Some of my friends are not the brightest in the bunch.

[Loco Vette]

I was talking to a friend of mine at lunch today who has a 63 327 car. He's been having some issues with oil leaks, and he brought it back from the shop last time he got out of the car and smelled an overwhelming stench of gas. He said he instantly hopped back in the car and drove it back to the garage. I told him he was a braver man than I was, no way I would drive a car that actively smelled like leaking gasoline.

[Datawiz]

Originally Posted by Loco Vette

I was talking to a friend of mine at lunch today who has a 63 327 car. He's been having some issues with oil leaks, and he brought it back from the shop last time he got out of the car and smelled an overwhelming stench of gas. He said he instantly hopped back in the car and drove it back to the garage. I told him he was a braver man than I was, no way I would drive a car that actively smelled like leaking gasoline.

Good thing that car wasn't electric. It would have otherwise caught fire on the way back.

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by Datawiz

Good thing that car wasn't electric. It would have otherwise caught fire on the way back.

I've heard that gasoline fires in electric cars are horrendous.

[Frankie the Fink]

Driving a classic car with a raw gas smell, is rolling the dice. I have that same motor and I wouldn't do it. I've also had a carb fire on my 61 from a gas leak.

Tell your friend "Frankie the Fink" said your pal won't be getting any invites from the local Mensa chapter...

As to oil leaks, I'm not a big fan of additives but Blue Devil Oil Stop Leak took care of an annoying rear main seal leak on my 63... No downside to trying it.

[Yadkin]

For a '63?

Oil leak? Pull the engine and put in new gaskets. No big deal. A day's work.

Gas smell? take the carb out and rebuild it, inspect the pump and lines. An hour's work.

[Loco Vette]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

For a '63?

Gas smell? take the carb out and rebuild it, inspect the pump and lines. An hour's work.

It's a fuelie.

[Frankie the Fink]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

For a '63?

Oil leak? Pull the engine and put in new gaskets. No big deal. A day's work.

Gas smell? take the carb out and rebuild it, inspect the pump and lines. An hour's work.

OK, I've done EVERYthing on my 63 and I'd agree with you but then we'd both be wrong.... What you are discussing is NOT trivial.

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by Frankie the Fink

OK, I've done EVERYthing on my 63 and I'd agree with you but then we'd both be wrong.... What you are discussing is NOT trivial.

A day's work isn't trivial, I agree.

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by Loco Vette

It's a fuelie.

I've not worked on mechanical fuel injection, but I have converted a carbureted car to electronic fuel injection, so I know the basics. So educate me why it is so difficult and time consuming to rebuild one, refreshing the gaskets and o-rings.

[JRD77VET]

I used to have a '66 Chevelle, 327 / 275 hp 4 speed.

I was heading home and all of a sudden I smelled gas. I was literally a 1/4 mile for my friend Barry's garage. I pulled it the lot and popped the hood.

Barry came out and we both saw a gas mist spraying from the carb directly onto the distributor.

Barry just said " you are pretty damn lucky" and tightened the gas filter which solved the issue.

[Loco Vette]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

I've not worked on mechanical fuel injection, but I have converted a carbureted car to electronic fuel injection, so I know the basics. So educate me why it is so difficult and time consuming to rebuild one, refreshing the gaskets and o-rings.

I'm not a mechanic and I really don't care about your experience. I am, however, bright enough not to get into a 60-year-old car that obviously has a gas leak, crank it up, and drive it 15 miles. That is the point of this thread. My response that the car is a fuelie was based on the prior post that said rebuilding a carburetor and fixing the leak was no problem.

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by Loco Vette

I'm not a mechanic and I really don't care about your experience. I am, however, bright enough not to get into a 60-year-old car that obviously has a gas leak, crank it up, and drive it 15 miles. That is the point of this thread. My response that the car is a fuelie was based on the prior post that said rebuilding a carburetor and fixing the leak was no problem.

None of this is complicated. I fail to understand why people think that it is.

[Loco Vette]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

None of this is complicated. I fail to understand why people think that it is.

I am beginning to understand why is the first option of the emojis.

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by Loco Vette

I am beginning to understand why is the first option of the emojis.

First is always best.

[Loco Vette]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

First is always best.

Or most used.

[Frankie the Fink]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

I've not worked on mechanical fuel injection, but I have converted a carbureted car to electronic fuel injection, so I know the basics. So educate me why it is so difficult and time consuming to rebuild one, refreshing the gaskets and o-rings.

You haven't a clue - there are only a handful of true experts on the Rochester "dog house" fuel injection, John DeGregory (passed in 2023), Tom Parsons and Jim Lockwood are some of them... And certain versions need upgrades to make them safe for street use... A sh!t ton of original fuel-injected cars were converted to carbs back in the day because even the experts of the time couldn't get them dialed-in.

Bolting on one of those "electronic carbs" (e.g. Holley, FItech and 1/2 dozen other kits) onto a vintage Chevy small block is child's play in comparison.

You are losing credibility with each new post in this thread.

[Frankie the Fink]

Here is the results of my dual quad carb fire; I had just bought the car and pulled it into the attached garage and heard a weird "pop" under the hood just as I started into the house. Raised the hood and two foot tall flames were roaring away. My only extinguisher was powder based and I managed to get the fire out but it took a weekend to clean up the residue and mess. If I hadn't gone back to check that weird noise I might have lost my house. This is when I started doing my own carb overhauls.

Your friend is not too bright IMO.

[Big bob]

That pop of yours brought back a memory. I had a 69 impala with a quadrajet carb and faded paint. I heard a pop and turned around and noticed a center round spot on the hood looking better and getting bigger.

[6spdC6]

Originally Posted by Frankie the Fink

You haven't a clue - there are only a handful of true experts on the Rochester "dog house" fuel injection, John DeGregory (passed in 2023), Tom Parsons and Jim Lockwood are some of them... And certain versions need upgrades to make them safe for street use... A sh!t ton of original fuel-injected cars were converted to carbs back in the day because even the experts of the time couldn't get them dialed-in.

Bolting on one of those "electronic carbs" (e.g. Holley, FItech and 1/2 dozen other kits) onto a vintage Chevy small block is child's play in comparison.

You are losing credibility with each new post in this thread.

From the mid 60s and early 70s I was a serious player in both legitimate drag strip and street racing. I helped out my buddy that owned a speed shop/garage, I worked, (AKA attempted to work) on those Rochester systems. Also talking with other people, those systems were awful to get running right.

I know of a few people that went to a good carb system and got very good results. I also know that at least 2 of those fuelie units went to the Albany county land fill.

[LATB]

My 71 LT-1 had a fuel smell. It was the fuel fill neck gasket.