Roadside Troubles

NZ Truth, Issue 1181, 19 July 1928, Page 15

Roadside Troubles

5 3 ii ' ■ ii || QNE of the components of a motor that plays a very important part |i If m its operation, yet is rarely seen, and stili more rarely touched || ll by the average driver, -Is the float of the carburettor. This little de- || || vice controls the flow of petrol from the tank to the engine. il p 'if

QHOULD it at any time go out of O operation, owing to being punctured, the whole of the petrol would be -wasted by overflowing at the jet,, unless turned off m time. Should, it be incorrectly adjusted, serious faults would occur m the operation of the engine, either from misfiring, refusal to start except without great trouble, or carbonizing due to too strong a mixture. . The float controls the action of the needle valve, which, m turn, controls the supply of petrol to the carburettor. When the float chamber is empty, or the fuel below the correct level, the float sinks, and allows the needle valve to open. Fuel then rushes m, and the float gradually rises until the needle is pressed down on to its seating. At this level the petrol jn the jet should be about one-sixteenth of an inch below the orifice. If it is too low, starting will be difficult, and even firing at low speeds almost impossible.

If it is too high, petrol will seep over' and leak from the jet, tending to make the mixture too strong, particularly at low speeds. The action of all float and needle mechanisms is the same m principle, although different m design to some small degree. Even novices need have no qualms m taking a carburettor apart for cleaning, so long as the parts are handled carefully and replaced m their correct order.. If a leaking float is discovered — : which can be ascertained by shaking it when the presence of petrol will make itself known — it can be remedied by placing the float m boiling water un,til all the petrol is expelled, which can be seen when the bubbles, cease to blow out of the hole. When cooled down, a slight covering of solder should be run over the hole. The extra weight of the solder will not materially affect the petrol level, but, if necessary, it can be compensated by polishing the float with very fine sand or emery paper.