Original carburetor cork floats that sink.

[Morgan Wright]

I never had a problem with the cork sinking in the carb, but since everybody with more experience than me says they sink, I used the foam float that came in a rebuild kit. Car didn't run as well, so I took the original cork float and coated it with Red Kote. Car still didn't run as well. So I peeled the Red Kote off and used the original cork and it ran great again.

 

This is the second winter I left the carb bowl empty and dry for the winter, to prevent the cork from absorbing gasoline during those months, and it looks totally dry. When I put the car away during the fall, I pull it in the garage and let it idle, and turn off the vacuum tank and let the car run out of gas. I figure that should empty the bowl.

 

Do people think this is a viable option, to keep the cork from getting waterlogged with gas?

Edited May 4, 2023 by Morgan Wright (see edit history)

[Grant L. Meredith]

Sounds something I ran into with Kohler my dad has.  New was different material. Original was brass. New one plastic. Using the John Deere book for setting carb float height, the carb would flood badly.  Drove my dad batty. So I tackled it. Lowered the float a lot ( JD wanted 11/64 on brass) , I set the plastic one just around 3/8”.  Tad move I think.  It was a guess.  Runs like a new tractor.  
Thing is, added material changes float weight. Different material for float changes buoyancy and means new float setting.  Been my experience. Sometimes a little experimenting solves it.  
The float in your kit likely had set up instructions.  Good starting point. Sometimes it’s dead on.  

[Mark Shaw]

16 hours ago, Grant L. Meredith said:

added material changes float weight. Different material for float changes buoyancy and means new float setting

Lower modern gasoline viscosity also effects jet sizes.  Original settings are often not the best for overall performance.

 

[Grant L. Meredith]

You are right.  I know that but forgot it.  Todays lite fuels also affect jetting. And then toss in ethanol thinning of gasoline , ugh.  

[Bloo]

I do that more or less. I drain my 1913 Studebaker anytime it needs to sit unused for more than a day. I don't think you would get away with leaving an unsealed cork carb float in gas for a whole driving season for instance. The problem would show up a lot faster than it does with something like a gas tank float, and my Pontiac gas tank float sunk completely in a few months. Fuel level in a carburetor is critical. I doubt you would get more than two weeks, but I haven't tried it so your mileage may vary....

[Morgan Wright]

19 hours ago, Bloo said:

I don't think you would get away with leaving an unsealed cork carb float in gas for a whole driving season for instance. The problem would show up a lot faster than it does with something like a gas tank float, and my Pontiac gas tank float sunk completely in a few months. Fuel level in a carburetor is critical. I doubt you would get more than two weeks

 

OK in that case I decided to seal it. I was going to use shellac like they originally did, because pure gasoline doesn't dissolve shellac. But these days, even the "non-ethanol" gas they sell is bound to have a little alcohol in it, and the shellac would eventually dissolve. So I did this:

 

 

[cudaman]

I have had good luck sealing cork floats with Pactra "hot fuel proof" model airplane dope.  Model airplane fuel is mainly methanol with varying amounts of nitromethane blended in. 

[Morgan Wright]

Does super glue eventually dissolve in gasoline? On the internet some people say it dissolves and some say it doesn't.

[Leif Holmberg]

This is what you need for the carburetor float,I bought this from US and cost a lot but I have never ever had any floats problem after installet the float with this material.Nitrophyl.

It can be bought from Bob:s too cutted and redy to install.

I have tryed all the different way to fix the cork floats without luck,therefor I bought this nitriphyl material yers ago,and it`s very easy to cut and drill the hole on.

[EmTee]

I believe @Bloo has had mixed results with nitriphyl in the past, but it's certainly worth a try.  How does buoyancy in gas compare with cork?  You'll probably need to adjust the float mechanism to achieve the proper fuel level in the bowl.  Measuring density of the old float won't give an accurate answer if it is already compromised...

[Robert Engle]

I scribe a line in the float bowl that is 1/16" below the top of the idle jet.  I then use this as a guide line for setting the float level.  I have had good luck with the nitrophyl material.

 

Bob Engle

[edinmass]

Today, we buy fuel, not gasoline. Fuel has a different specialty gravity which affects float height. Different heat and energy content of fuel requires bigger jets and idle circuits……….especially on pre WWII cars. Toss in added electric fuel pumps, vapor lock, hot soak on shutdown………..and it takes a lot of time and effort to get your car set up correctly. That’s why 90 percent of the pre war stuff runs so poorly………lack of proper sorting.

