Warning: that 'vintage' carb rebuild kit from the swap meet gave my truck a weird high idle for a week.

I learned the hard way that some of those old gasket materials just don't seal like the modern stuff, even if they look identical. Anyone have a go-to source for reliable parts for 70s engines?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_nathan1mo ago

Oh man, that's a classic trap. I've had the same thing happen with old cork float bowl gaskets that just shrank and leaked. My rule now is to only use kits from places like Summit or Jegs that specifically list ethanol-resistant materials, even if it costs a bit more.

hayden_nelson851mo ago

My 78 Chevy had the same issue last spring. I ended up ordering a Viton gasket set from a local speed shop, and it's held up perfectly through two seasons now. The material is just tougher and doesn't react to the fuel.

charles4421mo ago

Yeah "classic trap" is right. I learned that the hard way on my 71 F100. The cork gasket from the autoparts store lasted maybe two months before it started seeping fuel. I finally went with a Viton set from a little speed shop in town and it's been bone dry for three years now. That ethanol eats through the cheap stuff like nothing.