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MG MGB Technical - Zenith Stromberg to Weber

After much heartache with the ZS, I have decided to replace it with a Weber but would like to know if there are less expensive options and if not can anyone recommend a site with competitive prices on the Weber?

Also - are they a headache to install?
I have a 79B and believe a different manifold is required.



Thanks - Elizabeth


EA Martin

Elizabeth: I just received the spring sale flyer from Bob Ford at BRIT-TEK LTD. He currently has the best prices I have seen on Weber Super Kits. E-mail is brit@tiac.net, phone 800-255-5883 and web-site is www.brittek.com . I have purchased numerous parts for my 79 B and he has provided me with a wealth of technical information. You can find many good references for Brit-Tek in the archives.

Good Luck, Davy
Davy Crocker

Elizabeth. Most of the Weber conversion kits come with the carb, intake manifold and a header. The Z-S manifold is a combined intake/exhaust manifold, so you need to replace both the intake (to fit the Weber) and the exhaust. The best setup I have found is the Weber with Cannon header from Brit-Tek, back in New Hampshire. This is a relatively easy conversion and the header can be connected up to the existing exhaust system with no problems. This is the system we are using on my daughter's car. You can also get the conversion kits with the Peco header. Not a good idea because you cannot fit the Peco header to an RB car, such as ours, without lifting the engine and pushing it over to the passanger side. The Cannon header fits with no problems and without the need to detach engine from mounts, lift and seperate.

You will need to remove the fitting for the brake booster (servo) from the old manifold and install it on the new one. Both of my intake manifolds, TWM, were drilled and tapped for this fitting. A little non-hardening Form A Gasket on the threads made for a leak free seal. On the rubber bumper cars, the Weber DGV is a good replacement for the aging Z-S carb. SUs are, probably, better, but a twin carb set up, even if it meets emissions requirements, is not allowed by the Arizona emissions testing stations. Les
Les Bengtson

Wouldn't a single SU HIF44 be a cheaper option. My '79 uses the same manifold as the Zenith. It gives better perfomance, is easier to tune and you get a manual choke. I don't know about prices in the US but it seems to me that if you only have to change carb (and an air filter) it will always be less espensive than changing about everything to fit a Weber.

Carl
C.J Gaasbeek

Carl. There are some significant problems developing with the Z-S carbs and the combined intake/exhaust manifold as they get older. Probably 60% of the manifolds I have examined have developed one or more cracks at the radical rearward bend. These cracks are present on the inside of the bend and tend to get progressively worse as time passes. There is also the cat hanging from the exhaust section of the manifold. Studs tend to tear out and the sealing between the manifold and cat become problematical. My last two both developed exhaust leaks in that area. My 79 is currently running a DGV, which also features a manual choke, and the Peco header and exhaust system. My daughter's car was converted to a DGV from a DGEV (electric choke) and uses the Cannon header. The Weber DGV, intake manifold and Cannon header cost about what the HIF-44 does here in the US. But, the exhaust system is far less restrictive as is the intake manifold system. The Weber system is my second choice (twin SU HS-4s are my first choice), but, it is a rather good system and is not all that difficult to install. If I could install twin SUs on my car and my daughter's, I would junk the Webers tomorrow. But, within "what is allowed", the Weber is not, in any way, a bad choice. Les
Les Bengtson

IMOH Les and Davy are right on track. My 76B has that very setup, Canon with a Weber. Although I wish, in hind sight, I had gone with the Peco header. I think mating the tail piece to my existing exhaust would have been easier. Entire job took me about two hours. There will be a lot of opinions on this topic however..
Rick Roberts 76 MGB

Elizabeth, I too have a 79B that I am considering changing to a different set-up. Currently I am getting a "Whistling" sound when letting up on the gas... and the idle is a "little" rough too. I've read about the headaches putting the Peco Header on... it sounds like this set-up Weber and Canon, is an easy fix for a weekend mechanic with basic tools. Let me know if you swithc yours and how it works.

Rick and Carl... any "major" concerns I need to know about before I indulge in more performance? Now my set-up is the basic Zenith that has had all the emmisions removed. I live in Penna and the car is registered as an antique (emmision test and inspections not required).

Keep in touch!
Don 1979 red MGB
Donald Wheeler

Don,
I can really speak to that. Before I made the swap, I had no performance. Just a rich running, coughing, parts hanging off the carbs, smoking LBC. I opted for the Weber ony because of past experience with them, and Brit Tek, as set and forget(at least for me). The problem I had with the Canon header was after I had it mounted, the tail piece angle was too great. (pointed right into the floor pan) and couldn't mate it with my Ansa exhaust. A quick trip to Midas solved that. My past experience with a Peco revealed no such problem. Maybe mine was an isolated event though. Here is a link to some photos used to documant the process.

Good luck..tail winds.

http://photos.yahoo.com/rrobertsmg
Rick Roberts 76 MGB

Don. The only "problem" I have had, other than having to partly pull the engine to get the Peco header into my engine compartment, was the vacuum source for the front tappet cover. Bob Ford had recommended simply dropping down a hose and running it as a road draft system. Did not work well for me. I got an air filter, similiar in design to the K&N at my local BAP store. The DGV seems to be commonly used with VWs as a carb upgrade. This filter had a plastic 90 degree elbow which cold be inserted into the base plate for the filter. I hooked the line from the front tappet to this (two cars have this system) and it has worked well for many years. However, if Arizona ever passes its rolling exemption for older cars, I will swap out the Weber for a set of HS-4 carbs.

