Jimbob-Squarepants © Posted January 13, 2009 Report Posted January 13, 2009 To keep things brief, I had some problems with one of my carburettor floats last year. It had an extremely tiny weeny leak which let fuel in and then obviously wouldn't 'float' anymore. The result of this was 2 gallons of finest unleaded in the oil sump and an engine that hydrolic'd throwing oil out of the breathers all over the engine bay and the road. Unfortunately I can't get a replacement float as they don't make them anymore, so I used a cork out of a wine bottle trimmed up to size which worked well for a while... until it expanded Back to the drawing board. Last week I won a NOS float for the later Stromberg carb on eBay for a fiver & was convinced I could do something with it. After an hour of measuring, Dremmeling & 2 baby cable-ties later, I have a brand new modified float. I wish I had taken a pic now, but was so excited to try it, I forgot I have just fitted it and gave the engine and engine bay a clean to get all the oil off everything. But in the next couple of weeks the fast road 1300 will be taken out and in will go a fast road 1500. The carbs will be much better suited to that as they are meant to be nailed to a Triumph 2000. Anyway, here's a little pic of the 1300 after a tedious annoying clean. Thanks for reading
Admin Vista Posted January 13, 2009 Admin Report Posted January 13, 2009 Coooooooooooo just like carbs only smaller Just kidding mate, well done a little ingenuity can go a long way
Jimbob-Squarepants © Posted January 13, 2009 Author Report Posted January 13, 2009 Coooooooooooo just like carbs only smaller Just kidding mate, well done a little ingenuity can go a long way YKT mate, thats the engine with my home made piston rings in it. I had to do that because I couldn't buy Pre Crossflow rings in the size I needed It's done just over 1000 miles now & doesn't smoke, but the carbs are flooding it to much on idle, hence the reason for the 1500
MexDan Posted January 13, 2009 Report Posted January 13, 2009 Lovin those carbs on there jimbob... great to see someone doing something a bit different!!
johnny_h Posted January 13, 2009 Report Posted January 13, 2009 Good effort Jim. Adapt, improvise and overcome.
Toby Posted January 13, 2009 Report Posted January 13, 2009 Very clever but tell..... 1/ What did you make the piston ring from - one from another engine? 2/ Why didn't you just drink more wine and keep replacing it?
Jimbob-Squarepants © Posted January 13, 2009 Author Report Posted January 13, 2009 Very clever but tell..... 1/ What did you make the piston ring from - one from another engine? 2/ Why didn't you just drink more wine and keep replacing it? Hi Toby, you may remember that my original engine was a 1380 which I built with new pistons and rings etc, but after running in, it went bang after 500 miles. So, I took all the rings off the +0.90's and took a ring off the 1300's +0.30. Then I measured ring gaps and ground away the excess ring on the +0.90's and fitted them to the +0.30 pistons. It took quite a wile I can tell ya As for the Wine... I don't drink so I robbed a cork out of a bottle my dad had knocking around, but don't tell him will ya Here's a pic of the piston and bore out of the 1380 And thanks for your replies folks
Mick The Mig Posted January 13, 2009 Report Posted January 13, 2009 Hi Jim. Is that some sort of barcode on the piston?
flyingbanana Posted January 13, 2009 Report Posted January 13, 2009 i take it they are su carbs....looks similar to the ones on metros/minis......if they are i might have a spare float or two somewhere if any good to you
Jimbob-Squarepants © Posted January 13, 2009 Author Report Posted January 13, 2009 @ Mick Da Mig... It's probably all it's good for now @ FB... Thanks for the offer mate, but they are Zenith Stromberg's, which are very very similar to SU's, but they rely on a diaphram to help lift the pistons. Thanks anyway
Toby Posted January 14, 2009 Report Posted January 14, 2009 I took all the rings off the +0.90's and took a ring off the 1300's +0.30. Then I measured ring gaps and ground away the excess ring on the +0.90's and fitted them to the +0.30 pistons. It took quite a wile I can tell ya Well I can't say I would have been brave enough to try that (unless I was stuck in the middle of no where) but hat's off to you! And it worked???
mk1super Posted January 14, 2009 Report Posted January 14, 2009 One question Something ive always wondered about the pre x flow Isnt it dodgy to have carbs over a hot manifold say if a fuel line worked lose etc?
TwoLitrePinto Posted January 14, 2009 Report Posted January 14, 2009 i was driving an M reg alfa 155 1.8 Tspark before, caught alight on me out of the blue, melted all the wiring under the bonet, just managed to put it out in time to rescue it, redone all the wiring, fired it up again with a gang of us there with fire extinguishers, up it went again in seconds. traced it down to a tiny crack in a "factory" hairpin bend in the rubber fuel line dripping directly into the alternator! oh yeh forgot to mention, the car was on its way back from passing an MOT when this happened! i always wonder how many alfa 155's have gone up in this fashion lol!
Jimbob-Squarepants © Posted January 14, 2009 Author Report Posted January 14, 2009 I took all the rings off the +0.90's and took a ring off the 1300's +0.30. Then I measured ring gaps and ground away the excess ring on the +0.90's and fitted them to the +0.30 pistons. It took quite a wile I can tell ya Well I can't say I would have been brave enough to try that (unless I was stuck in the middle of no where) but hat's off to you! And it worked??? Cheers Toby At the end of the day, I had no other option but to do it. I was going to sell the 3 good +0.90 pistons, but after all the grief I had & the fact that I couldn't get Pistons or Rings, I had to try it. I might have to give the engine a compression test before I take it out... that will be a giggle One question Something ive always wondered about the pre x flow Isnt it dodgy to have carbs over a hot manifold say if a fuel line worked lose etc? Not really mate, as Toby will confirm, it's how they used to do things before those new fangled modern Crossflows came along. Mini's & Metro's have always used that particular design. The carb nearest the bulkhead in my pic has been flooding and overflowing for a while due to the float, & all the fuel had been spraying out all over the manifold, but as yet, no fires. You just need to make sure the fuel lines and fittings are always in good condition and are tight. The small bit's of hose that secure the 'T' piece are starting to perish slightly due to the immense heat that is given off by the manifold. I really have to make some heat shields for the carbs... I will tackle that job once the 1500 is built
MexDan Posted January 14, 2009 Report Posted January 14, 2009 I really have to make some heat shields for the carbs... I will tackle that job once the 1500 is built Probably make something out of a couple of old coke cans and a kebab box.. would go well with the wine cork float...
Slammed Posted January 14, 2009 Report Posted January 14, 2009 looks good, i am watching with anticipation, and to see the results, pistons look nice too
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