The Ford Barn

freak · 10-03-2013, 07:15 PM

I've always known no. There should never be any fluid inside the float. But I have no idea with the model A. Could there be old flux inside? Added fluid (like mercury) to obtain a desired weight? I can hear something inside mine and it sounds like fluid but it is hard to tell. It could be a couple of pieces of debris. Should I just get a new float?

160B · 10-03-2013, 07:23 PM

Take the float and put in a plastic bag in the freezer compartment of your refrigerator. Give it 5 to 10 minutes, take a bowl full of water deep enough to cover the float and microwave it to hot but not boiling. Remove the float quickly from the freezer with a set of pliers and submerge it in the hot water and watch for escaping air. This will tell you if you have a pin hole leak in your float.

redmodelt · 10-03-2013, 07:31 PM

Or you can do it without the freezer and use a pot of water on the stove that is just ready to boil. I have done several floats that were at room temp. and had no problem finding the leak.

freak · 10-03-2013, 07:40 PM

I just did the freeze/hot water thing and detect absolutely no bubbles.

tbirdtbird · 10-03-2013, 07:42 PM

what are your symptoms?

freak · 10-03-2013, 07:43 PM

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Stalling at stops and gas leaking (sometimes quite a bit - 1 or 2 cups) from the carb.

tbirdtbird · 10-03-2013, 09:37 PM

prolly a couple small chunks of solder in there. The 'plunge it in boiling water' test (I don't use the fridge or a bag at all) is virtually foolproof. Physics, you know. I'd look elsewhere (needle and seat/ float setting)

freak · 10-03-2013, 09:45 PM

There is definitely fluid in it. You can rock it back and forth then set it on the table and it will still rock. I have a vacuum jar and I'm going to submerge it and draw a vacuum and see what happens. I ordered a new float. I'll probably end up drilling into this one to see what is inside it.

tbirdtbird · 10-03-2013, 09:55 PM

in that case you def. need a new float. It had a pinhole which sealed itself off from inside or out as some old gas turned to varnish

freak · 10-03-2013, 10:02 PM

OK that's plausible. Thanks. What I don't like is that my float looks great with a very clean looking solder job. The ones pictured at snyders have a very poor looking solder job with solder globbed all over it.

Tom Wesenberg · 10-04-2013, 02:58 AM

You can unsolder the float and seperate the halves. Most floats have a small hole to let air out as the halves are soldered together. Once the halves are soldered together and the brass cools to room temp you can quickly solder the small hole shut.
Look at your brass very closely for any signs of age cracks. I was working on a Dodge float for a friend and no amount of soldering would fix his brass float. After I'd solder one age crack a new one would appear.

1931 flamingo · 10-04-2013, 11:39 AM

For the price of a new float why waste time and energy??? JMO
Paul in CT

Ross/Kzoo · 10-04-2013, 12:05 PM

I thought that the float on my 66 had fluid in it but I tried some of the tricks and still nothing. Having nothing to loose I drill the smallest hole that I could figuring that I could solder it back up (which is what the manufacturer did). Nothing happened so I put some air in there, maybe 5 PSI and put my finger over the newly drilled hole. I then emptied about 3 tablespoons of liquid. I did wind up buying new floats.

freak · 10-04-2013, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

For the price of a new float why waste time and energy??? JMO
Paul in CT

I always need to know the reason something fails. Plus the float is on back order at Snyder's.

1931 flamingo · 10-04-2013, 01:59 PM

Bert's, Tam's, Snyder's, A&L, Bert's, Little Dearborn, ???

Paul in CT

supergnat · 10-05-2013, 07:50 AM

I would be nervous about trying to unsolder the float. If the fluid is gas you could loose your nose or something worse when it explodes. Or am I just too cautious?

freak · 10-05-2013, 07:57 AM

No I think it would have exploded. Last night I put it in a vacuum jar under water and drew it down to about 27Hg. Not a single bubble to be found. I finally drilled two holes in it and poured out about a teaspoon of gas. I hit it with a torch to burn out the reset and it flared pretty good for a while. The solder melted and the tab fell off. I'm not going to reuse it but still can't figure out how the gas got inside.

freak · 10-05-2013, 11:05 AM

Ok... I took a wire wheel to the float around the seam. Turned it upside down, fluxed, and resoldered the seam. Then I prepared a bath of water and used two weights to keep the seam under water but not the top. I prepared two tiny brass plugs our of shim stock and soldered them over the holes I drilled. Next I resoldered the tab. After things cooled I removed all the flux and prepared a test jig to see the gas level. Using water, the float shut off the flow at about .9 inches. This is too high (recommended .625) because the float is lighter now. Now I am going to adjust the level be removing some of the needle valve washers and try to get to .625.

freak · 10-05-2013, 11:10 AM

Looking at the tab I think I soldered it a bit too low and this probably accounts for some of the .9 reading. I am going to resolder the tab right now.

10-03-2013, 07:15 PM	#1
freak Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Pemberville, Ohio Posts: 457	should there ever be fluid inside the float? I've always known no. There should never be any fluid inside the float. But I have no idea with the model A. Could there be old flux inside? Added fluid (like mercury) to obtain a desired weight? I can hear something inside mine and it sounds like fluid but it is hard to tell. It could be a couple of pieces of debris. Should I just get a new float?

