WLA Fuel Shutoff

[RvP]

I have WLA tanks on my civilian 45 and I can’t get the fuel shut off to shut off 100%, it always drips. I borrowed an alignment tool and corrected the alignment problem and cleaned the seat and polished the end of the shut off rod. It went from a small stream when off to a few drips. This is better but not good enough for sitting in the garage for weeks and then the occasional ride until the summer months get here.

Until then I am thinking about installing a shut off used on the 1959 and up Servi-car for the winter. I know that I will have to use a rubber fuel line but I don’t know if this type of shut off will even fit the threaded hole in the bottom of my tank. Here’s what I am curious about:

1) Does anyone know if the 1959 and up Seriv-car fuel shut off will just screw in the WLA tank without modification?

2) Were the 1959 and up Servi-car gas tanks different in that they did not have the hole in front of the gas cap for the fuel shut off rod?

3) Someone also told me I can use the fuel valve from a Sportster which may be easier to get, is this correct?

I am not one to give up and will work out a way to fix the correct fuel shut off over the winter. I know reproduction seats and rods are available and I can get some for free from my buddies that have them laying around because “they don’t work”. The advice I was given was stick with the NOS parts I have and work with it.


4) Anyone have a trick to getting them to shut off completely?

5) Is there a modification that can be made to use a neoprene seat instead of the brass?

6) Is there a way to lap the rod and seat without buggering up the rod by removing the threaded part?

[George Greer]

Rvp,

I can't comment about the other fuel shutoff rods from Servi's or Sporties..

But, I will share with you what I did to my WLA.

Make 100% sure that you have no alignment problems or spacing problems with the fuel shutoff assembly.

Then, what I did was....

Take a bit of baking soda, make a paste with water, and lap the seat and rod together.

Perhaps some Crest toothpaste.

Then, just kept lapping it until it held a couple of PSI of air when applied to the outlet end and the rod was completely closed. ( tested it under water looking for bubbles)

I also made a burnishing tool with a stainless steel ball silvered soldered to a bolt the right diameter to fit the valve and stay centered, but have not used it yet.

George

[RvP]

Lapping the rod and seat

George,
Thanks for the reply. I have taken care of the alignment problem and I am sure after many years of use and abuse the rod and seat need to be lapped. I did try lapping with toothpaste and then fine valve grinding compound and got the small stream to a slow drip. The problem I had with lapping the rod and seat is that the rod moves in and out of the seat due to the threads. If there was a way to spin the rod in the seat without the rod moving in and out I am sure I could lap it perfectly.

Did you remove the male threads from the rod to lap the seat and rod? If so, how did you remove the male threads from the rod?

Ron Papasso
#3129

[George Greer]

RvP,

No sir, I did not remove anything.....other than just regular disassembly of the valve/rod assembly..

I do think that making a burnishing tool would solve your problem.

I think that this winter, I will take mine apart one more time to use the tool that I made and see how it works..

I did take the shutoff rod and chuck in up onto my lathe and using crocus cloth and oil, cleaned up the seat.

I think that burnishing the seat with the tool that I made would make it prefect-o mundo..

George