Fuel Tap O Rings
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Fuel Tap O Rings
I tried the "o" rings on my fuel tap (3/16 x 3/8 x 3/32). (They aren't a tight fit on the shaft which I thought they would be). I put 4 on and they worked fine for a few pulls and then jammed solid. Anybody got any ideas? Many thanks. Robert
Re: Fuel Tap O Rings
Replace them with a cork, maybe?
The cock was designed to work with a cork, and cork isn't soluble in petrol. So while corks are available it's best to use them. That's my opinion anyway...
The cock was designed to work with a cork, and cork isn't soluble in petrol. So while corks are available it's best to use them. That's my opinion anyway...
Re: Fuel Tap O Rings
+1
A replacement cork piece can be made from a wine cork. Take a drill bit and run a hole through one that hasn't been torn up too badly by removal from its original purpose. Your bit should be about the size of the valve piece's shaft where the original seal came from. Next, cut the cork down lengthwise so that it will fit onto the valve shaft; use the old cork for a measure, or manage by trial and error.
Once the new over-sized cork bit is on the valve shaft, put the larger disc/handle part back on to the shaft piece. Next, take a razor knife and cut the cork down to approximately the diameter of the brass valve shaft that adjoins from both ends of the cork section. DON"T bother to get too close, that will be managed another way. That other way is to take some fine sandpaper and sand laterally up & down the shaft length, rotating often for uniformity around the circumference of the project. It's OK if the sandpaper touches the brass a little bit, because you should not be using enough pressure in the first place that it would significantly score the brass. But avoid damage if possible. One may inevitably get a swell in the midsection of the new cork piece but that's acceptable in my experience, if it's only very slight.
Continue upon this sizing action until the cork piece is just a fraction larger in diameter than the adjacent brass sections; it's always easier to remove more, than it is to start over due to too loose a fit. One could also try rotating the shaft within the sandpaper as if it were in a lathe. I like a slight bit of resistance on the new cork, which swells out upon soaking with fuel just the same but does so a bit quicker if the fit is just a little snug (and I mean, a "little") from the start.
It took me two tries on the first such attempt to do this on one engine, and thrice on the other engine due to the poor selection of corks on hand, but the process does work. May be I should step up my wine intake prior to the next cork failure in, what, 20 years from now?
Hope that helps, and, it's more fun to play around with the older technology besides.
A replacement cork piece can be made from a wine cork. Take a drill bit and run a hole through one that hasn't been torn up too badly by removal from its original purpose. Your bit should be about the size of the valve piece's shaft where the original seal came from. Next, cut the cork down lengthwise so that it will fit onto the valve shaft; use the old cork for a measure, or manage by trial and error.
Once the new over-sized cork bit is on the valve shaft, put the larger disc/handle part back on to the shaft piece. Next, take a razor knife and cut the cork down to approximately the diameter of the brass valve shaft that adjoins from both ends of the cork section. DON"T bother to get too close, that will be managed another way. That other way is to take some fine sandpaper and sand laterally up & down the shaft length, rotating often for uniformity around the circumference of the project. It's OK if the sandpaper touches the brass a little bit, because you should not be using enough pressure in the first place that it would significantly score the brass. But avoid damage if possible. One may inevitably get a swell in the midsection of the new cork piece but that's acceptable in my experience, if it's only very slight.
Continue upon this sizing action until the cork piece is just a fraction larger in diameter than the adjacent brass sections; it's always easier to remove more, than it is to start over due to too loose a fit. One could also try rotating the shaft within the sandpaper as if it were in a lathe. I like a slight bit of resistance on the new cork, which swells out upon soaking with fuel just the same but does so a bit quicker if the fit is just a little snug (and I mean, a "little") from the start.
It took me two tries on the first such attempt to do this on one engine, and thrice on the other engine due to the poor selection of corks on hand, but the process does work. May be I should step up my wine intake prior to the next cork failure in, what, 20 years from now?
Hope that helps, and, it's more fun to play around with the older technology besides.
Last edited by atoyot on Mon Jul 04, 2011 12:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.
- Prof. Peter Drucker
- Prof. Peter Drucker
Re: Fuel Tap O Rings
Repairing my Fetherweight I used one of the modern synthetic corks. That stuff is perfectly gas resistant.
I do have the advantage to have a Model makers lathe on board.
Could not keep my mouth shut so some Turkish farmers came over and asked me to make gas injection starting aids for there worthless Chinese chainsaws. Made of plastic syringe and imitation cork of cheap wine. It worked.
I do have the advantage to have a Model makers lathe on board.
Could not keep my mouth shut so some Turkish farmers came over and asked me to make gas injection starting aids for there worthless Chinese chainsaws. Made of plastic syringe and imitation cork of cheap wine. It worked.
Re: Fuel Tap O Rings
Rather than drilling holes in things or whatever it's so much easier just to buy a new one...
Re: Fuel Tap O Rings
I agree that buying the correct parts is easier. The main reason to buy a Seagull was that almost everything is repairable.
