Gas Tank Foam

[bgsengine]

I think I over did the plastic pipe install. As I noted previously, I heated the brass with a torch, and sat the plastic piece in boiling water. I think the heat fatigued the clamp, as it was on the brass tube when I heated it. Also, the plastic tube seems to have been overheated. What's a good method to install it?

Just do not heat the brass tube - remember, the boiling water on the nylon is to soften and slightly expand the tube - you want the brass tube (that the nylon tube fits over) to be cold as possible for the easiest slip fit - room temperature is fine... (heating the tube would have expanded it slightly, which would have worked against the idea of heating the nylon..) once you have it ready , you want to try and work fast once you pull the nylon tube out of the hot water, so helps a little to rehearse what you are gonna do exactly, step by step to make things go quickly (I.E. have the carb in a vise or securely fastened so it won't move, have tools and/or alignment jig ready to install tube straight on, make a mark on the brass to where you want to install the nylon tube so you don't push it on too far... and have your pliers or whatever handy right next to you to grab the spring clamp and slip it over the tube when everything's in place, etc)

[creia]

When I have had to replace the long plastic pick up tube on the old Briggs flatheads "Pulsa-Jet" carbs I have done exactly as Brian has stated (NEVER heated the brass tube). You have got to give the boiling water a chance to soften it up- at least a minute or two. I also put a (small) amount of 3-1n-1 oil on the end of the metal tube, using a Q tip, it slides over as lubrication. As he stated you have got to work fast once you pull it out of the boiling water. It might take a couple of attempts, but you will eventually get it.
Michael

[38racing]

if carb is off engine you could even put it in the freezer to shrink brass tube. Apparently it's done for valve seats and bearings.

[bobodu]

I had one of those rusty tanks....the little cup had rusted through....dropped in a 3/4 copper pipe cap.

[Mek-a-nik]

I finally got back to this last night.

-I put the pick up tube in a bit of boiling water in the microwave, for about 2 minutes.
-I put a dab of oil on the brass tube and slid the poorly designed clamp up until it was past where the nylon or plastic tube would end up.
-The carb body was tightened in soft jaws, in a vice.
-I pushed the tube on as best I could by hand, and then, using a block of wood and a small hammer, I tapped it on until it was where it should be.
-I jiggled the poorly designed clamp into position. (Did I mention that the clamp is poorly designed?)
-I put the cap (it had been missing) on the fuel pump spring and reassembled.

It started as soon as it pumped fuel into the small bowl in the tank. Warmed it, adjusted mixture, and wa la! It runs great.

So I don't know if I had an air leak in the pick up tube, or if the missing spring cap affected pump operation. Probably both.

Thanks for all of your replies.

[KE4AVB]

I don't know it is a poor design but it is a pain to install the clip.

[Mek-a-nik]

I don't know it is a poor design but it is a pain to install the clip.

You would think they would be like a fuel line clip, with something to grab on to.

[SUKI]

Now come you know if you can get your finger nails with a good grip on them they just slide on so easy. NOT or at least I have said several cuss words getting them on too.

[bgsengine]

never had a problem myself, maybe I was just lucky, but it seems to me if the clip "gaps" are still in that chevron shape then you'd just slip the flat end of a thick feeler gauge in between the gap ends to separate them just a tad.. but for me, for some reason, they seemed to just start to slip on just fine, although I recall a couple I "encouraged" with a jeweler's screwdriver.... and I'd take a pair of wire stripping pliers (if I recall, the 8 AWG diameter? don't know if they make those any more, might have to get a vintage pair) and press the clip the rest of the way on