Carb balancer recommendations?

[1969Mk3Spitfire]

I bought a Gunsons Carbalancer in 1976. It came down from the loft a little over a year ago and has been pressed into service again several times since. It works reasonably well and I prefer some form of meter compared to listening via a tube etc. Carbs are SU HS2.

The commonly available STE style seems to have min dia rubber cone of 40mm which is too big for my carbs.

What do other members use? Pros and cons?

Thanks for sharing experiences.

 

 

[johny]

you say 'it worked reasonably well' so on what did it fall short?

[dougbgt6]

Here’s a recent thread on this, a picture of the Pete Lewis’ balancer half way down. Mine is very similar, cost £5 on eBay and works fine. 

 

[1969Mk3Spitfire]

18 minutes ago, johny said:

you say 'it worked reasonably well' so on what did it fall short?

I probably understated it. It works well enough and I feel confident that the carb balance is satisfactory. I’d like a buy a more robust product, made to a higher grade specification. My Gunsons is 45 years old and is showing it. The plastic/rubber cups have aged. The flexible tube isn’t very flexible and the paper scale glued to the Venturi is starting to lift. None of these issue is terminal but as an avid buyer of tools, I’d like a new one.

I’m mindful that access to the carbs is restricted by the fuel pipe running across the orifices, the small width of the Gunsons cups fit well into the space available.

Maybe I should return it to Gunsons museum, unless someone has one older?

[Gully]

17 minutes ago, dougbgt6 said:

Here’s a recent thread on this, a picture of the Pete Lewis’ balancer half way down. Mine is very similar, cost £5 on eBay and works fine. 

 

I have one of those too - bought via Chic Doig's eBay shop around 5 years ago.

Gully

[johny]

ha yes I like tools as well but a carb balancer is something that you use so infrequently (well unless youre an inveterate fiddler!) that I wouldnt want to spend a lot on another one...

[1969Mk3Spitfire]

20 minutes ago, dougbgt6 said:

Here’s a recent thread on this, a picture of the Pete Lewis’ balancer half way down. Mine is very similar, cost £5 on eBay and works fine. 

 

Thanks, Doug,

Presumably, the one you have turns the Venturi through 90 degrees for side draught, the picture shows a downdraught arrangement?

I like the one in the Amazon link but it’s length would foul the fuel pipes.

 

[sulzerman]

I have used a synchrometer with great success, great product!!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/STE-Synchrometer-Weber-Dellorto-SYN001/dp/B00DHGX2D6/ref=pd_vtp_1?pd_rd_w=wU3zj&pf_rd_p=75613b4d-6e08-4583-9b7e-f6e766dc0b40&pf_rd_r=N34B559HGK28SJ2N4JZB&pd_rd_r=5f5637ed-dab9-4f4c-a011-6e745c3a6d9b&pd_rd_wg=O1qQa&pd_rd_i=B00DHGX2D6&psc=1

[Peter Truman]

I have the same as Pete L and have had it since the late 60's cost a lot relatively in those times. Adjusting the throat annulus gives good results, A friend brought similar off fleabay a couple of years ago & his is a direct copy of mine now made in Taiwan.

[trigolf]

I recently bought a Weber Synchrometer from an online motor sport shop. Can't remember who. Excellent piece of kit. They normally come with the rubber cone sized for Weber carb thoats. You need to buy extra cones suitable for SU/ Strombergs and swap them.

Gav

[rogerguzzi]

3 minutes ago, trigolf said:

You need to buy extra cones suitable for SU/ Strombergs and swap them.

Hello All

              I just cut the top off a fairy liquid bottle and it did the job!

Roger

[rlubikey]

Were you ever one of the "Backroom Boys" for Blue Peter Roger?

Cheers, Richard

[rogerguzzi]

Hello Richard

                       One of them I started it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think a lot of it is impatience and not wanting to wait for things to be delivered I want to do it now or tantrum!

Plus in the past we did not have Tinterweb to turn to!

Roger

[rogerguzzi]

Hello All

               I thought I would show you this I made about 60 years ago or a bit less!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I made it up so I could ride my Motorcycle to work while I was painting the petrol tank!

And as you see it is still in use and has been on many occasions !

Roger

[PeteH]

I had one of these. Back when we had the Vitesse. I`ve also still got the "Manometer" which I had for the BMW (RS) Bike. Hanging in the Garage; (useful for "other" puposes like checking gas pressure on boilers).

[Pete Lewis]

my fist was home made , two large washers drill and held together with a single screenwash jet make the sw tube into a simple U tube with water in 

rotate the washers to regulate the flow through the holes and tube taped to a odd bit of timber marked to use as reference 

works fine but too much suck just  removes the water 

its not rocket science   

Pete

[daverclasper]

On 30/04/2021 at 09:46, Pete Lewis said:

my fist was home made , two large washers drill and held together with a single screenwash jet make the sw tube into a simple U tube with water in 

rotate the washers to regulate the flow through the holes and tube taped to a odd bit of timber marked to use as reference 

Interested in that though can't picture it Pete, no photo I guess?.

Thanks, Dave

[Pete Lewis]

no pics  sorry 

but just copied the olde choke idea  number of holes drilled through the washer equi spaced and to regulate the vacuum rotate the washers to restrict 

air thro the holes by overlapping   simpulze 

Pete

[daverclasper]

Cheers Pete, Will give that a go, though have got used to the "hose to the ear method", don't know how accurate that is, and is it that relevant, apart from smoother idle?.

Dave

[Pete Lewis]

theres a lot of faf about balancing  a simple mechanical setting works for me and worked for triumph factories 

set the idle stop accurately   set the mixture to the factory heights  and surprise .............  it runs fine 

Pete