Solex needle valve copper washers

[Gilbert '71 T]

Not another Solex thread ...

I pulled my carbs yesterday evening to clean them out and throw a kit at them (one was leaky) just to see of there is any improvement, surprisngly the throttle shafts didnt have any noticable slop so I'm going to go with the kit and see how we go.

Now I'm wondering if there is a science as to which copper washer to use for the needle valve, the kit comes with three washers, thick, thin, or medium

I'm thinking that if I get the washer wrong then setting up the float level decently will be a bugger

[hunter]

Hi Darren, I would just use the washer thats closest to the original one fitted to your carbs (or use the original)

A thinner washer will mean that the float will have to rise higher to shut off the needle valve and a thicker one vice versa (i think thats right - i was out last night and have a slight hangover )

Re gasketing my carbs is where all my woes started - car is now off the road and my wallet is thinner.

Just to warn you - if it all goes tits up and you have to get them rebuilt by carbex, there's a 7 week turnaround at the mo!

[Gilbert '71 T]

Thanks Darran, makes sense when you put them back together, I recall your solex woes which was why I was so dubious about fitting my kit, really sorry it didnt work out for you, but you gotta have a go is what i say and you'll have a nice set of carbs at the end of it. I was sort of forced to do something as the stench of fuel I was getting when opening the garage door was a becoming too much to ignore.

I may have got lucky though as after 'kit'ing them and re-installing I've done a basic setup using both medium washers and the 'dirty' float test through the inspection plug, also found out that my float adjuster was binding causing the float to stick... little bend with the fingers seemed to have fixed that. The car does seem to run less rich now...have a little hesitation between 1-2000rpm delivery from then on is great, but still too rich in my opinion (bit of popping in the exhaust & it's sooty) certainly less rich than before though, also seems to have cured my hanging/rising idle to 2k once the engine warmed up...i thought it was due to worn bushes but could just have been crud around the spindle ends .

Now need to get hold of a P78 and cc vial now to dial them in better as that 'dirty' float test ain't ideal

Happy-ish days but there's still plenty of tinkering to do I think

[hunter]

If it seems very rich, one thing i would check is that your injectors aren't dribbling.

The qtys that one of mine was pushing through was twice as much as it should have been and it was still dribbling fuel in on idle.

You can use a glass dropper from the chemist, with the end sealed up, as a vial.

Buy a syringe from the chemist marked in ml and graduated into 5th's (1cc=1ml)

Basically fill your syringe with water and squirt .45cc (or a gnats bollock under half a ml) into the vial and mark it with some tape.
Presto - a calibrated vial for about £2

Hang it under each injector using some fuse wire and pump your throttle arm 2 full pumps. Check and adjust as required. Do this before you fit the carbs back on the car.

Obviously this wont be as accurate as the real thing but its got to be pretty close.

[Gilbert '71 T]

Cheers Darran, I got her running a little better now, idle is now pretty respectable once warmed up, there's no hesitation on letting rip (only occasionally a slight one when pulling away), that's with just float/mixture adjustments made, once I get more time to look into the accelerator pumps I'm sure it'll be even better. next chemist i pass I'll get some measuring stuff