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The Hardy Boys and The Mystery of the Stromberg

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Tabcon

Tabcon

Jedi Warrior
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Well, it's not really the Hardy boys...sorry...just me.

Since I purchased my TR4, I've always felt it was a little lacking in performance. When starting out in first gear, I would let out the clutch, give it a little gas and then it would seem to load up, or bog down a little. Once I accelerated, it was fine. Not particularly quick, but decent acceleration.

I had never really driven the car much, so the other day I set out to the auto parts store in it. It was a very warm day and on the way there, it not only started bogging down, but it wouldn't idle and started dieing at red lights and stop signs.
After spending about 15 minutes in the store, I came back out and it wouldn't start.

Eventually, I got it started and it drove fine on the way home. I knew the timing was good, it had new plugs, wires and new Pertronix distributor, so I looked to the Stromberg's.

I went out to the garage with my laptop and found a few sites with exploded views of the carb. I took the top end of one apart and noticed a part not shown in any of the diagrams. It was a thin washer that was placed on the floor of the air valve piston resting at the bottom of the spring. When I removed it, I noticed it was blocking the air holes drilled in the base of the piston. I knew the holes were there for a reason, so I removed the washers from both carbs.

Now, not only does it start more easily, no choking required, but the car runs much, much better. It's much quicker and it doesn't bog down or die on me anymore.

What are these mystery washers for and why were they in the carbs?
 
Tabcon said:
What are these mystery washers for and why were they in the carbs?
Click to expand...
The answer to both questions is obviously to make your car run bad! I'll bet you get better fuel mileage now, too.
 
I'm going to have to check my carbs - I've rebuilt some before and remember those thin washers at the base of the springs, so I don't think it was just a previous owner addition.

Randy
 
Re: The Hardy Boys and The Mystery of the Stromber

Those thin washers (P/N 512321) are supposed to be there. Their function is to keep the air valve (piston) return spring from scoring and wearing out the spring bearing surface of the air valve (piston) as the spring compresses and expands. Unless the DPO used the wrong ones they do not cover the holes in the bottom of the piston. Remember to key the diaphragm correctly in the piston and then to the carb body (holes in piston parallel to engine and facing the intake manifold). :driving:
 
Re: The Hardy Boys and The Mystery of the Stromber

You're right Merlin. I assumed that since I could not find a part referenced in the exploded view of the Stromberg, that it must not exist. I checked them again, and they do not cover the holes, so I replaced them. I think it was just coincidence that the car started running better when I removed them. They were also low on damper fluid, so that may have been a contributing factor.

Today I spent some time around all the choke and accel linkage. I cleaned and lubricated everything very carefully and thouroughly. Before I did this, I couldn't get the car to idle at anything lower than about 1,300 RPM's. Apparently, the linkage was a bit sticky, most likely due to lack of use, and I have the idle set at about 900 and it even seems to run down the road better. I also put some fresh fuel in the tank. The gas that was in it was most likely fairly old.

Tab
 
Re: The Hardy Boys and The Mystery of the Stromber

Tab;
Glad you resolved your problem. I found out a long time ago that these cars like to be driven. The first drive in mine after a long layover is usually full of bogging, spitting, etc. Usually that is due to bad gas or, most likely, just the old girl getting even with me for ignoring her.... :driving:
 
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