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RE: Spit 1500--automatic choke

To: "'Tim Gaines'" <mtgaines@cs1.presby.edu>
Subject: RE: Spit 1500--automatic choke
From: jaltman@altlaw.com
Date: Wed, 3 Jun 1998 16:51:02 -0400charset="iso-8859-1"
Cc: "'Triumph List'" <triumphs@Autox.Team.Net>
Importance: Normal
Is the problem worse with an empty tank than full? My thoughts turn more to
the fuel supply than the choke. Sticky float valve? Float heights set right?
Your note is ambiguous on what you did to the fuel pump. Why would the choke
be affected by the angle its at?



Jim Altman  jaltman@altlaw.com Illigitimi non Carborundum
http://www.altlaw.com/metro/jaltman.html    69-TR6#CC28754L  W4UCK


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-triumphs@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-triumphs@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Tim Gaines
Sent: Wednesday, June 03, 1998 4:40 PM
To: triumphs@autox.team.net
Subject: Spit 1500--automatic choke



I've been off this list for awhile, but I'm back with a question
(what else?).  My 1980 Spit 1500 with Stromberg carb and automatic
choke started giving me problems on hills several months ago.
Sometimes it would simply cut out and only catch up when I was
nearly at a standstill.  It always started easily and ran well
except every once in awhile on hills, particularly after running
it, parking for a few minutes, and then running it again.  I
replaced the fuel filter and the fuel pump seemed to be okay,
but the problem continued.  I ordered a carb rebuild kit and
finished the job a few days ago.  I struggled a bit to get
the carb tuned (questions about that below), but even when
the car idles beautifully and runs smoothly on level ground it
still chokes and cuts out on hills.  In fact, it does it more
consistently now than before.

Questions:

1)  The bi-metal spring used in the automatic choke must be way
    out of calibration.  Whenever I adjust it as per instructions
    using the scribed mark on the housing, it never works well.  I
    have been doing it by trial and error.  Recently I took the
    heat mass, stuck it in the freezer, and painted a mark on the
    housing to indicate where the spring pointed.  Then I did the
    same thing after immersing it in boiling water.  So now I
    know a little something about the extent of movement I get
    over that range.  So, is there any way to know how to line
    things up?

2)  Assuming that I know how to set the choke, what is the sequence
    of steps for tuning the carb?  Can I start it cold and adjust
    the fast idle screw to get a reasonable rpm and then adjust
    the throttle stop screw after it is warm?  And where does the
    mixture adjustment (adjustable needle on the air valve) come in?
    I have been thinking that my problem on hills might be due to
    an incorrect mixture.  Is that possible?

Thanks for any help you can give.

Tim Gaines





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