Installing Welch plugs.

[2broke2ride]

Who has a good method for installing welch plugs they can pass along? I have a sears saw with a power products motor that I'm on my third carb kit because I can't get one of the welch plugs to seat right. It either falls out or I squish it so deep it goes out of round and wont seal. What am I missing? I have done this before and always used a flat punch a little smaller than the plug and never had problems but this one is pissing me off lol.

 

[pioneerguy600]

That`s how its done but you need the exact correct plug or it won`t expand enough to be completely tight.

 

[Donnieboy]

I’ve heard you can use a tiny bit of nail polish to help them seal, but I’m not sure how it hold up to gas...


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[purdyite]

I have a tabletop drill press; I insert the drill backwards so the blunt end is down, and use it as a "press" to slowly, gently, carefully press on the center of the plug. I judge by eyeball when it has expanded, and I have used nail polish to then seal it. Seems to work.

 

[Justsaws]

Sometimes, I will have to use a flat punch that is the same size as the Welch plug opening to take the plug flat. It depends on the dome height, etc. Some of the carb kits recently the Welch plugs were installed by using a hollow punch to flatten the outer edge to the opening and a solid punch to snug it up. A socket the correct diameter to match the opening can be used, just take care to get a solid and even strike on it.

Never needed to use sealer on a Welch plug in a chainsaw carb. Clearly some had sealer on them.

 

[pioneerguy600]

I see some of the Welch plugs that comes in the AM kits that would be highly doubtful if they could be made to seal without a liquid sealer, their edges are very uneven/rough. Nail polish will work fine in non E laced fuels but the Ethanol is the wild card, it may partially dissolve and dislodge the polish leaving strings of product to slosh around until it plugs an orifice.

 

[HarleyT]

I think rather the problem here is more a problem of fit/size.

 

[HarleyT]

The plugs you are using are likely metric sizes, and the carb needs sae sizes.

They may be real close, but.......

 

[HarleyT]

Find an old Tecumseh kit, it will likely have one to fit.

 

[pioneerguy600]

The plug does not expand very much when flattened so it must fit rather tight before the flattening is complete. Should take a push to place one before smacking it flat.

 

[djones]

Here is my favorite method for Welch plugs..... I use a 1/4" extension, 3" or 6" will do depending on the size of your hands. On the extension I install a socket that is undersized to the welch plug. With the dome of the plug facing up, place the socket on top of the dome and lightly tap the socket and extension until the plug seats. It doesn't take much, just a couple taps with a hammer and you're done. Nail polish may be used but I have never had a problem with this method.

 

[LegDeLimber]

Had the carb sat and rust formed around the old plug?
Was the carb body nasty with corrosion?
If so, the hole may be a few thou looser after the cleanup.

 

[2broke2ride]

No corrosion or rust to speak of. Have been using Oregon kits because they are the only ones I've found that come with the fuel pump bits for these power products carbs.
I have another kit on the way. Will give a go with the drill press this time.

 

[HarleyT]

Put up a pic of one of the plugs sitting in the hole before you try expanding it.

 

[DPSElias]

I just put in a Welch plug that fell out in my Makita 7910 build and the plug wasn't new but I flattened it out and still wasn't sealing so since I use pre-mixed fuels I used some of my girlfriends nail polish and it solved the issue for me. Ideally I'd rather not need something that might break down in the carb but had to get her back up and running, if she ever acts up again I'll put a new one in from the rebuild kits I got.

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[HarleyT]

Since you brought her up,

we need pics of the girlfriend now..............

 

[DPSElias]

Since you brought her up,

we need pics of the girlfriend now..............

Here she is [emoji6]

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[Okie]

I very seldom remove a welch plug unless the carb looks really bad or I've cleaned it and it did not respond to a kit and cleaning first time and I've re-used the old welch plugs by carefully drilling a itty bitty hole in the center and pulling it most generall using a o ring pick if it's aluminum if I could not use air pressure and a catch cage to dislodge.
To re-install a old used welch plug I take a piece of leather or rubber as a backing and a round tip punch and re-cup the plug then stake it into place. I then take some Brownells acraglas gel epoxy and mix in some ground aluminum filings and seal the small hole and the edges of the welch plug. (let the epoxy air dry for few hours) Removal of the epoxied welch plug requires use of a soldering iron. I've never had a re-used welch plug fail using this method. I've also heard of Devcon epoxy being recommended.
I do not use JB weld epoxy for such.

 

[HarleyT]

Here she is [emoji6]

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Where is her nail polish?

 

[Okie]

Where is her nail polish?

Also appears she has not shaved her arm in couple days or ran out of nair and she could just use her thumb to stake a welch plug!