Carb Float Pins

[Ront]

Does anyone have experience with frozen carb float pins on a '86 FJ1200? Thanks

[Pat Conlon]

How's your restoration doing?
Yea, stuck float pins, happens often. The absolute worse thing that can (easily) happen is to break off one of those cast aluminum posts that support the floats.
First you need to see that the pins only go out in one direction. There is a small cap on one side of the pin.
Second, you need the proper sized drift to tap the pin out.
I tried chemical first, followed by heat. After a multi day soak with PB Blaster I still had a stubborn pin.
I used my soldering iron. Put the tip on the aluminum post (cap side of the pin) just enough to heat up the  aluminum.

Gently tap tap tap. Gently is the key word.

[Ront]

Coming along slowly. Thanks

[Ront]

There should be a head on the cap side of the pin so you could twist it

[Pat Conlon]

No, it's a small shoulder cap. Look closely. Take a toothbrush with some carb cleaner and scrub the ends of the float pin, you will see which end has the cap. Do not attempt to twist you *will* crack the post.

[Pat Conlon]

There should be a head on the cap side of the pin so you could twist it

Oops, I see now you were not asking a question. Those soft aluminum posts (as designed) would never stand up to a twisting force applied to the pin.

Even if the design of the posts were different, and were beefed up, and the stainless pin was threaded with a small hex cap on one end, with the inevitable build up of gum varnish on the threads of the pin, it would be ever harder to remove than the current design friction slip fit.

[ribbert]

Does anyone have experience with frozen carb float pins on a '86 FJ1200? Thanks

Firstly, as Pat mentioned, they are a press fit, not floating pins as found in some carbies and they do only come out one way, as determined by the head on one end.

It is unlikely they are "frozen". These are brass pins in alloy with only a small contact area between the two, they can never get THAT tight. The build up of grunge around the ends contributes nothing to the difficulty in removing them.

The right method will remove them easily every time without risk to the post.

Unfortunately, describing this process, like many others on bikes and cars, is only 20% of the job. The rest is "feel" which you can't really describe and only comes from experience.

Pat is right about tapping it out with a drift (pin punch). The key to success though is using the right tool to tap with.

What you want to do is deliver tiny little shocks to the pin to loosen it without delivering any force to the post holding it. That means whatever you tap with must be metal, to deliver the shock, and the right weight  so no force is transferred to the post.

Do not use plastic screwdriver handles, nylon hammers or wood to tap, they absorb the shock, it must be metal. Also, the carb body must be resting on something solid so the shock only goes to the pin.

I use this tiny hammer (on the left!). I have had it for about 40 years and this is the only job I ever seem to use it for, it is perfect.



Using this method puts the posts at no risk and will have the pin out in a few seconds.

Good luck

Noel

[FJmonkey]

In addition, if you have the carbs apart, rest the carb body pin head side down. Use a small socket bit under the post to support it as you tap the pin loose. This work well for me.

[Pat Conlon]

......These are brass pins in alloy with only a small contact area between the two, they can never get THAT tight....

Hey Noel, as always, a good post. I have always thought that the float pins were stainless steel......?

Mark, good point on using a small socket to rest the post on....takes the shock loads off the base of the cantilever post, the weakest point. You must be a ungineer....
Of course, that only works if you take the rack apart and are working with a single carb.

[ribbert]

Hey Noel, as always, a good post. I have always thought that the float pins were stainless steel......?

They are.

Noel

[FJ_Hooligan]

I'm pretty sure the pins are aluminum.  I always either sand them with some 600 grit or use the next oversize drill bit to enlarge the holes on the float post to give them a little more clearance.  The shape of the float bowl will keep the pin from falling out

[FJmonkey]

Stainless and Aluminum are far enough apart, not similar enough to cause electrolysis. And Stainless is good for our modern H2O fuel issues. Don't need them things rusting to add to our challenge of being our own mechanic.... The pins in my 86' seemed like they were stainless, but I am not a materials engineer. Just a Matador in disguise with a penchant for FJ Kookloo. After 20+ years this has not become an FJ related issue, so lets not focus on that. The pins are made of unobtainium, nuff said....

[FJmonkey]

Aluminum in Aluminum would eat its self in a few years (months in some cases). Not an Aluminum pin.... Similar materials problem, not and engineer but but I think like one. The pin is coated or made of some corrosion resistant metal.

[Jonesy]

Hi Ront
you could try one of these that I made for my XS11 float pins, I believe early FJ 11's had similar carbys the less you use a hammer the better

[Pat Conlon]

Well, would you look at that...a chain break tool for your float pins, ingenious.