Float Post Repair alternative.

[CaptonZap]

In the interest of other uses being possible, I just sent a message to Loctite, asking if they had a sealant that was impervious to gasohol.
When I get an answer, I will post it here. If they make such a sealant, it would make carb repair less of a machining exercise.
Drill a hole, drop a shaft into it, covered in Loctite, line up the pin holes, and let it cure.
Stay tuned, CZ

[skids]

After thinking about this a bit, the pin should prevent roataion. As long as the float pivots unimpeded, it is good enuf!
like mharrington indicated...

[CaptonZap]

After thinking about this a bit, the pin should prevent roataion. As long as the float pivots unimpeded, it is good enuf!
like mharrington indicated...

Yep, but what I was envisioning was no tapping or threading, just drill a hole, and glue the repair part in the hole. All roads lead to Rome, huh? CZ

[ViperRon]

I think that in doing this it all depends on the craftsmanship of the person doing this work and this appears to be really good work. Its my opinion that finding a good glue as a lock for the screw is a good suggestion especially if you do not get a good clean tap to insure a tight bond.
I personally would not do anything to mess with the threads on the screw going in to lock it in place as it is hard to determine where you make a mark that will resist turning versus causing damage and loosen the connection going in. Now inside the post near the bottom of the tap do not complete the thread process and the screw should tighten against that.
The metal that the carb is made of is not very solid and would not in my opinion hold very well just drilling a hole and pressing it in no matter what glue or sealant used. I believe it would be hard to drill a perfect hole to balance grip from tightness against being too tight and cracking the metal the pin goes in. A rigged nail may possibly grip better then gluing a post in.

From the appearance of the repair in the pictures it’s a job well done.

[DGXSER]

In general, I am not against the wire strap method that was initially used on this carb. It is a fine remedy if you have half or more of the cradle for the pin still in place. In this case, the pictures may not have shown it well, but there was almost kind of a spot left where the pin was to sit, so it was very difficult to say if the pin was being held in place by the wire. This is the reason I went to this extent to repair it.

Thanks to all for the kind words on the work, not machinist level work,but I thought it turned out pretty well. Like I say, a drill press will greatly improve the precision of the holes. Being a cheapazz, I went to get one at HF, but they were out of the model I wanted, it is on raincheck. Add to that my lack of patience for completing a project I start on and I had to do the work by hand. I figured the worst I could do is end up needing a new carb body, which is where I started.

I had thought of adding JB-Weld, or Locktite but as has been stated, I did not know if any of those would hold up over time to the fuel. Which is why I had planned on using plumbing solder as I felt it would hold up to fuel, if it will seal well to the aluminum.

[CaptonZap]

I had thought of adding JB-Weld, or Locktite but as has been stated, I did not know if any of those would hold up over time to the fuel.

And here, through the wonders of the intenet, is information which may, or may not, be of use. (They can't put anything on the internet that isn't true, can they? )

Inquiry
___________________________
Subject:

Description: I am looking for a sealant that will be used to lock a threaded and/or sleeved post into aluminum body, and be constantly immersed in gasoline that has 10% alcohol in it. Constant immersion softens JB Weld, so I am looking for something that does not soften.
I've used your products for years, and hope that you have something suitable.

Reply

Jerry, what size thread and what is the threaded piece made of specifically? Our threadlockers are all sealants simultaneously and they all have good gasoline resistance. For example, 290 is one that we have a case history on for a carbureter application since it's impervious to gasoline. How many threaded assemblies per year will this be used on and will the work be done in Denver or somewhere else?

Jerry, if you ever have some interest in a workshop on Loctite products, please review the attached training opportunity link. If you like this and want to pursue this further, just let me know. I can then have our local Loctite field rep contact you and he or she can then arrange some training at your convenience at your facility. Thank you Jerry.


Regards,

Mike Smigel
800 842-0041 ext 5154 (EST)

[CaptonZap]

And the hits just keep on coming!

This just in,

Reply to my "thank you" answer


290 is water thin and thus, designed to be post applied. In other words, assemble your part first and 290 is so thin that it will wick via capillary action between preassembled parts. However, because it's so thin, it's not designed to take up a lot of space. The maximum fill is about 0.004" on the diameter.

Regards,

Mike Smigel


Michael Smigel
Technical Communications Coordinator
AG North American Technical Customer Service
Henkel/Loctite Adhesives
Rocky Hill CT USA
800 842-0041 ext 5154 (EST)
mike.smigel@henkel.com
www.henkelna.com

Need help with product selection? Interested in optimizing product performance and minimizing waste & downtime? Ask me about our product trainings/workshops where we come to your facility at your convenience and train you on the topics of interest to you.

[LoHo]

The post is a simple mechanism: a length of partially flattened stock with a hole for the float pin. Using a donor post was good, but not necessary, is it?

1. Get a length of aluminum stock the diameter of the post.
2. Use a drill or lathe to work one end down to a smaller diameter and thread it.
3. Drill a hole in the carb body and thread it the same.
4. Insert the stock until bottomed out and mark the cut off length, remove it and cut it off.
5. Reinsert the stock and use a Sharpie or marker to mark the two sides to file flat.
6. Carefully measure the center point of the pin hole and drill it out on the flattened portion.

I see no need to use adhesive, as the pin will keep it from rotating, and the pin doesn't need to pivot, only the float.

Don's post repair is the neatest one I've seen yet. Good job!

[DGXSER]

Loho, you are correct, the use of a doner carb float post was not necessary, but since I had one it just made sense to do it. However, that is why I made the second post showing how I did a similar process (almost exactly line by line to your process) with a shoulder bolt I had laying around.

As to the fuel resistance of the locktite product, that is awesome news. Should I find I need to get into the carbs again for some reason, I will probably put some on there.

[CaptonZap]

The post is a simple mechanism: a length of partially flattened stock with a hole for the float pin. Using a donor post was good, but not necessary, is it?

1. Get a length of aluminum stock the diameter of the post.
2. Use a drill or lathe to work one end down to a smaller diameter and thread it.
3. Drill a hole in the carb body and thread it the same.
4. Insert the stock until bottomed out and mark the cut off length, remove it and cut it off.
5. Reinsert the stock and use a Sharpie or marker to mark the two sides to file flat.
6. Carefully measure the center point of the pin hole and drill it out on the flattened portion.

I see no need to use adhesive, as the pin will keep it from rotating, and the pin doesn't need to pivot, only the float.

Don's post repair is the neatest one I've seen yet. Good job!

Well, I think you are missing the point. The Loctite information has a number of uses, and the use of it, as my letter to Loctite states, allows the repair to be made with nothing more than a drill and a hand file, using what ever stock you have available. Yes, you and I have metric taps and dies, but a lot of folks don't, and this gives them a method to affect a repair without investing in tooling that may only get used once.

On an entirely different note, what ever happened to your ignition problem?
IMWTK CZ

[LoHo]

Capton scribbled:"investing in tooling that may only get used once."

So, what's wrong with that? If you have enough tools, people get the idea you can use them, the poor suckers.

My ignition problem has morphed into a carb problem, which is so banal that I haven't mentioned it. I'll get it solved in the next couple of weeks.

[skids]

Use the carb spray technique to blast away the resitrictions in the tiny passages. Just keep the spray away from the diaphragms and the butterfly shaft seals.