epoxy a carburetor float bowl?

[Sodo]

Who has experience with epoxy and (modern) gasoline? What kind of epoxy last years in a USA-gasoline environment?

I have 9HP Briggs & Stratton motor that has no float bowl drain. It has a very small boss cast into it, and perhaps feasible that it could be tapped for a small plug about 3/8". I don't have confidence that the sealing surface is good enough or would be square with regards to my tapped threads & I don't want it to seep. Also I want to use a larger cup-style plug. I'm thinking of cutting out the cup-style plug and boss from another carburetor and epoxy-ing it onto the bottom of this bowl. Alternatively, does anyone know if floatbowls are available for a B&S that already have a drain cup?

I like the "cup style" because it holds a sample of the stuff at the bottom. You can inspect for junk or water at the time of draining.

Here are pics of the floatbowl.

 

[paulwestski]

Just go for it drill and tap for a drain plug. Put a little bit of Teflon tape on the plug and you should be fine.

 

[hosspuller]

I would drip and tap the boss. Sealing washer & bolt would be better appearance and function wise.

 

[rsallen]

IF there's enough material for threads, drill and tap.
Smooth the boss down and use a rubber gasket or aluminum washer against a machined headed brass plug.

 

[/pine]

FWIW...I've seen "JB Weld" (epoxy) used on intake manifolds and it holds up well...

 

[pacerron]

Who has experience with epoxy and (modern) gasoline? What kind of epoxy last years in a USA-gasoline environment?

I have 9HP Briggs & Stratton motor that has no float bowl drain. It has a very small boss cast into it, and perhaps feasible that it could be tapped for a small plug about 3/8". I don't have confidence that the sealing surface is good enough or would be square with regards to my tapped threads & I don't want it to seep. Also I want to use a larger cup-style plug. I'm thinking of cutting out the cup-style plug and boss from another carburetor and epoxy-ing it onto the bottom of this bowl. Alternatively, does anyone know if floatbowls are available for a B&S that already have a drain cup?

I like the "cup style" because it holds a sample of the stuff at the bottom. You can inspect for junk or water at the time of draining.

Here are pics of the floatbowl.

]

Wouldn't it be a lot easier to just drop the bowl as you have here and dump it so you can see any scum/trash build up in the bottom of the bowl or on the float?

 

[Sodo]

Wouldn't it be a lot easier to just drop the bowl as you have here and dump it so you can see any scum/trash build up in the bottom of the bowl or on the float?

Not really, there is a flimsy & complex rubber gasket that you have to be sure to get back in all the right places and access & visibility isn't great. Basically, what happens is the eqpt gets "stored". After it's been there a few months; and winter is approaching, it's time to drain all the bowls in my multitude of gas engines (10 or more). By then, stuff (little motorcycles, trencher etc) is packed in tight around the mothballed eqpt. I decide that today is carb drain day and to get the bowls off I have to move all the other stuff, then move it all back. Everything else has drains and drain cups, want all to have drains.

JBWeld was my first thought, I've used it in many places but never immersed in gasoline.

I suppose Permatex Fuel Tank Repair might be more certain but is it a structural repair or just a 'plug'? I need it strong enough to resist wrench torque. Maybe seal it with the gas tank repair then cover it over with JBWeld?

Simplest is a brass 1/8 NPT, tap it and teflon, NPT is fine for once a year and a careful touch. Still considering that - but wrestling with the desire to look at whats in the bottom of the bowl at every draining. Then just the simple act of draining the carb can tell you a lot more.

Does anybody know what this is on the bottom of the bowl (of the pic below)? This bowl looks identical to mine but it apparently has threads? Is it a fuel shutoff for tipover? If the bowl is identical, I can buy this entire carb for $80 and just use the bowl.

 

[hosspuller]

Does anybody know what this is on the bottom of the bowl (of the pic below)? This bowl looks identical to mine but it apparently has threads? Is it a fuel shutoff for tipover? If the bowl is identical, I can buy this entire carb for $80 and just use the bowl.

Just a guess ... I have a Kohler engine with a similar do-hickey. It's an electric fuel shut-off. Prevents back-firing at shut down.

 

[jaotguy]

you can also use SEAL ALL ... gas , oil etc resistant.

 

[mikehaugen]

Maybe some type of solder?

Have you looked for a replacement bowl? Carbs get updated through the years and different manufactures have different requests etc, there's a good chance there was a version of the bowl that had the drain on some variation of engine.