Alternative fluid for carb level setting on bench?

This may be a completely newbie (read stupid) question but while I'm all for using regular gas to set the fuel level on my carbs on bench, my family is not too happy about the smell of gasoline permeating through the entire house though I do this all in the garage (especially after the now infamous broken petcock incident) . I live in a suburban neighborhood with not too much space between homes so doing it outside is also not feasible. Can I use any other fluid for this task that is not as stinky and is safe for the carbs? I'm just asking....

The "specific gravity" of gasoline is different from almost all other fluids. An object may float in one fluid and not in another, or may resist sinking far greater than another. Your levels wont be correct unless you can find a liquid that wont attack orings and plastic ect... and has the same specific gravity Specific gravity is based off distilled water at 64 degrees Fahrenheit and is 1.0
Gasoline's specific gravity ranges from 0.71–0.77 kg/l (719.7 kg/m ; 0.026 lb/in; 6.073 lb/US gal; 7.29 lb/imp gal)

So in short, do it at your friends house and leave right after so you dont hear his family bitching :woohoo: :lol:

Luckily, Im single and my neighbors are scared of me. :evil:

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Also see:

kzrider.com/forum/3-carburetor/535198-se...at-levels-wet#535239

Rubbing alcohol works for me, but odorless mineral spirits may be slightly more equivalent to gasoline.

The heavier fluid should have slightly more buoyancy to raise the float higher which closes the float valve at a lower level.
But am wondering as a practical matter whether the difference is visually discernible.

I might be wrong, but given the tolerances involved with the clear-tube test measuring, have just not worried about the presumably very slight differences in the test results.

Could set one carb with gasoline to a perfect 3 mm below gasket, then repeat on the same carb using the alternative liquid in order to know what level to use thereafter when setting with the alternative liquid.

Specific gravity

Gasoline 0.739

Odorles mineral spirits 0.760

Rubbing alcohol 0.786 ~ 0.788

Good Fortune!

I'd feel comfortable using either of the options Patton suggested. I wouldn't use something like water which has a much higher density. But both of Patton's options are within 10% of the original, so if you're sitting at the middle of the tolerance range they give for fuel level, once you account for the difference with fuel, you'll still be good.

And I'm guessing all of these on the list are going to be safe on the o-rings and other rubber in the carbs?

If using alcohol, I would recommend cleaning them afterwards if it's going to sit. If you're running gas through them afterwards i.e installing and riding, I wouldn't worry too much. alcohol won't immediately destroy them, but if left there for a while, can break them down, same idea as the whole ethanol in fuel thing (since, you know, ethanol is alcohol). I would think mineral oil is fine, but can't really promise.

CAUTION, I have always used oderless mineral spirits and it works well. However do not let it sit in the carbs for days. I did not flush my 29's while waiting for parts and the tees and pieces between carbs leaked like a sieve when I put gas in. They did swell up though after gas hit them and seem okay but next time I will flush with gas afterwords.
Wayne

I wouldn't leave an alternative fluid in the carbs very long. It shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to set the floats (if that long) & they won't have fluid in them while you adjust the tangs, so the o-ring's exposure shouldn't amount to much.

Point taken! I will make sure I flush the carbs with gas once I finish setting the floats.

Bunty27 wrote: Point taken! I will make sure I flush the carbs with gas once I finish setting the floats.

I think thats the key, flushing them. I drained bowls but did not flush the system. Like I said, I never had any troubles prior.
Wayne