Carb float failure!!!

GoldenMotor.com

mike373

New Member
Jun 16, 2008
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Only an hour or so on this engine now.... Drove it today after work... got about 3 blocks away, when the engine quit. I looked down, and fuel was pouring out of the air intake. I shut off the tank fuel valve and pedaled home. I suspected the carb float was stuck. Took off the carb bowl to find that the float was full of fuel!!!! Anyone else heard of a leaking float? Looks like I will just buy a new float. Hope this isn't a common thing.

Mike
 

nitroscope8

New Member
May 26, 2008
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Long Island, New York
Only issue with our carbs is that the metal ring the float pusheso n gets a little tweaked and lets some extra fuel in and it leaks a little. A simple removal and slight bending brings it right back.
 

mike373

New Member
Jun 16, 2008
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The funny thing is that I cant seem to get the fuel out of the float. Cant find a visable crack anywhere... but a tiny amount of fuel seems to slowly seep out from the inside hole. I was thinking of drilling a tiny hole in it to suck out the fuel.... but what could I use to seal the float with?? I dont know any glue or material that would stand up to being submerged in gasoline.

I was thinking that my float failed from vibration, causing a hairline crack in it for fuel to seep in.

Mike
 

Pablo

Master Bike Builder & Forum Sponsor
Dec 28, 2007
3,698
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Duvall, WA PNW
www.sickbikeparts.com
There are fuel proof epoxies. And indeed some folks have drained the float with an extra tiny hole. The trick may be getting all the oily fuel off the float for the epoxy to bond.

A new carb is $22, so don't kill yourself.
 

mike373

New Member
Jun 16, 2008
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I was thinking of making a float out of cork material.. What does anyone think? At least it wont fill up with fuel.

Mike
 

Ghost0

New Member
Mar 7, 2008
763
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Bellingham, WA
Cork? Not a good idea, it will get tore up from moving around and deposit bits of junk in your carb clogging your jet. If you can clean out your old one and find the hole you can use a soldering iron or equivalent to melt the hole closed.
 

Dave31

Active Member
Mar 1, 2008
11,199
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Aztlán, Arizona
Yes, cork will not work.....They do have plastic welding kit's at Harbor frieght...but I think a new carb is even cheaper then that.