CARB REBUILD

[tricky lugnuts]

 Seeking Advice, Forewarning, Etc.

About to start rebuilding a Carter AVS 4966S for my '71 440.
Anything I should know or be afraid of? I have the factory service manual. But this is my first carburetor rebuild and I'm starting to get a little nervous. Rebuild kit cost $30 -- so I'm hoping to save some money and build a decent carb that won't burn my car to the ground.

My 650 CFM Carter AFB has started leaking from the throttle shafts. It's seven to eight years old. Is this a terminal thing?

[tricky lugnuts]

Oh one or two more things...
How well will it work without a thermostatic choke or vaccuum choke pull off? Those are missing from my carb.
Also, I'm missing the linkage rod (on the drivers side rear of carb) that connects the throttle shaft to the choke plate. How critical is that piece? Will it work without one? Am I screwed? Can one be made with a coat-hanger type material?
Should I buy a more complete spare carb and rob it for these parts, or is there someone who sells them. I would ultimately like the choke up and running since I drive my car in the spring and autumn. Thanks

[Chryco Psycho]

they are a very simple carb to work on so go for it & take your time
it will work fine as long as the choke is wired open , it will just be tough to strat cold without the choke

[tricky lugnuts]

It did come apart and go back together easily. Kept all of the components straight and everything else  like that. Took it apart and put it back together with no extra pieces just fine.

But I put it on the manifold, hooked it up, cranked it, and the damn thing started leaking fuel like crazy... Out the throttle shafts, pouring down the buttlerfly valves. In short, leaking everywhere it could leak from, including out the top of the accelerator pump.

Should I have used some sort of sealer on the gaskets? What the heck did I do wrong? It was definitely not usable, i.e. drivable. It leaked so bad I was scared to even keep cranking it.

[GTX]

What is your fuel pressure going in?
Check your float settings and also if they are stuck. Did you blow everything out really well before you put it back together? 
I guess Niel or Ron.... or maybe eveyone is better at this than me but last year after sitting for a while one of my AFB's pumped gas out like that. It was a float stuck open.
On mine a simple rap on the body fixed it in a second but I tore it down and looked at it just to make sure everything was clear and clean.

[tricky lugnuts]

Fuel pressure should be fine -- I reinstalled my old AFB and it works fine. Sticking floats -- as long as they flop up and down they should be moving freely, right? I'll check that out. But even if the floats are stuck, should gas pour out everywhere like that? If so, a sticking float could really ruin your day, driving down the road!!