Hey Guys,

I'm torn. I love these classic cars, but the carbs stuff is very new to me, and I've only ever driven fuel injected cars. The though of having to pull idle jets and get this and that different screw and whoosits to set it right is making me shy away from it.

I just dont know if I should go for fuel injection, as it seems rather expensive.

What should I do?

I kinda would like the ability to set the fuel injection up and forget it, but at least carbs are dead simple, from a plumbing perspective.

I would like some good power, but also a streetable car. Are carbs so bad that you cant rely on the car at all?

I drive my 914 with dual 40s all the time. Uses a bit of gas because I have it tuned just for power, but nothing really wrong with it.

The 914 will NEVER be as "set it and forget it" as a new car- even with FI- even with one of my engines.

Carbs are as good as their set up, most carb related issues are due to the carbs having crappy linkage, horrible air filters, dirty fuuel filters, crappy gas tanks and etc... Those same things can and will disable an FI equipped car.

What is the goal for the engine?? Programmable FI also has it's downfalls initially- Once tuned it is more reliable.

I have put hundreds of thusands of miles on carbureted engines, but I can smell a rich or lean mixture... Carbs have never made me walk a mile...

I'm taking care of the fuel system bit by bit; starting at the front and working my way back. I pulled the fuel tank and removed the facet shitpump and am replacing it with a CB rotary. I'm pretty much going the carbed route at the present time because FI costs so much. I guess it's just that I'm wary of carb setups because I've never tuned any carb larger than a .12 RC 2 stroke (which i was pretty damn good at)
I'm also cleaning the tank with that POR-15 stuff using the whole kit with marine clean, metal ready, and tank sealer.

I'll attach a pic of my fuel pickup as I bought the car.
The fuel filter was put in AFTER the pump....no wonder the pump jammed on loop 610. Yeah...I jammed an 'un-jammable' pump.

I'd just like to enjoy the car and have a bit more power. I think it has a .009 distributor, I'll take pics so you guys can help me figuring it out.

Also, who's this Jake character, and how do I get a mallory from him?

unless you removed it, you're missing the fuel sock/strainer that goes inside the tank on the outlet tube. the cb pump is the hot ticket. a stock fi fuel filter will serve you well.

k

That's just how I got the car...it didnt have a strainer sock....and the main feed line was PLUGGED with rust...the car was getting the fuel from the return hole, the one you can actually see. What I mean is that the tank was plumbed that way from the P.O.

AHH! I just thought of something... which of the two lines at the front bulkhead is the one you should use to send fuel back to the carb? the left one or the right one?

Oh, I'm a dumbass...jake replied in my thread. God I'm retarded

Would I have to fiddle with the carbs if I go to a mallory? Do they have points or is it 'electric' ignition? Would I notice a difference in power? Almost 4 bills makes me think I might actually see some gains from this unit.

no you're not. it's all part of the learning curve. the outlet is the one in the center. it sits in a slight depression for the crap to settle in. drawing fuel from the return tube is a direct path for the crap to plug the filter or ruin the pump. when you put fuel in the tank it stirs everything up. i chased plugged idle jets and filters forever until i fixed the REAL problem... the tank. had the carbs rebuilt. did the tank. put in one of chris folley's ss fuel lines. around 4k new miles on the odometer and haven't had a prob since.

k

Yeah rhody, that tank is pretty bad inside. I'm doing the marine clean thing right now and there is just SO much sediment looking stuff coming out. I will NOT re-plumb the system until the tank is sealed with that POR-15 stuff. I just wonder what tape to use to plug the top holes so the stuff doesnt run all over the place. I tried duct tape and the marine clean just lifts it right off. I'm going to try that aluminum 'speed' tape tonight when i hit the tank with marine clean again. After that...the metal ready. The tank looks SO bad inside, sheesh. You should see the sender before i brasso'd the outside of it, what a mess. This car is turning into a whole lot of work! If I could drive it I'd feel less overwhelmed. Hopefully I'll get the tank back in and drive it again this weekend.
Would I see a performance gain just from the CB rotary?

if you mean "performance gain" as in more horse power, no. well...if you're starving for fuel and the resulting loss of power, yes. as in quiter operation, no need for a fp regulator and gauge, yes. while the fuel gauge sending unit is out, hold it topside up and quickly turn it over (upside down). you should hear/feel the float freely failing. if you have to shake it to make it reach what is now the bottom end, the wires the float travels on are dirty and will have to be addressed.

k

k

The facet was unregulated. Isnt that bad?

Looks like I'll be tearing into the fuel sender. If i make the float go to the top, I have to shake it to make it come back down, that's what you're saying right?
It least the sender is electronics....that's my strong point. I'm going to re-do the connections on the wiring, because they're terrible right now. All e-tape and prayers holding them together.

Why is this car so hacked?

when you turn the sender upside down, repeatedly, the float should move freely, repeatedly. yes, unregulated fuel pressure is a bad thing for the needle valves that live in the float chambers of the carbs. more than likely running horribly rich. i would say impossible to get them dialed in. your car was waiting for a new, kind, loving owner. if you're fighting your carbs you MUST address the issues upstream first. then deal with dialing them in.

k

with the 2 strokers I could tell if it was rich or not by the smoke out of the pipe and the general way the engines ran. With this setup I have NO idea if it's rich or not. All I know is that when I come coasting to a stop, the smell is pretty bad. I pass priuses and think that I'm polluting enough for a fleet of those things. (I used to own one, not bad cars, drive horribly though)

It smells pretty bad, in other words. Does that indicate running rich? It was hesitating at low throttle, and lacked ANY kind of power above 3k rpm. Is this a combination of things from the dizzy being a POS with a poor advance curve, running rich, and bad fuel flow volume?

I don't have the fuel tank sitting in front of me, but I wanted to clarify which is the outlet and inlet sides of the fuel tank. The tank fitting closest to the tank seam is the inlet or return, and the one farthest from the tank seam (rear most) is the outlet (feed to the filter/pump). Is this correct?

Thanks,

Andys

I think you are correct andy.

And for anyone looking for instructions on rebuilding a sender

http://www.icbm.org/cmgallery/thumbnails.php?album=58

moo