So, should this be leaking from here? I've been chasing what I think is a vacuum leak for a few years now..I had the car running tonight, and I noticed that it's wet around the shaft. I dried it all off with compressed air, then sprayed a little carb cleaner down the barrel...and the cleaner leaked out...I bought this carb new in 1988..and I've rebuilt it a couple of times, but never pulled the shafts out.
Nothing should leak from there. If it is, then it sounds like a whistling. The easiest way to fix that is just buy a new base plate. I've bought a couple off ebay for around $100 each. What size Holley is that ? I may have a good extra.
Yep, new base plate or they make bushing kits to fix that. To put the bushings in requires removing the throttle blades and drilling. Reassembly can be a PITA to get the blades back on right.
Sometimes, fuel leaking out of the throttle shafts is thought to be caused by worn base-plate bores, however, often times it's due to an internal leak (o-rings, gaskets, metering block porosity, etc.) or a float level/needle & seat malfunction. A quick inspection to see if fuel is puddling on the throttle plates, should determine if the tune or condition of the carburetor is at fault. Most that I see will cause a crackling/popping sound when you put your ear down next to the shaft. You can often increase or decrease the severity of that crackling/popping sound by firmly moving the linkage fore and aft while trying to maintain the same idle rpm during the process.
It's pooched, I tore it down today, both shafts have huge play in them. Time to save up for fuel injection.
