Wayne,
I don't know that this will help your situation, it might (if your 73 is stock
and has the adjustable needles), it might not, but I thought I'd throw this out
for what it's worth for those who have rebuilt or are considering rebuilding
their carbs, and for those (like me) who have just messed with their idling
mixture until they don't know where they are at and don't know how to get back
to square one on both carbs.
I finally discovered what I think can be used as a starting point (square one)
or a reference point in adjusting the idling mixture (the one you get to with
your special carb adjusting tool by pulling the dampers out) on ZS carbs. It
was hidden away in the ZS manual on page 46 #8. It says "draw the needle into
the air valve by clockwise rotation of the adjusting screw until the washer (on
the needle)is flush with the underside of the air valve". Later on, (page 48
under Idling Mixture adjustment #6) it tells you that you get to turn the
adjusting screw "...a maximum of one turn in either direction to set optimum
idle quality..".
Now obviously this means that, in order to see if the washer is flush with the
bottom of the air valve, you've pulled the top off your ZS carb, pulled the
spring out and have pulled the air valve out and have it in your hot little
hands with your ZS carb adjusting tool in the adjusting screw. If you hold the
air valve upside down with the tool in the adjusting screw you can easily see to
get the washer flush with the bottom of the air valve. My guess is that this is
a more accurate way to start out than simply turning the adjusting screws in
both carbs as far clockwise or counter-clockwise as possible since the threads
in the adjusting screws and needles are not calibrated and you could end up with
the needles uneven relative to each other. Also the adjusting screws may even
sit in the air valve slightly different which would again position the needles
unevenly.
Wayne Note: If you turned your adjusting screws counterclockwise as far as they
will go (they probably just keep turning forever) then you've backed out the
threads of the adjusting screw from the needle and or at least put them at the
maximum lean setting (which may be why it is not starting). Turning them
clockwise should reengage the threads of the adjusting screw into the needle and
you should actual feel a "stop point" when the screw has the needle pulled up
(max. richness) as far as it will go. You could use this as a starting point
for your idling mixture and turn the adjusting screws equal turns
counter-clockwise to a leaner setting. But I gotta believe setting the needle
in both air valves at the same position gives you a better chance of finding the
correct idling mixture.
I'm sure this isn't new info. to many on the list but it was a bit of
information but I hadn't seen talked about on the list and thought it might help
others like me that need a specification to return to when we've screwed around
too much (don't tell my wife). Hopefully the list can say if this works or not
for other carbs (or if there's some better way). I know it helped me to find
the optimum idling mixture on my carbs which I believe to be 74-75 carbs (based
on the TRF catalog criteria).
Bud 71TR6 CC57365
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Subject: Help with getting TR6 started again
Author: Rengrave@aol.com
Date: 10/18/98 1:13 PM
After rebuilding my ZS carbs on my 1973 TR6, I cannot get it started again .
I was very careful while rebuilding, replaced all the seals and installed new
Grose Jets. When I put it all together on the engine, it started and ran for a
while, heated up and died, ever since then I cannot get it started.
The car ran fine and started easy for the 15 years I've owned it.
I cleaned the plugs and points and replaced the same on the engine.
I got carried away during the rebuild, and pulled off the alternator for
painting and the coil for buffing.
The dist. cap and rotor looks good.
My plugs are getting wet (mixture to rich). So I turned needles CCW to lower
them as low as they go (still won't start and plugs are wet).
The seat for the needle is about 3/32" below the bridge, is this normal?
The needle doesn't fit tight in the seat, is this normal?
The spark plugs are showing an orange spark (.025" gap).
SO WHY WON'T THE BLOODY THING START? HELP!!!
I have a new Lucas Sport Coil, should I install at this time and increase the
spark plug gap to .035" in an effort to get a better spark or should I do one
thing at a time?
Wayne from Massachusetts
1973 TR6 Mallard/New Tan
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