geoff121

Hi Pete & others who helped, The Herald is now running beautifully, a combination of too much compression, a totally knackered "re-conned" carb from The Carb Hospital and a fuel pump pushing out far too much petrol. All running great and I cannot stop driving her! Many thanks for all the replies, Geoff

I've saved that to my watch list and if my carb is no good after cleaning I will have it - I hope

I am going to look at Strombergs if this b****y carb doesn't work when I get it back on Friday. Too far away? Limp excuse Pete! Geoff

I have emailed bill at Rarebits and am waiting for a happy reply. Pete, this is a long and sad story. When I bought the car it was running rough, I and two friends, both qualified motor engineers, thought it dirt in the carb but after hours of trying to get it to run smooth I bought a re-conned carb from the Carb Hospital in Essex. No change when fitted. Then found that the compression pressures were 200psi so ordered a new head and fitted it. Car now runs better at over 1500rpm but doesn't want to know at under this. All the time I am double and treble checking everything. The I realised that the re-conned carb was my own, chap had sent it out the same day he received it and I found glass balls and loads of carbon with varnish from old fuel inside it, together with no ball bearing under the accelerator pump jet, don't know if it was missing in the first place. The carb is now being ultra sonic cleaned and will have it back on Friday but have no confidence in it, together with no idea of the ball size. So here we are, months later and the car runs little better than when I bought it. all ideas gratefully received, Geoff

Hi Has anyone tried fitting a Delorto carb to replace the Solex? This is the only carb I have found so far that fits a 1200 Herald, unless someone has a Solex B30 PSE1 for sale, or can lend for a week so that I can eliminate from the list of faults. Quick note to Pete, checked valve timing and all correct, thanks. Cheers, Geoff

OK, thanks for that Pete. It will give me something to do in the morning. Cheers, Geoff

Hi simonbbc electronic, but it is on a points dibby at the moment as it is easier to time statically . the timing has been checked by men and a friend who is a retired motor engineer. You are right, there is a lot of crap on the market these days, mostly from China. Cheers, Geoff

Hi, I have a 1966 Herald convertible 1200 with a Solex B30 carb and it runs really rough, missing etc, up to 1500 rpm. I have checked everything I can think of. I have fitted a re-conned carb from The Carb Hospital, whole new ignition system and even checked the compression pressure which was very high, so fitted a re-conned head which bought the pressure down but though this has made the over 1500rpm much better below this it still runs rough. I have check the cam timing by bringing No1 to TDC on the firing stroke and both valves are rocking, is this the right way to check? This is driving me mad, not to mention the money side, and makes the car pretty un-driveable, I will be very grateful for any ideas. Thanks, Geoff

Hi My 1966 Herald 1200 runs very badly and I have fitted a reconditioned Solex B30 from The Carburretor Hospital and it is no better. The compression pressures were really high so I have fitted another head which improved things a little. Is there another make of carb I can fit in place of the Solex? It will not tick over or run smoothly below 1500 revs. Thank you, Geoff

Thanks for the compression plate info Darren, I am looking into that. Cheers Geoff

Thanks a lot Casper, that is really useful info especially the bit about the float heights. I'll be checking that this afternoon. Thanks again, Geoff

Good idea. You don't happen to know what they are do you? I know the slow running jet is .45 but cannot find the rest. Cheers, Geoff

Yes, checked gauge against another. Got head off and ordered another plus new gaskets etc. The old head gasket is solid copper whereas the new one is composite, interesting. Just got to wait for new head to arrive, should be the week after next, all this lovely weather and I cannot drive my convertible. Thanks for all your help and comments. Geoff

Hi Pete Well, the compression figures are interesting. All 4 are the same but they read as 200psi, as standard is only 133psi it has had a huge lump taken off the cylinder head. Probably explains the poor slow running. All I can think to do is fit a second head gasket to lift the head a little and reduce the compression pressure thought it won't drop it to standard. Either that or a new short engine, and I don't suppose one of those is available. Oh well, out with the spanners and away we go! Cheers, Geoff

Tried all that and it is running a little better, found 2 air leaks, carb to manifold and manifold to engine. Will have a compression tester that I can borrow next week. Now I have messed up my throttle cable so I have ordered another and knocked it on the head for the day and as I am going away for a few days tomorrow that is it for this week. If it's OK I will contact you next week to pick your brains again, Cheers Geoff

Thanks for that Pete, have checked all of that and intend rechecking tomorrow. Checking the timing is a little more difficult as I cannot get the engine to run slow enough and run to check it without the bob weights advancing the timing, so think it is way to far retarded at the moment. It's bloomin' frustrating! Cheers, Geoff

Hi, I have just bought a 1966 1200 Herald Convertible and have a problem with it. It starts OK but misses at low revs, as the revs build it pulls lovely but as the revs drop it is back to missing again. The car did this even worse when I bought it. Since then I have replaced the entire ignition system and fitted a Simonbbc electronic distributor, also I have fitted a new Solex carb. Every time I work on the car it is slightly better, but only slightly. Right outside my front door is a main road with roadworks in both directions, a nightmare with poor slow running. Can anyone tell me what is wrong, please? Geoff