I must preface you guys that I am not very familiar with carburetors so please keep that in mind, but I am pretty technical. I just haven't played with these before. I have an RX-3 with a 79 12A and what I believe is a stock 79 nikki carb on the motor. The problem is the carb leaks. Here are some pictures to help:

leak1
leak2
leak3
leak4
leak5
leak6
top1
top2

My goal is to fix the leak and also to pass CA emissions (I know it sucks) since I just bought the car.

With my goals in mind and based on the pictures is the leak fixable without having the carb rebuilt? Or should I just rebuild the carb? I have a spare 85 (again, I think it's an 85) Nikki carb that is good (based on what the seller told me), but it has a lot more "stuff" on it than the one I have on the car right now.

Please tell me what my best option(s) is/are and I will go from there. Thanks in advance.

 

your best option is to send it off to Sterling...

 

That carb HAS to be made before a 79, theres so many things different. It also looks like you just need new gaskets and just tighten it down good. This happens with paper material gaskets, and what makes it require rebuilding. Its not bad, you dont have anything on it what so ever haha, its in its extreme simple form!

 

Yeah, just get new gaskets for it. Or if you take it apart there and the gasket doesn't break you could just use silicone gasket sealer on both sides of the old gasket.

 

Here's a picture I forgot. When I shut off the motor, fuel drips from this area on the picture:

leak source

 

Do rebuild kits come with new gaskets?

 

Yeap. And your area leaking in the earlier post is the accelerator pump, and its infamous diapraghm. That also comes as part of a rebuilt kit.

 

Infamous for failing and leaking I assume?

 

Hi, thats an Rx-3 carb and manifold. Like cdrad said, your ap dia needs replacing. I would also suggest you get a better throttle return spring. I see someone already set you up with mechanical secondaries. Get a carb rebuild kit and go for it if your handy with tools. If not, your other choice is to contact Sterling or myself for a rebuild.

 

Or, your third option is to find someone else who is handy with carbs.

 

Yup. But don't get me wrong. Only with time and over the years, which our cars have a lot of

 

Thanks for all the replies guys. I really appreciate it. I still have a few questions though.

1) Where can I find a rebuild kit for this carb? I checked out mazdatrix's website and they only sell rebuild kits from 79 and up.
2) Where can I pick up a compatible throttle return spring?
3) How can you tell that I have mechanical secondaries?
4) Will the existing setup pass smog?

 

Answer to question #3 above

 

Around here you can go to Autozone, NAPA or some other large parts retailer and purchase throttle return springs. Measure between the two points and get the appropriate size. If you buy it too large, cut it down a bit and reshape the end for mounting.
I believe that the brand HELP! has a box of springs for like $4.99 or something.. I'm sure one of them will work ok.

 

Yea, that too!

 

Thanks cdrad for answering #3 and Tom for #2. So nobody knows where I can find a rebuild kit for this carb or if my setup is emissions legal?

 

Your carb will not pass emissions testing. It was manufactered before California decided to give a crap about trees n' birds n' ****.

If you're trying to build an emissions compliant system from scratch, a leaky carb, a few beers and a pack a ciggarettes would be the least of your worries while working on it!

You will have to go to a yard and find the cleanest looking engine there, and scavenge about fifty lbs of **** from it, including the carb & manny. I would choose to do an 84-85 system, but maybe with a 79 manny. (Guys, would that work?)

If you're going to go for it, I wouldn't let the carb & manny that's on there now go for less than $200 as is. Maybe even more. Research what they go for.
The carb is super-sleek and the manny is super-flowing. I concider both to be performance parts.

I'd be happy to swap that carb and manny for a rebuilt 84-5 carb with all the emissions ****, an 84-5 manny (a 79 if I have one and it would work with th emissions), and a complete 84-5 rat's nest, air pump, and anything else I can shove off on ya! (I have too much crap.)
PM me if you're interested. But I have to say, I can't guarantee that it will pass emissions. You're taking on a huge project!

 

If this car was made before they had testing.. that means it will probably pass for its age wont it?.. I still dont understand that concept of CA....

 

If this car was made before they had testing.. that means it will probably pass for its age wont it?.. I still dont understand that concept of CA....