daverclasper

Been doing that a lot lately. As you say, bit at a time and seems to get there Dave

Hi Pete Thought before buying new valves I would try the ones from original carbs as these hadn't flooded since I had car and been in use very recently. Fitted these and rechecked float heights and also that no fuel leaking into floats and correct position. Still flooding, now both carbs. The measure of the original floats has always been 20mm/21mm which gives a lower fuel level I think. Thicker washers on valves, didn't look how much tabs had been altered. Was wondering if the floats had been set different on purpose for some reason to do with flooding/over richness. Thought, worth mentioning before spending, as cash slim at the mo. Cheers, Dave

Hi Pete and thanks Have been mulling this over When I fitted the second carbs with the jets 3 turns down from bridge and tried to start it for ages and it wouldn't, I also had the choke out as was quite cold day. That was when I noticed the puddle of petrol on both the bridges and the the float chamber overflow/vent tube leaking on rear carb and also dry plugs. Would this be the fuel not atomizing due to lack of throttle and way too much fuel coming out of the jets set very open (when it did finally start it was puffing a lot of black smoke). After advancing the dizzy and it running tons better it did not appear to flood, though it did a bit out of float overflow on rear carb after switching off (rear carb is the one I can't lean out at all, using the colortune). So would this likely be the float valve sticking/leaking on rear carb, as even if way too much fuel going through the jet to atomize fully, it would flood the bridge (or also come out of float chamber overflow/vent tube?). Just trying to get a starting point on what to try. Hope this makes sense. Cheers, Dave

Hi Have just swapped the pistons and needles over. Back to what it was (rear carb still rich with jet fully in and front carb leaning out quite close to bridge and still running really rough . I wondered if it could be the timing (I swapped back to points after an electronic ignition appeared to fail recently and retarded the timing accordingly until pinking stopped and noticed dizzy was in same position as when original points were fitted, as I had marked it) I advanced it with engine running and this made a huge difference and engine smoothed out and revved a lot freeer. The timing is now advanced to about where it was with electronic fitted. Havent driven it yet, so don't know if it's pinking. I'm surprised this tinkering has affected the timing so much, I guess the main difference would be the new spindes and the floats at factory height. So still not able to lean out. Pete did you mention lowering the needles. If so do know what the max could be without altering the plumb or the stability of them in the orofices, maybe a couple of mm?. Not ideal I guess. Wouldn't mind buying new needles and jets if wear is causing this, but don't know if it is. Thanks again for both your help. Cheers, Dave

Hi Pete Single valve arm, and flat of float was on the top. Also forgot to mention that I used the existing float valves, though checked that they were freely moving up and down and I also removed them and blew through them to check they were sealing. All cleaned behind the valves as were all internals of carbs. Cheers, Dave

Sorry, forgot to mention, the flooding appeared to stop once it was running. Dave

Hi I put together my spare set on carbs with new throttle spindles. I used my current pistons and needles (checked these were 6J's) and jets (the bores measured about 2.2mm). Used the floats that were with the spare set, bit different but a floats a float I assume and set float height to 18mm (my current ones were around 21mm when I measured them a good while back, but car was running well then so left alone). Made my own float chamber gaskets, but checked they were not blocking anything. Used my current diaphrams, but checked there were no pin holes etc. Screwed up jets until level with bridge's, then backed off 3 turns. Checked choke was shutting off ok. Primed carbs with lever on pump. turned it over for ages and nothing. Checked a couple of plugs and one dry, the other a slight trace of petrol. Didn't have the air filter on a this time and noticed that both the bridges had puddles of petrol and rear carb had fuel coming out of the float chamber breather/overflow thingy hole on the carb face, so flooded like mad. Managed to get it going, though running very rough and black smoke out of exhaust. Used the color tune on carbs, very yellow flame. Carb no 2 leaned out with about 1 1/2 turns in, though carb no looked like it was only starting to lean out with the jet fully screwed up. This was the opposite to how they were before. Car running with low power and the exhaust note sort of farty sounding (couldn't think of another word). Any ideas please. Cheers, Dave

Hi and thanks. The swapping sounds a good plan and maybe the jets as well?. Have another set of carbs I've rebuilt with with new spindles, though intended using existing pistons/needles and jets. Also forgot to mention, I have checked the throttle plates are balanced using a hose to ear and also the chokes do appear to be shutting off ok. Cheers, Dave

