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Triumph TR6 - Stock or go to Weber?

I'm admittingly clueless when it comes to cars.
I have a 74 TR6 with a rebuilt '69 engine. Has run wonderfully for years. Looks like I need new carburators and have the choise of rebuild and stay stock or new Webers.

I've been told that the re-build Shroembergs are $700 for parts and Weber over $1000 plus labor will be significantly more. I only drive "little Blue" about 500 miles a year and only on beautiful days. Don't care about increased speed or showing the engine etc. I just want to drive the car as long as my clutch leg works.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Lisa
vocallee@hotmail.com
Lisa

Sorry - sent out other note before reading this.

#1 - Find a different mechanic. $700 is really steep for a rebuild.

#2 - Check the oil level in the carbs. Unscrew the top and pull out the "plunger", the, put it back in. There should be enough oil to give resistance when the top is about 1/4" from all the way in. If not - add some motor oil to it.

#3 - If you can turn a screw driver you can check the diaphragms and even replace them. Sometime they will get holes in them which makes the car run badly.

Those are simple things that cover 3/4 of the carb problems and don't require removing it from the car. Check the 2 links in the other thread for illustrated instructions.
Brent B

Lisa, Are you saying that you have the choice to buy rebuilt strombergs, or rebuilt webers to replace your carbs? This does not sound right when you can have your existing carbs rebuilt for a fraction of the costs stated. Get a price to have your carbs rebuilt, even if you send them away to have done.

dave
D Burstyn

Lisa,
I made the switch over to webers three years ago. Had no major problems with my ZS but was never 100% happy with them. Since installation and initial set-up, I have not touched the carbs so I am very satisfied with the reliability. I also put Petronix ignition system in so I think my 6 is as reliable as anything else on the road. I agree with Brent...$700 for a rebuild is way to much. I have rebuilt both ZS and SU carbs and it is really no big deal.
Mike
Mike Parkhill

Lisa,
You can buy rebuild kits for both carbs for less than $100. and it's not $600 for labour. Drop the mechanic that gave you that price asap.
I'm sure there is a British car club in your area and they can recommend a trustworthy shop for a tune up...or even a member will do it, show you at the same time and charge you a token amount. If "Little Blue" ran great for years the carbs sound like they need some attention but not replacing.
Good Luck
Charlie
Charlie Ballard

Lisa,

I don't know where you live in NJ, but I have a LBC mechanic in Easton, PA I use. Drop me a note if you'd like his name and number.

Don from P-Burg
D Hasara

There is a dual downdraft Weber DGV kit that can be used with a stock or near stock motor. Price for the kit could be in the $1000 range by the time you add air filters and depending on how much it is marked up. My own opinion, don't bother with this. The other Weber option is the triple DCOE side draft kit, you are looking at well over $1000 for it and if the dual DGV kit would be marked up to $1000, then the triple DCOE set up would be about $2000 by the time you got filters and had any mark up. Again, my own opinion is don't bother. Way too much carb for a stock TR6 motor, you would probably have to change chokes (about $30 each x 6), diddle with idle, main and air bleed jets (at about $5 to $8 each x 6). Just not worth it for your application. That's what we jokingly refer to around here as "real race car s#!%."

This takes us back to the Strombergs. How extensive a rebuild are we talking about? All new shafts, reamed and bushed bodies, new jets, needles, calibrate/repair temp compensators as required, etc. or just new gaskets and diaphrams. If it was a full blown rebuild such as from Apple Hydraulics or Roadster Factory, the parts price is still high. Apple for example gets $365 exchange for a pair of rebuilt units. However, for that same kind of money this shop is asking, you might be able to get new ones out of the UK (Burlen Fuel Systems) or go for one of the Burlen HS6 SU conversions (also sold by Moss Motors in this country).

If you want to continue dealing with this shop, get them to give you all the gory details on what is being done and how extensive the rebuild will be, also have them give you a labor price in both dollars and hours plus have them tell what their flat rate happens to be. Then post back here with all of those gory details and get a new round of opinions. If the shop is unwilling to give you this level of detail, definitely find another shop. I wouldn't expect them to be in business for the purpose of losing money, but they shouldn't be sticking it to people either. You might even suggest them getting a pair from Apple, Roadster, etc. Do your homework on this before you commit to parting with your money.
SteveP

Lisa,

Believe these guys. They love the cars just like you do. (Me, too!) If you have the desire to try something yourself, they're a great resource.

