Even thpough it was a damp drizzly foggy morning on Thursday here in the
Baltimore area, We started off for TRA 2000 with the tonneau covering our
luggage, as the trunk was filled with supplies and tools. The car ran like a
dream- as I expectd after all the work opf the 3 year restoration and trial
runs, fine tuning, and fine ddetailing.
The day before I learned some of the MAson-Dixon TRA group was rondevousing
at the IHOP north of TYowson, and we caught up with them there. A really
neat caravan of Triumphs: TR6, TR2, TR3, a trailered show TR2 and a
Cadillac bringing up the rear. Off we went over warren road and the Lock
Raven Resevoir and up Jarretsville Rd Rt165 to 74 and the Susquehanna River
crossing through the beautiful farmland of Maryland. The wipers wre needed
periodically, but at road speeds we were dry-no heater needed. As we crossed
PA, we stopped, so I changed the wiper blades to the more efficient TR6
arms. Then for some reason she began to miss slightly. So, I stopped to
replace the new bumblebee wires with the generic, but factory crimped wires,
and proceeded on. Within the next 8 milles the popping became worse and in
Bush, Pa, at the crossroads with a Royal Farms I stopped to check to fuel
flow, carbs, etc. By now she was backfiring with throttle goose. Leon was
running Webers on his TR6, all the other TR's were running the SU's.
I reference Paul's Toyota corrolla challenge "I'd like nothing more than to
be able to fit a trusty pair of
Zenith-Strombergs on it!! (he, he!).
Well the fuel bowl was clear (thought maybe since this was the first full to
the brim fill-up) after a series of half-full tanks in the previous 247
miles (if you recall my posts @ clutch and britian on the green outings)I
thought maybe some crud was blocking the fuel flow. No Joy- New Filter and
bowl clean as a 'glass bowl'. Pulling the air filters I checked the piston
rise- ahah- rear carb piston lagging- fuel flow spray at the jet minmal till
3000rpm-then equal but could not accelerate or engage clutch to move car-
then flooding from rear carb.
At this point we decided to encourage the caravn to go on, as I was
hestitant to pull the float bowl and be struck anyway- so Camellia called
AAA. I then pulled the carb, flipped her over, gently removed the fuel bowl-
and spotted microscopic black specs- well at least there was 'something'.
The floats were also shocking in appearance- cracks encased in a coating.
and the jet looked brand new.
Well it all should look new, as the carbs have only about 500 miles since
Joe Curto rebuilt them between Aug '97 and Jan '98. First time I got themn
back I could not get the car to run right. I sent them back and Joe admitted
the floats were porous, he sealed them, but obviously they needed kre. He
stated
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