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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - carb repair question

hello
The float cahmber is made out of something resembling soft goat's cheese and the fuel inlet pipe is made of brass. The joint weeps... any one had any success repairing the joint between these two very dissimilar materials?
David Cox

David,

Main point that would help is what carburettor are you talking about?, SU, Weber, Dellorto.
David Billington

Yes; that would help!
SU
sorry.
David Cox

If its leaking out the brass tube, it means the float needle is dirty, sticking or needs adjustment....try giving the outside of the float bowl a few good wacks with a screw driver, that usaully fixes it. then install a new fuel filter just before the carbs, if the gas tank is old use 2 filters.

if its leaking at the joint where te cover attaches to the bowl, its probably just a gasket. about 25 cents

Prop
Prop

Maybe let some loc-tite seep into the joint? Maybe even sweat some solder in there but that may be scary.
J Van Dyke

I used araldite.
Alan Anstead

J van,

You do know you live a little to far north to be giving that kind of advice..

Those types of mods are best left to the "Professional Redneck"....LOL


Even tho Im several hundred miles south of J van, Id still spend the 25 cents and get a new gasket...well okay id make my own, after all It wouldnt be vary hillbillian of me to buy one.


Prop
Prop

I must be thinking of the wrong thing, there is no gasket where I imagined the leaking.



J Van Dyke

you're absolutely right, JVD... fuel is weeping from that joint. Must've dislodged something when pushing on the flexible fuel pipe. I have thought about the suggestions for repair...but I'm not sure. If it gives way and drops petrol onto that hot exhaust.....

might just bite the bullet and get a new one...

Thanks, chaps!
David Cox

Are you sure this is a leak from the brass tube, there is a small vent hole just underneath the brass tube in the alloy, If the float is not working correctly (Worn needle valve) and the chamber overfills with fuel it comes out of the vent hole.

I happened across this vent hole as I thought I had a perished fuel hose, replaced it and still had petrol coming out. I replaced the needle valve and problem resolved.

HTH Shaun
Shaun

Forgot to mention you have to remove the three pronged clip to see the vent hole!!! Looks like it holds the brass tube to the float chamber, Talk about needle in a haystack to find.

Now putting the been there tshirt away

Shaun
Shaun

Cheer up J van,

Your not off by much, those pipes can come loose...never seen it, but they can.. your closer then I was...I wasnt sure where the problem even was.

If its leaking from that brass tube and the brass tube is tight and sealed at the edges, then like I said before....a few to several stiff wacks with screwdriver handle on the side of the float chamber will make the carb run like new agian...(most likely). cant hurt to try, fast and wont cost anything.

prop
Prop

thanks Shaun
I'll have a look this weekend! Always grateful to read other people's T -shirts!
David Cox

The float valves weren't sealing properly and yes fuel was leaking from the tiny overflow holes, so thoughtfully hidden behind that thin baffle plate! New valves seems to have cured the leak. Thanks Shaun!
David Cox

Its not something I wish to experiment with myself but...

I saw an article on TV once where they showed the affects of different liquids on the hot exhaust. Petrol didnt ignite - just vapourised. Brake fluid on the other hand did spontaneously ignite....
Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

Intersting Dean,

I have seen fuel spill onto the super hot exhaust pipe from cloged jets, on several occassions and we are talking ALOT of fuel, and it too just vaporised or steamed off, with no fire...I thought I was just lucky or had the big man upstairs watching my back.

maybe lucas did know what he was doing with that design flaw

Prop
Prop

Oil ignites, but does so more easily when a steam is introduced...

BTDT!

A
Anthony Cutler

Glad to of helped and it is all fixed.

Shaun
Shaun

I've never had this problem with a carburetor, but it was an issue with the mechanical fuel pump on my 1500 a few years ago. I'd noticed fuel leaking from the inlet fitting a few times, and rapping the brass tube back into the pump cap seemed to cure it. But I finally drew the line when the outlet tube came out while I was driving home from work one afternoon, squirting fuel all over the starter before the engine expired. I fixed that one at the side of a very busy highway, and very shortly after that I ordered a new pump. Haven't had any problems since! Well, not with the fuel pump anyway...

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

This thread was discussed between 14/06/2009 and 25/06/2009

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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