Float

[swanktank]

For the first time in 48 years I have today had a breakdown because of a leaky carb float (in my Goggo). Thanks to the excellent AA  man for driving me 2 or 3 miles home to fetch a replacement!!! Was it, I wonder, holed by the nasty stuff in modern petrol?

While I am here does anyone know why some Bing floats have a flange on the bottom and some don't?

PS. The AA's report gave the make of vehicle as a "Google, model unknown". Ha ha.

[Big Al]

I believe the flange is there to act as a damper so the float does not get jiggled by bumps. The fluid in the float bowl acts as a damper on the flange. No flange, easier to jiggle.
The brass sometimes spontaneously fails in a crack. I put this down to the soldering being done in a hot environment, meaning the sealed float is at less than atmospheric pressure inside. In effect over time the effect is to fatigue the brass into failure.

[Basket case]

Wonder if the modern flangeless floats cause the Schmitts to misfire on hard cornering - think I'll try my old flanged one again to see if it makes a difference. misfire is worse with the excellent Heidenau tyres.

The damping flange makes sense.

[swanktank]

Please let us know your findings. I have had this hiccoughing on hard cornering for years in my KR200s. Of course there is no such problem in a Goggo!

[steven mandell]

Keen observation and speculation as to modus operandi and forensics of failure Al.
I have been warned not to blow high pressure air into the overflow tubes in Weber 3 barrel carburetors as it could cause a collapse of their hollow brass floats.

Perhaps their vulnerability to such stress is accentuated by a similar preloaded internal negative pressurization due to this construction process involving the heat of soldering during assembly.

Would like to see a picture of one of these flanged floats for reference.

[swanktank]

I seem to be unable to attach a photo.

[steven mandell]

Probably need to use a readily available online tool like "Shrink my photos" before attempting attachment to this posting site.

[Barry]

I have had trouble posting photos in the normal way too. 

I use ACDSee (Free) to reduce photos and some other enhancements.  I don't think it will be the solution for posting photos - there may be something wrong with the site (full-up).

[Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)]

test

[Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)]

Seems to be working OK.

Clink on the link for attachments and other options under the text box that appears when you click reply, then browse to the image you want to upload. You have to add some text in the text box as well.

Allowed file types: txt, doc, pdf, jpg, gif, png, jpeg
Restrictions: 4 per post, maximum total size 8000KB, maximum individual size 4000KB

[marcus]

Great photo, that red Trojan looks particularly good.
No bias just because it happens to be my old one, DUF !