The Ford Barn

wingski · 09-29-2017, 10:26 AM

I’ve noticed a lot of threads about leaking carburetors, and I discovered something due to you guys and U-tube. Those float valves and seats in the old carbs were not as precisely machined as newer carbs. The all metal valves weren’t bad but really need to be polished once in awhile, and the brass seats get cruddy and need to be polished as well in order to really stop fuel when the float is up. It makes sense that those two have to fit really well to cut off the inflowing gas. I used a cordless drill with a Q-tip with windshield polishing compound on it to polish the seat when it was out of the carb, but I think just regular toothpaste would work as well. Wow, what a difference. Then, I used really fine steel wool to polish the tip of the valve. Again, what a difference. When I put everything back together, no matter how hard I blew on the fuel inlet when the carb was upside-down, no air was able to get by that float valve and seat and into the float chamber.

This is an easy fix, and in the future I’m going to include it with oil changes and lubes. Maybe more often than that. Thanks for letting me share another thing I’ve learned about my A.

My reading and other chores are suffering because of the time I’m spending on my ’29 cabriolet, but I’m sure not bored. I’ll probably get the thing running about the same time as the rain starts, and my car is definetly not designed for wet weather.

Have a good one guys. Isn’t it wonderful to be learning soo much so late in life.

09-29-2017, 10:26 AM	#1
wingski Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Cave Junction, Oregon Posts: 432	fixing leaky carbs I’ve noticed a lot of threads about leaking carburetors, and I discovered something due to you guys and U-tube. Those float valves and seats in the old carbs were not as precisely machined as newer carbs. The all metal valves weren’t bad but really need to be polished once in awhile, and the brass seats get cruddy and need to be polished as well in order to really stop fuel when the float is up. It makes sense that those two have to fit really well to cut off the inflowing gas. I used a cordless drill with a Q-tip with windshield polishing compound on it to polish the seat when it was out of the carb, but I think just regular toothpaste would work as well. Wow, what a difference. Then, I used really fine steel wool to polish the tip of the valve. Again, what a difference. When I put everything back together, no matter how hard I blew on the fuel inlet when the carb was upside-down, no air was able to get by that float valve and seat and into the float chamber. This is an easy fix, and in the future I’m going to include it with oil changes and lubes. Maybe more often than that. Thanks for letting me share another thing I’ve learned about my A. My reading and other chores are suffering because of the time I’m spending on my ’29 cabriolet, but I’m sure not bored. I’ll probably get the thing running about the same time as the rain starts, and my car is definetly not designed for wet weather. Have a good one guys. Isn’t it wonderful to be learning soo much so late in life.