What tools do I need/How should I prep for cleaning / fixing the carb this weekend

[JOHN COOKSON]

If You Have A Zenith Carb

LS2
Here's an exploded parts view so you can start to understand what parts we are referring to. If you decide to a full on rebuild the exploded parts and attached directions will be helpful. I've never seen the Moyer video. Maybe some or all of this information is covered in it.

TRUE GRIT

[hanleyclifford]

One More Thing

If you are tempted to remove brass jets from the housings take the time to modify a screwdriver to be specific for each jet. They can be very tight in the castings and you need the most perfect tool fit for successful removal.

[LemonShark2]

I agree.

In this case the plan is to just clean out the passages not the whole enchilada disassembly and rebuild and substitute a can of compressed carburetor cleaner for the compressed air. I think so anyway.

TRUE GRIT

Yeah, the plan is just to clean the inside with the carb cleaner, I can also try and shoot some air through with a can of compressed air, if that would help at all...

[hanleyclifford]

Yeah, the plan is just to clean the inside with the carb cleaner, I can also try and shoot some air through with a can of compressed air, if that would help at all...

Even better, shoot starting fluid thru the passages.

[LemonShark2]

It looked to me to be a water leak from the rear most manifold barb area. Naturally I can't prove this. We'll let the owner comment.

TRUE GRIT

Is the water callout coming from this visual? Coincidentally, that's just about the area that I had seen "Smoke" coming from. Perhaps it was water vapor?
I do think there is a water leak, though. I'll track it down this weekend. Does this end up being a major project?

[sastanley]

Not too major. I did mine a couple years ago and Ajax did his this winter. The manifold is held to the block with three studs..it is possible the aft stud is leaking, which is what may be happening in that picture.

[LemonShark2]

I just downloaded and watch the Carb video, and it was really good to put into visual what you have all be saying regarding cleaning each of the jets. He outline 5 different troubleshooting issues, and I figure Ill just go at each of the things he Don recommended to address while I have it off.

Seems like the project shouldn't take as long as I had thought!

[jbsoukup]

If you are tempted to remove brass jets from the housings take the time to modify a screwdriver to be specific for each jet. They can be very tight in the castings and you need the most perfect tool fit for successful removal.

in my early years of resurrecting gummed up carbs, I ruined a number of jets by not following this sage advise. those brass jets are soft! you might have to soak the carb in cleaner to get them out. gentle heat also helps.

also, if you're going to hold the jet and squirt air through it, do it in a big cardboard box so if it flies out of your hand you will be able to find it.
guess how I figured that out.

[ndutton]

I just downloaded and watch the Carb video, and it was really good to put into visual what you have all be saying

Best $12.50 you ever spent I'd guess.

[JOHN COOKSON]

Welcome To The Wonderful World Of Sail Boat Ownership

Seems like the project shouldn't take as long as I had thought!

I hope you're right. Boat projects have a nasty habit of not always going as planned. Sometimes you luck out. Sometimes you don't.
Let's see here: We have a sick carburetor. This led to the discovery of a water leak. What will be next?
I guess that over 30 years of sail boat and A4 ownership I sound a bit cynical but I've been around the block a few times.

TRUE GRIT

[BadaBing]

If you are tempted to remove brass jets from the housings take the time to modify a screwdriver to be specific for each jet. They can be very tight in the castings and you need the most perfect tool fit for successful removal.

YES and unless you really must, DO NOT remove the idle jet. Just be sjre you can.shoot.carb clewner through it. EYE PROTECTION IS A MUST!

[BadaBing]

Yes...it looks like it. You also have the "extra" drain plug in yours in the bottom of the fuel bowl. The plug in the "back" that you can't quite see is the main jet plug I referenced earlier..it uses a washer..the plug you can see in your pic is a tapered thread plug with no washer.

If I remember correctly, you said you had a Moyer in-line polishing filter?? Some of us with mech pumps have removed the hard line (the hoop) between the fuel pump outlet and the carb inlet and gone to soft fuel hose and put the filter in between. I also have a pressure gauge.

Man that is a pretty carb. Al.ost tempts me to buy a new carb just to loom that good, almost.

[sastanley]

Thanks...it is nice, isn't it!?

Bill..that is in fact a recent (2014) Moyer carb. As it turns out, my issue was NOT the carb, but I was starting to throw parts at the motor and a new carb was one of them while I searched around for answers. So, I have a nice freshy one now, and my old one is the backup.

[LemonShark2]

Replacing leaky manifold on hot exaust

Not too major. I did mine a couple years ago and Ajax did his this winter. The manifold is held to the block with three studs..it is possible the aft stud is leaking, which is what may be happening in that picture.

In terms of replacing the manifold if needed, would It be best to just purchase a new hot Exhaust? (conveniently the perfect match to my Catalina 27...) Is this what you did? Its listed under the exhaust section in the store.

That whole section looks pretty corroded on mine.

[JOHN COOKSON]

In terms of replacing the manifold if needed, would It be best to just purchase a new hot Exhaust? (conveniently the perfect match to my Catalina 27...) Is this what you did? Its listed under the exhaust section in the store.
That whole section looks pretty corroded on mine.

LS2
The manifold is part of the engine. It came with the engine from universal. What is after the manifold was added by the manufacturer. The first thing to do is determine the source of the leak. Maybe you can use a mirror and a flashlight to see where the water is coming from. If the water is coming from the manifold you could try torqueing the 3 nuts. If this doesn't work or is ambiguous a pressure test of the manifold will tell the story real quick. The reason I say all this is if the manifold needs to come off you can hold on the new hot section until the manifold is on the bench. It will be a lot easier if the manifold is on the bench. If water has been running over the bolts that hold the flange to the manifold ( I couldn't see from the picture) it is going to take some SWAT team tactics to get them loose. Much harder to do on the boat.

In terms of the hot section itself, from your description, it's due for replacement soon. It's easy to buy the sections of pipe that you need at a hardware store and build it yourself. I've rebuilt the hot section on my Cat 27 twice and will be glad to give you some specific pointers when the time comes.

TRUE GRIT