[Naked Lady]

FYI Bought a new Lycoming 0-320 engine package through Van's last year. After having built another experimental with a car engine, thought this would be bulletproof. First flight October 2. Put 6 and a half hours on the engine, then a bad surprise. BIG fuel leak on start up.Carb is culprit. Fortunately, this happened on the ground. Took carb off. Phone calls to Lycoming.Send unit to shop. Shop says"defective float- this model (MA-4SPA) had a float that could leak. Replaced it with a float that cannot leak." If a run of carbs was produced with this defective float, shouldn't somebody say something?

 

[Ironflight]

old AD?

I seem to remember an AD on the floats back when I had my Grumman....so I htink there was a documented problem. I'm totally surprised that you would get caught by it in a NEW engine though....

And...uh, with the handle of "Naked Lady", should we be looking for you in the "How do I find a good single woman in the RV world..." thread??!!

Paul

 

[videobobk]

I seem to remember an AD on the floats back when I had my Grumman....so I htink there was a documented problem. I'm totally surprised that you would get caught by it in a NEW engine though....

Paul

The only AD I have found on this carb float refered to a non-metalic float. I think it was in 1992. That being said, I just ordered a new float to replace the metal one yesterday for that type carb because the one in there for 885 hours now allows the carb to overflow. After a new needle and seat, nothing changed. Several re-settings of the level, no change. The float APPEARS to be correct, except for a well-worn spot where the needle hits the float lever. It leaks at about 3.4 psi indicated SOMETIMES, although seals with a little more upward pressure on the float (top off the carb.) This can be one pesky problem, and it will result in a mixture so rich the engine will die! Let us know how this turns out for you.

Make sure your fuel pressure is not too high, also.

Bob Kelly

 

[gmcjetpilot]

This is a confusing merry go-a-around

This has gone round and round. First it fiber floats replaced by metal floats. Well some of the metal floats sunk. Guess what NEW and IMPROVED fiber floats are making a coming back. You can get either now.

Two companies make parts. Marvel Schibler was bought by Facet but than sold to Precision Airmotive. At the same time another company makes parts for the MS Carbs, first it was called Consolidated. It was bought by Kelly Aerospace.

So you can get Precision Airmotive or Kelly Aerospace floats.

Precision is bringing back the new and improved closed cell epoxy fiber float (will resist most fuels including auto and should not sink).

The metal floats made by Kelly originally to replace to old fiber floats are still available. The metal had or has some occasional problems with leaks and "well worn spots as Bob Kelly mentioned. I don't think the metal floats made by Precision or Kelly are better or worse; they are all subject to service problems. I guess because the metal floats are made of lots of little parts and soldered together, you are going to have problems with some, as I am told. This is why precision is bringing back the "NEW" fiber float. Also it's probably cheaper to make. The funny thing is people wanted nothing to do with "plastic" floats now they are coming back!

Also the float wear problem as was mentioned has been a spotty problem. The deal with floats is some last forever and some just don't work regardless of the manufacture or design? I have a "Consolidated" metal float. We shall see. If you buy a Kelly metal float it will be likely Old New Stock from Consolidated.

Its funny (not really) the same thing happened with the one piece venturi. The two piece ones had a problem so they went to a one piece. Than they found the one piece was worse due to manufacturing and/or installation errors. It made the carb run poorly? Now they say the old two piece venturi are better? Sometimes things should just be left alone. May be they are too quick to replace a problem with another problem.