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1974 Midget - Carbs Continued

To: spridgets@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: 1974 Midget - Carbs Continued
From: Philip Hubbard <phubbard@carroll.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 23:36:01 -0400
Hmmmm, a bit more work on my float bowl overflow problem tonight.

Looked to see if the float levels needed adjustment.  Both were within the
1/8"-3/16" clearance suggested by Haynes.  Don't know how I'd adjust them
anyway as it says to bend the lever as necessary and I see no lever.  My
plastic floats sit directly on the needle valves connected to the underside
of the float lid by a pin.  I have HS2s BTW (AUD549F).

Flushed out some gas through the jets with a turkey baster in the float
bowl.  Didn't seem to be any clogs there that would cause rough running.

I really think my overflow might be the gasket at the float bowl as I
suggested earlier in spite of some list thought that this probably isn't
it.  I say that because when I took the float bowl lid off I noted where
the gasket was least intact.  That is precisely where it overflowed and no
where else really.

Mixture adjustment.  Really thought (and still think likely) that I was
running too rich based on the fouled spark plugs.  Unless it turns out my
points are bad enough to do this.  However, as I've mentioned earlier, when
I rev the engine by pulling on the throttle cable by hand, I'm getting
backfire out the carbs.  On the theory that white smoke is too lean and
black too rich, I'm too lean.  Looks whitish to me.  And it's backfiring
equally out of both carbs.  I tried to richen the mixture, but I went about
half a full turn and still getting whitish smoke.  Don't know if I need to
go further but I stopped as I noticed the gas was leaking too much for any
kind of safety.  I did notice that it started to idle quite nicely, so
maybe I was starving it and the fouled plugs is from something else.  Would
explain a bit why I had to run full choke to get home the other night.

Another thing I noticed on the carbs.  The front carb has some gouges in
the beveled part you can see with the piston down.  (Don't you just love my
command of the technical lingo.  :) )  There are three or four of them.
Don't know if they would have any real effect on performance, but I wonder
what fault could have put them there?

Still debating whether to rebuild the beasts, just be content to continue
to fiddle or buy a fresh pair, but not brand spanking new - seems too
expensive for now.

That's it for carbs tonight.

Philip
1974 Damask Midget - Arioch, Lord of Chaos

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