SpitfireAddick Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I've been having a few issues with starting and idling my Spitfire 1500, took it to the garage and they said I'd need new throttle spindles. Got them fitted by the garage and now they say I could do with a Carburettor rebuilt kit to get it running much better as at the moment the car won't idle atall and always conks out when there's no throttle used, I've bought the rebuild kit and was wondering, as I already have new spindles in it, how easy it is to replace the other parts in the kit or does it have to be done by a garage? Thanks James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davemate Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I'd do it myself. In fact I did !Only take one apart so if you get stuck you can look at the other one to see how it all goes back together Look around on here as there's loads of pictures of folk refurbing their carbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitfireAddick Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 1344 wrote:I'd do it myself. In fact I did !Only take one apart so if you get stuck you can look at the other one to see how it all goes back together Look around on here as there's loads of pictures of folk refurbing their carbs I'm not really that mechanically minded but how long do you think I would be looking at to do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMPUS Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Su's are pretty easy to rebuild yourself.From what year is you spitfire ? As they used waxstat jets and throttle butterfly's with a extra valve in it for a few years.Mine has it and it was a nightmare to get the car right, changed it all and now goes pretty well :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobPearce Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I'm nearing the end of rebuilding a pair of HS4s (and doing a non-waxstat conversion on them). It's taken me ages but there are two reasons for that:1) I went overboard and blast cleaned then polished the outside of various bits2) I spent no time on it, constantly being distracted by all the much bigger things that car needs doingI got the kits years back so can't remember where. It's a fairly simple job - just remember two things:1) keep it all spotlessly clean (cleaning up the muck is the most important part of the job)2) make a careful note of how it comes apart so that you can put it back together the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Fawlty Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Should find everything you need herehttp://sucarb.co.uk/technical-hs-type-carburetter-hs2-hs4-hs6-dismantlingIts what I usedBaz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ad2408 Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I've just replaced the spindles and throttle discs on my carbs - as per most people's advice the bodies didn't need rebushing as the spindles had worn not the bodies.All very easy and as someone said earlier do one at a time -it's made a world of difference to my car! Good luck :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitfireAddick Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Thanks for all your replies. It's a '79 Spitfire so it has the standard carbs so sounds like it should be sort of straight forward ;D. I'm just praying that it's the last major part/thing that needs doing so I don't have much of a fear of it braking down again. James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennygoodman Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I found after a rebuild my car wasn't ticking over correctly so I bought a cheapo carb balancer and found they were miles out, balanced them up and it ticks over nicely now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMPUS Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 James , can you post a pic of the carb (also one from the side/underside) ?Then we can have a look what carbs they are, waxstat or non-waxstat hs4's ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitfireAddick Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Just realised it's a Overhaul/Service kit I've got so I'll only be doing that then and see how that pans out. Hopefully that's all it needs. So Where can I get a Carb balancer?I'll post a pic tomorrow when I give it a go at looking at them fully but I'm 95% sure it's not a waxstart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennygoodman Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 10312 wrote:Just realised it's a Overhaul/Service kit I've got so I'll only be doing that then and see how that pans out. Hopefully that's all it needs. So Where can I get a Carb balancer?I'll post a pic tomorrow when I give it a go at looking at them fully but I'm 95% sure it's not a waxstart.I bought this type and there is one on ebay now with a 99p starting price and no bids.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Carb-Balancer-Carburettor-Balancing-Tool-With-Air-Flow-/180748349770?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2a1570f14a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 you dont have to have a balancer, get the throttle plates closed , turn idle screw to just touch the abutement, then turn in both carbs equally 1 1/2 turns this will mechanically put the plates in the same place , certainly close enough to make a good runner this is how they were set for factory installation before the days of gas flowed emmision settings of the 80'sPete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don cook1 Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Not sure that's what you do to balance the carbs as both throttles are held together by the spindle. You first have to slacken the spindle clamps then set the throttles and when balanced tighten up the spindle clamps. I use this sort. Why not call the Area Organiser in your part of Kent and ask if anyone might be able to help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrookster Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Go for the rebuild, really there is not much to it.The vast bulk of the job is the stripping and cleaning. The SU's don't have much in the way of gaskets etc internally, basically new jets, possibly needles and gasket for the float chamber? You say you have already done the throttle spindles, so that is the bulk of the work done!!When I did mine I picked up a cheap jewellery ultrasonic tank (from Lidl/Aldi, can't remember which), and put all the parts through that. Took quite a while, and I had to redo most of multiple times (a bigger ultrasonic would have been better) but it did the job over 2 or 3 days.I then bought a metal polishing kit from Halfords that fitted on a drill and polished the dashpots. Pretty cheap, and looked pretty good as well!!Cheers,Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMPUS Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 I had a Gunson one like Benny, but after a while it sticks & didn't find it easy to use .. So got this, my friend has the same ones and works good :)(only could find a listing in the USA)http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dual-Carb-Sync-Uni-Syn-Carburetor-Synchronizer-Weber-Austin-MG-Jag-Edelbrock-/121366683838?hash=item1c4204a0beThe one like Don Cook shows is also a good one, but more expensive :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMPUS Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Some pics.. When you have waxstat setup you will have jets like the 1st and 2nd pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMPUS Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Also do look at the throttle butterfly's . The pic is of the throttle butterfly's with the extra valve in it.They do also give problems as the spring in the valve gets weak & stuff.Better to change it to a solid disc.. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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