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RE: How to make more HP from your Spridget-pi_ _ on Click & Clack

To: "Brashear, Jack, N" <JNBrashear@garverengineers.com>, "James Gruber" <thistle_3619@yahoo.com>, <spridgets-digest@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: How to make more HP from your Spridget-pi_ _ on Click & Clack
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 12:13:19 -0400
How about instead of "tip of the hat to Click & Clack", the moral of the
story is: read your owner's manual and follow the maintenance schedules and
procedures.  It's ALL in there, guys.  It's really no big deal, just common
sense.  Don't have an owner's manual/driver's handbook?  Buy a Bently
manual, which includes a reprint of the official, factory workshop manual
and driver's handbook.  Spend some quality time reading that manual and
you'll be far less likely to be stuck along the road, somewhere, making
Spridgets/British cars look bad.
Keeping oil in the carb dampers is not a big secret.  It's supposed to be
(and has been since dinosaurs roamed the earth) a normal part of the
maintenance routine for ANY SU carburetor.
Oh, yeah.  Pi_ _ on Click & Clack!  Those morons have spread/perpetuated
many myths about British cars (as well as Volkswagens and Lord knows how
many others).  When it comes to getting a laugh, documented fact comes in a
distant second, for those two.
Bud Osbourne

-----Original Message-----
From owner-spridgets at autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-spridgets@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Brashear, Jack, N
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 10:28 AM
To: James Gruber; spridgets-digest@autox.team.net
Subject: RE: How to make more HP from your Spridget


James, what a discovery - good for 'ol Click & Clack.  Same thing
happened to me a few years ago and I should have spread the word around
like you just did...I just wasn't on this list then.  This applies to an
HIF6 too.  I'm using a single HIF6 on my Mk2 Sprite and it is definitely
sensitive to the damper oil level.  I use the dash pot oil  that M+++
sells.....is there a good alternative??
Jack

-----Original Message-----
From James Gruber [mailto:thistle_3619 at yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 7:07 AM
To: spridgets-digest@autox.team.net
Subject: How to make more HP from your Spridget

I just discovered one of the simplest things about making a Spridget run
better. Bugsy over the past number of months seems to be idling faster
and faster. Yes I'd attributed the problem to an air leak around the
front throttle shaft. Now after a trip of 150 miles on Saturday and
another 75 miles on Sunday Bugsy would not idle below 3000 rpm. A tip of
the hat to "Click and Clack" on NPR on Saturday when a caller discussed
problems with her TR3 and idling quickly. Discussion went into the
merits of SU Carbs and making sure dashpots are filled up and the
problems with high idling speeds if you don't. Suddenly the light bulb
clicked on and ably armed with a auto tranny fluid I topped off the
dashpots. Well idle immediately dropped down and the change in idle
speed from 800 to 200 rpm is another story for another day. To my
surprise when I got Bugsy back on the road I suddenly discovered that
Bugsy's engine no longer hit the proverbial brick wall at 4500 rpm. A
lack of power was!
 evident
 above 4000 rpm and I'd attributed it to all sorts of different things.
Now engine pulls strongly and very briskly up to 5500 and feels like its
well able to go for more. Unbelievable, feels like I increased power by
15-25% on the top end. Evidently lack of fluid prevents carbs from
opening all of the way up. Not knowing the mysteries of the way SU's
work that's all I can surmise.

Now I need to get that tuning guide out,
http://members.core.com/~ckotting/tuning.html and go through the rest of
the tune up procedures to make Bugsy really perform and to smooth out
the idle.

Moral of the story, check your fluid levels. Not just oil and water.


Jim Gruber
Bugsy '68 Sprite (future Bugeye in disguise)
Dayton, OH

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