Cheap kits or old part in rebuilt carburator

[grandpanystrom61]

Okay, I looked at this darn receipt, dated back in 2014, wow, 4 years went bye me.

So it could have been all new parts and the 4 years of sitting in fuel caused them to deteriorate some.

I was going to check and clean needle valves, thought I would look at the in carb inlet filter cone. And the right side was dirty, so cleaned it, went to left side and no fine particles in it "just a hole letting all flow into carb" oh yes I was upset.

Now looking for this filter has been a task, still have not found it, I only can hope they include it in the major rebuild kit that is suppose to have it all. I tried to see it in their pic of the kit, but did not see it actually.

So is this cone shaped inlet filter on the Solex H40/44EIS carb just something we no longer can get ?

I do not want to use any nylon type product in the fuel system, yet that is what this cone shaped filter is made from, or the cellulose type, as not sure how well that last against todays fuel.

So do I just remove this cone nylon filter, trash it, and just find a fine metal screen filter and put in the fuel line at the carb...... I was wondering about just taking out the nipple fitting on the carb and attaching the filter right to the carb?

I can use the threaded port for the filter cap as it has a larger dia. port, and I could just remove the small nipple inlet fitting and plug it off, but it really depends on what fine filter I can find to fit these threaded ports.

Next huge question, the smaller the Micron # ( like 10 ) means a finer screen than say the 100 micron filter ?

[DeathBySnuSnu]

I have never had the model of carb you have there.

But.

I always left those strainers out of my weber's and just depended on the inline fuel filter.

On a different carb I pulled out the brass barb, drilled, tapped and put ford filters on.



But if you want the correct part, try Kaddie Shack.

https://shop.kaddieshack.com

[grandpanystrom61]

I did not want the plastic looking cone filter again, but that is all that I can find, and yes it was Kaddie Shack. I had to wait until they opened today to see if they could help me, after all they are the ones who rebuilt the carbs 4 years ago.

Cool thing was, if I find that the floats are bad, he said he would get those out to me free of charge. They never contacted me about putting new cone filters in them when they were rebuilt, so he said that he just put back the old ones after cleaning them up. Just one of those things I should have checked I guess.

I had thought about that idea, just getting a fine filter attached to the in let port of the carburetor. I still might do that, but for now I will use the new cone filters. Slowly I am getting there.

[grandpanystrom61]

So the new cone filters came in, not really needed with the other two inline filters that I installed, but these will filter the fuel after the regulator and before the fuel enters the bowl.

No starting up, almost there, but not doing it. Electronic ignition does have a power source demand, the supply voltage must be strong and solid, so I checked the battery and service was in need.

Still not start, but I got fire and the engine wants to start. So I advanced the distributor a bit more, still not starting but almost running when I have the throttle open. This was a cold start up, so a few more efforts got it going, but still not wanting to idle much. So I shut it off went to the back to check on timing marks, wow, that exhaust pipe was hot for just a minute of running, than I decided to rotate the pulley clockwise bringing the rotor to #1 plug positon, looked at the timing marks, WTF....... I was setting almost 30 degrees BTDC, and this was just to start the engine, something not right....

Called up Kaddie Shack, they did the work on the carbs, after a hour long chat, well educated a bit more now, I found that the Kad's are a bit sensitive to what engine they are on. Okay the simple stock motor and set up requires the Kads to be set up this way basically. Now a stock 1600cc engine and exhaust and intake system, well that requires a certain Jet and Venturi set up for all to run correct. Now take that stock engine and beef it up some, change up the exhaust from stock to headers, move to higher or lower elevations, change bore and stroke some, or just one and not the other, or you put HEMI heads on the engine.

My point is, I learned all this makes a difference in how the Kads should be jetted and if the Venturi should be adjusted. Even ones driving style can effect how all is done, so that is how it was explained to me.

Now the trike sits waiting for help to arrive. Not sure where it will come from, but I do believe I will have to suck it up and figure it out.

Now I do not know all about this engine as I would like, so it was suggested that if I pulled the head off than I could measure things and find out more about what this engine is, thus get the Kads properly adjusted, and hopefully all would be running smoothly again. Any helpful thoughts or advice out there before I take and venture off on such a task ????

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Well....

You have had it running and driving before right. Even if it was just one lap around the block.

If it has sat 4 years with the gas we have now it is quite possible they need cleaning out again.

I had those China copy of weber's on mine. They could work fine. But the metal of them corroded real easy. The alcohol in the gas......

Side note....alcohol absorbs water out of the air.

So after a couple no-ride months I would have water and corrosion to clean out of carbs.

So you could easily have plugged low speed circuits.

I like mercury marine power tune carb cleaner. It is strong as all get out. Spray that stuff in all the passages and jet and keep it wet an hour or so and it will be dissolved. Just flush and blow. You dont even have to fully disassemble.

