Carb Gasket

[JoeK]

I like the dumb questions. My manual doesn't help here though. I just finished a soft rebuild on my SU's. When I was taking them off, I found Blue RTV between plastic spacer and the manifold. Normally I'd go with no sealer between the carb and manifold, but I've never dealt with this plastic spacer thing before. So the question is whether I should use sealer between the spacer and the manifold.

Also, I didn't remove the spacer from the carbs, should I pull this as well and change the gasket on it?

Thanks,

[S Allen]

No dumb questions here! Those are phenolic spacers<sp> and I probably spelled it wrong. New they had a paper gasket built right into them. Sometimes when you pull the carbs off after many years of service they tear just enough to give you a vacum leak. That is probably why someone siliconed them. It would probably be best to replace them but black silicone in sparing amounts will seal them and not look as tacky as the bright blue stuff.

Steve