One of the Places that can Leak is the screw-on Cover for the Needle+Seat. There is a new replacement that corrects that Problem. If You keep the Teapot I would recommend You replace that Cover.

  

I appreciate everyone’s feedback 

i never had trouble with these carbs and liked them back in the day.i was always told it was the 2x4 setup that burned.

Thanks Ted, I always look forward to your feed back. Lots of good information 

I have no issues with the Holley model 2140 and 4000 4V carbs on their intended applications.  The amount of detail in the construction of those carburetors is like working with a fine piece of jewelry.  Besides the throttle shafts being bronze bushed in the main body, even the shaft for the choke is bronze bushed in the model 4000 carbs.  These carburetors do work well on dual quad setups due to them being on the small side cfm wise.  If the carburetor is simply being kitted, then under no circumstances should the throttle blades be removed from the shafts.
  
One of the major deterrents of those Teapot carbs is that they are not friendly with the later model vacuum advance distributors if trying to use the vacuum advance portions of those distributors.  They are fine as built with the mechanical portion of those distributors.  The Teapot carbs do utilize both a venturi and ported vacuum signal in conjunction with a spark advance valve and that particular vacuum signal is not suited for use with the 1957 and up distributors.  That vacuum signal works great for the Load-O-Matic distributors though.  There are modifications that can be made to the carburetors’ distributor vacuum circuitry that does make those 1956 and earlier carbs compatible with the later model distributors that incorporate both mechanical and vacuum advance capabilities.  Anther issue that comes to the forefront is that the model 2140 and 4000 4V carbs are overly sensitive to using ethanol laden fuel but that’s easily compensated for with slightly richer jetting.  I find that having primary main jets two numbers richer than stock eliminates the hesitation issues created by the inclusion of ethanol in the gasoline.
 
If rebuilding the carb yourself, the power valve diaphragm can be tricky to put in place and seal so that it works as intended.  I prefer to use some white grease on both sides of the rubber part of the actuator to help seal it to the fuel bowl lid.  Depressing the actuator while tightening both the secondary jets and the single screw also helps to seat the rubber portion of the actuator so that it’s in a more relaxed position when being pulled up with vacuum.  Testing that actuator before putting the ‘lid’ on the carburetor is accomplished by depressing the spring loaded shaft while holding two fingers over the air cleaner stud hole and then holding another finger on the vacuum port hole at the front of the lid.  If the actuator shaft remains depressed when removing your finger from the actuator shaft, it’s holding a vacuum.  Taking your finger off of the front vacumm port should then have the shaft relaxing itself or going to its natural extended position.  Also keep in mind that the carburetor stud when installed in the lid does need a gasket there.  Although that air cleaner hole in the fuel bowl lid has a bushing, those are known to not seal perfectly and if there's a vacuum leak there, then the power valve will be open all the time and fuel mileage suffers accordingly.  Other than this, I know nothing about Teapot carbs.  LOL.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Back in the day, the Tea Pot Holley carb got a lot of bad press.  To understand why, you had to be there.  What we had were junk engines, no money and bad mechanics.   An engine rebuild was hosing off a 100,000 mile engine with Gunk and painting it with rattle cans.  Old carbs leak when you reuse gaslets.   Coat hanger linkage hangs up.  Turn the distributor to time the engine.  It turns???  We feared removing the distributor as our engine may never run again!  Our timing lights were hand me downs and most had already been in the fan at least three times.  It's a wonder we could drive more than a few miles without breaking down.  But there's more.  We were all wannabe racers and real racers had the newer Holley carbs and the teapot isn't the prettiest carb ever built. 

It was common to see a 1955 or 56 Ford with a hole burnt in the hood paint. All that could have been avoided if we knew what we were doing and had the right tools and parts.  I don't want a Tea Pot Holley because there are better choices, not because they catch fire.

I've rebuild two and they have performed excellent for over 8 years. Followed Eickman's word.
Fire happens when the engine is timed wrong = backfire !
A leaky carb doesn't start fires, just floods an engine. Any brand of carb that is leaking can catch fire when there is a backfire!
Also the Holley 4000 booklet C228 is very good for rebuild info, but there is a lot to go over.



1936 Ford 3W Coupe : 56 T-Bird 312, 47 Packard 3 speed, 40 juice brakes.
1968 Merc Cyclone FB GT 390, Getting a better front clip!
1977 Ford F-250 Supercab RWD Explorer Long box.
1976 Chev Camaro RS LT
Future rebuild : 1949 Ford F-1

scicala

https://www.fordbarn.com/

____________________________

check out      www.hotrodreverend.com       Daniel Jessup doing cleaning and rebuilding series on his page.

I have run a 4000 on my 56 Bird for close to ten years with no problems.  Includes two trips from the east coast to the west coast twice.  As 30 Coupe said, they must be rebuilt by some one who knows these carbs and what problems they may have. The guy that rebuilt mine has passed - he was one of the best and reasonable too.


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