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RE: Spit 1500--automatic choke

To: jaltman@altlaw.com
Subject: RE: Spit 1500--automatic choke
From: Tim Gaines <mtgaines@cs1.presby.edu>
Date: Wed, 3 Jun 1998 17:04:15 -0400
Cc: triumphs@Autox.Team.Net
References: <F1AFF6FB553AD011AD9100AA00C2E96D0A8137@NTSERVER>
>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?

Nope, no worse on an empty tank.  And I just put in a new float valve
and the floats themselves look fine.  I wasn't thinking so much about
the angle produced by hills but rather the load on the engine.  If
I'm running too lean could the extra load be a problem?  I have to
admit that that doesn't sound too likely.  And I think I may be
running a little rich now as it is.  As for the pump, I cleaned the
little bit of debris from the screen and watched it squirt when I
turned over the engine.  Seemed to be pumping okay.
>
>
>
>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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