[Healeys] Strange Problem

[Raymond Carbone]

Hi Nick,

Michael Salter has nailed the approach I would take.  

Back in the winter of 1970 I drove my '64 BJ8 from southern Pennsylvania to Northeast Penn, to NYC and back to Southern Penn.  When starting out I SOMETIMES had little power and used the clutch to get it moving.  However, the car idled smoothly.  Once moving, I drove at over 70MPH in overdrive with little problem.  Being winter and with snow falling, I had no intention of investigating the problem other than a minor review (i.e. Carb cap, linkage, Ignition wiring, and a few other easily observable things).  

The trip was uneventful for the most part....except that I had gotten 63 MPG on the trip (almost all highway).  Once back home, I disassembled the carbs and found a loose needle in one.  My conclusion ...at times the vibration would loosen the needle which would fall and shut off one carb.  At other times the piston would fall and re-lodge the pin.

All the best,

Ray Carbone
64 BJ8 Original Owner