You cannot go by looks on those cork floats. The factory sealed them with shellac, and of coarse adding alcohol makes laquer which goes everywhere. Since todays fuels are 10 to 15% alcohol’, it is easy for a cork float to absorb enough fuel to reduce it’s buoyonts.y. If is is in super shape, bake it to get rid of the absorbed fuel and then seal it with FUEL P?OOF airplane dope, or thin Super Glue.