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Finally it has begun

kbash

Jedi Trainee
Offline
Well its about time i started on this, I'm starting the great switch a ru. From that bloody zenith to the great SU. They don't looks as nice as some , but with a good cleaning will go from there.
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Patience and elbow grease look to be about all you're gonna need to get a good set of SU's workin'!

Lots of Q-Tips, some soft (brass or copper) wire brushes, carb cleaner and a good, BIG work surface for the task. Try to find some "gunbarrel" cleaning wire brushes made of copper/brass too for the jet barrels and all the inside diameter places. You want all to be "hospital clean" for the job. You're about to do "Instrument Repair". Very good, Keenan. Have you got "The Book" (Bentley Workshop Manual) handy too? You'll want it.
 
I see some heat shield material there; be careful around it and whatever you do, don't breathe in the dust if it should start flaking off.

The original heat shield material was asbestos: good for heat, baaaddd for lungs.

You might also find asbestos in some older brake pads or drums. Anyway, be doubly careful around that stuff.
 
Good cleaning? heck, you need to send them to Joe Curto - those will never work right without a rebuild kit because they look like they've been on a shelf since forever

& you need a new heat shield or at least new heat material (you can get it in sheets from NAPA)

& that's real early intake manifold that probably won't have enough places for you to pull a vacuum...you're gonna need at least 1 big hole for your brakes & another smaller one for distributor & possible another one or 2

I wouldn't even attempt to put those on a car until I'd gone completely through them!
 
Take em down to the last bit, one at a time, so you have the second for reference. Complete rebuild is in order but there is no reason you can't do it yourself.
 
Tony Wrote:
[ QUOTE ]
...I wouldn't even attempt to put those on a car until I'd gone completely through them!

[/ QUOTE ]

That's precisely what I was saying: go through them according to the Bentley Manual, down to component level using the suggested materials as cleaning tools for the internals, unitl they're hospital clean inside and out.

'course Curto is a "path of least resistance."
 
You know I been thinking about Curto. JollyRoger has a good set of carbs he is sending me and I am thinking of sending them on to Curto for rebuild and polishing maybe.

I would surely never have to do it again. Not in my life time.
 
Well, whoever does those carbs - Keenan or Joe, they need a major rebuild kit!

&, Keenan, no offense, but I don't think you're up to it...however, if you do tackle them - don't use an aftermarket kit...only use an original SU repair kit.
 
rebuild isn't all that difficult....just very time consuming to do...I rebuilt two sets last spring and have seen more than enough SU's for a long time....the most challenging part is replacing the throttle shaft because the replacement doesn't have the pin hole for the idle screw set thingy to connect, so a new one has to be very precisely drilled!
 
[ QUOTE ]
'course Curto is a "path of least resistance."

[/ QUOTE ]

That depends on Joe's mood. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif He can be quite a handful to deal with sometimes. Most of it is his Brooklyn sense of humor. Great guy though. My triple Strombergs would still be giving me fits at this altitude without his assistance. Even if his first suggestion was to "move out of the clouds to somewhere with air. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
heheheee... That's Joe.

The guy went thru a bunch of effort to locate me a set of "hen's teeth" brass floats for a set of "baby" SU's a while back. He didn't have to do that but did it anyway.
 
I'd have to second the advice of Tony and others: get the job done right once and never have to get it done again.

I was thinking about doing a self-rebuild on my HIF4s since the floats have gone and gotten themselves stuck, but I decided it would be better to have Joe Curto do it - esp since he's so close! My carbs are in much nicer condition than those and I'm intimidated by them; I'd be terrified trying to work on yours. Besides, once you factor in all the miscellaneous stuff you'd need beyond the SU rebuild kit, it's not that much more expensive to have Curto do it. I don't know about Keenan, but you've all convinced me I've made the right decision.
 
[ QUOTE ]
My carbs are in much nicer condition than those and I'm intimidated by them; I'd be terrified trying to work on yours.

[/ QUOTE ]

They're just carbs... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif
 
But those carbs look like something I'd throw away!
 
[ QUOTE ]


They're just carbs... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif

a lot of unwarranted mystery IMO.

Holleys intimidate me simply because of unfamiliarity. SU's are just a toilet flusher tank, a big valve, and about a 20 little parts that go together in a well-documented manner. Take em apart and _study_ how they work and you will appreciate the elegant design and simplicity.
 
Jim - for you, me, Kenny, Doc & most guys...but to Keenan - they're "Greek"
 
[ QUOTE ]

you will appreciate the elegant design and simplicity.

[/ QUOTE ]



Tony,
I think Jim was talking ABOUT you, Kenny, and Doc. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


Paul
 
Ah, sorry - I'm just concerned Keenan' getting in over his head again because somebody sold him a "great set of carbs" - like that great engine that was supposedly "ready to bolt right in"!
 
I guess I'm mechanically gifted... I usually pull 'em apart making mental notes of how it goes back together... Then I can reassemble them 3 week later without a book or pictures even. I've done 4 hitachi's (motorcycles), 2 holleys, a Carter, a Solex, but no SU's or ZS's yet... But I would feel confident in "doing" them though.

I work the same way on engines... Yes I've documented my Toyota teardown, but I may not even look at the pics on reassembly - to include the vacuum hoses. I will look up torque values for certain bolts though, but other than that, my Haynes manual will probably not be cracked open.

I've always been like that... If I can take it apart, I'll remember how it goes back together.

I built tons of model cars over the years, and watched and helped my dad rebuild tons of cars and engines, and carbs... I'm sure that helps. He used to consult the BIGGGG Chiltons book though - and frequently.
 
FREE, they re were given to me by a friend.
 
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