I rebuilt the Zenith in my 78 this winter - the kit from Winners
Circle (it had a Moss P/N) was about $20. The carb was full of silt
and rust, and finally just quit running - the choke mechanism was
seized as well. I've rebuilt many carbs in the past, so it wasn't too
difficult, but they don't send any instructions or dwgs with the kit.
The info in Hayne's was good enough to get through the job, however.
If you're mechanically inclined it's not hard, but all the usual carb
rebuild cautions apply.
I soaked all the metal parts in Berryman's cleaner, and rinsed with
water and Chemtool. I did srcew up one small fiber gasket thingy
which I had to fix with sealant (I thought there was a replacement in
the kit - don't trash anything till you're sure there's a replacement
was the lesson for me there).
I also considered upgrading to a Weber downdraft for a daily-driver
approach, but I wanted to get the car running quickly and save new
carb expense and tweaking till a later date - after I resolve other
problems. For twenty bucks it was a cheap fix for now and got me on
the road. I didn't really try to adjust the thing much when I put it
back on; it worked good from the getgo and is fine for a temporary
fix. In fact, the Weber idea is probably the last mod I'll do now,
since I'm happy enough with the car's performance for now. It seems
like a decent unit so far - simple, no frills, but definitely not
hi-performance. They charge a fortune to rebuild the Zenith if you
have it done by a shop, so if your not willing to do it yourself you
might consider opting for the new carb at this time.
I cleaned and treated the gas tank at the same time, and replaced the
fuel pump, since my tank was horribly corroded and the source of the
junk that was sludging up the carb. But that's another story......
Good Luck -
M. Dietsche
---"William M. Gilroy" <wmgilroy@lucent.com> wrote:
>
> I have a 77 Midget with a Zenith Stromberb carburetor with an
automatic
> choke. This midget has been sitting for about 5 years. The car will
> run if a squirt a bit of gas into the carburetor throat, but then it
dies.
> This is no suprise give the amount of gunk in the ZS. I am new to
> MG's and I have several questions. I have heard that the ZS is not
> a very good carburetor so I am wondering what would be the best choice
> for the car, should I replace the ZS or should I rebuild the ZS. As
> I see it my options are:
>
> 1. Rebuild the ZS.
> 2. Replace the ZS with a weber (or another type of carburetor).
>
> If I choose to replace the ZS with a weber (or another type of
carburetor)
> should I go with a automatic or manual choke? Are there any vacuum
issue
> that I need to be aware of? What is the correct/best weber to use?
I am
> looking for a close to stock replacement, not a high performance
carburetor.
> Also who would be a good source of either a rebuild kit, or a new
carburetor.
> Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.
> --
> William M. Gilroy
> Lucent Technologies
> Room 4F-434
> 200 Laurel Ave.
> Middletown, NJ 07748-4801
>
> E-mail: wmgilroy@lucent.com
> Telephone: 732-957-4775
> Fax: 732-957-4775
>
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