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Triumph TR6 - Carburation: THE FINAL SOLUTION.

After 36 years of tinkering,adjusting, and recently, a major re-build of the Stromberg Solexes on my '74 TR6, I've had it! They are a waste of money and time.
What I want to know is:
Is there a consensus out in Triumph Land as to what is the best replacement? I want carburation that is smooth running, reliable and makes my car a pleasure to drive.I've had enough uneven idling, stumbling off the mark,and the inability to have the choke on without it idling at 1500 qnd above.
The Webber carbs seemed to be damned with faint praise, and the SU's remind mr of SS's writ large.
SO, what's the VERDICT?
Thanks in advance on my behalf and that of my otherwise trusty steed.
P. Noel

My ZS's are fine.....no problem with them in the past two years I've owned it.....they sat for 11 years on the car, sprayed them out, changed the bowl gaskets, adjusted them per the book and Bob's your uncle.
JT White

I agree with JT. My original ZS carbs are still on the car (135,000 Mi)and after using the Uni-Syn and the mixture adjustment tool that fits down through the damper shaft and following the instructions for tuning, mine are running just fine. There is no hesitation, no stutter, just smooth pull every time. Don't know why folks have such trouble with them unless the DPO has done something really stupid to mess up some aspect of those carbs before you got them. Not saying you have done anything wrong - Understood?
Cheers,
Bob
Bob Evans

A lot of carb problems are really other problems. If the carbs are rebuilt correctly and set up correctly and the engine is nick.
Should be fine
Don Kelly

I will be running (3) Hitachi SU carbs (not to be confused with the Skinners Union version) as I am in the middle of an engine overhaul. These carbs came from the factory on the early datsun 240z's. I can't give any feedback as the engine is still in pieces.
You can also get these in a dual set up to bolt to your stock intake.

A friend of mine is running the inexpensive weber MCHH conversion from Weber Carbs Direct and can't say enough about them. He bolted them on and set the idle. No technical adjustments were even necessary and the car runs fantastic (might just be an Arizona elevation thing). The only complaint was that he had to modify the choke cable to get it to work correctly. Not bad for under $400.00
The carbs also look really nice. Almost have a chrome type finish...
DWS Smith

I only have experience with the Stombergs. I have them tuned for cruising not performance. I get a get a bit of a hesitation when taking off in first gear and when shifting from 1st to 2nd if I don't rev up the engine a lot but other than that I get good gas mileage and good performance. Cruises at 70 mph no problem and can still accelerate pretty good at that speed. I haven't tried to do anything about the hesitation since I don't want to mess up how well they are doing now.

Unlike Bob's, my 69 TR6 carbs have no adjustment to the needle. That option came later.

Idle rpm is dependent upon weather conditions but it is even for a given day. It can be 1100 rpm, 1000, 900, or 800 depending upon temperature and humidity.

This car I have tried to keep as original as possible so I stuck with the stombergs. I have a parts car waiting in the wings for rebuild. When I do that one, I plan on doing it for performance.Maybe then I will give the other carbs a chance.

Good luck with your decision.

regards
Mike
Michael Petryschuk

I think you've been on at least one other site complaining about your carbs. My last response on one was that your questions & statements tend to be confusing... Maybe there's a language barrier??
Maybe what you need is Rick Patton's kit to put fuel injectors into the carb bodies and run off a computer. I've heard nothing but good things about that mod. Otherwise, properly rebuilt Z-S carbs can be tuned and will run fine - as most of us have found.
Brent B

Tried to edit the original post, but I guess it timed out before finished. So...

One more question - has the distributor been recently rebuilt?
Brent B

All the electrics, plug wires, and a Pertronix ignition have been added,and the carbs totally rebuilt by a Jaguar trained mechanic; so, I am at a loss as to my next step. If any of you know of a Stromberg Solex "wizard" in the Ottawa, Canada area, I'd appreciate knowing his name.
P. Noel

Explain rebuilt?

Don Kelly

"Jaguar" trained doesn't mean he knows what he's doing. It means he was "trained" I know lots of professionally trained people that don't know what they are doing....just sayin.
JT White

1. Carb. re-build means they were taken apart and put back together piece by piece with parts as needed and adjusted to optimum operation.

2. Jaguar trained means that he was trained by Jaguar and that he now has his own garage where he re-builds Jags back to the 120's and 150's.

3. As to the Stromberg Solexes, given the amount of space given to them on many sites, and the several substitutes advertised and written about them one would have the opinion that they are not universally loved and known for their reliability or quality of operation.
4. Would the fact that my car is a 1974 when all those smog controls were introduced and de-tuning took place have changed anything on the carbs or engine, etc. to account for the problems that earlier models perhaps do not have?
P. Noel

Did he re bush them, did he rebuild the temp. compensator, did he rebuild the bypass valve??

Both don't always come with the kits.
The new fuel is doing quick damage to the diaphragms in these carbs.
Need to check that.
What nick is the dizzy in itself. The adding of the Pertronix unit doesn't make a cure for that. If there were problems before ,they are still there.

Have you ever said what problems you are having?
Don Kelly

Certainly the additional emission control stuff affected the performance and carb settings. it might be reason for your difficulties. Maybe if you try taking that stuff off, you may get better results.

I have no complaints with my Strombergs going on 6 years. Rebuilt and tuned once in 2005 and running great since. I did all the rebuild myself so I cannot suggest anyone who might be able to help.

If you want performance, maybe Brent's suggestion on the fuel injector kit may be a way to go although I know nothing about it.
Michael Petryschuk

For every garage/mechanic there are those who have had bad experiences there. I'm not saying the guy is an idiot BUT maybe he was in a rush or had a bad day when he rebuilt them. I know people here with "English" garages who I wouldn't let touch my car, doesn't mean people don't go to them and aren't happy just means that I feel I do better and more thorough work. I "hang out" at some of those garages from time to time to BS and pick up tips and trade parts and some of the practices I see keep me motivated to do my own work.
JT White

I've had ZS carbs for years. They ran fine but seemed to run rich. I checked the float levels and I must have adjusted them 12 years ago with a hammer. After readjusting them and resetting my Crane xr700 ignition they are running great. Sometimes you think you know what your are doing until you go back after a couple years and you wonder what you were thinking!

I was talking to a Gent at the ABFM in Portland this year who was from New Zealand who "specializes" in the retro fitting Lucas Fuel injection on US cars. In the conversation, he mentioned a driver who's engine dynoed at 200hp and she was running ZS carbs. So they must work fine for most of us.

Now, I am working on an EFI system using twin ITBs that bolt on replacing the ZS carbs. I have almost all the parts together and hope to start installing soon. It's the details of layout and mounting things that are slowing me down.
CAK Kirchhoff

Blasphemy
Don Kelly

This thread was discussed between 19/09/2011 and 23/09/2011

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