Hi Vinh,
I didn't see your message show up on the list, so I am forwarding it
to the Triumph list. I would be interested to hear some other theories.
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>Subj: 80 Spitfire Carb Problems
>Date: 97-01-14 14:57:06 EST
>From: vyang@sirius.UVic.CA (Usando Dos Manos)
>To: s1500@aol.com
>This message is mainly for Bob Sykes but I thought someone else on the list
>may be able to help so here goes...
>Hi Bob,
>I e-mailed you a couple of weeks ago regarding a recent carb rebuild I did on
>my 80 Spitfire. It uses a single ZS carb. The car starts fine but after
>about 5 min, it stalls and dies. Then the car won't start again until it is
>totally cooled down.
>You pointed out that this was likely a problem with the autochoke not
>adjusting to a lean mixture when the car warms up. I inspected the autochoke
>and it seemed to work fine. I put the aluminum heat mass and spring
>assembly in some hot water and saw that the spring uncoils with temperature.
>When installing the heat mass/spring assembly, I made sure the spring caught
>the carb lever and tried starting the car again. I got the same problem.
>I also checked the float level and it seems fine.
>The problem seems more likely to be a gas mixture problem ie too rich rather
>than fuel starvation due to a blockage in the fuel system but I don't know
>what else to check. By the way, I also noticed that the temperature gauge
>indicates the car is hot after 5 min of running. I never noticed the car
>getting hot so quickly before. Also, when I lifted the bonnet, I neard a
>hissing sound coming from the carb area.
>Can you help?
>I'd be willing to spring for a manual choke conversion kit if I knew the
>autochoke was definately the problem. I just don't want to pay for it if it
>isn't.
>The car has been sitting for a couple of weeks. Victoria got quite a bit of
>snow during the storm that covered the Pacific North West. The weather is
>much better now and I want to drive my Spit.
>Thanks for any help,
>Vinh Yang
>80 Spitfire
>Victoria, BC
This still sounds like an autochoke problem to me. It appears that you
have checked the 'suspect' parts though. Is the heat mass getting
hot in situ? It should feel warm to the touch very soon after the car is
started. If it is not getting warm there could be a problem with the
coolant hoses that attach to it. One other test you could perform:
Remove the heat mass from the carb, press the accelerator to 'set' the
choke, then start the car. The motor will have to be cold because the
autochoke is going to assume the full rich position without the spring
acting on it. The motor will begin to run rough as it warms up because
it no longer needs the full rich mixture. As this happens, manually move
the autochoke lever to the 'leaner' side of its travel, while blipping
the throttle (cable). If it idles properly with you holding the choke
to the lean side, the autochoke is at fault.
The part about the motor getting hot so quickly is interesting.
Are you going by the temp guage? Is the (electric) fan coming on?
If there is an overheating problem here, then disregard the auto-choke
theory.
Any other Scions out there care to venture a theory?
Bob Sykes - - - __,@_\____ s1500@aol.com (when I can connect)
'78 Spitfires- -- }-0-----0-> 105572.2266@compuserve.com (this month)
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