A couple of weeks ago I posted a number of questions re a problem with
my 78 Spitfire's Stromberg-Zenith Carb's autostart circuit. (It's
supposed to provide the function of an automatic choke.)
Well, thanks to all who sent me their helpful hints, suggestions, and
tech info.
In response to these I have now had the carb off the car two more times
and have probed it, stuck wires into orifaces, soaked it with carb
cleaner, etc. ....... and, unfortunately, when I fired it up, the fast
idle and rich idle still remained. Oh, it's so much fun to bang your
knuckles trying to get those two nuts on............
So..... I'm sorry to admit that I gave up last Saturday afternoon and
called the 800 number for Victoria British. They have what appears to
be a ripoff manual carb kit, you see, for ONLY $69.95.....but I decided
to bite the bullet and lay out the cash anyway.
Well, I am proud to report that the KIT IS WORTH THE MONEY....my money,
anyway. I installed it yesterday and THE CAR RUNS LIKE A TOP !!!! Now,
the kit doesn't look like much when it's in the plastic bag that it is
shipped in. But there are two or three machined aluminum parts in it
make it all worthwhile, AND SOMEBODY DID SOME ENGINEERING TO PUT IT ALL
TOGETHER AND INTEGRATE IT INTO THE ORIGINAL AUTOSTART DESIGN, SO IT IS
NOT AT ALL A KLUGE. They could have done a little better job on the
installation instructions, though, as there are a couple of steps where
better illustrations would have saved time and "experimentation". But,
somehow I figured out how to get it right.
Unlike the "fits all makes" manual carb kits that I saw in the auto parts
stores, this kit is designed specifically for the late Spitfire Stromberg-
Zenith carb. It replaces the "stepped cam" and almost all the parts
inside the autostart assembly, so that when you pull out the choke, you
really do have positive control of the needle valve that opens up the fuel
enrichment circuit of the carb.
So, it's working fine now. And I urge anyone else who has the same
problem to go ahead and lay down the bucks for one of these kits. It's
worth the money.
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