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Post by gy6girl on Mar 31, 2013 20:34:17 GMT -5
So.. Who all has played "fishing the rotten gas float out of the gas tank" game?
Not my favorite game to play.
This is the second time I had to do it on two different scooters.
You just have to destroy it and get it out in pieces, because it's expanded and won't fit through the hole.
I do mold making and cast foam rubber and foam plastic pieces, so I just make new floats.
The urethane plastic I use doesn't dissolve in gas.
This time, not only did the float rot and fall off, the potentiometer wasn't working either. Jumping the leads causes the needle to move so I knew that worked.
So I popped it apart, and with some fine grain sand paper I sanded down the contacts, and now it works great.
Anyone else had this problem?
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Post by alleyoop on Mar 31, 2013 20:45:46 GMT -5
Great!! You can mold some Urethane Floats and sell them to people on this forum. I will even buy a couple from you and give them a try, How about it.
Alleyoop
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Post by triker on Mar 31, 2013 20:49:03 GMT -5
I was going to make one out of brass tube with flat ends soldered. I would also buy a few, if you sell them.
Roy
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Post by alleyoop on Mar 31, 2013 20:53:07 GMT -5
See that, already money just wanting to roll in and at the same time helping out the troops.
Alleyoop
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Post by gy6girl on Mar 31, 2013 20:55:07 GMT -5
Really? Usually I make foam props for magicians and entertainers.... www.raincloudmagic.com/products-page/foam-propsBut sure... I can make floats. Right now I am just using my hotdog mold and cutting it, but I can make an exact size mold and make better floats than what comes with it. |
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Post by alleyoop on Mar 31, 2013 21:06:56 GMT -5
Fantastic!! Now how are you going to make them, Needing the wire to go through them or Better yet have a slot all the way around near one end to wrap a wire around it. That way no chance of leaking it will be a sealed float and you can make them about 7/8 in diameter so they are easy to fit in the 1" hole in the tank and just a little longer.
Alleyoop
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Post by gy6girl on Mar 31, 2013 21:21:08 GMT -5
No need to worry about leaking.
It's foamed plastic. Just like foam rubber is rubber with zillions of little air bubbles in it, foamed plastic is plastic with zillions of little air bubbles in it. It is not a shell type float. It's solid through, just with foam plastic.
7/8" diameter... what about 1 1/4" long?
I'll just make a mold of a cylinder that size, pour the foam in it, let it expand, remove from mold, cut off overflow, then drill a hole down the center.
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Post by alleyoop on Mar 31, 2013 21:27:04 GMT -5
Well the ones that come with the scoots are 2" long from tip to tip. Why 1 1/4 are they a little heavier than the ones in the scoots?
Alleyoop
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Post by triker on Mar 31, 2013 21:30:50 GMT -5
Hmm, interesting. sounds easy enough.
Roy
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Post by alleyoop on Mar 31, 2013 21:35:24 GMT -5
Yea that would work great then just put a star washer then the float then another star washer.
Alleyoop
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Post by gy6girl on Mar 31, 2013 21:58:12 GMT -5
1 1/4" was just a quick guess. It's hard to tell how long they are when the only time you have seen them is inside a gas tank in pieces.
The float I made is way lighter than the other float, I would imagine.
To make the one I just did today...
I pulled out my hotdog weenie mold, poured some foam in, let it go off, now I have a foamed plastic weenie.
I cut it down on the band saw, then cut it smaller because it was too big in diameter.
Then drilled a hole through it.
They are extremely buoyant. That's what the stuff is used for.
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Post by alleyoop on Mar 31, 2013 22:31:37 GMT -5
So you have one ready to rock and roll, I can be the Science Project on this. PM me on how you want to handle the traction.
Alleyoop
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Post by justbuggin2 on Mar 31, 2013 23:37:53 GMT -5
i will be happy to try one out as well
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Post by gy6girl on Apr 1, 2013 1:33:24 GMT -5
Here... I can do this stuff in my sleep... I looked around at all the crap I have and found a wooden handle that was 7/8" diameter and long enough. Then I built a little cardboard wall around it...  Then some release agent and then pour in the silicone...  Now give it a day, and I can pour the foamed plastic in there, and over and over I can make all the floats we need. When I get one done and give it the okay, I can put up a special page on my store, and anyone that wants one can just purchase them on there. |
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Post by carasdad on Apr 1, 2013 8:49:26 GMT -5
Awesome...I will try them. Have had to fish 2 rotted floats out myself and the tiny debris that breaks off from them finds its way into your fuel filter if you run low on gas. the broken off pieces are not as buoyant as the whole float itself so they get get sucked into the fuel system..  In fact the float swells so you end up breaking it into pieces to get it out. I am sure they are aware of this...yet they continue to use the same crappy material to make them.  Even if yours are more buoyant that is no biggie as the sending unit can be adjusted. In fact each time I replace one it is off...so I drain the tank...add 1/2 gallon of gas...then bend the sending unit wire until it reads 1/2 tank..I then ride it unit's almost empty to verify it reads almost empty...then fill the tank to verify it reads full. Been right on the money twice so far with that method. In fact it's more accurate that way than when they come from the factory. i.e. my girlfriends scoot....it would read 'Full' all day long...then POOF!...it would drop to 1/2 tank a mile later..  So you make 'em...we will gladly try them. I love fishing....but not float fishing...reminds me of the time I was Ice Fishing and caught a large Muskellunge...it would not fit through the 4 inch hole I bored to catch Crappie and Panfish.. ;D |
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..BAD TO THE BONE..
Even if yours are more buoyant that is no biggie as the sending unit can be adjusted. In fact each time I replace one it is off...so I drain the tank...add 1/2 gallon of gas...then bend the sending unit wire until it reads 1/2 tank..I then ride it unit's almost empty to verify it reads almost empty...then fill the tank to verify it reads full. Been right on the money twice so far with that method. In fact it's more accurate that way than when they come from the factory. i.e. my girlfriends scoot....it would read 'Full' all day long...then POOF!...it would drop to 1/2 tank a mile later..