carburetor repair question

[mrizzodpm]

I'm negotiating to purchase a 49 pickup that the owner says was running rough recently so he disassembled the carb and said that the float was full of gas. He drilled a hole in the float to drain the gas and said it ran well after that. He wants to replace the float but says he's having trouble finding the part. Can you comment on the proper repair that should be done in this case? What's the best place to get the parts?

thank you.

[rustyzman]

If the float is brass and was full of gas, you really could just find the hole (the original one as well as the one he drilled) and solder it shut to make it airtight again. Brass is very receptive to solder and would have been soldered originally. Try not to overdo the solder though as you don't want to upset the float weight too much. If it is plastic, then perhaps some gas tank epoxy could help? Just some thoughts.

[Don Coatney]

What's the best place to get the parts?

thank you.

If this carburetor is a Carter B&B contact George Asche as he has a lot of floats available.

George Asche

1693 Fertigs Road

Venus, PA 16364

814-354-2621

[Don Coatney]

Try not to overdo the solder though as you don't want to upset the float weight too much.

Float weight has nothing to do with it. It is a volumetric displacement issue.

[rustyzman]

True that the force of buoyancy is a function of the volume of the float, but the more weight on the float, the lower it will rest naturally. Just as a loaded ship sits lower in the water than the same ship unloaded. That was my only point.