spridgets
[Top] [All Lists]

Poppet Valve Woes

To: spridgets@autox.team.net
Subject: Poppet Valve Woes
Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2000 22:01:10 -0600
Hello Gang,

It's been a while since I've posted due to 1) very busy and 2) Arioch has
been a very good boy.

On the busy front, the major news is that Sonya and I were married on
December 21, 1999!  What a gem she is - apart from many non-LBC-related
reasons, she is supportive of my LBC "habit" and even volunteers to hold
the light when I'm working away in the garage.

But as the subject line foretells, I am having a bit of a problem.  I've
been having a problem with my idle being fine once I set it and then a week
later it's way low, then a week later not bad, etc.  The list suggested it
might be the poppet valves on the carbs as I did have backfiring out of the
carbs at one point in the past.

I've been trying to do the soldering fix and having a devil of a time with
it.  Snipped the poppet spring and stem off (no going back now) and then
tried to solder it in.  Seemed messy but ok and I gave things a go.  Big
problem (super high, unmodifiable idle) out of the front carb with the
piston flopping in the breeze.  Yep, solder was blown off (or sucked in and
now I'm in big trouble).

Went to Advance Automotive for better, higher heat solder and tried again.
Could not get the metal hot enough to let the solder flow using a 100w gun.
 Is there some trick to this?  That brass colored throttle plate seems
impervious to heat.  I've mucked around with it and think I got the holes
plugged, but it's ugly again.  

Putting the carbs back on I bumped the connection between the float bowl
and jet and now I've got a big leak to fix before moving on.  Since they've
got to come off again anyway, any suggestions for doing this poppet valve
fix correctly?

Barring my ever getting this right, can one buy replacement springs and
buttons?  Would I just have to replace the whole throttle plate?

Thanks for your patience and suggestions.
Philip
1974 Damask Red Midget - Arioch, Lord of Chaos
1960 BRG Bugeye Sprite - First up for restoration
1973 Damask Red Midget - Project car for sale


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>