Sunday, January 14, 2007

What to do with the carb





Ive been messing with the position of the carb - partly because i hate all that water hose tangle and that heat exchange block is so unsightly and i wonder if i can do away with it all together, but also because ive got a clearance issue between the top of the damper pot and the fuel tank. And then of course theres always the bit about trying to make it all look lovely

I like the idea of the carb jutting awkwardly (beauty is not always about symetry and tidyness)out of the side of the vehicle with a ridiculously large airfilter - though i am still playing with thoughts on how i might use the original filter holder which i think looks quite cool

Ive tried it round the other way (and taken off the wanky alluminium fuel drip tray thing that stops leaking fuel from dripping directly on the manifold, prefering to redirect it to the back of the engine onto the gearbox bell housing - What a strange thing to build into an engine design - something to account for a leaking carb?)

Eric (the chassis) suggested when he was here, twisting it horizontal - apparently Morris oxfords (or was it Humbers or Austins - he spoke about them all) used to run thier SUs horizontally which if you were happy with continually topping up the damper oil, was supposedly perfectly adequate
Eric also thinks that I wouldnt miss the heat exchanger unit other than for a bit of fuel ecconomy

Perhaps the answer might be for me to construct my own 90 degree adapter which would give me most clearance from the fuel tank and a jaunty jut from the engine. And i'd better use some extra thick gasket seal to ensure there no leaks onto the now exposed exhaust manifold

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hay it's really starting to look the part. I like the tank.

I am pleased that you recognised, just in time, that this is the bit you like most. I remember you saying to me when we were talking about me starting a new project "why don't you do the bits you like most and then stop, does it matter if you never get past the bits you like?"

I think you can throw away the wanky heater block under the carb. I think it's only there to stop the carb iceing up in cold weather. I have seen this on the Morris 8 (the one you showed a few days back) Since I don't see you taking the trike out in extreme weather, what the hell. If youdo there will be other bits iceing up and THEY could drop off!! I am sure it will affect the efficiency and MPG but again are you really taking it round Britain? I could see a nice bit of tube, suitably bent and polished that positions the carb where you want it (within reason) Think about it. It may not do the efficiency much good but at over 40 MPG (my guess) what are you worrying about?

The frame looks good. The split was really in the hope that it would make removal of the engine easier. Other than that it could turn out only to be a bit of additional work. Of course if you think it looks good then....