Rubber bits, seals 37 years old - replace? SOLVED (Replace)

[anthonym]

Solution/Update: upon receiving new rubber parts I found that the old ones do not seem perforated BUT they do feel much harder than the new ones, in other words the rubber over 40 years has lost its rubberiness, its ability to flex. As such it seems to me the carbs will no longer flex up and down like they are supposed to and the carb/intake seals won't be as perfectly sealed. 

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I'm thinking that any rubber seals 37 years old must by now no longer be reliably air tight.

1987 BDRL  Specifically the ones for the inlet manifold and the Dellorto to manifold bits, so that includes the rubber seals AND the vibration washers, which while needing to be air tight must lose their flexibility and strength over time. I guess. They look fine, but that's not reliable with fuel hoses so the same here I think.

It must perish Shirley?

Does anyone know?

Anthony

 

chatgpt 4.0 response is: (and it looks right to me)

You are correct that rubber seals, gaskets, and vibration washers can deteriorate over time, especially after 37 years. Even if they look fine visually, they may have lost their flexibility, strength, and ability to maintain an airtight seal due to factors such as exposure to heat, fuel, and environmental conditions.

### Reasons for Deterioration:
1. **Age:** Rubber compounds degrade over time, becoming hard, brittle, and less effective.
2. **Heat Exposure:** Prolonged exposure to engine heat can accelerate the aging process of rubber parts.

YES LOTS OF THE ABOVE
3. **Chemical Exposure:** Contact with fuel, oil, and other engine fluids can cause rubber to swell, crack, or lose its sealing properties.
4. **Environmental Factors:** Exposure to ozone, UV light, and varying weather conditions can further degrade rubber components.

### Symptoms of Deteriorated Seals:
- **Air Leaks:** Deteriorated seals can cause air leaks, leading to poor engine performance, rough idling, or difficulty starting.
- **Fuel Leaks:** Compromised seals around the fuel system can lead to dangerous fuel leaks.
- **Vibration Issues:** Worn-out vibration washers may not effectively dampen vibrations, potentially leading to mechanical stress and noise.

### Recommended Actions:
1. **Inspection:** While visual inspection can help, it is not always reliable. Rubber parts can appear fine but still be compromised.

YES, MY FUEL LINES LOOK FIND UNTILREMOVED AND BENT TO DISCLOSE A LOT OF CRACKING

2. **Replacement:** Proactively replacing old rubber seals, gaskets, and vibration washers is a prudent step to ensure reliability and performance.
3. **OEM or Quality Aftermarket Parts:** Use original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts or high-quality aftermarket replacements to ensure compatibility and longevity.

TRACKING FUEL LINE QUALITY WAS VERY DIFFICULT.

4. **Regular Maintenance:** Regularly check rubber components as part of your maintenance routine to catch any issues early.

### Specific Components to Check/Replace:
- **Inlet Manifold Seals:** Ensure they are airtight to prevent unmetered air from entering the engine.
- **Dellorto to Manifold Seals:** These seals are crucial for maintaining the proper air-fuel mixture and preventing leaks.

YEAH - JUST WHAT I SUSPECT - tuning has been a real B.

- **Vibration Washers:** Ensure they are flexible and effective in damping vibrations.

### Conclusion:
Given the age of your vehicle and the critical role these components play in engine performance and safety, it is wise to replace all rubber seals, gaskets, and vibration washers associated with the inlet manifold and carburetor. This preventive measure can save you from potential problems and ensure your engine runs smoothly and safely.

 

Edited August 8 by anthonym
add a.i. response and my responses to that

[Ainsley]

Well, you have already asked the internet for the answer - so we dont need to respond 🙂

Personally only thing I would change would be fuel lines, so they dont leak, for the rest Id keep driving till there is a problem.

[anthonym]

I have replaced all the fuel lines a few weeks (months?) ago. The internet, and in this case artificial intelligence, provides interesting responses, but there is nothing as valuable as the wisdom offered by the experience of the denizens of blatchat who have had and solved these matters already - the voices of experience. 

