National Aeronca Association Bulletin Board

Our new (to us) 46 Champ has an old style primer with no seals or O rings. When pumped, there does not seem to be fuel in the primer by feel yet, it starts OK. How does this thing work and not leak without any seals?

I think I had a similar primer on an old Taylorcraft 1939 BL-65.

I don't know how they work but they are novel if not magical

Dave.

You use a small strip of leather binding wrapped around it to seal it, if I remember rightly. They had leather around for the baffles up front too.

I haven't had it apart but my primer on my 11AC works just as you describe. It doesn't seem to have much "feel" of back pressure but can easily flood he engine if you get to enthusiastic about priming. Must have some sort of sealing - I'm not taking it apart though, I'm more interested in starts than parts definition ! Seriously, it may be difficult to find out though since this is a vendor supplied part which may only appear on drawings as just that with no explosion drawings. I found this to be the case with the Imperial valve used for the Auxiliary fuel tank. Have you tried the Service manual ? Maybe one of the serious mechanic types here will have some drawing definition.

Dale

Here's a little more information on primers that may help,

http://www.joea.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=5565

If the primer is a Luckenheimer, with a small flat blade slide the brass washer under the knob forward on the shaft and wrapm the shaft with an additional turn of graphite impregnated water valve packing about 1/16 inch diameter stran or a leather wrap. You may have to try various lengths to be able to screw the knob back on the main primer body. Grease the stran of packing will help hold to on the primer shaft. The graphite cord can be found at hardware stores..........Gordy in Mn