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Re: ZS Carb, oil loss, results

To: spitfires@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re: ZS Carb, oil loss, results
From: Atwell Haines <carbuff@scooter.net>
Date: Fri, 15 May 1998 19:51:55 -0400
At 07:46 PM 5/10/98 -0400, Atwell Haines wrote:
>Hi Spitfire (and Triumph) Listers.
>
>The Zenith-Stromberg carb on my '79 Spitfire will not retain its oil inside
>the dashpot (or more precisely, the "air valve guide rod").   If I lift the
>air valve it just pumps the oil into my intake.
>
>I would like to replace the o-ring over the metering needle adjusting
>screw.   But I can't figure out how to remove the retaining clip(s) without
>possibly damaging them. A picture of what I am referring to is on page 15-4
>of the Haynes Carb manual.
>
>Can anyone help me?  The last sentence of the above-referenced page says
>"The [needle adjusting] screw is not removable."

Thanks to good ol' Charlie Brown, and Sam Gentry, I have replaced that
pesky o-ring in mixture adjusting screw of my Spitfire's ZS carb.

It came out as easy as pie using Charlie's dowel method, and sure enough,
the o-ring was damaged.  It must have stuck to the damper chamber while the
car was in its suspended animation for seven years.

One glitch was that neither of the two o-rings that were left over in the
carb rebuild kit were of the proper size.  That was nothing that a trip
down to the local  auto parts emporium couldn't rectify.

At the same time I checked-over the vacuum lines and replaced all the
rubber end boots on them.   I verified that the EGR valve and Distributer
vacuum retard were working. With the better vacuum control my idle timing
was a couple degrees different so I readjusted that.

Having done all the above, I am now having a problem getting a lean enough
mixture.  The needle is almost all the way down, but I'm still too
rich.(sooty sparkplugs)


Will keep the List posted on my progress.


Atwell Haines
'79 Spitfire  FM96062 UO
Succasunna, NJ USA
"Now that cars are better, why do they keep lowering the local speed limits?"



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