Base gasket for J13 carb

[boxboy]

I guess my only recourse is to take off my carb so I can clean the jets. My question is, where can I get a new base gasket? Or do I need one? Do I need an entire rebuild kit for that matter? This carb ran great for me and the PO. Just all of the sudden wouldn't pull, so I am assuming I have a clogged jet. Float level is fine, fuel pump is fine. Even revving high I can't see anything squirting into the second port (the one away from the valve cover) This is a Nikki on a J13.

 

I would really appreciate any advice.

[izzo]

not sure, if anything else you can get some gasket paper from the parts store and make one up

[datsunaholic]

You can make one from gasket paper, but you really need that bakelite spacer. I've managed to get the gasket material off the spacer and then just make 2 new gaskets.

[boxboy]

So I take it that there is no need to use any kind of adhesive on it? I would assume atomized fuel doesn't leak too easily out the base gasket of the carb.

 

I am toying with the idea of taking off the jet plugs with the carb still on the truck and then using mono filament fishing line to see if my jets are clear by probing them. Does that sound doable? I'd rather not have to go through the whole gasket thing. Like I said, I am pretty sure the rest of the carb is working well. What danger do I run in trying this? There aren't any loose parts in there are there. Just a plug that screws out and then the jet that screws in, correct?

[datsunaholic]

Correct. Just make sure to get the jet caps on securely. I had a brand-new Hitachi that one of the jet caps came off on the freeway less than 50 miles after installing the carb. Later carbs had a "keeper" that locked over the caps to keep them in place.

 

However, this will only clear the main jets. The idle jets aren't under (over) the caps.

[boxboy]

How snug do I tighten them? I am assuming that this is just a small threaded bolt with a washer. It has a 12mm head on it I know. My truck idles fine. It is when I put a little gas too it that it bogs and stalls. I have been staring at the picture in the FSM and am assuming it is only showing one of the jets. Where are the idle jets?

 

Can I be fairly certain that the one nearest the valve cover is the primary and that the plug furthest from the valve cover is the secondary?

[datsunaholic]

I have to admit I'm not really up on the Nikki carb, but the Nikki wasn't really that different from the Hitachi. Not sure where the idle jet is; might have to disassemble the carb to get to it. There's only the one; I had Webers on the mind and they have 2.

 

The primary is the one the main throttle linkage is connected to, generally closest to the valve cover. The jets are at the bottom of the float bowl so they pick up all the crud that gets into the carb when the filters fail, or the hoses start to rot.

[boxboy]

I guess I will do them both no matter what. I just had a new filter installed when I bought the truck a month ago. I replaced the fuel line from the tank because it was toast, but just now got around to changing the line from the pump. It was cracking. Don't know when I will get to this, but thanks for the input. I hope it works!

[boxboy]

Victory!!! I think at least. I took out the plugs and let all the fuel flush out, then ran 10# test fishing line up the primary jet, and 20# test up the secondary. Blew some carb cleaner and some air up there and reinstalled the plugs. Man, those plugs I could have unscrewed with my fingers. They were barely on there. I snugged them a bit more when I reinstalled. Started here up and no more issues. To be honest I replaced the old fuel line from the filter to the pump as well, along with a new filter even though the one on there was only about 100 miles old. But I wanted a clear one so that I could see what was coming from the tank. I may install one in-line back by the tank as well just for an extra measure of security. Next step is SeaFoam.