Carb Float Hinge Repair

[Peanutbutter Nma]

Hey yall,

All done with the brake rebuild, haven't had the chance to road test yet.

I just pulled apart the carbs for the first time, using the procedure in this post:

https://xs11.club/forum/maintenance/carburetors/110-removing-and-cleaning-your-xs11-carburators

I've been lurking around the forums for a couple months so I've already come across people warning of breaking the posts that holds the float's hinge. Well, imagine my surprise after I pulled all the bowls off this morning and went to pop the first hinge out and... It was already broken. I was heartbroken, but I've been dragging my feet on this project for too long. I called a bunch of local welders, local welding school, and even a custom bike shop, they all said what I was asking was a waste of my time.

My last bet just had someone's home garage in their google listing, but there were a couple bikes and some pretty heaving machining equipment in that little garage. Called the listed number, the guy didn't seem keen on talking but I sent him a picture and he asked me to bring it out to him. He looked at it, and after I told him I'm not asking for any guarantees he said he'd give it a shot sometime tonight. I'm going to true it up and drill the hole tomorrow, but before I do I'm wondering if anyone here has done it already.

I'm probably going to run the smallest endmill I can find in hopes that it'll break before the post. I'm most worried about drilling the hole. I think the best solution would be to support it from behind somehow and start with a small split point. I'll check back tomorrow morning and let yall know how it goes!

[Peanutbutter Nma]

Just for documentation purposes:

[Socer4m]

HI Pbutter,,,I just went through the same problem,,,,very common on these carbs...SUGGEST save a lot of time and stress and just get one carb body and clean and transfer all the jets. It is failry easy to pull off the bad carb off the bank and replace. You can try and drill and pray the epoxy, or whatever bond you use but much easier to just get a cheap carb body. Also, the carb can be cleaned thoroughly and checked before putting on the carb bank. When done, do a carb synch and off you go. WHat you do not want to do is be in the middle of nowhere and the float breaks free and bike leaks gas everywhere...not safe. Anyway,,,list which carb, bike year, model as they do vary from each other slightly. Get back to the site and one of the members can set you up with a carb body,,,or ebay.............good luck, keep us informed,,,Mike in San Diego and Pa.

[Peanutbutter Nma]

I've got Mikunis on a 78 XS1100E

Yeah, I'm hoping with a real weld it'll hold, I agree that epoxy would just be a silly risk. A solid weld should be more than capable of holding up to whatever stresses that little float sees however, especially compared to the cast from the factory. The guy I stopped in to see this morning seemed pretty confident he could get it done. If it doesn't work out then all I'm out is $40 and a 6 pack, I figure it's worth a shot.

[bikerphil]

I've fixed a break like that before with success. I just drilled a small hole thru the post from front to back just below where the float pin sits. Then install the float and the pin and use a piece of wire thru the hole and twist it down tight holding the pin down in the indentation. It worked fine with no binding and is still holding to this day.

If you slightly file down the shoulder on the float pin just below the head, it will fit snugly in the good post and keep everything nice and stable.

Edit: I used .021" steel wire off a spool from the olden days. After a few years I checked it and it was rusted and broke rather easily. To my surprise, the pin was held in there mostly by the slight interference fit on the good post. It may have worked just fine even without the wire.

[Peanutbutter Nma]

I've fixed a break like that before with success. I just drilled a small hole thru the post from front to back just below where the float pin sits. Then install the float and the pin and use a piece of wire thru the hole and twist it down tight holding the pin down in the indentation. It worked fine with no binding and is still holding to this day.

If you slightly file down the shoulder on the float pin just below the head, it will fit snugly in the good post and keep everything nice and stable.

That's actually pretty slick. What kind of wire did you use? I imagine if you kept it all square she'd probably be alright. I saw a post where they threaded a bolt into where the old post was and drilled the pin hole through the bolt. That's probably what I'll try if this doesn't work out.

I picked them up on the way home from work. I tested the welds with a file, they seem like they've got decent fusion in the spots I checked. Looks like **** but I'll post another update after taking a whack at it tomorrow.

[Ranger_xs1100]

For your leisure reading pleasure. Another option:

https://projectxs11.wordpress.com/broken-float-post-repair

[cajun31]

Looks like the number 4 carb. Here is a body. Yamaha XS 1100 Vergaser Typ 2H9 Gehäuse Nr4 Housing Body N0 4 Carburetor | eBay. You can check closely against your body. This one does have a bolt broke off in it, but I would think it would be easy to drill out and remove.

[cajun31]

That's actually pretty slick. What kind of wire did you use? I imagine if you kept it all square she'd probably be alright. I saw a post where they threaded a bolt into where the old post was and drilled the pin hole through the bolt. That's probably what I'll try if this doesn't work out.

I picked them up on the way home from work. I tested the welds with a file, they seem like they've got decent fusion in the spots I checked. Looks like **** but I'll post another update after taking a whack at it tomorrow.

You will have to file it down a bit so the float will fit between the posts and you will have to make sure you drill it straight. I would probably run a drill bit through the good hole with a smaller diameter bit to begin with then from the other side with the proper size bit. The pin that runs through float tang doesn't have to press tightly in those holes. The carb bowl will hold that pin in place. At least I know for sure it does on the later cabs. Whoever you used to weld that looks like they knew what they were doing. I would suspect the weld is a bit harder then the original post. Just be gentle.

[Peanutbutter Nma]

I banged it out over my coffee at work this morning. Came out decent! I'm pretty confident it'll work but I think the bit walked a tiny bit when I started it because it's tilted a few degrees. I took it out a bit at the top on both sides to make sure it won't bind. I only filed the inside and front for function, the top for aesthetic, but left the back and outside for a bit extra structure.

I couldnt find proof of anyone actually doing this so here yall go!

[cajun31]

That looks good. Just a slight bit off center, but as long a the float needle seals you should be good to go. Who did the weld? I am particularly interested in what welder he used and at what settings. Was it just a straight up weld or is there a pin of some sort within the weld? I am sure there are many who would like to know more about the details. The reason being is because the metal in these carbs melts quite easily.

[Peanutbutter Nma]

Just some fella named Mark. He used to work at Bethlehem Steel before he got a DUI manslaughter charge... He volunteered that 30 seconds into talking. Weird dude, but knows what he's doing.

I asked him how he planned to do it before I left it with him. He said he'd run his tig on a low current and stacked up the aluminum, and that definitely looks like what he did. Looks like 2 or 3 little beads stacked on top. I had a little plastic plug to protect the threads where the float needle sits and it didn't even get hot enough to melt or deform. Cast aluminum bits in general melt super easily, especially with how tiny all the features are.

[oldyam80sg]

Unrelated but I worked with 2 guys at my last job who worked at Bethlehem Steel. They were welders at my last job.

[Peanutbutter Nma]

Unrelated but I worked with 2 guys at my last job who worked at Bethlehem Steel. They were welders at my last job.

Yeah I live in Bethlehem, there's more welders and machinists around here than you can shake a stick at. I run a machine shop at one of the local universities and I've got a drill press and draw saw from WWII. Lot of industrial history in the area.

[oldyam80sg]

Lots of history in that area indeed-I used to live in Portland PA and would roam past Easton every weekend. Last job was a material handler/welder.