[Roadsters] The tale of the leaky carb

[Paul Bauman]

I had a rear Hitachi that kept blowing gas out the overflow from time to
time. I had adjusted the float, but it kept leaking and I knew it needed
a new float valve, But they were also getting hard to keep tuned, so
when we were at Solvang last April I looked at Z Therapy's handiwork and
eventually ordered a pair. To paraphrase Ferris Bueller, 'If you have
the means, I highly recommend you pick some up. They are so choice!'

Well, a few days before I was going to put them on, I had to be towed
home. Turns out I lost a valve in number one cylinder. The booger would
not close all the the way because the seat had popped out of the head.
So...off to a local machine shop for a valve job. The company I took it
to is Valley Engine and Machine in Fountain Valley, CA. Looks like they
do good work. I'll recommend them if it holds up.

In the meantime I ordered a new head gasket kit from CDM and put the
motor back together with my beautiful new carbs and rebuilt head.

And it wouldn't start.

I cranked it through two battery charges retracing my steps on what I
took off the car and made sure everything was back on correctly. Since I
hadn't touched the dizzy, I was concentrating on fuel problems, but even
starting fluid wouldn't get it to cough, so I hooked up the timing light
to number one plug wire and had Pam spin it. No light.

The last time this happened I had broken a camshaft. So I took off the
distributor cap and had Pam crank it again. To my great relief, the
dizzy cam was spinning away, but the points weren't opening and closing!
Turns out the plastic follower on the points had broken off. Strange. I
didn't do anything to the dizzy except pull the cap and wires to get
them out of the way while working on the head. I replaced the points and
one turn of the key and she fired right up! A little rattly and rumbly,
but it runs!

I think I'm beginning to understand why I dislike working on SU carbs.

Paul Bauman
Westminster, CA
67 1600 (running)