Hi from the UK. I have a basic question about my Carter pump. The car has both an electric pump and a Carter mechanical. Because I almost never use the electric pump I had almost forgotten it was there. As the car had been standing unused for quite a while, this time I used the electric pump to fill the bowls. The car has a dual quad 427. I started it and quickly checked round for leaks which is just as well as a large puddle of fuel was accumulating underneath! It seems that the Carter was throwing fuel out of what I suspect is a return pipe hole (pictured in the attachment, if it's worked). The hole is 1/4".  There is no return plumbing so I assume there was some kind of plug in there which was pushed out by the electric pump pressure. So my question is what has fallen out (I can't find anything after a good search round) and could I just turn up a simple plug and Loctite it in?  It's a good pump otherwise, so I'd rather not replace it if possible. There is no regulator in the system and I'd prefer not to use one.  The car is street only.

Thanks for any help, Mark

That's interesting, thanks.  Is there a way I can tell if they actually do need re-bushing?  I live in the UK so I'd have to find someone competent if they do need to be done.

Joe, it's got Viton seals and it had new guides maybe 3000 miles ago.  The heads were checked over at the time.  No smoke on start up from cold.

Hi, I’m most interested in this topic as I’m having almost exactly the same problems as the OP.  Engine is a stroked side oiler with ported iron heads.  Oil-saturated intake gaskets (lower halves of all eight).  Currently 202A gaskets on MR heads, 100 miles per pint, engine runs strong (200 psi compression all round).  The intake has been machined for proper fit, made no difference anyway.  I’ve tried all sorts of sealers/gaskets as recommended and it makes no difference.  Tried with and without PCV, using just breathers currently.  Smokes on high revs only.  Can see no cracks or holes in the intake ports below the oil feed passages rocker studs. 

About the only difference from the OP is that 3 plugs (1, 6 & 7) are showing oil fouling.  These are on the same side of the carb on the dual plane Performer RPM.   Most recently I changed the intake bolts for the correct Edelbrock bolts/washers and retorqued after the first heat cycle.  Previous washers were not hardened.  No difference.

I have not tried replacing manifold or heads yet.

Maybe the heads need crack testing/replacing?

Thanks to all for your help.  Yes, it's a solid lifter block.  It's definitely not the intake leaking - clean as a whistle at the back of the manifold. 

As the engine's in a Cobra it's impossible to get the bellhousing off with the engine in the car.  Thinking about it, because of the scattershield backing plate it may be impossible to see anything with a borescope through the starter hole.

Is it possible to do the rear main seals with the engine in place when you've got that Lakewood backing plate right up against the back of the block? 



 

Hi, before I tear the pan off this side oiler to attack the rear main, I thought I'd post a couple of pictures of the oil leak that developed soon after I rebuilt it  a couple of years ago.  The leak may have got a little worse in that time but it was always pretty bad.  Since the rebuild it's done about 3000 miles.  I cleaned off the oil leaks then warmed up the engine but didn't drive the car.  After shutoff I took these pics of oil leaking down the midplate and my strong suspicion is it's the side seals.  The first picture was taken about 10 mins after shutoff where the streaks are about an inch to the outside of the side seals.  If the streaks had been directly under the side seals I'd have no doubt these were the sources.  As they're an inch away on both sides I'm less certain. The second picture was taken after about 90 mins where the oil paths have widened and started to coalesce near the top (difficult to see in the pics).  I wonder if anyone can confirm the side seals are most likely the problem.  I used the rubber seals with the nails provided and some RTV as I recall, but I didn't put any RTV under the main cap.  Neoprene rear main seal - no rope.  The intake manifold and rocker covers are not leaking.  Hopefully the pics have attached OK.
Thanks in advance, Mark