Float Seal?

[Tubs]

John,
I commend you for taking the – I’m convinced but I’ll
conduct my own test anyway, approach. Its achieving
a result the really gives you the answer.
Bob,
I selected this float because it appeared to be coated.
I haven had any issues with the old coating flaking off
on any of the motors I run. They are usually on the boat
for at least 3 weeks at a time, if not longer.
joecb, & stanley
I tried a gas tank sealer on a float. It held up for quite
a few years but one day when I took the motor out
to use it the, carb was running over. The sealer was
coming off causing the float to stick in the float bowl.
It appeared that the fuel began working its way under
the sealer at the hole for the float pin.
That how this whole thing started.
The coating on the old float in the bottle doesn’t appear
to be flaking off but considering your experience I’m
going to take it out, sand off the coating, and put it back
in to see what happens. All the fuel I have used came from
pumps that said, could contain as much as 10 % ethanol.
I have add water to the fuel from time to time to see if in
fact it did. Every time I found ethanol present but I can’t
say how much. If I should discover there is an issue
with the coating on the old floats I would replace them
with new ones. I prefer to be able to use what ever fuel
is available.
Tubs.

A "Boat House Repair" is one that done without having tools or the skills to do it properly.

[steveh]

John, it has been about 10 years or so with the first motors I did. There was quite a bit of debate then about how to seal the corks. I did check them after a couple of years and didn’t see anything worth noting, and maybe I should again. But I’ve not had any issues with either method.

Steve.

[aquasonic]

After years of using SIG brand model airplane dope, I have given up on it for a float coating for several of reasons.

It has become difficult to find. It is expensive, and once opened, it hardens up even when sealed and becomes worthless.

Now, it’s just superglue from the local dollar store. Brush on 2-3 coats on a clean sanded, or better yet new float, and give it plenty of time to cure before exposure to gasoline. Lots of coating issues arise from a lack of curing time.

After taking pressure tanks apart that have super glue treated floats that have been immersed in gasoline for a couple of months, I’ve seen no degradation of the coating.

[Author]

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