TR2/3/3A Forward Carb Jet Lever Bent

[mastaphixa]

Is the front carb Jet Lever supposed to be bent toward the engine? See pictures attached. There is a wiring harness that runs along the engine compartment and I am wondering if it was bent inboard to provide more clearance? This car has a tr4a intake manifold if it makes any difference with the location of the carbs vs side of the engine bay.
Thanks,
Steve
60 TR3.

 

[Marvin Gruber]

I have seen them bent like that several times but can't give you any explaination about why.
Marv

 

[DavidApp]

Is the bend intended to help align the lever with the choke cable?

David

 

[mastaphixa]

David,
I can't tell why it is bent. I didn't notice it until I was cleaning the carbs in preparation for a rebuild.

 

[2liter4cyl]

I believe it should be bent. RE: www.thosbryant.wordpress.com/su-carbureter-rebuild-h-6

Le T.

 

[TomMull]

I believe it should be bent. RE: www.thosbryant.wordpress.com/su-carbureter-rebuild-h-6

Le T.

I agree. I just went through the linkage on mine in an attempt to get the choke to work better. I replaced the one that was on the carbs, which was nearly straight with one of my spares, which had a bend similar to yours, and got considerable improvement.
Tom

 

[mastaphixa]

Thank you all for your timely responses. For now, it stays bent!!!

 

[Geo Hahn]

When I pull the head on the TR3 I drop the jet and that mechanism down out of the forward carb so I can just pull the manifolds back far enough to clear the studs on the cylinder head.

If one does not remove that, it can get bent as it presses against the inner wing.

 

[TomMull]

I guess I should disclose that I found at least one in my carburetor bin that is absolutely dead straight. Tom

 

[RandyInUtah]

I just had my two carbs off for some cleaning and my choke levers were original and they are straight.

 

[DavidApp]

I found this link to a guy that rebuilds SU carb. If you scroll down to the very end he mentions the bent lever.

David

https://thosbryant.wordpress.com/2014/03/30/su-carburetor-rebuild-h-6/

 

[TomMull]

I found this link to a guy that rebuilds SU carb. If you scroll down to the very end he mentions the bent lever.

David

https://thosbryant.wordpress.com/2014/03/30/su-carburetor-rebuild-h-6/

Comprehensive to say the least (thanks for the link) and the rationale for the bent arm seems appropriate. Logic would seem to say that keeping the cable pull, linkage and levers as close to one plane as possible would make best use of the force required to choke, so perhaps the conversation here is inconsequential.
Bigger issues are smooth and polished jets (as suggested by TRdriver on a previous thread) spring tensions and increased friction from the vitron jet seals (the new cork seas I recently received seemed to be graphite coated, and I think I will use those in the future).
Tom

 

[Geo Hahn]

Lots of interesting theories, but in the factory photo in the Practical Hints it sure looks straight to me:

I'm sticking with many being bent when pulling the manifolds back to remove the head (or to remove the manifolds with the carbs still in place).

Note that the yoke for the rear connection sits totally on the inboard side of the lever - this provides clearance for the cable w/o resorting to a bent lever.