In <9607301112.AA8144@rsi.rens.com>, Kosten Metreweli/RSG/US wrote:
>I'm now considering rebuilding the carbs of my MGA (stock SUs). The car starts
>dropping off the idle when it gets hot (around 180 F). The mixture is very
>rich
>(screws are on the leanest setting), so it's been suggested that new needles
>and jets may cure it. . Looking through the Moss catalogue, they have both a
>Haynes manual, and a 3 hour video all about rebuilding SUs. Does anyone know
>if
>either of these are any good?
The Haynes manual is quite good, covers the whole range of SUs (H, HS
and HIF) and has a needle spec chart. If you don't think that is
useful, have patience, you will (as you get more LBCs). The video is
of limited use. If you can read, the book has it all. You can get
the Haynes manual from J C Whitney for about $5 less than from Moss,
but with their postage policy you won't save money unless you order
other stuff as well.
That being said, I would caution you strongly that with H and HS
carbies, a simple needle/jet replacement is rarely gonna fix your
problem. If your car has any kind of miles on it, your throttle
shafts will be worn. This can be tested either by shaking the shafts
radially and feeling for looseness, or running the car and spraying
starting compound (or carb cleaner or WD40) around the throttle
shafts. If there is a change in the engine speed, you have leaks,
which is usually the case.
It is nearly impossible to fix this with oversize shafts and reaming
the existing bushings, since the shafts and bushes are worn
asymmetrically, and the new holes you make will be severely
off-center. (The reason for the asymmetric wear is the throttle
return spring, which pushes the shaft to one side.) The good news is
that Apple Hydraulics will rebush your carb bodies for about $50 each,
which is far less than a full rebuild (about $150-200 each).
Good luck! A. B. Bonds
|