SU Carb Overhaul Kit

[andycrews1]

Looking for advice please.

My 1979 Spitfire 1500 has started to develop a strong petrol odour when its hot. Its from the engine. There are no leaks I can see and I suspect that the carbs need some attention. Perhaps the ethanol in the fuel is affecting the gaskets and the like. It has club supplied ethanol proof fuel hose. Where is the best place to order an overhaul kit please.

 

Tanks in advance

 

[Pete Lewis]

do you happen to have wax stats jets ???? there is a simple cure costs 2p   

kits can contain a lot of parts you wont need 

i would examine your carb and see whats looking like a problem there is very little to go very wrong 

throttle spindles do wear there is little else to fail that needs any replacing 

do check the jet is returning after using the choke  just give it a prod with the fingers ...if its sticking (common) it will pop up back to its adjusting nut

so a few simple   checks before you dive in the wallet 

Pete

[NonMember]

As Pete says, look for the simple first. A strong smell of petrol suggests flooding, which is probably rubber slivers in the float valves. You said it has "club supplied ethanol proof fuel hose" - does that mean you've recently fitted that?

If you really do need an overhaul kit then Burlen are the go-to place. But you probably don't.

[Josef]

And / or the float valves or floats wearing as these both can be affected by ethanol content. Also easy to check though, if the float has fuel inside it, it’s knackered! You’ll also be able to see / feel wear on the float needles if it’s there. 

[Badwolf]

A problem that was simply solved on my front SU2 (so simple that it took 30 years to correct and was even missed by a decent garage) was a bent choke linkage. One of the thin pressed steel lever thingies was slightly bent and was setting the choke but not returning properly. Pressed straight with a pair of pliers... couldn't believe it after so long. It was such a nuisance that I had disconnected the front choke links. Now running beautifully....well it was until I typed this!!!

[andycrews1]

Thank you for the replies.

I had another look at the carbs and checked to see if chokes were sticking. They weren't but I found a coating of what looked like thin oil on the bottom of the front carb. Cleaned it off and took the car for a 90 mile run, no smell of petrol and nothing further on the bottom of the carb after. I'll keep an eye on it over the next few miles.

 

Andy

 

[Pete Lewis]

there is no seal between the actual jet and its holder so over time  fueling finds its way down the sides of the jet and you get a good residue 

on its base   its normal 

often oily due to overfilling dashpots the oil just drains down the air piston slide and finds its way out the jet 

if you think there is any sealing for the jet (that goes up /down with the choke   there is nothing 

Pete

[daverclasper]

1 hour ago, andycrews1 said:

Cleaned it off and took the car for a 90 mile run, no smell of petrol and nothing further on the bottom of the carb after. I'll keep an eye on it over the next few miles.

 

I guess the run has helped, rather than just wiping the oil off🙂