Mishap with a hammer!

T

t0mmy

XS400 Member
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Wolfeboro, NH
Here's a question...

A 'friend' who claimed he was a dab hand with motorcycles was 'doing me a great favor' with tapping out a float pivot pin that had mushroomed out at one end. The bastard wasn't going anywhere. My genius idea was to file the end down so it could easily slip through but, unfortunately, my friends bull in a china shop touch with a hammer has cracked the tower just below the pin. When I say cracked - the end is literally hanging off.

Has anyone ever heard of this happening with a successful repair or should I just start looking for a new carb? I was thinking about a resin as it's only a pivot point?
 
Some on this site claim success with this exact issue with a metal epoxy like JB Weld. I would suggest having it welded back on by a professional....of course depending on the cost, finding a bare carb body may be cheaper.
 
I have also heard that JB weld works, I'm not sure about the fuel resistant qualities of it though. That little pillar the floats sit on doesn't take much stress at all (Hence the reason it broke so easy) so a good solid repair with epoxy should be able to hold up well. BUT the bracket for the floats press against that piece to set the float level so if in the repair you change the height of the tower you may have to adjust the floats accordingly.

I've found in general, hammers and carbs don't go well together :)
 
I saw a good article on the web somewhere that showed how to repair a float mount. It used a pin to reenforce the leg. Maybe i you googled you might find it.
 
If you find yourself in this predicament again,try penetrating oil or soak it in diesel for a while,then try grabbing it with pliers or vice grips and rotate it until it breaks loose without using much force. Don't use a hammer on something that delicate. lha
 
lhaolpa said:
If you find yourself in this predicament again,try penetrating oil or soak it in diesel for a while,then try grabbing it with pliers or vice grips and rotate it until it breaks loose without using much force. Don't use a hammer on something that delicate. lha
Click to expand...

Shoulda watched BC's youtube vid. (i think it was Bc).
I was going to ask, in that video float height measured from inner lip? Or outer edge of? Prob close enough either way.
 
RevrdMark said:
I have also heard that JB weld works, I'm not sure about the fuel resistant qualities of it though.
Click to expand...

It's completely fuel resistant. Just make sure before you put it back together you sand off any pieces on the sides because they can break off and clog the carbs. I repaired a gas tank this way.
 
Here's my experiences w/JB weld on carbs:

1) It really is fuel resistant, and will have no problems living in a bowl
2) It is almost impossible to get good adhesion on pot metal
3) Vibration is an enemy

So...it maybe worth a shot, but see if you can reinforce it somehow (maybe small pieces of screen door mesh ?).
 
Back
Top