520H Fuel Sensor Float (won't float)

[oe espo 32]

Im pretty happy about picking up a 520H.  Im cleaning out the fuel tank (just finished cleaning the carb as it was surging).   thought i would try to get fuel gage working.  tested the reostat by moving the float by hand.  seems to change the ohms pretty steady.  after pulling the sensor the float is a plastic canister that is full of gas!

 

any suggestions on a replacement float since the sensor is good?  cork?  nothing comes to mind for me.

Thanks

[WH nut 553]

Cork, or anything that floats that the gas wont eat.

[oe espo 32]

I picked up a cork tonight. I try it. Just don't want to add more problems

[Geno 1,928]

They used to use shellac on the cork but it won't stand up to the alcohol in the newer fuels.  I and others have had luck with poly fiberglass resin.  Just dip it in the resin and shake off the excess. The resin will resist the newer fuels.

[Forest Road 594]

If u need a new one shop aftermarket. Less than 1/2 price vs Toro.

[oe espo 32]

I would love to buy a new float. just cant find one.  Wouldn't have to worry about shellacing/resin a cork or try to to plastic weld it.  Looks like polyethylene and i have JB Weld's Kwik Plastic and also PC-7 Epoxy but it does't seem to work with that type of plastic.  Now I just found out this P220 has a blown head gasket, and a JB welded sheave on the hydro.  I can just see money pouring out of my pockets know on what i thought was good deal on a 520H.  I guess I'm still happy that I got it but finding many Gremlins.  A quick repair has had my wife's bay in the garage (with a motor to pull now) for full for a week and its starting to snow here above Pittsburgh.  fun.  

 

If anyone has a good float on a bad sender that would help!

[Geno 1,928]

Go to the local repair shops and ask them if they have an old fuel pump assy they are about to throw away and grab the float off of it.  I've thrown plenty of them away. 

[jrc0528 20]

You could try removing the gas from your existing float and sealing it with the resin also.  A relatively easy way to get the gas out of the float is to submerge it in hot (near boiling) water.  Do this outside away from heat & flame, so don't use a hotplate/burner under the pot of water while doing this!  As the gas heats up it will expand and turn to vapor; turning the float around underwater should eventually reveal a stream of bubbles showing the leak's location, once found turn the float so the leak is at the bottom.  I've used this trick to empty flooded brass carb floats so they could be repaired.

[callum12 256]

I'm in the process of repairing a brass float, personally i'd try repairing the old one, i'm doing the method shown above ^^. 

[oe espo 32]

I picked up a float from an auto parts store and rigged it on there.   Gauge is working now. It t needs tweaked for the setting but works I'm pretty happy. Thanks everyone.

 

[Geno 1,928]

Glad you got her fixed.