Got any advice with carbs please?

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  • #42517
    JamesHarris
    Participant
    #42518
    JamesHarris
    Participant

    I have just changed my 1971 2000 automatic estate from Strombergs to a professionally reconditioned set of SUs + the associated air filter required for the long reach inlet manifold. New gaskets, filters, as far as I’m aware everything necessary.
    Took it up the road for a test drive and brokedown after a mile. Once it is up to running temperature it looses all power and put it into drive, it stalls. Got towed home by my Dad in his 2000 saloon.
    Stripped the whole lot down, Traces of oil mist in the two back barrels of the inlet manifold. Presumed that air was getting sucked in somewhere so replaced the manifold to head gasket, torqued it all up and set off down the road again. Much better this time, lots more power, did a couple of miles up and down the gears, lots of different speeds, kickdown worked very well, up to 75 mph, got home, flipped the bonnet to check for any leaks bearing in mind the amount of new plumbing but all was well. The car was still ticking over so suggested to Dad that he take it down the road to see what a great job I had done this second time . . . back to square one! Put it into drive and it stalls again. Cannot get the bugger to move.
    My initial thoughts are that either there could be a crack in the inlet manifold or that the second gasket is not upto scratch either.
    The manifold has been sandblasted, the carbs, blasted, rebuilt, everything you would expect.
    Does anyone have any ideas please? It looks lovely under the bonnet but my little baby just doesn’t want to go.
    Cheers
    James

    #42519
    JamesHarris
    Participant

    I have had a few responses through the ‘Club Triumph’ forum here in Britain and spoken to the carb specialist that built the SUs for me. The ignition system keeps coming up in conversation.
    I naievely thought that I could just bolt on the carbs but I need someone to confirm an idea I have.
    Looking at the Chris Witor website and his distributor page I get the feeling that specific ignition setups were matched to specific fuel delivery systems, so as I have not altered mine at all, could it be that the early 1971 distributor, don’t ask me which it is, just the one with the knurled adjuster for infinite timing adjustments, is the wrong one for the later HS6 SU carb set up that I now have?
    I have been looking at the sports coils from Moss-Europe too which don’t seem too expensive but I can’t find original Lucas condensors anywhere yet. I can’t be doing with the stuff made in the far east that fails as soon as you look at it. Its happened to me too many times before.
    Any thoughts anyone please?
    Thanks
    James

    #42520
    britishcarfreak
    Keymaster

    Without reading this too carefully… don’t look at the obvious.

    Could it be a sticking cable on the tranny?

    Electrical failure? Hmmm… intermittent stalling on light load – Not likely.

    Way too lean mixture setup at idle could cause failure to idle / stall.

    Oil down inlet manifold? Overfilled dampers in the carb? Has to be carb oil.

    Sounds like some carb set up issues. I’d be looking at idle screw settings and making sure it is text book perfect.

    Float bowl issues in carbs could lead to stalling… but should drive like shit the rest of the time. Same goes for failing fuel pump – should be shit all the time.

    Obvious answer to me is idle set too low, dampers over filled with oil (common mistake), possble sticking auto cable.

    Good luck.

    #42521
    JamesHarris
    Participant

    Thank you for your response, I appreciate it. I was surprised that there wasn’t more from downunder as you’re mad on Triumphs.
    I’m not sure about any of the ideas that have been suggested but there is only one way to findout – try them all starting with the simplest and cheapest.
    I think the idle is fine. The car starts well, needing a bit of choke and a little fettling of the gas peddle for a couple of minutes. It then ran well the second road test for a good couple of miles but not long after that it returned to the situation I had on the first inlet manifold gasket. As soon as it gets to full and I mean full operating temperature it just will not run.
    I really thought I had it this second time round (if you read through my comments in previous post) but there you go.
    Cheers boys, I hope you are all having better times with your motors.
    All the best
    James

    #42522
    britishcarfreak
    Keymaster

    Bent needle in one carb? Could stick when hot. But presumably would idle rough then die – not die immediately. OR alternatively would cause higher than usual idle////

    Let’s say it is the gasket – why does it fail? Have you put a straight edge on the surfaces to make sure nothing is warped/damaged?

    #42523
    JamesHarris
    Participant

    I have had many suggestions to check the ignition system thoroughly, especially condensor and coil. I will get round to it but work and general family and household stuff has had to come first for the past couple of weeks.
    I will keep you posted.
    Cheers
    James

    #42524
    britishcarfreak
    Keymaster

    Tired fuel pump? Low pressure?

    Install a clear glass filter near the carb inlet pipe and keep an eye on what happens there.

    Anyway – good luck. I’ll keep an eye on this post so I can comment.

    #42525
    JamesHarris
    Participant

    Carbs were fine. One was a touch leaner than it should have been but the distributor on the other hand was bloody hopeless. After 3 different reconditioned units from Rimmer Brothers which were all hopeless, a secondhand one from Geoff Wins was the answer and everything is good now. A little over-run sometimes on switch off. Rimmers were good and didn’t argue but they need to find a better supplier. From my first recon unit they swapped supplier and the next was worse. The main shaft bearing was buggered every time so thatthe points were all over the place.

    #42526
    LRT
    Participant

    Hi James,
    Thanks for your informative response – much appreciated

    [b:36xr4dnq]LRT[/b:36xr4dnq]

    #42527
    britishcarfreak
    Keymaster

    On my 2500 (while 1500km from home on holiday) about 10 years ago the car just stopped dead while doing 80kmhr. It was a strange occurence.

    The dissy cap had a small hole in it and the rotor cap was just gone.

    The dissy shaft had worn so badly it must have gotten up such a wobble that the rotor cap let go and exploded through the side of the cap.

    A local mechanic sourced me a replacement dissy – but I later found the advance springs were wrong as the car was very flat. Be careful you get the right springs for your car.

    #42528
    britishcarfreak
    Keymaster

    P.S> I read something like 80-90 % of carb issues are actually electrical faults – or vice versa – can’t remember.

    But anyway – your problems from your initial post really don’t seem dissy related.

    I’d say calibration issue with carb / accelerator linkages OR some crud in the fuel tank which randomly moved.

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