Hole in brass float - advice on soldering?

Hi All,

This isn't on a Kaw, but I know someone here must have some insight on this. I have a small hole in a brass carb float. I know these can be soldered. Anyone have any adivce on what materials and methods to use before I screw it up worse than what it is?

Thanks,
Andy

Heat the float up to boil off any fuel that may be inside the leaker. Clean the float around the hole, apply a little dab of flux and solder it up. Any type of solder / flux should work fine.

apbling wrote: Hi All,

This isn't on a Kaw, but I know someone here must have some insight on this. I have a small hole in a brass carb float. I know these can be soldered. Anyone have any adivce on what materials and methods to use before I screw it up worse than what it is?

Thanks,
Andy

I would guess that rosin/acid core solder would be easiest to use ,make sure to get it really clean first and get the gas out of the inside of it. :sick:
If its on a flat area it might help to push the hole in just a little so the solder has someplace to build up into to.

apbling wrote: ... small hole in a brass carb float. I know these can be soldered. Anyone have any adivce on what materials and methods to use before I screw it up worse than what it is? Thanks, Andy

Soldering is the preferred method of repair.

If the hole is too large for soldering, could use JBWeld.
When properly prepared and applied, JBWeld will withstand immersion in gasoline.

Good Fortune!

Dont put to much heat on it or wrap the float where it attaches to the rest of it. Mine got alittle to hot and I had to solder it back together. :blink:

After soldering be sure to do the clear tube test to reset the fuel level because the float will be a little bit heavier. Ed

sand them then put jb weld on the cracks.

I'm curious myself if "fire and ice" would work better with the solder.

igently tap the bowl to get as much old gas out of as possible
clean entire bowl with scotchbrite or fine sand paper
examine to find bad spot and assess
if its really rotted through
clean off as much as possible then poke it with a sharp pick
warm entire bowl gently tap out the rest of the old gas
let it dry and cool
clean the small circlular area to be soldered until its bright and shinny
get your solder and test melt it to see how fast it melts
put some flux on the nice bright spot you wanna fix
warm up the bowl til the flux makes it look even cleaner
dont heat it up enough to melt the factory joints
try to use a small centralized flame and be quick
gently warm your solder til its close to melted
rewarm the bowl and the solder at the same time when the spot looks good melt a small drop of solder over the hole
STOP!!!
let cool and clean with scotch brite
you are done
if its not that bad just dont poke a hole in it

JB WELD LEADS TO CLOGGED JETS
ALWAYS HAS ALWAYS WILL

it seems like the flux will help spread the solder. if you leave the soldering iron on there to cure it for about 10 minutes and keep adding flux after the solder is on there it will cure really nice and look like new. the important part is heat the metal the solder is going onto. make sure the vent is not clogged.
I can leave my petcock on prime all night and not leak any gas.