Sediment Bowl Gasket Shrunk

[Marion(57 Loboy)]

Has this happened to anyone else?

Went to fire up the Loboy and when I turned the gas on it started leaking out over the glass bowl.

Took it apart, and the gasket (Cork?) had shrunk and pulled away from one side breaking the seal.

A friend had some gasket material and I fabbed a new one and it is not leaking, but I wonder if this one too will shrink when I need the tractor for a chore.

That is one of my pet peeeves...having to work on equipment or tools before I can use them.

I'm thinking perhaps it's something they are putting in the gas these days caused it to shrink?

[Rudi]

Marion:

I found one of the fuel sediment bowls I acquired had that problem, can't remember if it was one from a running Cub or a parts piece. I also replaced it with a new one that I had on hand. I really think it was because the cork was really aged. Cork normally doesn't shrink fast - not sure why it would do that. The only thing that I can think of is ethanol fuel - water gets absorbed into the fuel which in turn absorbs into the cork - and the cork may shrink as it dries out when sitting too long. But that sounds really off-the-wall.

I don't think that shrinkage is a huge worry at all though.

Boss seems to recommend rubber gaskets IIRC from some of his posts. Don't know if that will lessen the shrinkage risk.

[GWrider1957]

Per Bosses recomendation, I found rubber sediment bowl gaskets at my local NAPA.

[beaconlight]

I have had cork gaskets go bad but they were about twice the age of my youngest grand daughter. Sydney graduated high school last spring.

[Jim Becker]

I've seen the same. Cork shrinks when it dries, always has. I've seen new cork gaskets that have shrunk too much to be able to use. Back in the day, some gasket storage units had water trays. I suppose nowdays they just expect inventory to turn fast enough to avoid a problem.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

Most of the time a shrunk gasket can be brought back to size by soaking in water.

[Bill E Bob]

Most of the time a shrunk gasket can be brought back to size by soaking in water.

Bought a Cub that had the coolant drained and had been sitting for quite some time. Added water and leaked everywhere, so I figured a new radiator was in order, well, the longer it sat, the less it leaked finally decided the cork gasket had rehydrated

[sammydonnacub]

Just for the Info-- The gasket that was in the 1949 Cub that we have restored is a Rubber type. I actually put a new sediment bowl on the tank when we redid that and it leaked so I tried the old rubber gasket that was in the tractor for at least 21 years (parked) and it is fine..
I will Never Doubt Boss Hog......
Sammy

[B Shaver]

I buy some of my tractor parts thru a supply/repair shop here in Virginia, "Tractor Care". The parts guys there are saying that some cork gaskets (carburator) do not like ethenol gas. It causes them to deform and come apart. So Beware!


Bill Shaver

[Donegal Cub]

I am quite a recent 1st time owner of a 48 Cub, and also had bowl gasket trouble. So I made one out of heavy gasket paper and it seems o be doing the job fine.
Donegal Cub

[JRICK]

I put a new sediment bowl on a tractor four months ago. It has been under a tarp since that time.I decided yesterday to get the tractor running again.I found the same problem that this post is about.I smelled gas and looked and the dang bowl was leaking.I robbed a gasket from an old bowl and no leaks for now.I hate to work on something to work on something,but that is normal lately...