My 65 4GC carb has the black rubbery looking floats. Anyone know if these floats are prone to deterioration and sinking?
The car was sitting 24 years. It's a rebuilt carb maybe 30 years ago. Fuel spewing out the top. I took it apart, cleaned it out a bit, and made sure the needle valves are moving.
Just curious now whether these floats were long lasting, or if they tend to sink after a quarter century.
Not sure what the floats are made of.

 

The black plastic is a closed cell foam. Most of these foam floats ARE subject to being attacked by ethanol and absorbing fuel that causes sinking. New replacement foam floats SHOULD be resistant, but there's no way that I know of to tell which you have. You can weigh the float to see if it has absorbed fuel or not. I prefer to replace all my plastic floats with brass when I rebuild a carb. Then there's no question.

 

Is it safe to assume that I can buy brass floats for this carb, if I choose to?

 

Yes. The original floats should have been brass. Replacements are available. Type rochester 4gc floats into Google.

 

Thank you Joe. I really want to keep this car stock. My other Olds has gotten away on me. Everybody that's owned it has changed something, and it no longer resembles a 65 442. In spirit, maybe
This Cutlass is almost 100% original.

 

when brass floats fail, they fail completely. they sink when the brass or solder on the seam let go. net-net, there is no perfect float.


bill

 

While that's possible, I can't say that I've ever had a metal float go bad. Yes, ethanol can attach certain materials. New plastic floats are SUPPOSED to be resistant. Brass certainly is. Solder can corrode.

 

that engine bay looks good dave, that a canadian car, i can tell because the firewall is body color

 

I finally got the car running this morning. Put on my Carter 3721S temporarily, and fired it up. Man, does it run smooth after 24 years. Just had to shake off the cobwebs, and runs like a charm. Not sure about all that rusty broken pieces of metal piled under the end of each dual exhaust. I suspect the "new" mufflers are getting lighter
Now that I know the car runs nice, for sure I need to buy floats and fix that 4GC for that stock look.

 

It may be the exhaust rotting from the inside out. Glad its running, hopefully you can get your old carb sorted out.

 

I'll beat the bushes for some parts carbs. Maybe Stan or someone has an old 4GC with brass floats for sale as parts.....or perhaps a good runner. You never know till you put out the feelers !

 

i bet someone on the the w29 site will have parts

 

this is where years of rebuilding experience comes into play. brass can also corrode, but more often, it cracks. we theorize it's from years of thermal cycling, causing metal fatigue.


bill