybe just s****e the crack open a touch, clean thoroughly, and push some JB Weld into the crack from the outside. If you do it from the inside and it later falls loose, it will be bouncing around in your cylinders and s****ing the rings.
hey alchemy, the funny thing about your post is that its a stromberg so its going to leak no matter if it has a crack or not lol but i agree with the jb comments tk
Maybe after we rebuild our old Strombergs we should coat the whole thing with a 1/4 inch layer of JB Weld? I'd bet they still find a place to leak!
what Alchemy said, make sure you have a good gasket mating surface ,force it in as much as you can,wipe the edge after w/an alcohol pad and go easy when tightening it down
I'm in agreement with Alchemy, that light crack needs no repair considering where it is. I personally would use it on my own cars as-is.
Alchemy, good point I hadn't thought of. Since the crack is above where the fuel's being introduced, it may not matter if a little more air is coming in. And living in SoCal, I don't anticipate choking the thing hardly ever, if at all, so it wouldn't necessarily lean out the mix. I may just try to JB Weld it and just leave it alone. Thanks for all the help, guys!
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