After Market Brass Floats

[Stuart F.]

Can anyone hazzard a guess as to what the attraction might be for one to replace existing brass floats in an AFB? I weighed a set the other day and found them to be slightly less in weight than a good set of originals (14/32 oz. vs. 15/32 oz.). They are slightly shorter in height, but same width and length, and the brass arm thickness mics the same for both.

Being slightly lighter, would they have the same bouancy (?sp?) as the originals and thereby work as well at the same level setting? Could they be intended for use with the larger "performance" size needle/seats?

Stu Fox

[Clem Z.]

Re: After Market Brass Floats

Can anyone hazzard a guess as to what the attraction might be for one to replace existing brass floats in an AFB? I weighed a set the other day and found them to be slightly less in weight than a good set of originals (14/32 oz. vs. 15/32 oz.). They are slightly shorter in height, but same width and length, and the brass arm thickness mics the same for both.

Being slightly lighter, would they have the same bouancy (?sp?) as the originals and thereby work as well at the same level setting? Could they be intended for use with the larger "performance" size needle/seats?

Stu Fox

i found the same thing the aftermarket AFB floats are different. i also found the arm length was different and i decided not to use them and repaired the original floats

[Stuart F.]

Re: After Market Brass Floats

Clem;

Thanks for your response. Perhaps my suspicions then are not unfounded. I have two sets of perfectly good originals so I will probably stick to those on assembly.

Do you by any chance know of a good AFB repair kit and it's source? I've seen a lot of variance in quality, and most of the bigger vendors supply the Holley branded kits which are ok, but I know there are better. I once got a kit from Eckler's that came with Tomco Inlet Valves (surprise), but the most recent one I got was Holley. I dislike the fact that the kit mfg's presume you will have an accelerator pump with a removable override spring. Some older carbs have gone around once and still have the plastic/neoprene pumps which have fixed springs inside.

Stu Fox

[Clem Z.]

Re: After Market Brass Floats

Clem;

Thanks for your response. Perhaps my suspicions then are not unfounded. I have two sets of perfectly good originals so I will probably stick to those on assembly.

Do you by any chance know of a good AFB repair kit and it's source? I've seen a lot of variance in quality, and most of the bigger vendors supply the Holley branded kits which are ok, but I know there are better. I once got a kit from Eckler's that came with Tomco Inlet Valves (surprise), but the most recent one I got was Holley. I dislike the fact that the kit mfg's presume you will have an accelerator pump with a removable override spring. Some older carbs have gone around once and still have the plastic/neoprene pumps which have fixed springs inside.

Stu Fox

i have not bought any AFB kits for several years but back then i used HYGRADE and any carbs i do these days i still use HYGRADE except for holley carbs and i use holley kits.

[Mike R.]

Re: After Market Brass Floats

In theory lighter should be better.

Can anyone hazzard a guess as to what the attraction might be for one to replace existing brass floats in an AFB? I weighed a set the other day and found them to be slightly less in weight than a good set of originals (14/32 oz. vs. 15/32 oz.). They are slightly shorter in height, but same width and length, and the brass arm thickness mics the same for both.

Being slightly lighter, would they have the same bouancy (?sp?) as the originals and thereby work as well at the same level setting? Could they be intended for use with the larger "performance" size needle/seats?

Stu Fox

[Richard M.]

Re: After Market Brass Floats

Stu,

It's a "rock & a hard place" decision. I just went through a nightmare on a '67 435hp Holley 2300C center carb. I had the 3 carbs rebuilt by a excellent rebuilder. Came out great. All of us did not believe it when the carb started flooding, that a hairline crack in the brass float must have worsened. This didn't show up until about 2 tanks of fuel during break-in and testing, and about 500 miles driving.

We replaced with a new Echlin(Napa) float. It's fine now. We didn't spec differences, but all I can say is I wish the new float went in on the rebuild. I've rebuilt may carbs in my time, and never did I change the floats on rebuild unless I saw a problem. Bad thing is when you get a carb that's been dry for years, it may well have had a float problem and it won't show up until it's on the car.

My next rebuild will include a overnight soak of the floats in a can of fuel. If I hear splashes in the morning........ to-the-trash they will go.

Rich

[Clem Z.]

Re: After Market Brass Floats

Stu,

It's a "rock & a hard place" decision. I just went through a nightmare on a '67 435hp Holley 2300C center carb. I had the 3 carbs rebuilt by a excellent rebuilder. Came out great. All of us did not believe it when the carb started flooding, that a hairline crack in the brass float must have worsened. This didn't show up until about 2 tanks of fuel during break-in and testing, and about 500 miles driving.

We replaced with a new Echlin(Napa) float. It's fine now. We didn't spec differences, but all I can say is I wish the new float went in on the rebuild. I've rebuilt may carbs in my time, and never did I change the floats on rebuild unless I saw a problem. Bad thing is when you get a carb that's been dry for years, it may well have had a float problem and it won't show up until it's on the car.

My next rebuild will include a overnight soak of the floats in a can of fuel. If I hear splashes in the morning........ to-the-trash they will go.

Rich

brass floats you just shake and listen for liquid sloshing around inside them or boil them in water and if there is a crack you will see air bubbles coming out of the float. nitrophyl floats can be check by weight on a grams scale. most weight about 10 grams when new.

[Clem Z.]

Re: After Market Brass Floats

brass floats you just shake and listen for liquid sloshing around inside them or boil them in water and if there is a crack you will see air bubbles coming out of the float. nitrophyl floats can be check by weight on a grams scale. most weight about 10 grams when new.

here is the float scale i use. http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...12_T%7CGRP2083___

[Stuart F.]

Re: After Market Brass Floats

Clem;

That's exactly like the one I have. I got mine from Tomco many years ago (70's) back when the QJ's were getting all the attention what with their plastic foam floats soaking up gas and sinking. Actually, mine was still in it's original package which I didn't open until a day or so ago. I have lots of special GM testing tools from the 70's and 80's that fall into that catagory, specially dealing with sealed QJ's and early electronics. Then there was the leaking jet well plugs, etc. I still have a few of their Tomco Inlet Valves that were used in place of needle/seats. They were nice two piece anodized brass a plunger and replaceable Viton discs (or neoprene on the first ones). Seems someone else has picked up their patents and making them again as I got some ion a rebuild kit from Eckler's for my AFB's.

They made great stuff out of St. Louis I believe, but the times passed them by.

Stu Fox