When I bought my Elky, the PO told me he had problems with the carb in the past and that it would probably need to be rebuilt/replaced sooner or later. I finally got my timing and everything set perfect on it about a month ago and then yesterday, i go to start it and gas starts spilling out of the top of it and around the sides where the gaskets were,, I went to the store, bought a rebuild kit for it and a float, install it to what i thought was perfection, turn the key over got the same response.... I did notice that when i took the carb apart there was little black piece that holds the needle, seat and gasket in place, was broken, NAPA said that i should go to a rebuild shop to get the part.

I called around a little yesterday and found the replacement carb for my 305 was around $280 which is the same price i was quoted to have mine rebuilt professionally.

My question is; do you think i should have it rebuilt or purchase a new one.

Also with all of the trying to get the engine cranked my plugs are wet, should i pull them out and let them air dry or buy another new set,,, ( just bought this set about a month ago).

Any fast response to this issue would be appreciated.

That's a good question-buy a rebuilt or have your own rebuilt. It makes a big difference as to the quality of the job. Assuming that the skill level of the local mechanic and the manufacturer of the rebuilt (remanufactured?) carb are equal go with the local mechanic especially since he will install it and make the final adjustments. When I was in the auto repair business I once asked the General Manager of a really big auto parts manufacturer why they had stopped selling remanufactured automatic trans. He said that the cores that they got back were junk, the only cores they got were the trans that couldn't be sucessfully rebuilt by the local mechanics and that every internal part had to be replaced. He told me that other remanufacturers were not replacing all the internal parts necessary to bring the trans back to OEM specs. Having this knowledge makes me very skeptical of cheap "remanufactured" parts.

Just buy an aftermarket carb.. Edelbrock manual choke remanufactured are around 175 or so. If you have emissions, not to worry. You camino will pass fine, just fake some hoses around, noone will ever know.

If you fuel fouled the plugs, they might work, they might not. Alot of times they will junk ;/ Just found that out myself w/ my bad carb.. Just buy a set of autolite 25's and throw em in. Ive never fuel fouled a set yet and they are cheap, 11 bux for all 8.

Junkyards are full of good Q-jets for 305's. Just find one that has all it's plugs still in place so you know it's hasn't been messed with by someone that doesn't know what an ECM is.

Thanks guys,,, i found out the piece that is causing me trouble is the insert piece that sits over the float bowl; needle gasket and seat assembly. its a $7 part that i ordered from the dealer,,, every j-yard i called and went to either had nothing or they were computer controlled.

I think my only problem or time consuming aspect may be sitting the metering rods back in properly.

Guys, I ended up doing the complete rebuild myself, it probably cost me a total of $40 in parts and 3hrs of labor vs....295 to have it rebuilt or purchase a new one.