[Morgan Wright]

I'm going to glue 2 pennies together and see if gasoline dissolves the Krazy Glue

[Brian_Heil]

Agree on the Nitrophyl. Only way to go. 
 

1000s of Model T’s are out there running on modern fuel with some % of Ethanol with this same material.  There are a number of T suppliers who make the part with Nitrophyl since the demand/volume warrants it. 
 

By a chunk of it from Snyders.  Carves up easy. Wear a mask. 

Edited May 6, 2023 by Brian_Heil (see edit history)

[IFDPete]

Anyone have experience with Seal All brand Oil & Gas resistant sealant / adhesive?  Does it work?  I am rebuilding my carburetor from my 1921 Buick and was going to use it on the float.  It is found online and locally at many stores.

 

 

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/paint-and-supplies/tape-glues-and-adhesives/glues-and-epoxy/10840?store=18525&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9deiBhC1ARIsAHLjR2CLYDKImcRoiFekOjY3xrWMnBfyisy-byNUPZjPgOszExFELrpsjiYaAhCNEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Bloo]

That is the only magic goo I know of that seems completely unaffected by gasoline. It dries to a clear somewhat brittle film. I am a bit skeptical it would stay attached to a float in the long term but maybe. I don't think the gas will soften it or wash it off. I never used it on a float, so don't know how heavy it is. I think I would be more inclined to try the airplane dope @cudaman suggested.

[carbking]

Two items that may be used to seal either a cork or phenolic float (THAT HAS NEVER BEEN IN FUEL), I know of nothing that will seal a used float, either cork or phenolic:

 

(1) POR-15

(2) Model airplane fabric dope (the flying model airplanes used to throw out as much fuel as they burned, the dope had to be fuel-proof).

 

Jon

[Morgan Wright]

1 hour ago, IFDPete said:

Anyone have experience with Seal All brand Oil & Gas resistant sealant / adhesive?  Does it work?  I am rebuilding my carburetor from my 1921 Buick and was going to use it on the float.  It is found online and locally at many stores.

 

 

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/paint-and-supplies/tape-glues-and-adhesives/glues-and-epoxy/10840?store=18525&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9deiBhC1ARIsAHLjR2CLYDKImcRoiFekOjY3xrWMnBfyisy-byNUPZjPgOszExFELrpsjiYaAhCNEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

 

I tried Seal-All 3 years ago and it's way too thick and goopy, it leaves a coating around 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick all the way around. I need something that leaves a real thin coat like shellac or Krazy glue do.

 

Anyway, it's done, the Krazy Glue is on, and the carb is back in the car. Tomorrow, Liz and I will have our first Sunday drive of 2023.

[Morgan Wright]

The 2 pennies that I Krazy Glued together have been soaking in gasoline for 10 hours, and are still stuck together.

[Morgan Wright]

12 hours ago, Morgan Wright said:

The 2 pennies that I Krazy Glued together have been soaking in gasoline for 10 hours, and are still stuck together.

 

Now almost 24 hours, same thing. Still totally stuck together.

 

If they were soaking in acetone it would take 5 seconds to unstick them, so 24 hours is enough to know the answer.

[Mark Shaw]

I have made several replacement cork floats with Crazy Glue and wine corks. 

After gluing and shaping the new float, it is coated with Crazy Glue.

I have had no failures with modern ethanol laced fuel.

 

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by Mark Shaw (see edit history)

[tcslr]

Mark,

is that needle a 32? Tom

[Mark Shaw]

It is from a 1929-27 Buick

[Buicknutty]

 Thanks for this interesting discussion guys. We haven't been able to get non ethanol gas here in Ontario for a while and am concerned about the '16 D45 in particular.

All the other cars, even the '41 Roadmaster I've made fully ethanol compatible so at least it won't screw things up, the jetting etc is a different issue naturally. Mostly all run well with the 5-10% ethanol we have here.

[Grant L. Meredith]

Buicknutty.  Here is a site that users update for availability of non-ethanol gas in Ontario and North American wide

www.pure-gas.org

[Morgan Wright]

Or you can just load up at Stewarts when you come down to New York State (I met you at PJ's Barbeque car shows)

[Buicknutty]

1 hour ago, Morgan Wright said:

Or you can just load up at Stewarts when you come down to New York State (I met you at PJ's Barbeque car shows)

Yes, I remember that well! Long way to go for gas though.