If not, follow Don to his reliable shop and let them fix you up!

Charlie
EC Smith

Lisa,

I think you should send an email to your local car club offering free beer and hamburgers all afternoon to the first member who can help fix your carbs. (That mechanic should be ashamed of himself assuming you don't know any better. My wife comes home with quotes like that from time to time....)

Have fun with your TR and for 500 miles per year forget about the webbers.

Regards,

John Parfitt
John Parfitt

If you're looking for rebuilt Strombergs take a look at the next link on E-bay;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2481721205&category=34198

Good luck

Eric
Eric de Lange

Lisa
If you must change the carbs the best compromise is a pair of 1 1/3" SUs, they are simpler, more reliable and more economical than the Strombergs, and they are a fraction of the price of Webers.
Webers are the best for out and out power but if that isn't what you want, you don't need them
There are several people on this board running SUs including myself that can give you advice if needed.
Ron
R. Algie

Sorry should have read 1 3/4" SUs
R. Algie

Hi Folks, How about thinking outside the box - or rather outside the carb?

http://www.prirace.com/induction.htm

These carbs sound like a great idea.

Aivars Berzins
A. Berzins

Lisa, Good day to you,

First of all, this is my obligatory "join up" speech. Joining the group will give you access to the archives of information on here. It's free, it's fun, it opens you to abuse from the members.... (oh, wait, that's me that gets the abuse). I guess that means you get to abuse me.

One of my favorite adages goes as follows:

"75 % of most carburetor problems are ignition related". That is, carburetion is often blamed for other faults. Perhaps you could describe in some detail the issues your car is having? Sometimes we even get lucky in our various diagnosesiesesiess.

Failing that, we will enlist the services of the Goose who will fly to Joisey and give your car the once over.

Jim
Jim Deatsch

OK...looks like I have some work to do. Thank you for all your suggestions.

My current mechanic is a very nice guy, I trust him. He's never admitted to having a lot of experience with Triumphs.

The issue is major backfiring. The kind that makes you jump out of your skin. He says I need new carburators.
$375 each is the price he got from some place in CA. He has never pushed me and admitted that he doesn't know what the prices should be...
He's giving me the time to do my homework.

As far as the man who said I need to get the details, I just don't have the knowledge to do that.

I've got to get back to work.
I just want my baby back on the road before it gets to hot! Looks like I need to join a club.

Don,
Please...go ahead and send the Goose to Joisey!

Lisa
Talk later.
Lisa

Lisa It's great to have a mechanic you CAN trust. My bet would be that this chap probably would not mind you getting a second opinion, especially if he is not that familiar with your carb setup. Sometimes if you are not sure, it is easier to put on new parts. I would check locally for a mechanic familiar with the setup and get a second opinion. You might be dealing with a very simple problem! I have a doctor I trust, but he sends me to a specialist when he isn't sure.
Good luck, and yes join here AND join a club. Brian
B. Towne

Lisa.
Its time to become a member, go to the archives and do a search for "backfire" and "backfiring". Print off some of the results and take them over to your mechanic.

Once he has done the checks and confirmed that none of the situations described apply to your car, then consider what to do.

In my estimation its best to keep it simple, keep it stock. Start back at the basics before letting anybody add confusion to the situation by increasing the number of unknowns. The more unknowns, the more $$$ it will cost you!!

Best of luck
SID
Sid Turner

Backfiring and we go straight to the carbs? I would look in other places as well Lisa. I second the second opinion idea.

My 73 had 1 3/4" SUs on it and I enjoy that carburetor a lot but I'm holding out for something else causing the backfiring.

Did it just start doing this suddenly or had it been sitting a while? Does it backfire on deceleration or on acceleration or when just cruising along with the throttle steady?

(as much as he'd like to claim Goose Keeper, Don is merely the assistant. <G> )


Jim
Jim Deatsch

This thread was discussed between 08/06/2004 and 11/06/2004

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