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MG MGA - carburetor floats

Has anyone installed the Moss Nitrophyl carb floats? Seems that they are the same as the new floats now offered by Joe Curto, maybe Moss sources them from him. Supposed to be resistant to ethanol gas....

Thanks, George
George G.

British Parts Northwest has them for less than Moss. I have a pair but have not installed them yet. At least, I assume they are the same as the ones offered by other vendors.
Del Rawlins

Surely brass floats are resistant to ethanol gas?
Peter.
P. Tilbury

The idea is to have a solid float that won't leak and become a sink, yet is made of a material resistant to modern pseudo-gas.
Del Rawlins

"Surely brass floats are resistant to ethanol gas"
Yes, but they also develop cracks and sink over time.

The new, non sink floats are sourced from Burlen Fuel Systems in England. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Seems I read recently (but can't remember where!) that the ethanol can (somehow) attack the solder used on the floats.

George
George G.

I can see a mechanism where the solder can be attacked by fuel containing ethyl alcohol.

It is known that lead is somewhat soluble in acetic acid and that alcohol turns into acetic acid in the presence of oxygen. Anyone attempting to finish off half a glass of beer the morning after will be aware of that.

I could believe then that the alcohol in petrol which has been left open to air for a length of time will gradually change to acetic acid and therefore be capable of attacking the solder which is an alloy of tin and lead.

Acetic acid can also attack brass (copper/zinc alloy). If you clean brass with vinegar (acetic acid) it tends to turn a copper colour which is the acid dissolving away the zinc on the surface.

However I've not seen published evidence that alcohol in petrol can change to acetic acid so I may be completely wrong!...................Mike

m.j. moore

I've been running 10% gasohol fuel for 20 years (about 200,00 miles) and have never had any problem with the original soldered brass floats. I have seen a number of plastic floats (mostly MGB) that absorbed fuel and sank, having to be replaced. I am not very trusting that new issue plastic floats will be better. I guess you just install them and wait 10 years to see what happens. Sometimes cheaper is not such a good deal.
Barney Gaylord

E85 can attack tin-lead solder and will reduce the tensile strength of brass. When we eventually get to where E85 is all we can get....... In the mean time, I have never had any problems with any equipment running E10.
Chuck Schaefer

So the new MOSS Nitrophyl floats are solid?
Have had the original brass floats in two cars - one since 1956, the other since 1958, as far as I know, and have not ever had a problem with them leaking.
I've probably jinxed these now!
Peter.
P. Tilbury

http://www.rogerscorp.com/ec/producttypes/4/NITROPHYL-Floats.aspx
Del Rawlins

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ackermann_steering_geometry
For those wondering about Ackerman geometry.
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

This thread was discussed between 05/12/2013 and 08/12/2013

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