Had a Johnson 2hp, very old, had to repair time after time. Made a water pump housing from three sheets of plexiglas glued together. Made even a seal in it, taken from a broken yamaha. Patent ! Then the top needle bearing seazed.
At that time i was in a remote part of Turkey, nearest road 10 km over the most wild land you can imagine. I could sail to a town, and then ? No spare parts for 30 year old johnson in Turkey. Other problem, if one orders something abroad, end it is send to Turkey, then prepare for some struggle. Nowadays, you even need a Agent to take your belongings out of the customs. I did repair the johnson by taking the two sets of needles from the bearings ( The top ones ware triangular now ) and putting a good round one, then a tri, then a round etc. The tri acted as spacers for the round needles.
It worked! the engine run but sooner or later it would die. Further more the creep gave me huge electrical shocks whenever I touch it. I used to put my rubber boot over my hand to regulate the gas. My wife found it terribly funny to see me get tazerd, and one time the shock was so severe, that my upper lip curled inside for three weeks.
I then bought the feahterweigt ( 10 € On Simi island ) and gave the johnson to a friend who used the lower past to make a electrical outboard. ( very hand for laying fishing nets with the dingy )
Sometimes you just can not buy.
Had a Johnson 2hp, very old, had to repair time after time. Made a water pump housing from three sheets of plexiglas glued together. Made even a seal in it, taken from a broken yamaha. Patent ! Then the top needle bearing seazed.
At that time i was in a remote part of Turkey, nearest road 10 km over the most wild land you can imagine. I could sail to a town, and then ? No spare parts for 30 year old johnson in Turkey. Other problem, if one orders something abroad, end it is send to Turkey, then prepare for some struggle. Nowadays, you even need a Agent to take your belongings out of the customs. I did repair the johnson by taking the two sets of needles from the bearings ( The top ones ware triangular now ) and putting a good round one, then a tri, then a round etc. The tri acted as spacers for the round needles.
It worked! the engine run but sooner or later it would die. Further more the creep gave me huge electrical shocks whenever I touch it. I used to put my rubber boot over my hand to regulate the gas. My wife found it terribly funny to see me get tazerd, and one time the shock was so severe, that my upper lip curled inside for three weeks.
I then bought the feahterweigt ( 10 € On Simi island ) and gave the johnson to a friend who used the lower past to make a electrical outboard. ( very hand for laying fishing nets with the dingy )
Sometimes you just can not buy.
- Double Dutch
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Thu Nov 18, 2010 11:47 pm
- Location: Nr Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Re: Fuel Tap O Rings
I have tried "O" rings on my fueltap of my SD with good results.
I think you have used the wrong material.
Try Viton "O"rings, they are fuel resistent.
I think you have used the wrong material.
Try Viton "O"rings, they are fuel resistent.
Re: Fuel Tap O Rings
Firstly - thank you all for your advice. Double dutch when I put one o ring on the shaft it isn't tight with the plunger (in other words it is a loose fit where the cork used to be). When I put four on they hardly fit length wise. It was then difficult to insert the plunger in the tap body. It worked fine for a few operations then jammed tight so that I had to force it out. This was all on the bench so the material is not important but I am wondering if the size I used is correct (ID 3/16 OD 3/8 Wall 3/16) (size BS106). Robert
Re: Fuel Tap O Rings
The parts are available on EBay - auction #290555427124. if it helps, I'll procure them and post to you.
- Ted
- Ted
There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.
- Prof. Peter Drucker
- Prof. Peter Drucker
Re: Fuel Tap O Rings
Thanks Atoyot, I can use the corks as described. The O rings seemed a simple fix but are obviously not! I suspect that the dimensions given are wrong. Robert
Re: Fuel Tap O Rings
OK. Best of luck, and if you change your approach, give a holler. There's a lot of benefit to purchasing common replacement parts, though people fabricate gaskets from stiff paper or cardboard often enough.... One would hope and try to avoid ruining the integrety of the engine for a permanent repair of course.timer wrote:Thanks Atoyot, I can use the corks as described. The O rings seemed a simple fix but are obviously not! I suspect that the dimensions given are wrong. Robert
There's a story on Trailer Sailor* by a guy whose Seagull injested seawater underway which blew out the head gasket. He fabricated a temporary replacement out of a wax cardboard juice box! It got him home at least.
-Ted
* Buried somewhere in here - http://bbs.trailersailor.com/forums/tsa ... ull,gasket
There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.
- Prof. Peter Drucker
- Prof. Peter Drucker
- Double Dutch
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Thu Nov 18, 2010 11:47 pm
- Location: Nr Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Re: Fuel Tap O Rings
I can’t remember the dimensions of the O rings, but don't worry about the lose fit on the plunger.
When all the O rings are fitted, they will be tight against each other.
For the exact dimensions, there is an article about O rings on Johns website.
I have tried this also on my classic motorcycles, which have the Stewart fuel taps.
When all the O rings are fitted, they will be tight against each other.
For the exact dimensions, there is an article about O rings on Johns website.
I have tried this also on my classic motorcycles, which have the Stewart fuel taps.