Carburetor on a 149...

[Banman]

The 149's been running so good I haven't been here in a while...

Went to mow the lawn today (4th time this spring...) and didn't get very far when the engine died and I saw fuel pouring out the air-cleaner housing.

I assumed a stuck or dirty float so I removed the carb.

There are no identifying markings on the carb at all -- I vaguely recall the PO saying the carb was a replacement... It appears surprisingly clean, the throttle jet did require a metric socket so I'm guessing it's an off-shore copy...

My question is regarding the brass float. When I shake it, I can hear a little bit of fluid inside it -- just a little. I don't get any air bubbles when I hold it under water and the soldered seams look good.

So my question is -- should there be any liquid "ballast" inside the float or should it be (like every other car float I know) completely dry inside?

Are replacement floats available?

Remembering all our Vets this weekend...

[Billy-O]

Float needs to be dry. If the carb is a junk-ese offshore, it is cheap enough to replace whole carb than it is to find a new float.

[ol'George]

Warm the float up with a hair dryer while rotating it and you will see where it is leaking.
(A pair of jewelers glasses are helpful, or a magnifying glass)
Then take a pin and enlarge the hole so you can drain it while applying heat from the hair dryer.
Ya don't wanna use an open flame as it is after all, flammable fuel inside.
now when it cools solder up the pin hole with a soldering gun or iron and all is well.
BTDT multiple times over my many years.
Never had one I couldn't fix

[Banman]

Originally Posted by ol'George

Warm the float up with a hair dryer while rotating it and you will see where it is leaking.
(A pair of jewelers glasses are helpful, or a magnifying glass)
Then take a pin and enlarge the hole so you can drain it while applying heat from the hair dryer.
Ya don't wanna use an open flame as it is after all, flammable fuel inside.
now when it cools solder up the pin hole with a soldering gun or iron and all is well.
BTDT multiple times over my many years.
Never had one I couldn't fix

Awesome! I was gonna drill a hole to drain it and try to resolder the whole thing -- your refinement of that -- especially heating it to find the leak is great.

Hopefully I don't blow myself up!

[Banman]

Originally Posted by ol'George

Warm the float up with a hair dryer while rotating it and you will see where it is leaking.
(A pair of jewelers glasses are helpful, or a magnifying glass)
Then take a pin and enlarge the hole so you can drain it while applying heat from the hair dryer.
Ya don't wanna use an open flame as it is after all, flammable fuel inside.
now when it cools solder up the pin hole with a soldering gun or iron and all is well.
BTDT multiple times over my many years.
Never had one I couldn't fix

First off ol'George
Got the carb back together and running good as before -- finished a few cuts and got her back in the shed -- forcast calls for rain and I really don't like leaving her out in the rain...

Lessons learned:
Heating the carb up did indeed reveal the location of the leak with a sudden spew... The leak was on the assembly seam...
My Horror Fright heat gun even set to low is hot enough to melt the solder! Would not have guessed that. Since it's blowing the flammable vapor away from it's hot nozzle the fire hazard is maybe less...? It's still real -- plan accordingly...

My first attempt I suspect I got the float too hot or there was still some gas inside but it blew out the solder before cooling...

Now I felt like I'd be chasing the leak like patching a radiator...
Dried it out again for longer with lower heat -- couldn't detect a leak but...

I used a butane pin torch and plumbers 50/50 solder. I think I sealed it up well.

the test would be to sink it in a jar of gas for a few days and see if it came out dry but like I said, I wanted to move the tractor out of the weather...

I'll pull it off again in a few weeks and give it a shake to see if it's still dry inside...

[ol'George]

I mentioned a hair dryer not a china fright jet engine.
I also mentioned a soldering gun or iron, not a torch with an open flame,
----- way to much heat on a small thin float.
I like 37/63 rosin flux core electrical solder.
Also an once of Muriatic acid diluted with chips of a zinc jar lid
works wonders on cleaning radiators for repairs (or corroded floats)
Guess I should of mentioned CAREFULLY apply warm air

When testing the float: if it is warmed in warm water, then submerged in cold water, it will suck in water if it has a leak.
And you will hear it sloshing inside when shaken, so back to heating and looking for the leak
Use a small soldering iron or gun next time.
( like the ones for circuit boards)----( or wood burning sets)
I'm not sure you fixed the minuscule leak, you possibly just blew out the
sweated seam.
Time will tell.

[finsruskw]

Get a new float.
They're not that expensive, about $10 or so.

[Banman]

Originally Posted by ol'George

I mentioned a hair dryer not a china fright jet engine.
I also mentioned a soldering gun or iron, not a torch with an open flame,
----- way to much heat on a small thin float.
I like 37/63 rosin flux core electrical solder.
Also an once of Muriatic acid diluted with chips of a zinc jar lid
works wonders on cleaning radiators for repairs (or corroded floats)
Guess I should of mentioned CAREFULLY apply warm air

When testing the float: if it is warmed in warm water, then submerged in cold water, it will suck in water if it has a leak.
And you will hear it sloshing inside when shaken, so back to heating and looking for the leak
Use a small soldering iron or gun next time.
( like the ones for circuit boards)----( or wood burning sets)
I'm not sure you fixed the minuscule leak, you possibly just blew out the
sweated seam.
Time will tell.

but the missus' doesn't like my borrowing her things to the garage...

The "jet engine" was easy enuf to regulate with distance...

Was thinking my soldering pencil was too small/slow...
I am confident I found the initial leak though...

Next time...

[ol'George]

Originally Posted by Banman

but the missus' doesn't like my borrowing her things to the garage...

The "jet engine" was easy enuf to regulate with distance...

Was thinking my soldering pencil was too small/slow...
I am confident I found the initial leak though...

Next time...

Real men have their own hair dryers
As far as distance,
I wish the drivers that have started driving back on the roads would practice
"social distancing" of at least 10' between them and other vehicles.
It was refreshing to "turn back time" 60+ years while driving during the shelter at home requirements.
At times I saw no one in my rear mirrors or the distance ahead.
How wonderful I could experience that, but sad the conditions that are causing it.
Oh, on purchasing a new float, no satisfaction/fun in that, and sometimes vintage things are not available