Carbs Leaking Fuel

[Paulaner]

Was under the hood topping off and checking fluid levels last weekend when I noticed what I believe is fuel leaking out of both Webers. No reason to believe that it is anything other than that based on appearance and smell.

Main question are:
1. how serious of a fire risk is this to have been driving approx once per week most of the winter. Don't know specifically how long this has been going on for.
2. Is a full rebuild in order?

 

[Stevehose]

I'd clean them up well then tighten every carb body screw I could find then see if you can determine where the leaks are coming from. If both are weeping like that then usually new gaskets are in order.

 

[HB Chris]

See if they drip while idling

 

[Paulaner]

See if they drip while idling

See if they drip while idling

Am I risking a garage fire here you reckon? as it looks like a few drops onto the intake.

 

[boonies]

The pictures seem to show seepage, that most likely happens when the fuel system is under pressure (engine or electric fuel pump if you have one on). There is dirt around the gaskets, which would seem to indicate that there is a long-term seepage.

I would think that you have a low risk of a garage fire, provided you don't have fresh pooling of fuel combined with an ignition source. Keep the fuel pressure off until you have the leaking seals replaced.

Probably a good time to also replace fuel hoses when you have the system apart.

 

[Paulaner]

Thanks for the input @boonies

 

[HB Chris]

You want this fuel hose only! From another post, I use this on all my BMWs and don’t forget the gas tank.

Fuel hoses are constructed from different layers. The one that I bought is labeled >FPM/ECO/AR/ECO< which means that it has four layers. They are from the inside to the outside:

• FPM: Fluoroelastomer, a material that can handle fuels containing ethanol as well as bio-diesel, resistant to higher temperatures than NBR
• ECO: Epichlorohydrin rubber
• AR: Aramid protective braid
• ECO: Epichlorohydrin rubber

Contitech makes BMW PN 13537563456, FPM marked, 8mm ID hose, which is available from RMEuropean.com for $23/meter

 

[Paulaner]

You want this fuel hose only! From another post, I use this on all my BMWs and don’t forget the gas tank.

Fuel hoses are constructed from different layers. The one that I bought is labeled >FPM/ECO/AR/ECO< which means that it has four layers. They are from the inside to the outside:

• FPM: Fluoroelastomer, a material that can handle fuels containing ethanol as well as bio-diesel, resistant to higher temperatures than NBR
• ECO: Epichlorohydrin rubber
• AR: Aramid protective braid
• ECO: Epichlorohydrin rubber

Contitech makes BMW PN 13537563456, FPM marked, 8mm ID hose, which is available from RMEuropean.com for $23/meter

Great tip and appreciate the part #. Thank you. I might as well go all in at this point. Full carb rebuild and fuel line replacement. I have not touched either since I got the car 8 months ago apart from replacing the fuel filter.
Might try @Stevehose suggestion first to buy a little time if possible as I am about to rip into refreshing the diff, and other rear end bits.

 

[Paulaner]

@HB Chris - how many meters of fuel hose do you think I'll need for an E3?

 

[HB Chris]

Get plenty, three meters is more than enough. And add a metal Tii style fuel filter between the frame rail and the firewall.

 

[rsporsche]

You want this fuel hose only! From another post, I use this on all my BMWs and don’t forget the gas tank.

Fuel hoses are constructed from different layers. The one that I bought is labeled >FPM/ECO/AR/ECO< which means that it has four layers. They are from the inside to the outside:

• FPM: Fluoroelastomer, a material that can handle fuels containing ethanol as well as bio-diesel, resistant to higher temperatures than NBR
• ECO: Epichlorohydrin rubber
• AR: Aramid protective braid
• ECO: Epichlorohydrin rubber

Contitech makes BMW PN 13537563456, FPM marked, 8mm ID hose, which is available from RMEuropean.com for $23/meter

that's what i bought ...

 

[skk]

Be more dogmatic about risk of fire. Eliminate all known risk. The danger of gasoline is precisely its high volatility. You can smell it.
Is there a smoke/CO detector in the garage?

With a good flashlight you might discover the source of fresh leakage. Take a picture with your phone and zoom in.
Also, get some carb cleaner and brushes/rags to clean up those dirt accumulations.

 

[alprada70]

I have a carb. gasket sets...

 

[Paulaner]

I have a carb. gasket sets...

Do you have a website? I was about to buy the Redline master rebuild kit

 

[alprada70]

1305 ZENITH 35 40 CARBURETOR REPAIR KIT – OILS´s Design Group

oilsdesigngroup.com

 

[Paulaner]

Ah, good to know Oils is you! I have Webers, but have already been scoping out a few other items from your site.

Would you ever consider developing remakes of the door gaskets?

 

[Paulaner]

Been overhauling and rebuilding the Webers to fix those fuel leaks. Have one of the two done. Not as scary as I imagined and actually quite easy if you carefully lay it all out as it's disassembled.

Used the Weberjets.com Master rebuild kit that even comes with the throttle shaft bearings. It's the only rebuild kit I could find that comes with those. Two day shipping to the USA from Canada and they even cover the 10% tarrif. Seems worthy enough to add these guys to the preferred vendor list.

 

[bluecoupe30!]

That site has a retail store in Vancouver. I so appreciate that they are still there. Imagine, each time I a need a part for my Webers, I can drive into town, watch owner walk a couple steps to those parts bins with those tiny drawers, and he pulls out exactly the throttle shaft bearings or the jets I need, or pretty much anything related to Weber. He is the Canadian distributor and also has several videos on YouTube on how to install Weber parts. Oh, BTW, his shop is a hoarders Disneyland. Pieces and parts from decades of selling British/Italian/German/Japanese +++ tuning and whatever else you ever wanted to do with your ride. At least one of everything was leaning, hanging, stacked. or piled, somewhere in the "showroom". Fun visit! Mike

 

[Paulaner]

Both carbs now fully rebuilt. Mounting them back up later tonight. New fuel and coolant lines for the water chokes too. Almost there.

 

[Paulaner]

Pretty much all done. Second carb, and throttle linkage reinstalled and all fuel and coolant lines reconnected. Just need to bleed the coolant in the AM and see how she runs. Glad I jumped in and did a full rebuild.