The rubber seals on the inlet to carb manifold will probably be letting in air and this compromises the air/fuel mixture for the combustion process, which significantly affects miles per gallon (m.p.g.) and emissions (HC/CO/CO2) for legal and personal preference purposes.I had the same problem with the (old fashioned) over-flow system when changing out the very old parts solved the air leak problems. One cannot keep going until there is a problem, because there is no apparent evidence of it.

So first search the internet (which also searches and hits techtalk on here), query a.i., double check blatchat techtalk and then ask for the benefit of the experience of fellow owners, without wasting everyone's time by not looking stuff up first. 😉 Call me old fashioned, I also have books (made of paper etc) about these things.

Sadly I just found that all I searched was wrong as regards my inlet manifold.

Happy Daze - Anthony

 

Edited August 4 by anthonym

[Ainsley]

If you have done the fuel hoses then its probably safe.

Im sure its letting in air a bit, which will affect the mixture a bit etc.  But if it drives OK and that's the only downside, I would keep driving it while the sun shines.

Then when the weather is pants for the rest of the year, swop out all the other bits.  They are undoubtedly worn and changing them will be for the good in the long time.

I tend to put things into two boxes, stuff that needs doing now, so you can enjoy now.  Then stuff that can be put off till later, so you can carry on enjoying now.

Now tends not to last too long.

[jbcollier]

Do not fix things that are not broken.  That way lies madness.

 

I replace seals, o-rings and flexible mounts as needed and when I'm working in that area.  So, if I'm changing the clutch, I'll also change the rear main seal.  If I have the carbs off, then I'll change the flex-mounts and o-rings.  

 

The exception are flexible fuel lines.  Modern fuels are very hard on flexible fuel lines.  Change them at least every five years and sooner if they go hard or show signs of cracking.

[anthonym]

yes quite, they are coming off anyway.

So how many rubber bits to seal air do you have on your car that are 37 years old ?

How would you know if they were leaking air, or even just air pressure?

I applied if it ain't broke don't fix it to my overflow system, which as a result took ten+ years to fix.

While it is a very useful idea, there can be exceptions in my experience. 

So the way that works "it didn't look broke, so I fixed it anyway, and now the system works as designed".

So you might say "but it was broke!" Sure, which bit of the many all of which look not broken?

Sometimes we just have to fix everything to fix anything; knowing when to do this is the hard part.

Edited August 4 by anthonym

[ScottR400D]

51 minutes ago, anthonym said:

yes quite, they are coming off anyway.

So how many rubber bits to seal air do you have on your car that are 37 years old ?

How would you know if they were leaking air, or even just air pressure?

I applied if it ain't broke don't fix it to my overflow system, which as a result took ten+ years to fix.

While it is a very useful idea, there can be exceptions in my experience. 

So the way that works "it didn't look broke, so I fixed it anyway, and now the system works as designed".

So you might say "but it was broke!" Sure, which bit of the many all of which look not broken?

Sometimes we just have to fix everything to fix anything; knowing when to do this is the hard part.

The longer parts that aren’t broken are left, the sooner they will ‘break’. 

You know your car and you know that at 37 years most things could benefit from replacement. 

Follow your instinct, it sounds better than some of the advice you’ve had. 

Edited August 4 by ScottR400D

[anthonym]

Solution/Update: upon receiving new rubber parts I found that the old ones do not seem perforated BUT they do feel much harder than the new ones, in other words the rubber over 40 years has lost its rubberiness, its ability to flex. As such it seems to me the carbs will no longer flex up and down like they are supposed to and the carb/intake seals won't be as perfectly sealed. 

[ScottR400D]

1 hour ago, anthonym said:

Solution/Update: upon receiving new rubber parts I found that the old ones do not seem perforated BUT they do feel much harder than the new ones, in other words the rubber over 40 years has lost its rubberiness, its ability to flex. As such it seems to me the carbs will no longer flex up and down like they are supposed to and the carb/intake seals won't be as perfectly sealed. 

The old ones will be harder. Oxidation and UV degradation are bound to take their toll over such a long time. 

[anthonym]

And is well apparent, also : pretty much all the old springs are stretched; clearly tired and happy to be replaced.