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[Tigers] "Speaking of S.U.'s - "

To: Tiger's Den <tigers@autox.team.net>
Subject: [Tigers] "Speaking of S.U.'s - "
From: Steve Laifman <SLaifman@SoCal.rr.com>
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2008 11:52:18 -0700
Tigers,

Some personal reminiscing, that may (or may not) be of interest.

There has been some chatter about the S.U. fuel pump.  I have lived with 
them for longer than  I can remember ( a common malady), and thought 
some real-life experiences may ring a chime with the LBC owners.

My first exposure to the S.U. came with my early new 1952 MG-TD.  The 
car had both the carburetors and the fuel pump made by S.U.  I learned 
that "S.U." stood for "Skinners Union"since the 1905!  NOTE:  The 
"Skinner" was NOT an occupation, but the patent and company owner, 
George Herbert Skinner.

The S.U. carburettors were "sidedraught" with a vacuum operated piston. 
Similar to the 50's Zenith Stromberg's that used rubber.  The "jet" was 
an orifice that was metered by a tapered needle rod which opened the jet 
by a vacuum operated diaphragm or the later large piston.  Good mixture 
control, but NO accelerator pump for instant  enrichment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SU_carburetor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zenith_Carburetters

The fuel pumps were also diaphragm device with electrical points.  These 
do get dirty, and worn from arcing.  The recommended procedure was to 
regularly clean the points with a "business card".

The MG pump was under the bonnet, the Jaguar pump was under the 
passenger floorboard, with access through a snap plate in the floor.

The carbs were pretty good on both the cars, less the accelerator pump.  
The fuel pump, such as on our Tigers, was a little more  ornery.  One 
fine day I was tooling north on the 405 freeway and the tell-tale sign 
of a failed fuel pump was a slowing down of the car.  Well, at 60+ mph, 
in the fast lane, things happen quickly. I pulled to a stop into the 
median, jumped out of the car, ran to the traffic side of the car, 
flipped open the hood, and hit the thing with a bumper shoot! It 
started, and I got back into traffic from a dead stop.

In the Jag, I did much the same thing, but on the street. And, I did not 
have to get out of the car.

Of course many British vehicles used SU components, including this very 
fast machine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire_variants:_specifications,_performance_and_armament

Steve
-- 
___
Steve Laifman
Editor - TigersUnited.com
<http://www.TigersUnited.com>
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