Carb Float Questions

Beamster · Post by **Beamster** » Sun Jun 02, 2013 8:38 pm

Our Buddy 125 has been dribbling gas into the air cleaner box.
The vacuum fuel shut off seems to be ok so that leaves the carb float.
When I got the carb out the inside of the inlet was wet and dribbling.

Is there an adjustment on the float height and if so, how and what measurement from where to where?

If there is not supposed to be an adjustment, I supposed it would be worth swapping out the needle just in case there is wear in the rubber sealing surface that is not readily visible.

Also, there is a little retainer spring clip on the top of the float needle. Does it matter which way the base of that thing faces when it engages the tang on the float? The vertical is always above the center of the needle but the base of the clip protrudes more on one side than the other and it's not clear if that is supposed to touch another surface as a guide.

Post by **ericalm** » Sun Jun 02, 2013 11:26 pm

Is all the rubber in good shape and properly positioned? The diaphragm is okay?

Beamster · Post by **Beamster** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:12 am

Haven't cracked the top open.

The float needle looks ok but that's not saying there isn't something not obvious to the naked eye.

I thought the petcock was ok and all was well until after I pulled the carb off and went in there an hour later to find that it changed its mind and spilled a pool of gas on the floor through the open fuel line.

Despite the petcock, when everything was all hooked up the gas was dribbling into the air box and I'm thinking if the float and its needle were working properly fuel should not be making it past the float bowl into the carb throat.
Part of the puzzle is that nothing was fooled with and it just occurred on its own after the winter layup.

Fuel injection looks better and better.

Beamster · Post by **Beamster** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:13 am

Eric,

Do you have a reference for setting the float?

michelle_7728 · Post by **michelle_7728** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:27 am

Please forgive my ignorance if I'm about to misspeak, as I am definitely not a mechanic, but am I recalling correctly from other threads that if you over fill the gas, gas will go into the air canister? If I am remembering that correctly maybe you don't need to do anything...just don't fill it up beyond the rim a couple inches down in the filler tube in the future.

Beamster · Post by **Beamster** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:36 am

michelle_7728 wrote:Please forgive my ignorance if I'm about to misspeak, as I am definitely not a mechanic, but am I recalling correctly from other threads that if you over fill the gas, gas will go into the air canister? If I am remembering that correctly maybe you don't need to do anything...just don't fill it up beyond the rim a couple inches down in the filler tube in the future.

Thanks, if only it was so easy.
Gas wasn't filled and on two occasions one moment it was dry and an hour later drooling all over the shop.

Throwback7R · Post by **Throwback7R** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 3:37 am

it sounds like a float needle could just putt the float off the carb and check to see if it is just some gum on the needle or something else, and reinstall. do not mess with the carb unless you know what your doing or can afford to mess up.

Beamster · Post by **Beamster** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 4:01 am

Throwback7R wrote:it sounds like a float needle could just putt the float off the carb and check to see if it is just some gum on the needle or something else, and reinstall. do not mess with the carb unless you know what your doing or can afford to mess up.

It has to be more than the float needle. There was much more gas leakage than the carb could hold, so the petcock is at least partly to blame.

The float needle doesn't show any extraordinary issue, but that's not to say there aren't issues not visibly obvious.

Have had a lifetime of fussing with old Amal carbs but just can't find a reference for checking and setting the float in a Buddy CVK.

Similar symptoms occur in an Amal when the manual petcock is left on. Even though the float needle is supposed to prevent gas from passing, more times than not when the gas is left on it gets by the needle, dilutes the oil and sometimes flows out of the air box if the float bowl gets overfilled, which would happen if the float were too high or got stuck. It doesn't help that plastic floats can deteriorate from ethanol gas allowing them to fill with liquid and not rise resulting in overflow (and Buddys have a plastic float too).

So, what is needed at the moment is a reference on how to measure for the correct float height setting in the CVK used in the Buddy.

Throwback7R · Post by **Throwback7R** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 4:12 am

you could check the float height and see if it is full or at 18.5mm

Beamster · Post by **Beamster** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 4:18 am

Elaborate on 18.5 mm.

The posting time on this is weird. Where in the world is it 4:18 am?

michelle_7728 · Post by **michelle_7728** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 6:16 am

So sorry it's not an easy fix.

Here are a couple of threads I found. Maybe this will help.

Is your scooter still in warranty? If so, just have your dealer fix it!

Best of luck with a speedy resolution!

viewtopic.php?t=20830&highlight=gas+leak
viewtopic.php?t=20532&highlight=gas+leak
viewtopic.php?t=21894&highlight=fuel+leak viewtopic.php?t=17265&highlight=gas+leak
viewtopic.php?t=23871&highlight=carb+float
viewtopic.php?t=20406&highlight=carb+float

Beamster · Post by **Beamster** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 12:20 pm

Michelle,

Thanks for the links.
It's far out of warantee. It was one of the 1st 2006s on the dealer's floor, so other than this and dead batteries it's done ok.

Going to search for a new petcock and float needle to see if that clears it up.

I'll look through through your links but right now it's sunny out there.

Throwback7R · Post by **Throwback7R** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:26 pm

the 18.5 should be what your float height is set for. sometimes it is cheaper " easier to just replace the carb. ebay has plenty of them.

most GY6 manuals have it at 18.5mm, for the float height.

Also, check your time zone on your profile, mine was wrong so I had to change it.

Junedad · Post by **Junedad** » Tue Sep 03, 2013 8:02 pm

Throwback7R wrote: do not mess with the carb unless you know what your doing or can afford to mess up.

Obviously a smart man here...smarter than me.