Float valve not working properly...what's the problem?
 

I picked up a well used '95 Heritage recently and discovered that the float valve sticks, allowing fuel to overflow like a mofo. I picked up a Custom Chrome carb rebuild kit, took the carb apart, cleaned it, and reassembled it using the new parts. The new float valve likes to hang up, not allowing enough fuel to keep the fuel bowl filled. The old valve, when I manually stuck it in there and released it, would fall out very well, but the new valve sticks...almost like suction is holding it in. I'm really hoping to get this thing back together and running again today, but I'm hesitant to put an old part back in it. The point is still sharp, and the rubber is decently soft, but again, I don't really want to use it.

ETA: Ok, rain was coming, so I buttoned it back up using the old valve and took it for a quick spin, works fine, doesn't seem to be leaking. Still would like to know why the new valve won't work though, if anyone has any suggestions.

Some needles are slightly larger than they should be, you need to take some 600 or finer sand paper and gently take some material off of all three protrusions as equal as possible. Clean the needle and try it back in the seat. It should go in and out easily. Hope this helps.
John

Just make sure you don't sandpaper the rubber tip :-)

The replacement part is thinner than the original (not factory), so no concerns there.

Rubber tip might be too soft and its sticking in the hole and there is not enough weight of gas to push it down again?

Put the new stuff together , adjust your float to specs., install the fuel line , level the carb. before you install it , open the tank valve to allow fuel into the carb. Let the fuel fill the bowl , tap the bowl a couple of times , check for leaks . No leaks ... ok.

Don't mean to hijack your thread here but I have a similar issue ...

Mine never seems to seal correctly. I put a no brand rebuild kit on it and the needle wasn't even the correct size. I bought the Harley parts and a new float and even set it at 17mm it will not seal the flow!

I'm now using a vacuum shut off Harley petcock but the remaining gas in the line still all drips out after stopping the motor. I have to shut it off a block from home to stop it dripping.

The carb works fine and runs fine it's just this PITA shut off valve will not seat correctly. I've made a lot of attempts to get it right!

The wrench that set it had it at exactly 16mm and it leaked. He told me time to upgrade the carb anyways.

What would cause it to still leak? From what I see there is no damage to the seat, and it's not replaceable on mine.

Any help or suggestions?

i struggled with the same problem for a while.... covered every conceivable angle until i tackled the float valve with some 1000 grit sandpaper and hit those 4 ribs, and it helped

BUT, the other thing i did was hit the 'tongue' on the float where the float valve sits... if everything is original- as mine was- you'll notice that the plunger on the float valve most likely has worn a groove or even a hole in the tongue over the years.... what this does once it wears to a certain point is cause the float valve to essentially 'get stuck' in one spot on the tongue, thus preventing it from moving perfectly vertical up into the float bore to seal the fuel

i caught this when my fuel kept pouring out of my overflow, and i dropped the float bowl to see what's what.... float valve was stuck in the bore and had to really tap on it to free it up....when i pulled the float and valve down after removing the pin... the float valve seemed stuck to the float's tongue that it sits on....and sure enough, it was.... the plunger was stuck inside a hole that it had worn into the tongue over the years

anyway, my 2-cents.... hope this helps

You can clean and polish the seat with q-tips chucked in a drill.
Spray q-tip with brake clean to clean, then dry ones to polish.
Clean well with brake clean and blow dry.

You can scrape the two corners on each needle rib with a one sided razor.