[AT] float soldering

[charlie hill]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for that article.  Now I know why I destroyed the only one I ever 
tried to fix!

I usually save usful e-mail messages in a "save" e-mail folder.
This one I copied and pasted to a Word document so I wouldn't loose it!  The 
guy that wrote it obviously knows his stuff.

Charlie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim and Lyn Evans" <jevans at evanstoys.com>
To: "'Antique tractor email discussion group'" 
<at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 6:15 PM
Subject: RE: [AT] float soldering


>I pulled this advice off of a website for Model Ts.  I used this to repair 
>a
> float for a late Case SC carburetor float that is not available anywhere.
> Suppliers were wanting $50+ for a USED float!  The float was about 1/2 
> full
> of gas, now it is as good as new!  -- Jim
>
>
> Carb Float Fix
>
> Many mechanics have been conditioned to ask for a float each time they
> rebuild a carburetor, due to the reasonable price of modern, mass-produced
> floats, and the propensity of nitrophyl (foam) floats to absorb gasoline
> after time. In dealing with older, NON-CURRENT-PRODUCTION brass floats,
> neither of the above are true, and a mechanic should attempt to 'save' the
> float if at all possible.
>
> The first step is to clean the float and inspect it for obvious damage.
> Small dings and dents are quite common, even in unused floats, and 
> occurred
> when the manufacturer shipped the floats in bulk. Major dents (generally
> caused by water freezing in the carburetor) are not generally repairable. 
> If
> one can hear liquid sloshing around inside the float, skip to the next
> paragraph. If the float looks to be reasonably damage-free, it should be
> tested. Testing is accomplished by grasping the float arm with a pair of
> needle-nose pliers, and submerging the float in very hot water. The hot
> water will pressurize the air inside the float, and a leaky float will 
> blow
> a stream of bubbles.
>
> If the float should need repair, it is important to understand how the 
> float
> was originally produced. Virtually all brass float pontoons (the floating
> part) are composed of two pieces (a few are more) of brass soldered
> together. The pieces differ in the seam area, as one piece has a male seam
> and the other a female seam. One float piece will also have a small hole 
> for
> temperature equalization. This hole will be covered by a small drop of
> solder, and will be as far from the seam as possible. The manufacturer 
> would
> solder the two pieces together, allow the float to cool completely, AND 
> THEN
> close the equalization hole. Soldering MUST be done using a soldering
> 'iron'. Repair should not be attempted using either a torch, or a 
> soldering
> gun. If you plan on disregarding this advice, read the next paragraph 
> first!
> The following procedure works for us (no, we will not repair your float
> unless we restore the entire carburetor): First, if liquid is present 
> inside
> the float, find the hole, and remove the liquid by placing the hole down
> inside the hot water. The pressure will force the liquid from the float. 
> If
> the float has much liquid, it may be necessary to remove the float from 
> the
> hot water, allow the float to cool, and repeat the hot water dip. Once the
> liquid has been removed, and the leak has been marked, open the 
> equalization
> hole by removing the solder. Solder the leak closed using as little solder
> as possible. A small piece of tape over the equalization hole will allow 
> the
> hot water test to be preformed. If there are no leaks, remove the tape, 
> and
> ALLOW THE FLOAT TO COOL COMPLETELY before closing the equalization hole. A
> final test, and you have 'saved' a valuable float.
>
> There is usually a small pinhole somewhere else, not near the seam. First,
> make sure the solder is off the hole, then do the seam, and when it's 
> cool,
> then solder the hole shut. Trick here is to keep the solder flowing onto 
> the
> hole sight while the air cools off, then it sucks the solder into the hole
> instead of out of it. David D.
>
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