Stupid strombergs.

[brian GT6.]

So came back in the gt6 smelling a bit of petrol.  Lifted the bonnet when I got home and sure enough petrol dripping from the bottom of the air filter.  No problem I thought must be sticking float needle valve I'll just whip the float chambers off. However, when I finished and restarted I saw petrol pouring from the front carb. However, not from the front of the carb as it does when the needle valve leaks but from the side of the carb, the side facing the rear carb.

How comprehensive are the rebuild kits and any ideas of the leak?

 

Half tempted to go for SUs or triple webers.

[dougbgt6]

DON'T DO IT!!

A sudden fuel leak doesn't warrant a rebuild!

More likely to be the dread rubber slivers blocking the valves, or problems with the floats. Did you take the valves off and pump some fuel through? Did you take the floats off? are they back as they should be? Upside down is an embarrassing fault. I've had the slivers and had to take the reservoirs of twice to get it sorted. Strombergs are a better carb than SUs and will stay set, while SUs need frequent tinkering.

Doug

[Pete Lewis]

there is nothing stupid about strombergs ,   all carbs can have problems   of  many descriptions 

sounds like you have some floating debris , maybe the rubber slivers  often made when  you refit a hose 

jams the back of the float valve 

fuel out the side is i suggest from the front carb choke  , again its likely a fuel level problem

most vit/gt6  ive had with SU have had to remove and revert to stroms 

as for triple webers good luck with that , if you want something nigh on impossible to set up and you would need a bigger fuel tank ,,,

lay out the component parts of a SU and a Strom side by side and look at the basic design strom  is engineerd the SU is a load of meccano 

both are very capable of doing a good job depends if you love one or the other 

Pete

[Iain T]

Brian,

I agree stay with the twin Strombergs, the extra oomph with triples on a 2L engine is minimal for all the fuss and expense. You would be better off spending money on sorting out the head. 

Is the leak coming from the choke on the front carb? I have mucho experience with this and there are several resent posts! It may just be a perished link pipe, that's the one from the choke to the rear carb.

Iain

[Nigel Clark]

I'm also in favour of keeping the Strombergs. They are the correct size for a standard 2 litre engine. In good condition, they hold their tune well and give no more problems than any other type of carb (and probably less than some!).

Nigel

[brian GT6.]

1 hour ago, Iain T said:

Brian,

I agree stay with the twin Strombergs, the extra oomph with triples on a 2L engine is minimal for all the fuss and expense. You would be better off spending money on sorting out the head. 

Is the leak coming from the choke on the front carb? I have mucho experience with this and there are several resent posts! It may just be a perished link pipe, that's the one from the choke to the rear carb.

Iain

Yes that's where it's coming from. I'll go and have another look

[brian GT6.]

So i've checked again.

 

It's not coming from the link pipe but from somewhere in the choke mechanism or choke spindle. It floods out when the float chambers are full. I'll check again the needle vale but that normally causes petrol to come out the front of the carb.

[Pete Lewis]

fuel is sucked through the choke discs from a port rear of the butterfly plate and its drawn thro the discs from a short dip tube that reaces itno the float chamber 

so it is possible a high fuel level can migrate via the choke , its worth remove and follow Iains lead in disc problems on the starter valve 

do make sure the idle setting on the front carb has some air flow. IE its not closed and the rear is open to give the idle ...ie  idle throttle is in balance 

ie each idle screw is  to 1.5 turns in from closed 

Pete

[brian GT6.]

Spot on. Blew out the float valves and pumped a bit of petrol through and it stopped leaking. I think I need wing nuts on the float bowl screws.. Previously when I had needle valve problems the petrol came out of the front of the carb mouths.

 

I had replaced the needle valves a couple of weeks ago after having the rubber slivers from changing the fuel hoses. I wonder if the new needle float valves were sticking.

[johny]

I find the worst thing for sticking float valves is a lack of regular use. Think fuel evaporates and leaves a sticky residue☹️

[Gary Flinn]

13 hours ago, johny said:

I find the worst thing for sticking float valves is a lack of regular use. Think fuel evaporates and leaves a sticky residue☹️

Spot on, this Ethanol in fuel is doing weird things to old car fuel systems, Carbs & Fuel Pumps?

Had a recent flooding problem on my car which I'm convinced was due to lack of use and crappy modern Petrol.

Get out in your classics on a regular basis, that's the secret😉 

I must use mine more🤔