[TR] Carburetors

[Frank Burkhart]

Hope this email is appropriate to send.  I’m hoping that someone out in Triumph world can provide some clarification on carburetors.  Currently, Zenith Stromberg carbs on my 1975 TR6.  The car has been running poorly since Trimphest (too many RPMs?).  And then it died completely but turned out to need a new rotor.  Asked the mechanic, Mike, to take a look at the everything to figure out what can be made better.  What he found was the carbs were dumping gas into the cylinders especially when starting, to the point the gas was washing down the cylinder walls preventing the rings from sealing.  Result was a lot of white smoke.

The carbs were rebuilt about 18 months ago by Apple Hydraulics in New York.  Supposedly all new parts including a new piston in one of the carbs.  Mechanic Mike is questioning the quality but . . .  Several paths to try:

1.  New needles and basic over haul.  Least expensive but maybe stopgap measure.

2.  Rebuild these carbs using a different shop.  Mike recommends a shop in Colorado. I’m would worry about a 2nd rebuild in short period of time.

3.  Replace the carbs.
3a.  Mike has a pair of SU carbs in good shape.  Mike would replace “consumables” and install

3b.  Find a pair Stromberg carbs

3c.  Mike likes carbs by Mikuni

3c.  Replace with Webers

Any ideas / suggestions on what path seems the best?

Hope all the world is going well for all.  Hope to see everyone at Velocity.


Thank you,
Frank Burkhart