Barry;
Be VERY CAREFULL if you choose the "boiling" method. Vaporizing fuel will
put it into its most dangerous state.
Reid
'79 Spitfire
-----Original Message-----
From: Barry Schwartz [mailto:bschwart@pacbell.net]
Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 1999 7:55 AM
To: triumphs@autox.team.net
Cc: spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Fuel tank float repair
Last night I swapped out the old Fuel tank with the new modified one for
the soon to be installed fuel injection (new return line fitting, 3/8 dia
lines etc). Upon taking the sender out, I noticed the float about a third
full of fuel. Luckily I had an old, non functioning unit out of the GT6
with a good float on it that I could use. It uses the same float, (or very
nearly identical) so I switched them. The only problem was that the little
rubber (damper o-ring) which encircles the float and prevents it from
banging the top and bottom of the tank was really too loose to use on the
new float. I didn't feel comfortable using it thinking that it may fall
off. It would just slide loosely on the new float so there may be a slight
difference in floats. I heard it banging the top of the tank this morning
:-). . .Anyway, Is there any way to remove the fuel from the old float? I
was thinking of boiling the float, hopefully causing the old fuel to
vaporize and thereby also showing me where the leak is and allowing me to
repair it. The only other way I could see to evacuate the old fuel out
would be to drill a small hole, drain, epoxy it closed, then find out where
the original leak is and then seal that up also. I would presume that the
leak would be at the weld seam but am not sure where as it looks to be fine
- unfortunately, you can't buy just the float. I may just make a brass one
and be done with it! It wouldn't be that hard -
Barry Schwartz (San Diego) bschwart@pacbell.net
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