1965 FLH Fuel Rod Leaking

[govmule84]

Multiply that by 100 municipal police departments, at very least, VHP!

My first American ride was a tank-shift '65 from the Kansas City PD, or so its legend goes.

I can't think of any other way it could have been so mistreated by '75.

....Cotten

Please tell me that's really you, Cotten.

[T. Cotten]

Please tell me that's really you, Cotten.

No Liam,...

But I know what he was attempting.

If my first HD hadn't been so thrashed,.. I might have made a better career choice.

*sigh*

....Cotten
PS: Back to topic..
Upon measuring a handfull of -41 rods, and a metal-tipped repop, they all fall short of 9 7/16", except the repop that was closer.

What was the the overall length of a -65 rod?

Thanks in advance for all of us,
(I plan to never need it myself...)

[Carl Olsen]

The 65's with 5 gallon tanks used the 45 flathead rod, bigger tanks, less reserve needed. Go ahead and try to remachine your old junk fuel rod, it might last for a while, but what is your time worth? Give me a call when you want to fix it right and permanently and eliminate that gas smell in your garage. We have sold well over 1,000 fuel rods in the time we have had them available and never had one returned, they are $125 each including shipping and are the complete unit top to bottom including all of the hardware.

[Lyle Manheimer]

Carl's rods are not only fuel proof they are fool proof. Installation is a snap, they work great and they come with free advice if you need it. I installed one on my '64 Pan and I can now leave the pilot lit on the garage heater. Many thanks Carl for a great reasonably priced product that has lasted for several years already and many years to come I am sure.

[duffeycycles]

I've sold a few of Carl's fuel rods.No complaints from me.They work great.I tested them against good working originals with vaccuum & air pressure.You dont have to crank down on Carl's to get a good seal.

[T. Cotten]

The 65's with 5 gallon tanks used the 45 flathead rod, bigger tanks, less reserve needed. Go ahead and try to remachine your old junk fuel rod, it might last for a while, but what is your time worth?... ..

Gosh Carl!

If the original lasted a half-century, why shouldn't a re-cut give another half-century?

....Cotten
PS: Why does the '65 rod have its own part number?

[vph-d]

Cotton,
I was kidding about the "10 or so" number... I imagine the new electric leg was very popular with everybody.
I have several of Carl's shut off rods in use, and am very happy with them.
VPH-D

[T. Cotten]

Cotton,
I was kidding about the "10 or so" number... I imagine the new electric leg was very popular with everybody.
I have several of Carl's shut off rods in use, and am very happy with them.
VPH-D

We all knew you were kidding, VPH-D...

And very glad you didn't stoop to an emoticon!

Everyone knows I made some hardware too, but still... the original hardware should rule.

Especially when its cheapest.

....Cotten

[PRG]

Howdy chaps,

You wanna talk cheap. I got a Carl fuel rod for free though he much preferred I would have paid for one, explanation in pic #38 - 39 below. Wonderful device.

https://petergz.smugmug.com/Events/A...2014/i-MCV2zdm

[craig (DE)]

The 65's with 5 gallon tanks used the 45 flathead rod, bigger tanks, less reserve needed. Go ahead and try to remachine your old junk fuel rod, it might last for a while, but what is your time worth? Give me a call when you want to fix it right and permanently and eliminate that gas smell in your garage. We have sold well over 1,000 fuel rods in the time we have had them available and never had one returned, they are $125 each including shipping and are the complete unit top to bottom including all of the hardware.

Carl, will I need the alignment tool to install your rods?

[duffeycycles]

The only difference in Carl's rods are the tips.Not all tanks need realigned.

[craig (DE)]

I do believe my tank might need to be aligned. The shutoff was always a bit tight to unlock and also to pull up into the reserve.

Does anyone have a tool I could rent?

[T. Cotten]

Craig!

The factory tool has an inherent flaw in that metal must be bent past 'straight', to spring back to 'straight'.
Their silly solution was to beat it with a hammer!

I made far better tooling easily, cheaply, and much more friendly to the metal and paint.
It started with a piece of mild steel that I threaded to chase paint from the bottom bung. Then I center-drilled and reamed it to accept a 1/4" rod, which quickly pointed out any miss-alignment with the top opening.

The "tap" could be held in a vise, so the tank could be easily tweaked straight by hand. ('65 tanks are quite flimsy.)
When a top bung proved a problem, I brazed an old 62091-40 seal cap to a piece of pipe for leverage.

This system has paid for itself many times over.

....Cotten

[craig (DE)]

Hey Cotton,

I took your advice and had my tip machined. The machinist here at work put dye on the tip first and then seated to the tank fitting. You could see where it was only touching a little area in the seat. He chucked it up on the Bridgeport and dressed the tip. We re-dyed and check again and now I have a great seat.


Thanks!

PS - Your washers came yesterday!

[T. Cotten]

It would take me all day, Craig,..

..To set it up on a Bridgeport!
(I'm not a real machinist, except on forms and questionaires.)

The poor contact of the original point results from it wearing in just a short arc when tightened, and always hits the same spot.
It is curious how the tool steel (or Monel?) wears more than the brass seat.
One seat drove me nuts, dressing it with an endmill, etc., until I concluded that it slowly leaked around the seat.
(A Tedd repop, of course.)

.....Cotten
PS: Now that I think about it... It would take me all week.