[TR] Troubleshooting HS6 Carb Issue

[Benjamin Zwissler]

I've got a new (to me at least) problem and I'm wondering if anyone has
experienced it.  After sitting over last winter my TR4A with HS6 carbs was
running badly.  It was stored with Sta-Bil in the gas, but after some
troubleshooting I determined it was running lean and what fixed it was
shooting some carb cleaner down the jet tube from the carb throat.  I
didn't think much of it after a winter of storage, but now for the third
time this season I've had to do the same thing after not driving the car
for 10-14 days.  I generally drive the car pretty regularly, putting 1-2000
miles on it this year,but I was travelling for a week and then we've had
rain (southern Indiana).  There's about 5000 miles on the car since
finishing restoration.  Everything is stock, including the float valves (no
Grose jets).  I do use lead substitute in the fuel (no hardened valve seats
installed and, yes, I regret that).  The fuel tank was cleaned and sealed
during the restoration and there's a fuel filter on the pump outlet side.
 I pulled the top off the float bowls while troubleshooting and found
nothing unusual.

I can now pull the top off the carb, remove the dashpot and shoot carb
cleaner down the jet in less than 5 minutes, but I'd like to avoid this.
 I've never experienced this before, and I don't know whether to blame it
on reformulated gas or what.  Each time after shooting the carb cleaner its
back to running perfectly.  I'm planning to disassemble the carbs and check
things out over the winter, but I'm wondering if if anyone's experienced
this before.  I'm hoping to find some explanation.

Thanks, Ben Zwissler
Columbus, IN
bjzwissler at gmail.com