Hi everyone Twin stromberg 150cd Have been trying to lean out my mixture, as fuel consumption around town has been very heavy (about 15 mpg) Haven't got a feel for the "lifting the valve technique", so using a gunson colortune on one plug hole for each carb and the revs at about 11000 as throttle spindles are worn. Carb no 1 has leaned out with the top of the jet about 2mm below the bridge Carb no 2 is not leaning out even with the mixture screw fully turned in and the top of the jet looks to be sitting about 1mm above the bridge. The brass washer that sits on top of the spring, is 0.5mm on no 2 carb and 2mm on carb no 1, so maybe in the past someone has tried to get the jet higher. It has new airfilters and I have reciepts for new jets and needles fitted about 8000 miles ago. So, I don't understand why this no 2 carb won't lean out. I have made sure the jets/needles have been centered when doing adjustements. Any advice would be great. Cheers, Dave

Hi Pete Thanks a lot. Very useful info. Dave

Hi folks. Are the fuel mixture piston/s (raised off the diaphragm) in these carbs interchangeable with other carb bodies, as I have heard there not. Any advice would be great. Cheers, Dave

Thanks John Will give it a go. like the simple, but not obvious to me, plank idea. Cheers, Dave

Hi Robin I'm pretty sure the only nipples requiring oil are the front trunnions. I would have thought just a general grease. Cheers, Dave

Hi everyone, have a good Easter and don't eat too many eggs. Have just bought second hand springs very cheap (as spares / to paint up and use if ever change shocks). One measures 2mm under the manual unfitted size. Wondering if this is ok, as doesn't seem much out. Also the GT6 manual unfitted size is about 2mm shorter than the Vitesse. Just wondering about why they made them slightly shorter Any advice would be great. Cheers, Dave

Cheers Pete I think I understand now. Didn't know of the balancer pipe. I assume it's the top pipe that folk run servos off etc. Mines blanked off. Cheers, Dave

Thanks to you all for getting back. HI Pete, what I was trying to say is that 1and 3 Lean (2 ok) 4 and 6 rich (5 ok), so wondering what might be causing different mixtures to plugs from the same carb/s. Cheers, Dave

Hi everone Most of my car (Vitesse) use is around the city I live and therefore the plugs are always sooty. Went for a 250 mile trip at the weekend and the engine was hesitating under load at lower revs. pulled the 2 centre spark plugs from each carb and both were rather white. So did quite few plug chops on the center plugs and mixture adjustments (girlfriend not impressed, as our weekend away) until until plugs were brown and car running a lot better. Had a look at all the plugs before I got to the city. Plugs for cylinders 1 and 3 from front carb looked like they were running weak (2 still good) and plugs for 4 and 6 on the rich side (5 still good). Tappets are set. Would this difference be due to different levels of wear in the different cylinders, therefore sucking in different amounts of fuel/air. I guess I need to aim to adjust so none are running lean, even if this means some are running too rich, as this will cause less damage (as long as not a bore wash scenario). Any help would be great. Cheers Dave

Hi. Iv'e had very good and surprising results with a particular car cover (no connection with them). PM me if you want more detailed info. Cheers, Dave

Cheers for getting back Clive Handling and ride are ok. I'm not so keen on the low look and anything to make it a slightly easier to get in and out would be also be ok. When I next change the tyres I wiil look into 165 (185 a bit wide for me) and see if I can get say, a % of width at 80 (70 would be the same circumferance as now). Haven't done the maths yet to see how much higher this would raise it. Also my speedo reads about 20% under, so it may help with that. I guess it's not a simple case as for example 20% increase in tyre circumferance, gives a 20% speedo reading increase. Cheers, Dave

Hi everyone My Vitesse looks as though it sit's lower than on old photo's of original cars. It has 185/60 R30 tyres. Would this give a lower profile?. Have been on minty lamb site and assessed their tyre comparison page, though it says their is an error and it won't do the calculations. If it has been lowered by modifications, then what are these likely to be please. Cheers, Dave

Thanks a lot for your replies. Really useful. Always good to know what your up against before you start a job. Cheers, Dave

Hi folks Are the rear bumper over riders on vitesse/herald difficult to undo, due to seizing up, as I've they can be. If so, any tips on this please. Cheers, Dave

Cheers Pete Very useful to know for the future I would think, as should be keeping the car a long time Dave

Hi Pete No props at present. Always like to do preventative maintainance if pos, but not easy on these I guess. Car is my only transport, so any knowledge gained now, maybe saves time and ease in the future. or maybe I'm just anal. It seems the Freelander hardy spicer ones are recomended, though one supplier has 2 types at £20/£40. Is this brand over engineered for cars do you think. Cheers Dave

Cheers Pete When replacing uJ.s, would you suggest replace just the bearings (Iv'e seen the info on this of Bill Davis and Canley) or the whole joint. Cheers, Dave