Subject: [TR] Stromberg autochoke enrichment needle

From: Tim Gaines <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2015 10:30:27 -0400 (EDT)

I've been dealing with an issue with the Stromberg 150 (with autochoke) on my 1980 Spitfire, getting some help from the Spitfire & GT6 Forum.  The engine starts easily, but during the end of the warm-up period when the rpms are coming down, there is a sudden drop to a near stall followed by a quick recovery and then a cycling of that pattern until the engine is fully warm.  Even then, the idle is a bit unsteady compared to what I am used to in my TR6.  Yesterday I came to the conclusion that the problem is that the enrichment needle in the autochoke is so worn on the slotted end that engages the pivot lever (controlled by the bi-metal spring--that thing is really complicated!) that the needle doesn't fully seat when the engine is warmed and may even vibrate in and out of position.  I have a carb from a parts car, but the needle in that unit is also badly worn.  I even found, to my surprise, that I had parts of another autochoke in a lot of old carbs I bought on Ebay some years ago, but the needle there was worn too.  Apparently this wear is very common.  New needles seem to be unavailable, but a member of the Forum gave me a tip on a good used one on Ebay, for $52.  Before I spring for it, I thought I would ask if anyone on this list has experienced a similar problem and traced it to the autochoke needle.  After all, I'm just working on a theory here!

Also--and this is a long shot I'm sure--I'm wondering if anyone on the list has the needle in good shape that I could buy for a little less than $52.  If I were sure of solving my problem, $52 wouldn't sound so bad, but . . . .

Thanks,

Tim Gaines
Clinton, SC
1980 Spitfire
1974 TR6

** [email-masked] **

Archive: http://www.team.net/archive

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From: Jeff Scarbrough <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2015 11:17:26 -0400

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Tim,

I have a water-choke carb off of a 78 or 79 Spitfire that I wont' be
using...if you send me a picture of the part in question, I'll check the
condition of mine.  If it's good, we can meet one sunny day in Greenwood,
and I'll trade the part for a sandwich.

Jeff Scarbrough
Corrosion Acres, Ga.

On Wed, Apr 22, 2015 at 10:30 AM, Tim Gaines <[email-masked]> wrote:

> I've been dealing with an issue with the Stromberg 150 (with autochoke) on
> my 1980 Spitfire, getting some help from the Spitfire & GT6 Forum.  The
> engine starts easily, but during the end of the warm-up period when the
> rpms are coming down, there is a sudden drop to a near stall followed by a
> quick recovery and then a cycling of that pattern until the engine is fully
> warm.  Even then, the idle is a bit unsteady compared to what I am used to
> in my TR6.  Yesterday I came to the conclusion that the problem is that the
> enrichment needle in the autochoke is so worn on the slotted end that
> engages the pivot lever (controlled by the bi-metal spring--that thing is
> really complicated!) that the needle doesn't fully seat when the engine is
> warmed and may even vibrate in and out of position.  I have a carb from a
> parts car, but the needle in that unit is also badly worn.  I even found,
> to my surprise, that I had parts of another autochoke in a lot of old carbs
> I bought on Ebay some years ago, b
>  ut the needle there was worn too.  Apparently this wear is very common.
> New needles seem to be unavailable, but a member of the Forum gave me a tip
> on a good used one on Ebay, for $52.  Before I spring for it, I thought I
> would ask if anyone on this list has experienced a similar problem and
> traced it to the autochoke needle.  After all, I'm just working on a theory
> here!
>
> Also--and this is a long shot I'm sure--I'm wondering if anyone on the
> list has the needle in good shape that I could buy for a little less than
> $52.  If I were sure of solving my problem, $52 wouldn't sound so bad, but
> . . . .
>
> Thanks,
>
> Tim Gaines
> Clinton, SC
> 1980 Spitfire
> 1974 TR6
>
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
> Unsubscribe/Manage:
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/triumphs/[email-masked]
>

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<div dir=3D"ltr">Tim,<div><br></div><div>I have a water-choke carb off of a=
 78 or 79 Spitfire that I wont&#39; be using...if you send me a picture of =
the part in question, I&#39;ll check the condition of mine.=C2=A0 If it&#39=
;s good, we can meet one sunny day in Greenwood, and I&#39;ll trade the par=
t for a sandwich.</div><div><br></div><div>Jeff Scarbrough</div><div>Corros=
ion Acres, Ga.</div></div><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br><div class=3D"gmai=
l_quote">On Wed, Apr 22, 2015 at 10:30 AM, Tim Gaines <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt=
;<a href=3D"mailto:[email-masked]" target=3D"_blank">[email-masked]=
du</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"marg=
in:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">I&#39;ve been de=
aling with an issue with the Stromberg 150 (with autochoke) on my 1980 Spit=
fire, getting some help from the Spitfire &amp; GT6 Forum.=C2=A0 The engine=
 starts easily, but during the end of the warm-up period when the rpms are =
coming down, there is a sudden drop to a near stall followed by a quick rec=
overy and then a cycling of that pattern until the engine is fully warm.=C2=
=A0 Even then, the idle is a bit unsteady compared to what I am used to in =
my TR6.=C2=A0 Yesterday I came to the conclusion that the problem is that t=
he enrichment needle in the autochoke is so worn on the slotted end that en=
gages the pivot lever (controlled by the bi-metal spring--that thing is rea=
lly complicated!) that the needle doesn&#39;t fully seat when the engine is=
 warmed and may even vibrate in and out of position.=C2=A0 I have a carb fr=
om a parts car, but the needle in that unit is also badly worn.=C2=A0 I eve=
n found, to my surprise, that I had parts of another autochoke in a lot of =
old carbs I bought on Ebay some years ago, b<br>
=C2=A0ut the needle there was worn too.=C2=A0 Apparently this wear is very =
common.=C2=A0 New needles seem to be unavailable, but a member of the Forum=
 gave me a tip on a good used one on Ebay, for $52.=C2=A0 Before I spring f=
or it, I thought I would ask if anyone on this list has experienced a simil=
ar problem and traced it to the autochoke needle.=C2=A0 After all, I&#39;m =
just working on a theory here!<br>
<br>
Also--and this is a long shot I&#39;m sure--I&#39;m wondering if anyone on =
the list has the needle in good shape that I could buy for a little less th=
an $52.=C2=A0 If I were sure of solving my problem, $52 wouldn&#39;t sound =
so bad, but . . . .<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
<br>
Tim Gaines<br>
Clinton, SC<br>
1980 Spitfire<br>
1974 TR6<br>
<br>
** <a href=3D"mailto:[email-masked]">[email-masked]</a> *=
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ww.team.net/archive</a><br>
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ions/triumphs/[email-masked]</a><br>
</blockquote></div><br></div>

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