I bought a brand new Ewart style petrol tap - the type with a cork ring on a plunger. I'm now about 400 miles in with the bike - and the tap is virtually impossible to open and close. I know the corks swell in use - and dry out if unused for a long period. But something need to be done.
I can't imagine skimming a bit off a wet cork - So I guess I need to get the cork out and dried. I'm assuming it will then need easing with a bit of sandpaper - but that will be quite hard to do by hand whilst keeping it concentric.
Any tips gratefully received.
I tend to just put a small amount of grease on the cork.
If the end of the plunger retaining screw is too long it can bear on the plunger making it difficult to operate. Check that there are no rough edges to the internal drillings in the body.
Have you slackened the little brass screw in the end of the pull/push as thats what tightens it up .
Very few have that arrangement, and I've never seen a new/repro one that did.
I have a mix of both. Its worth turning it just in case. Some press out too.
having gathered all your tips, and drained the tank, I got the plunger out. It isn't cork. It's some form of rubber.
I've lubed it with some red rubber grease. But maybe vaseline would be better? I've no idea which will get on with petrol (and ethanol) best?
I think that material is the problem. I tried some neoprene "corks" a few years ago and had the same issue - near impossible to use. Changed to real cork and issue resolved.
Maybe the rubber is not Ethanol proof and is swelling a bit. Any lubricant has to be fuel proof as well. I used to use Silicon Grease on a fuel stop valve that had Butylic O Rings as a seal.