VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Float fixed but.....

I thank you all for the tips on checking for lewaks on the float. It worked well and I got "both" leaked fixed.
I do think I might have created a new problem. Doing the repair I first used a torch and before I was done I had to resolder the whole floet seam.
I found out later a 600watt soldering iron works GREAT!!
The problem I think I have now is that my float weights more and the effects is that it idles well and runs well untill I get it out and run it for a while. Then my idle gets ruff?? My thinking is the level in the bowl might be to high since the float weight has increased.
Unless anyone has a better idea, I will be taking the carb apart and incresing the float adjustment over the normal .75". This will increase the tension on the neddle valve I hope.
Yes it is a viton needle, but new last year. I will see if this next action helps.

Shocks

On occasion, I have seen those stupid Viton tipped needles fail almost instantly. If you can, you might want to replace it with a metal needle.

Readjusting the float level might help but I have found that the float level has little affect on the performance as long as it is close to the specified setting. If you are a VCCA member look in the July issue for the article on pages 24-25. It explains the carb needle sticking issue fairly completely.

I should have cautioned on soldering holes in floats with only an small iron. Torch is a NO NO! as you found out. I have weighed floats before and after soldering and found essentially no significant (or sometimes measureable) weight increase as long as only the minimum amount of solder is used.

When the idle gets rough do you get black smoke from the tail pipe? When idling? Only a puff when accelerating? Some black smoke when running at higher speeds? No black smoke? Does gas come out of the air bleed hole? Around the float bowl seal? Drip from the carb? With the answers to those questions you can determine of the problem is overfueling or under.

I had a '31 Chevy that had an air leak in the manifold that did not show up until the engine was hot. When cold it had a smooth idle when hot it would not idle at all. It was tough to find as it was on the bottom of the intake.

If you used over a couple inches of small acid core solder you may have too much float weight, I have fixed a Rochester float that collapsed from too little air inside by drilling a TINY hole and popping it back into shape by useing an air nozzle carefully, then using my Weller soldering gun to seal up the hole. I also dried out a float that leaked and was filled with gasoline by setting it about a couple of inches from a trouble light (100 Watt) overnight

A much better way to remove the gasoline from inside a float is to rest the hole on a paper towel. The fibers in the towel will wick out the gas and disperse it into the air without the possiblility of ignition. You can also use the heat of your hand (except on really hot days) to heat the air inside the float to force out the gas. Or put the float in the fridge or on a piece of ice to cool it and then let warm up or put it in your hands with the hole down. Gas will drip out.

The air pressure to push out dents works sometimes as long as the dent is not too deep or sharp edged. Worth a try as the float is useless if dented. So nothing to lose.

Wow, I thank you all for the suggestions. Tonight i thought I would first get the engine up to operating temperature and the check the idle. If it is ruff I plan to turn off the isolation valve on the gas line. If it clears up in a minute or so I will take the carb apart again.

If it continne I guess I need to check for a vacuum leak. If this the is problem I would asume you put a vacuum gauge on the wiper takeoff line and monitor the vacuum at a predetermined idle speed. If the vacuum drops and the idle gord to crap at that point I need to find the leak?? I don't even want to think how I will do that trick yet!!!!
Finally, I plan to order another rebuild kit so I can get a new needle. Here is the second Dump [bleeped] attack I have done lately. I through away my original all brass neddle.
Never said I was the sharpest tool in the box..

Shocks

Yes, it is too bad that you threw your brass needle away because brass or metal needles are now hard to come by, and all of the needles in new repair kits are Viton tipped. :( :( :(

Well I did my test. I started the old chevy up and waited a few minutes until it started spitting a little. I reached in and shut off the gas and in about 30 seconds it started idleing good again. I repeated this process four times with the same result!!
Now. its either the neddle valve and/or the well loaded down float which could be used as a boat anchor I think.

I got a message back from the fillingststion and they gave me a gentlemen's name to get a float and other chevy parts. I called and he has the float, all brass needle valve and since I was there shopping I brought a ampere meter off him as well.
He claime to have al kinds of chevy parts but I probbaly not telling you guys anything new. seems I'm the only pilgram here. Anyway, for a piece of mind I will get a new float.

...........Don Rossi 303 690-5180
Thanks all Shocks

Yep, Don Rossi has been around for years and he has warehouses full of new old stock stuff! :cool2:

Yes, a float needs to be able to float!
You can use WD 40 or a mixture of diesel & Marvel Mystery oil or even some ATF in a spray bottle to find a vacuum leak with the engine running at an idle, spray some WD 40 or your mixture around where the intake bolts to the head,and around the bottom where the carb bolts on and if the engine picks up the point where you sprayed the WD 40 or mixture was sucked into the intake. Check where you connected the vacuum advance line to the distributor, if you have vacuum advance, that is where a vacuum leak will make the engine run ruff. on your car there shouldn't be too many places for a vacuum leak.