Ever seen this stuck float problem?

[beerman57]

That Gale 25hp I sold a few months ago, guy calls and says it has run great, last time out it just died and gas coming out the airbox when the primer bulb is squeezed. So take off all the stuff to get to the carb and it’s fine, but after tipping it over several times with the bowl off, it would hang open once in a while, the float drop tab was catching on the nylon seat gasket!!

[jeff-register]

Yes,
I don’t like the nylon seat gasket.

[frankr]

Aha!! So maybe you have discovered the reason we hear so many complaints lately about float valves. Good job.

[dan-in-tn]

Are we talking aftermarket needle seats or OEM? All aluminum body carbs carry a plastic needle seat gasket & have for a long time. Unless they have become deformed or the aftermarkets are formed different I haven’t had a problem with OEM kits.

Dan in TN

[beerman57]

First problem like it I’ve seen. Made us wonder, when you’re running along, does the float stay just slightly open – letting in as much fuel as is being used, or drop, fill the bowl, then wait a little before dropping again to let more fuel in? The float had to drop a good way before it would hang up on the seat gasket. Tested it after grinding a hair off that tab, with the carb upside-down, the weight of the float would seal it off well enough to have fuel spray out when disconnecting the fuel hose.

[frankr]

quote beerman57:

First problem like it I’ve seen. Made us wonder, when you’re running along, does the float stay just slightly open – letting in as much fuel as is being used, or drop, fill the bowl, then wait a little before dropping again to let more fuel in? The float had to drop a good way before it would hang up on the seat gasket. Tested it after grinding a hair off that tab, with the carb upside-down, the weight of the float would seal it off well enough to have fuel spray out when disconnecting the fuel hose.

As you are running, the float drops enough to let fuel flow in, then it rises enough to shut it off. This is going on constantly. It doesn’t normally drop very much. At least that is true if the fuel supply is able to keep up with the demand.

Personally, I haven’t seen the problem. But I have seen a number of complaints on these forums about the soft tipped needle valves. There are some people that routinely throw away the new soft needle and use the old metal one. I’ve never been able to understand that because the soft ones have never failed me but work very well. That is why I suspect you might have discovered something.

[beerman57]

Oh, we figured it out – you could move the float by hand and feel a click when the tab caught on the washer. Now, I make sure the needle seat is good and tight, did I expand the gasket by over-tightening? I’ve probably done 100 or more carbs over the years and never had an issue, maybe the float drop tab was too long/short.

[jeff-register]

Frank,
I think around 4 years ago with the old board we were having problems with the nylon needle & seat with some OMC parts. I have never had any problems myself with the new needle & seat but I personally think someone was setting the drop too low to cause this condition.
Jeff

[beerman57]

Well, the hanging up float isn’t the only problem. Is this just a bad needle and seat – motor ran fine for this guy till it just quits with gas pouring out. Now we find the hanging up float, but every time we assemble the carb and test it, gas pours out until we talk rap to it, NO NO, I mean rap on the bowl with a screwdriver handle. The classic fix for a stuck float, but why every time the bowl is drained? What could be making the float stick every time the bowl is drained? Or should I adjust the float drop tab to where the float can’t drop very much? I think that may just do it, don’t think there is anything wrong with the needle and seat.

[david-bartlett]

I have had the float hang up on the bowl gasket before with aftermarket parts.

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