10-03-2013, 07:23 PM	#2
160B Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Port Orchard, WA Posts: 1,498	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? Take the float and put in a plastic bag in the freezer compartment of your refrigerator. Give it 5 to 10 minutes, take a bowl full of water deep enough to cover the float and microwave it to hot but not boiling. Remove the float quickly from the freezer with a set of pliers and submerge it in the hot water and watch for escaping air. This will tell you if you have a pin hole leak in your float. __________________ 1931 160B & 1931 68B If you don't have time to do it right the 1st time, how do you have time to do it the 2nd time?

10-03-2013, 07:31 PM	#3
redmodelt Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland OR Posts: 6,361	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? Or you can do it without the freezer and use a pot of water on the stove that is just ready to boil. I have done several floats that were at room temp. and had no problem finding the leak.

10-03-2013, 07:40 PM	#4
freak Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Pemberville, Ohio Posts: 457	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? I just did the freeze/hot water thing and detect absolutely no bubbles.

10-03-2013, 07:42 PM	#5
tbirdtbird BANNED Join Date: May 2012 Location: inside your RAM Posts: 3,134	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? what are your symptoms? __________________ '31 180A

10-03-2013, 07:43 PM	#6
freak Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Pemberville, Ohio Posts: 457	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Stalling at stops and gas leaking (sometimes quite a bit - 1 or 2 cups) from the carb.

10-03-2013, 09:37 PM	#7
tbirdtbird BANNED Join Date: May 2012 Location: inside your RAM Posts: 3,134	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? prolly a couple small chunks of solder in there. The 'plunge it in boiling water' test (I don't use the fridge or a bag at all) is virtually foolproof. Physics, you know. I'd look elsewhere (needle and seat/ float setting) __________________ '31 180A

10-03-2013, 09:45 PM	#8
freak Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Pemberville, Ohio Posts: 457	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? There is definitely fluid in it. You can rock it back and forth then set it on the table and it will still rock. I have a vacuum jar and I'm going to submerge it and draw a vacuum and see what happens. I ordered a new float. I'll probably end up drilling into this one to see what is inside it.

10-03-2013, 09:55 PM	#9
tbirdtbird BANNED Join Date: May 2012 Location: inside your RAM Posts: 3,134	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? in that case you def. need a new float. It had a pinhole which sealed itself off from inside or out as some old gas turned to varnish __________________ '31 180A

10-03-2013, 10:02 PM	#10
freak Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Pemberville, Ohio Posts: 457	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? OK that's plausible. Thanks. What I don't like is that my float looks great with a very clean looking solder job. The ones pictured at snyders have a very poor looking solder job with solder globbed all over it.

10-04-2013, 02:58 AM	#11
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? You can unsolder the float and seperate the halves. Most floats have a small hole to let air out as the halves are soldered together. Once the halves are soldered together and the brass cools to room temp you can quickly solder the small hole shut. Look at your brass very closely for any signs of age cracks. I was working on a Dodge float for a friend and no amount of soldering would fix his brass float. After I'd solder one age crack a new one would appear.

10-04-2013, 11:39 AM	#12
1931 flamingo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: new britain,ct 06052 Posts: 9,397	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? For the price of a new float why waste time and energy??? JMO Paul in CT

10-04-2013, 12:05 PM	#13
Ross/Kzoo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Richland Mi. Posts: 1,172	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? I thought that the float on my 66 had fluid in it but I tried some of the tricks and still nothing. Having nothing to loose I drill the smallest hole that I could figuring that I could solder it back up (which is what the manufacturer did). Nothing happened so I put some air in there, maybe 5 PSI and put my finger over the newly drilled hole. I then emptied about 3 tablespoons of liquid. I did wind up buying new floats.

10-04-2013, 01:59 PM	#15
1931 flamingo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: new britain,ct 06052 Posts: 9,397	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? Bert's, Tam's, Snyder's, A&L, Bert's, Little Dearborn, ??? Paul in CT

10-05-2013, 07:50 AM	#16
supergnat Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Palmyra, NJ Posts: 475	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? I would be nervous about trying to unsolder the float. If the fluid is gas you could loose your nose or something worse when it explodes. Or am I just too cautious?

10-05-2013, 07:57 AM	#17
freak Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Pemberville, Ohio Posts: 457	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? No I think it would have exploded. Last night I put it in a vacuum jar under water and drew it down to about 27Hg. Not a single bubble to be found. I finally drilled two holes in it and poured out about a teaspoon of gas. I hit it with a torch to burn out the reset and it flared pretty good for a while. The solder melted and the tab fell off. I'm not going to reuse it but still can't figure out how the gas got inside.

10-05-2013, 11:05 AM	#18
freak Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Pemberville, Ohio Posts: 457	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? Ok... I took a wire wheel to the float around the seam. Turned it upside down, fluxed, and resoldered the seam. Then I prepared a bath of water and used two weights to keep the seam under water but not the top. I prepared two tiny brass plugs our of shim stock and soldered them over the holes I drilled. Next I resoldered the tab. After things cooled I removed all the flux and prepared a test jig to see the gas level. Using water, the float shut off the flow at about .9 inches. This is too high (recommended .625) because the float is lighter now. Now I am going to adjust the level be removing some of the needle valve washers and try to get to .625.

10-05-2013, 11:10 AM	#19
freak Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Pemberville, Ohio Posts: 457	Re: should there ever be fluid inside the float? Looking at the tab I think I soldered it a bit too low and this probably accounts for some of the .9 reading. I am going to resolder the tab right now.