Brand new Needles/Floats and the new Plastic Float is getting stuck open!

[Fastrack]

Hey.

I took my carbs off they have never been removed, as fuel was coming out the overflow when primed. The inside of both carbs were clean as a whistle, no varnish at all (I've always use fuel stabilizer in the fall) and also buy gas with no ethanol.

These are Tillotson carbs:
6517A14, BA4A, 138
6517A13, BA4AT, 137

The float directions say:
.280-.320 for WMA/WMB Carbs
.320-.360 for BA/BB Carbs

I decided to use .320" as this would be on the rich side of things... It appears mine are "BA" carbs.

I purchased a gasket set, needles and floats (everything but the fuel pump diaphragm) - which looks new and I know I'll probably wish I rebuilt the fuel pump too... :faint2::faint2:

I've installed new needles (seats are fixed) and floats (the old ones looked really pitted and I'm not sure they were floating very well... )

I took everyone's suggestions and hooked up a spare primer to see if they would seal on the bench. Well they did! I then tipped them upside to empty the gas and primed them again.. just to be sure Well gas came pouring out of the overflow again!

After removing the bowl I noticed the the float was stuck! It appears to be getting stuck on the side of where the main jet screws in. There is no adjustment for the amount of "hang down" as per the original floats which had a tab you could bend.

I'm thinking of lightly sanding the top part of the float in the hinge area as seen in the second picture to allow it to move more.. I really do not want to sand the float itself around the jet area or the casting of the carb itself.





Any other ideas?

Ben

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Brand new Needles/Floats and the new Plastic Float is getting stuck open!

With no notch for the jet clearance I suspect these to be aftermarket and/or the wrong floats for your carbs.

Did the old floats have a clearance notch?

Are these Merc?

What is your motor model and serial?

I like to look up the factory part # then Decide where to buy the part.

The #1 web site for genuine Mercury Mercruiser engines, parts and propellers

 

[Fastrack]

Re: Brand new Needles/Floats and the new Plastic Float is getting stuck open!

I used this site:
Parts Catalog | Mercury Marine

With my serial # 7198630. The floats/needles/gaskets were all ordered from a Mercury Dealer.

Part # on both packages is 1395-9293

But I do agree I noticed this as well when putting it together... However I figured it being plastic, different design maybe but when it stuck..... But what do I order. LOL.

Too bad I already opened both packages. $50 with tax down the drain I guess.


Ben

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Brand new Needles/Floats and the new Plastic Float is getting stuck open!

I can't look with serial alone, need model.

If this is the only float shown then the dealer is going to have to get with the factory parts rep and find the correct float as the hollow plastic cannot be modified.

But I have seen wrong floats a number of times, it can be stressing trying to locate the correct part #, but it is there somewhere. If the dealer loooks and comes up with the same number, you should still be able to return these. I hope.

 

[Fastrack]

Re: Brand new Needles/Floats and the new Plastic Float is getting stuck open!

I had the serial # wrong, but alias still turns up the same part #. I pulled out the owners card and it says:

Model: 1500T
Serial#: 7198630

Ben

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Brand new Needles/Floats and the new Plastic Float is getting stuck open!

This may be a tough one as all the 45/50 4cyl using both the Tillotson or the Walbro both having the fuel pump attached, all use that same part number, but none of them show that clearanced area that is obviously there on the original floats and obviously necessary to keep the float from sticking down hanging up on the jet.

I've seen this once before where performance was affected as the float obstructed fuel flow to the jet without the correct cutout clearance. The problem turned out to be the contracted part supplier to Merc erred. This may be again.

Take both floats back to the dealer and have them contact Merc parts and explain the problem with the new floats.

 

[Fastrack]

Re: Brand new Needles/Floats and the new Plastic Float is getting stuck open!

Ok will do, the floats I purchased in a mercury parts bag do look EXACTLY like the Sierra float pictures I've seen.

Ben

 

[gm280]

Re: Brand new Needles/Floats and the new Plastic Float is getting stuck open!

Not trying to be funny, but if for some reason you are unable to get new proper floats any time soon, you could try using a hair drier or even a heat gun (gently of course) to heat up the area in the plastic float and carefully push in to make the clearance needed with a flat bladed screwdriver to make them work. Once they cool off again they are changed for good... Where there is a will, there's a way!

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Brand new Needles/Floats and the new Plastic Float is getting stuck open!

That may be a good option if the dealer cannot locate the correct floats.

 

[Fastrack]

Re: Brand new Needles/Floats and the new Plastic Float is getting stuck open!

Not trying to be funny, but if for some reason you are unable to get new proper floats any time soon, you could try using a hair drier or even a heat gun (gently of course) to heat up the area in the plastic float and carefully push in to make the clearance needed with a flat bladed screwdriver to make them work. Once they cool off again they are changed for good... Where there is a will, there's a way!

That may be a good option if the dealer cannot locate the correct floats.

Quite a good idea. I'm gonna hopefully go in tomorrow. They have mechanics on site all day too. So hopefully they have a solution.

Ben

 

[Fastrack]

Re: Brand new Needles/Floats and the new Plastic Float is getting stuck open!

So I went in yesterday with both new floats & the old one and the bottom carb. Both the parts guy and one of the mechanics were blown away. They said they've never seen this.

So I asked them what they would do if it was a customers motor. Since it's barely getting stuck, they suggested gently filing the casting of the carb where it's getting stuck.

They said they could order more floats in, but since I had 2 sitting there that were the EXACT same what would be the point.

The filing was one of my thoughts as well. As for the clearance I'm not sure about that. I'm kinda at a loss here.

Ben

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Brand new Needles/Floats and the new Plastic Float is getting stuck open!

You could file on the jet however then when the float is down at the lowest position it could obstruct fuel flow into the jet.

This is the problem found by another member when his new floats did not have the correct divot for jet clearance. His motor would start to lean out, threatening to melt pistons. He posted pictures and I saw the problem. He took them back and the dealer found the correct floats, cured the WOT problem.

I like the hairdrier suggestion far better than filing anything.