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Replacement carb float

Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2025 3:11 pm
by Rich P. Bingham
My Lizzie pulled up with a belly-ache the other day, woes with the Holley G I’m running. It’s a brass-body G I rebuilt about 7 years ago, using the available composite foam float available from Lang’s. As usual, it’s never just one thing wrong, found a little crud in the inlet port, and the float valve prospered by “lapping” with toothpaste. When I could not get the float level set properly, I finally accepted the fact that the float had become “waterlogged” in gasoline. Replaced the float with a new one of the same material, problem solved.

Just wondering if others have found this float material will eventually soak up and sink ?
IMG_2916.jpeg
Tiny bits of unidentified “crud” from the inlet passage

Re: Replacement carb float

Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2025 3:25 pm
by RGould1910
The float material I purcased from Langs was closed cell. I rebuild a few floats using this stuff some years ago and havent had an issue.
I dont know if this makes a difference but I puchased blocks of the material and made my own using originals as a guide. I never sealed them.
20230906_193949.jpg

Re: Replacement carb float

Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2025 3:40 pm
by Rich P. Bingham
Both from the same source, perhaps we can assume it’s the same stuff ? It appears to be the same vis-a-vis the photo. Lang’s catalogue only specifies “modern material”. Just curious whether anyone else has found that it will absorb fuel “in time” ?

BTW, Nice work on that float, Richard ! :D

Re: Replacement carb float

Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2025 5:36 pm
by TXGOAT2
Differences in mandated gasoline additives from one area to another might be a factor.

Re: Replacement carb float

Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2025 5:42 pm
by Rich P. Bingham
Pat, I wondered if that could be the case. I shouldn’t complain about failure after several years, but it caught me off guard.

Re: Replacement carb float

Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2025 8:17 pm
by big2bird
Nitrophyl is the material now in Holley, Carter, Quadrajets, etc.

It's impervious to gas and alcohol.

Re: Replacement carb float

Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 9:55 am
by Rich P. Bingham
Thank you, Jeffrey. That’s instructive. Now to research it and determine if it can be formed into Model T carb floats.
Identifying the material Lang’s provides is still a problem.

Re: Replacement carb float

Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 10:47 am
by big2bird