The minor problems associated with a Weber DGV are the orientation and the throttle return. When installed correctly, both the idle mixture screw and the idle speed screw are pointed towards the engine, making them difficult to access. Most of the installations I have seen mount the carb "incorrectly" with the float bowl to the rear to allow easier access to the idle mixture and idle speed screws. The second problem is where to put a spring to close the throttle. In both cases, I have run a spring to a bracket attached to the inner fender and it works well. But, it is an adaptation which should have been thought about when the kits were put together. Les
Les Bengtson

EA: another choice is to go with an early exhaust manifold, unless a very minor horsepower gain is really important stay away from headers and the problems that comes with them. RIC
R E L Lloyd

Hello Elizabeth, I purchased A weber carb with cannon header and Peco exhaust along with a Euro spec distributer with pertronix ignition from Brit-tek.
It's an amazing difference in performance. Worth every penny.

FWIW Dan H.
Dan Hanson

Thanks for all of the suggestions - I will let you know how I progress.


Elizabeth :-)
EA Martin

EA Martin,
I just had a Weber DGV and a exhaust header installed and wow what a diff! the B sounds alot beefer and not as rich as with my ZS, Even with my ZS tuned as best as I could get it the car would still have a gas smell and lots of carbon build up (not to mention some surging problems), since the weber install it seems to run cleaner and has quite a bit more pep! Being the cheap bastard that I am it was hard parting with the $539.00 esp when the B would run "OK" with the ZS but I bit the bullet and got the weber and now that I see the diff I have to say that was the best money I have spent so far! I got my kit from the B Hive, Great guy that runs the place with lots of good advice on the questions I had, Heres the link if you would like to take a look.

http://bhive.tierranet.com/931MGBweberconversions.htm

T Wood

T Wood... what year MGB do you have? Did you stay with the current ignition? I'am about ready to do the "switch" too using a Weber DGV and Cannon Header, new exhaust so every thing will bolt together...

But had questions if the current ignition would work ok until another time (money only goes so far)... need to do one step at a time.

Don 1979 MGB.

Donald Wheeler

Don. You do not need to modify the ignition system when changing over to the DGV. As a 79, your car should have had the Lucas 45DE4, Opus, distributor. As such, I would suspect that it has already been changed to something else. The Opus system on my 79 listed three months from new when it was replaced with a CEI by the local dealer. All of the Opus systems I have seen in the last many years have had the internals replaced with some other form of internals. Les
Les Bengtson

Les, thanks for the feedback. I'll be changing my 79B in about 2 weeks. Doing one step at a time, Weber, Header and new exhaust. Just want to make sure it would perform ok.

Also, I think this will allow a lot of "cleaning space" while I have things apart. So I'll do a little house cleaning in the engine area too.

Drive safety fast,
Don
Donald Wheeler

Donald... Sorry about the slow responce been out driving the B LOL! But like what Les said I didnt have to change anything ealse out just had the weber and headers installed. But on a down side after out for a spin yesterday I forgot to put my gas cap back on! DOH!!! hoping I can find one local and not have to order the blasted thing arrrgghh!!
T Wood

T Wood... I saw a picture of a black bumper "B" with a "black" gas cap... looked kind of nice. I haven't notice any for sale though... maybe it was special version.

Best of luck finding one in a local store.

Thanks for getting back to me about running great with the WERBER and HEADER.

Donald Wheeler

Don, FWIW. Replace your tappet cover gaskets while you're cleaning up. Very simple when things are removed. Just a little preventive maintenance.
Dan H.
Dan Hanson

Dan.... thanks for the tip! I ordered the parts today and included the gaskets for the tappet covers.
Donald Wheeler

Elizabeth, I run a 32/36 dgv Weber, elect. ignition, header, the works. Tinkered around with a sync. link kit, jets, modified valves/nozzles and the like. Make sure you blow up the exhaust to 2" all the way. Using the smallest walker cat I could find with a 22" and a 18" stacked muffler config. Gives you a lot of good pressure on start-ups, (off the line) a good throaty sound and all in all good engine preformance. Good Luck Victor
victor gardino

Elisabeth.
I own a 1980 MGB, same as 1979, and I am as we write doing a conversion to the Weber two barrel. I did some shopping around and the cheapest price is at Brit-Tek.
Everything comes with the kit however you have a choice of headers and I would choose the Canon, I believe is the name, I chose the other cheaper one and the fit needs some work. Bob Ford is a great help if you have any problems with your conversion. I havent had the engine running yet. I also converted the distributor to electronics and have a few more things to do.
You will have to remove the SMOG equipment to make the job look neater and car lighter I might add. This is also a good time to clean and paint the engine if you remove the Alternator and Distributor on the right side cause once you remove the Zenith setup the engine block will be easy to cleane without removing it from the car. Also a good time to replace side cover gaskets. If you need a helping hand here I can leave my e-mail however there are lots of fine people here
on the BBS with lots of help. The single HIF4 is not much cheaper but it's seems to be an easier conversion because you keep most of your original equipment however the design of the Manifolds etc., I believe is half the problem with the Zenith setup.

Cec Fry
Thefrys@nf.sympatico.ca
Cec Fry

Thaanks for all of the wonderful tips - suggestions.
I am on my way to the Dixon, CA show to see what I can find. I will let you know what I go with and how it works out.

Thanks - Elizabeth


Elizabeth

This thread was discussed between 29/04/2004 and 15/05/2004

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