Ed in Maine
Well-known member
I have had occasional hard starting (I have only the hand crank). Sometimes the car would start immediately after tapping the carb with a wooden block. I suspected that the needle valve was staying up against the seat, preventing the gas from flowing into the carb.
I haven't had a problem since I made this modification:
1. I removed the seat, and placed it in a drill press and using a hack saw, cut a groove the thickness of the hack saw blade. The groove was placed very close to the end of the needle valve, about 1/32 in. and deep enough to accept the wire diameter you choose.
2. I used a piece of wire from a 1/4 watt resistor because it is a soft wire that conforms nicely to the slot in the needle valve.
3. After wrapping the wire around the needle valve in the slot, bend the wire so that it is in line with the needle valve going toward the float and make a second bend 90 degrees (making an "L" shape) so that you can hook the wire to the float. Be sure that there is no binding so that the needle valve seats properly.
Now when the float drops, the needle valve will be dragged out of the seat. I haven't had a hard starting situation since I made the modification. Ed
I haven't had a problem since I made this modification:
1. I removed the seat, and placed it in a drill press and using a hack saw, cut a groove the thickness of the hack saw blade. The groove was placed very close to the end of the needle valve, about 1/32 in. and deep enough to accept the wire diameter you choose.
2. I used a piece of wire from a 1/4 watt resistor because it is a soft wire that conforms nicely to the slot in the needle valve.
3. After wrapping the wire around the needle valve in the slot, bend the wire so that it is in line with the needle valve going toward the float and make a second bend 90 degrees (making an "L" shape) so that you can hook the wire to the float. Be sure that there is no binding so that the needle valve seats properly.
Now when the float drops, the needle valve will be dragged out of the seat. I haven't had a hard starting situation since I made the modification. Ed