Be putting my meticulously cleaned carb back together as soon as I can make / improvise replacements for the bits I've broken or lost.

Since I had reason to suspect an air leak somewhere, I'm wondering about maybe applying some form of sealant (I used vegetable oil as a field-fix in situ last time around but that tends to gum up the springs on the throttle etc linkages.)

I have some Permatex RTV silicone, but I'm not putting that anywhere near a carb ever again (been there, done that, had reason to regret it).

It'll have gone off in storage anyway, always does

(Incidentally, doesn't the bead on the sump flange in this Permatex video, about 2 mins in, look like a gasket disaster in the making? Unless the intention is to silicone treat the inside of the oil pump)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVowc8YHFYc

I have some Permatex #1 that seems to keep better (though it may separate a bit in the tube) and seems to be intended as a gasket dressing, but is "not recommended for use where there is prolonged exposure to aromatic solvents and additives" which I take to include petrol.

www.permatex.com/wp-content/uploads/tds/80007.pdf

So is there anything suitable for backing up a possibly tired carb gasket?

The air leak is unlikely to be in the carb proper anyway, more likely the downstream flanges and manifold, where using a petrol-intolerant gasket wouldn't be quite so disastrous, though I still wouldn't much want liquified gasket on my intake valves.

Edited by edlithgow on 20/03/2023 at 02:37