I noticed that I had a gas smell under the hood one day and I pulled the aircleaner assembly and I noticed what looked like a fuel leak coming from my carb. The intake around the front of the carb was damp, not soaking. It looked like whatever kind of leak it was, it is very small and slow. Does anyone in here have any experience with this? It looked damp and I ran my finger over it and it smelled of gas. The carb is about 4 years old with 5,000 miles use. At the time I noticed I hadn't driven my car in about a month.
This problem is one of the main reasons the Q-jet is superior to most other carbs. The likely problem here is that, without usage, the gaskets have dried out, a problem likely aggravated by the evaporating fuel. It is possible that the fuel will make the seal swell, but I suggest replacing the seal. It is a fire hazard. Ray