pin hole in carb float

wjytexas

Well-known Member
The TO 30 I'm working on has the Carter carb. I just discovered the float has a pin hole size hole in it. Has anyone had luck soldering or otherwise repairing a leak without adding too much weight to the float? My Dad who could solder anything tried it numerous times on carb floats but never could get it to work. Long range plan is to get a Marvel Shebler TSX 458 once I get it all working
 
Heat the float for 30 minutes with low heat (like next to a light bulb) to drive out gasoline. Clean the spot with fine sand paper to shiny. Solder quickly with a bit of soldering paste, (not acid core) and a hot iron or 50+ watt gun. It will be easy. Jim
 
If it has a brass float I have repaired many of them. It really is easy IF you take the time to prepare everything correctly. Brass needs to be CLEAN!!! Then use a good paste flux. Then a good lead solder. Actually a solder with a god percentage of tin is stronger. The leadless does not work very well. Acid core does not work at all. The acid pollutes the brass and you will NOT get a good job.

Janicholson is correct in how he does it. Also good way to make sure there is not gas in the float too.
 
It's an easy job. Read the info from "The Carburetor Shop" copied below...

Having it CLEAN, using as little solder as possible to make the repair, and leaving an "equalization hole" open until the other soldering as been completed and the float cools to ambient temp are the main points here.

"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 equilization. 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 equilization 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 equilization hole by removing the solder. Solder the leak closed using as little solder as possible. A small piece of tape over the equilization 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 equilization hole. A final test, and you have 'saved' a valuable float."
 
(quoted from post at 09:50:20 10/15/17) The TO 30 I'm working on has the Carter carb. I just discovered the float has a pin hole size hole in it. Has anyone had luck soldering or otherwise repairing a leak without adding too much weight to the float? My Dad who could solder anything tried it numerous times on carb floats but never could get it to work. Long range plan is to get a Marvel Shebler TSX 458 once I get it all working

Turn your long range plans into short range. Get the Marvel-Schebler now. Toss that old Carter on the recycle pile. Your tractor will thank you.
 
I have a couple of old Cushman scooters. One of them had a leaky carburetor float. I took it to the NAPA store and asked for advice thinking if I tried to solder it I might unsolder the seam. I was advised to try JB Weld, I did and haven't had a problem now for several years.
 
(quoted from post at 15:12:25 10/15/17) I have a couple of old Cushman scooters. One of them had a leaky carburetor float. I took it to the NAPA store and asked for advice thinking if I tried to solder it I might unsolder the seam. I was advised to try JB Weld, I did and haven't had a problem now for several years.
Same advice using JB Weld: get it clean first. A friend and I were once stuck in Craig, CO with a Nissan pickup with a foam float, new float 2 weeks out. It wasn't a Chevy. I put the float in an oven on warm for about an hour, really stunk the house up with gas, then coated it with 5-minute epoxy. Still running fine 2 years later, last I heard.
 
Thanks everyone. I wondered about the JB Weld. I have a basic rebuild kit and want to make sure this thing runs before putting a ton more money in it. If it turns out to run as good as the previous owner said it did before parking it (ha) I'll spring for an MS carb. Havin fun fursur!
 
soldering is an art in its own, just like doing a carb job. i sure laughed this week went to buy a carb kit for the grain truck with 4V holley. asked if they sell carb kits, he said "whats that used for".
 
In order to fix a leaking float is You need to get the gas out of it or it will be to heavy to float properly -- I always make the pin hole a little bigger with a small bit and use short bursts of air to blow in the hole and it will slowly unload itself -- then sand just a bit to clean it up -- put on a bit of soulder paist and use an iron to soulder it -- only as much as to seal the hole so as not to add any more wheight than you need -- good luck My friend-- Roy
 
Apply heat to float with an electric soldering gun. Just hold it on bottom. Heat it and the gas inside will boil (you will hear it) and will come out the hole either as vapor or liquid. Getting the liquid out the hole is faster. When all dry and cool, lightly polish the brass where the hole is, apply a touch of soldering paste and then just a drop of solder to tin it and then just work the hot solder a bit so the hole stays shut.
 
Did a float on a Marvel a while back.
Not saying my method was the right way or the best way but it was easy and is still working fine years later.

Used a big honkin electric soldering iron
Split the float at the seam
Cleaned everything up real good inside and out
Soldered up the leak
Applied a very thin line of flux and soldered it back together

If you are competent at soldering copper water lines you should not have any problem.
 
One step that was not mentioned is to drag the soldering iron away from the new solder to keep the float hot until the solder cools. If you move the iron away too soon, the float cools and sucks the solder into the hole.
 

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