dented carb floats

[Gorminrider]

...from the picture it's hard to tell how bad it is, but it doesn't look bad enough to not just adjust the tab to keep level correct and hope that the buoyancy is still enough to push the needle against the seat versus fuel pressure.
However,
if you can't pull it back out maybe just drill a hole , put a small DRIFT into the hole and PUSH.....or tap gently against a soft wood block...endgrain of wood is best.

Air is a gas and is compressible- "compressed" air is denser and floats "lower" and thereby has less buoyancy. If the float originally had two domed convex surfaces and you have popped them inward,to "concave" you have changed the volume, you have compressed the air, you have reduced the buoyancy.

.....failing other tries,, you could add buoyancy with a light glue-on cap..epoxy should be ok but the addition must float the glue too.
I would consider de-soldering,correcting the "dish?",and resoldering. The rest of the bits could also fall apart unless you are careful and apply heat locally. This would be true resoldering over the hole above too so be careful. Heat sinks can help. I've used pairs of vice grips and forceps as immediate emergency heatsinks. I've resoldered old floats from outboards but they weren't dual like these and if the joiner is soldered too, it makes it tricky.

[Guest]

The warning about dented floats is in service bulletin General-11:

http://www.ozebook.com/compendium/techbuls/SerBulletin%20General%2010-18.pdf

Any repair work you do could result in small cracks that at some later point result in sunken floats.

[Guest]

Thanks jabcb for the link. That bulletin explains the damaged float issue completely.

I have heard about bikes being parked outside in freezing weather for a long time and the gas in the bowls freezing and collapsing the floats. But never thought about shooting compressed air into a complete/closed up carb and crushing the floats.

So now, knowing myself, I'm leaning toward getting some new floats. I have a hard time doing something to a bike and having that nagging question in the back of my mind..."I wonder if the damaged floats are causing this issue?"

So thanks to everyone who's added to this thread. It's been fun.

[rustybronco]

De-solder the small hole in the middle of the float and use a bent piece of high strength wire to pull out the dent. Re-solder the hole. You can also de-solder the two halves, push out the dent, re-solder the two halves back together and close up the small hole.

Use a propane torch, flux and rosin core solder. Take pictures of the floats before you do anything to them!

Or, just put them back in the carbs like they are.

They are just three pieces of brass soldered together...

[Guest]

Thanks rustybronco. That is an option I'm considering and all options are on the table.