On Wed, 8 Mar 1995, Todd Mullins wrote:
> Will Zehring writes:
> > [ about the magazine article which declares: ]
> > "From there it was all downhill. Through 1972 these cars were still quite
> > pure, but in 1973 a pair of smoggalble SUHIF carbs replaced the traditional
> > units and power fell to 78.5 horses.
>
> Oh, come now. Are the HIF4s really that inferior to the HS4s? They're
> both, what, 1.5 inches? What's the big drawback? Poppet valves in the
> throttle plates? Late HS4s had these, too, and they've all been soldered
> shut by now. The spring-loaded needle? One less thing to adjust is a
> win in my book. Less mixture adjustment range? This can be cured by
> using appropriate needles. The basic design is the same, and I find the
> integrated float chamber a more elegant package than the outboard bowls.
> But if you tell me that a pair of HS4s net a performance gain over my
> HIF4s, then I'll consider it.
>
I agree. The key phrase must be "smoggable", with the attendant hoses,
air pump, air rail, etc. Perhaps there was also a big jump in emissions
equipment at this point? Perhaps the UK versions were brought in line
with the smog equipment put on US versions?
Do soldering shut the poppet valves really help? They're still in the
way, aren't they? And that's where any real power loss would be, I would
think. What about getting solid plates instead of tacking the valves closed?
I'm curious since I run twin HIF4s, and just had an ANSA exhaust put on.
My power went >down< since I was coming from a system with the stock
muffler but no resonator. The sound is >much< >much< better though,
thank you! (and chrome tips instead of a rusted pipe). I did get used to
the extra oomph of the loud system.
John M. Trindle | jtrindle@tsquare.com | Tidewater Sports Car Club
'73 MGB E Stock | '69 Spitfire E Stock | '88 RX-7 C Stock
Home Page: http://www.widomaker.com/~trindle
"Methuselah lived to be 969 years old. You boys and girls will see more in
the next fifty years than Methuselah saw in his whole lifetime. - Mark Twain"
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