careful with those float pivot pins

Tips and Recommendations from Guru Mike Nixon

Moderator: Whiskerfish

Post Reply
User avatar
mikenixon
Early 'Wing Guru
Early 'Wing Guru
Posts: 997
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 1:51 am
Location: Prescott, AZ
Contact:

careful with those float pivot pins

#1

Post by mikenixon »

It probably seems intuitive to remove float pivot pins using pliers, but don't. It puts scratches and divots in them that often lead to the dreaded busted float pivot post.

Image

I am against using epoxy on carburetors. There may well be some exotic epoxy out there somewhere that works on carburetors, but I have yet to hear about it, and the usual JB Weld is not it. Here is a recent JB Weld find on a job.

Image

My experience is that JB Weld and at least one other kind of epoxy has its resin based leached out by gasoline, turning the epoxy into dust. As for JB Weld specifically, it is easily dissolved with any decent carburetor cleaner. That does not bode well for longtem use.
User avatar
CYBORG
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 24537
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:52 pm
Location: Muskegon mich

Re: careful with those float pivot pins

#2

Post by CYBORG »

I have seen a number of "clever" repairs for broken posts. But the real fix is a float post repair kit that Randakk sells. Works great, and lasts forever. He also sells a neat tool for removing the pin. It also works really well.
User avatar
mikenixon
Early 'Wing Guru
Early 'Wing Guru
Posts: 997
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 1:51 am
Location: Prescott, AZ
Contact:

Re: careful with those float pivot pins

#3

Post by mikenixon »

CYBORG wrote:I have seen a number of "clever" repairs for broken posts. But the real fix is a float post repair kit that Randakk sells. Works great, and lasts forever. He also sells a neat tool for removing the pin. It also works really well.
Yup. I have the tool, compliments of Randall.
User avatar
mikenixon
Early 'Wing Guru
Early 'Wing Guru
Posts: 997
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 1:51 am
Location: Prescott, AZ
Contact:

Re: careful with those float pivot pins

#4

Post by mikenixon »

Here's another pix of that epoxied carb. Personally, my preferred method of repair is welding. I have done several this way (actual weld), which I feel is equal to replacing the carburetor as far as the quality of the repair.


Image
User avatar
mikenixon
Early 'Wing Guru
Early 'Wing Guru
Posts: 997
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 1:51 am
Location: Prescott, AZ
Contact:

Re: careful with those float pivot pins

#5

Post by mikenixon »

Here's a sample of the weld repair. Not the greatest picture, but you get the idea. The fella that does these for me is the star of the industry in this area of expertise.


Image


Here is his handiwork on a different carburetor, better showing his ability. Nice, huh?


Image
User avatar
CYBORG
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 24537
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:52 pm
Location: Muskegon mich

Re: careful with those float pivot pins

#6

Post by CYBORG »

That is indeed some neat welding
User avatar
salukispeed
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 1951
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2010 10:08 am
Location: Oak Forest Illinois US

Re: careful with those float pivot pins

#7

Post by salukispeed »

My skills at Tig welding are weak to fair at best and My hat is off to the guy that can weld like that. He could probably weld Dog snot to Diamonds with one eye closed. Well done!!
User avatar
DocRoot
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1467
Joined: Sat Aug 03, 2013 2:09 pm
Location: Vermont

Re: careful with those float pivot pins

#8

Post by DocRoot »

weld Dog snot to Diamonds with one eye closed
I's like to see that! lolol
User avatar
Whiskerfish
President
President
Posts: 36852
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2006 9:34 pm
My Album: http://www.ngwclub.com/gallery/v/wingmans/whiskerfish/
Location: Norfolk Va

Re: careful with those float pivot pins

#9

Post by Whiskerfish »

That is some fine welding WOW!!
"Agreement is not a requirement for Respect" CDR Michael Smith USN (Ret) 2017
"The book is wrong, this whole Conclusion is Fallacious" River Tam
2008 GL1800 IIIA "TH3DOG"
1975/6/7/8/9 Arthur Fulmer Dressed Road bike
1975 Naked Noisy and Nasty in town bike
and a whole garage full of possibilities!!

Psst. oh and by the way CHANGE YOUR BELTS!!!!
User avatar
mikenixon
Early 'Wing Guru
Early 'Wing Guru
Posts: 997
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 1:51 am
Location: Prescott, AZ
Contact:

Re: careful with those float pivot pins

#10

Post by mikenixon »

Another angle of the same carb in pix 1.


Image


And a could be better shot of the machine he uses. He calls it microwelding. A lifesaver and for my money the best repair short of replacing the casting.


Image
User avatar
fish
SUPER BIKER!!!!
SUPER BIKER!!!!
Posts: 3110
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2009 1:50 pm
Location: tucson

Re: careful with those float pivot pins

#11

Post by fish »

yes beautiful work
done with welding rod measured in thousandths!
User avatar
DocRoot
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1467
Joined: Sat Aug 03, 2013 2:09 pm
Location: Vermont

Re: careful with those float pivot pins

#12

Post by DocRoot »

He calls it microwelding.
Indeed! I could never hold the bead that steady by hand> I have done flame welding on alumunum for non-structural parts before, and that worked OK but nothing like this beautiful repair.
The shots of the JB Weld you show look fairly intact to me, not turned to powder. I am contemplating building up a jet tower and wonder if anything inside a float chamber holds up... Silicone?, urethane? I don't need the carbset, it's just for play and experience. But I'd like to mess around with it and see if anything works
Tower.jpg
Tower.jpg (54.12 KiB) Viewed 364 times
User avatar
mikenixon
Early 'Wing Guru
Early 'Wing Guru
Posts: 997
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 1:51 am
Location: Prescott, AZ
Contact:

Re: careful with those float pivot pins

#13

Post by mikenixon »

DocRoot wrote:
He calls it microwelding.
Indeed! I could never hold the bead that steady by hand> I have done flame welding on alumunum for non-structural parts before, and that worked OK but nothing like this beautiful repair.
The shots of the JB Weld you show look fairly intact to me, not turned to powder. I am contemplating building up a jet tower and wonder if anything inside a float chamber holds up... Silicone?, urethane? I don't need the carbset, it's just for play and experience. But I'd like to mess around with it and see if anything works
Tower.jpg
As I say, I wouldn't. The pix with the JB Weld is of a carb that hadn't seen much use after the repair (my customer didn't even know of it). I have both firsthand experience and that of a rebuider in seeing JB Weld disintegrate. If it dissolves in carb cleaner....? But others say they have run JB Weld for some time. On your example, you have structural damage. I would replace the casting. They're inexpensive enough.
User avatar
DocRoot
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1467
Joined: Sat Aug 03, 2013 2:09 pm
Location: Vermont

Re: careful with those float pivot pins

#14

Post by DocRoot »

This is a 769 carbset that doesn't go on anything I own, but I just thought it would be fun to see if I could make it run something. It was cruddy all the way through and I have used it to committ the Randakk video to memory, to test my HS cleaner, and to pass the time with my bikes in the winter. If I can make it start a bike I will clap my hands, bow to the gods, and save it for parts. I had heard folks claim success with JB Weld (I haven't tried it) and just wanted to explore your experience so I could know where to use it and where not to. It soulds like no-where that touches gas.
User avatar
DocRoot
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1467
Joined: Sat Aug 03, 2013 2:09 pm
Location: Vermont

Re: careful with those float pivot pins

#15

Post by DocRoot »

I had thought of making the jets seal by molding silicone around them (they seat firmly but the corrosion goes below the o-ring so the issue is leaking not holding steady). Do you have similar experience with silicone?
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Mike Nixon's Spot”