[grandpanystrom61]

Wow, that is some cleaner, and one I have to stay away from. Heck I can not even use engine degreaser any longer.

The chemicals in it, or at least one of them, sets me off into a Chronic Tonic Seizure, not good ones either.

So I can do all that I used to, my body has become a sponge to all that harms me, so I have to watch a lot of what I do.

This is why I had sent off the carbs the first time to be rebuilt because I could not handle the cleaner, and the wife will not let me push myself in this area.

Yep I can not even siphon gas anymore, last time I did it, well it took a few days to over the episode.

I did come to this conclusion also, and so I had checked floats, cleaned the idle jet, down the throat, and I have to open them back up for the main jet to get cleaned, did the needle valves last week.

I do the work, wife does the cleaning for me as I instruct her what needs to be done. She has been my helper in life for the last 30 years.

We say it was running before, yes but with Advanced timing setting that was allowing the engine to run very hot, so not sure how much if any damage is done.........and I will not restart the engine at that setting again. I can get it to start, and even run with some adjustment, but that timing is still to advanced........

I was told that the jetting of the carb is for a stock 1600ccc, mine is not stock, so now all needs to be known about the engine so the that the carbs can be set up for my engine, and than all should time and run correctly, so I was told.

Next is octane of fuel, lower end price is usually 87 octane, do these motors need to run on a higher octane fuel ?

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Yeah you probably dont want to be around that cleaner. Not to bad inhaling, but is very strong to the skin. I would bet it absorbs. It does dissolve skin like bleach does.

The carb jetting definitely has to fine tune to your engine. But it should run sorta ok....Ish. it should stumble and fart and pop. But run.

That kaddie shack place has done so many set ups that they pretty much know what it needs for your specific motor. That is if you know your motor.

If the carbs are a part you just caint do yourself....wel you may just have to pull a head and measure things.

Not just bore and stroke, but valve size and if it has larger ports or even if they are a vw part.

For an example....not a single part of my entire engine actually came from a vw or a vw factory. A good portion is not even intended to be used on a vw based engine.

So with the plethora of aftermarket parts it could be anything.

[grandpanystrom61]

Okay, got lost, the other day when it kinda started, than I thought I was over advanced, well I did some carb work.

I read about the low circuit, idle jet, and what not, figured I need to pull them and clean them, and than I set the idle mixture screw back to factory. Figured if I set all up as it was before it should start.

Looking over the rotor and dist. mark, and set at TDC, all was aligned, so we got the timing light out and fired it up.

It started, cold start rough with no choke, but it got going enough for me to put the light to it, at idle right now I am 8 degrees BTDC, and yes all vacuum lines are attached.

I was playing with ride height in the rear end when help came over. This guy had worked on it, but did not know anything about the motor or who built it.

What he knew was that the lady who built was a one who had lots of biker friends. Not sure about the Hells Angle side of the story, but we really have no idea about the insides, nor really if all came from one car or from this and that to get it together for her........ a bit said, but what I found out sucks.........

Apparently, the husband that passed, had backed into the garage one time and pushed the trike up against **** bending the front forks up. The dude that came by today, he told me what he did trying to fix it enough so it would look good.

Well now I know why this damn thing would not square out for me. I had figured out this out on my own, either the body was attached all off, or the front end was screwed up, well now I know that the front end is screwed up.

So I have to get a new set of forks, but at least I will get the right set for the trike this time, so that the trail is correct, but first I have to find and decide on the rear ride height. Kinda there, just need to finish getting all back together and see if all is how I like.

So a thank you for the heads up on the low speed circuit, I have to think the cleaning of jets was the help. Like I said I really never moved the distributor from were it was, just had a 2nd set of eyes show me a more accurate angle to look at things.

Did not want to spend the $$ for new forks, but if I want it to ride done the road straight and no shaking, well they have to be gotten.

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Timing should be 28 to 32 at full advance with vacuum tube removed.

Idle timing is where ever that lands at.

A static check at 8 btdc will get you up and going.

So yeah that is some bad news about being backed into.

I wonder if that has something to do with the extra camber?

As much rake as you have that might be an interesting front end you hafta make there.

It will be a really great trike once all done. Just all these unexpected things.

I expected problems with mine just because of what I choose to do. Some of the the things I did were just inherently problematic.

It can be a fun learning experience if you like figuring thing out.

[grandpanystrom61]

a bit of a math head and love to build things, so figuring this out is not my issue really. I think it will be more is there a stock set that works, or do I have to have a custom set made?

I will now more soon as I get the rear end set, go thru the body removal process, than inspect that neck area for real damage or any cracked welds, if that is good, well we move on to the next issue, the front forks.

After doing the bushings and bearings on the rear end, torqued axle nut to 217, and there is still that little play from top to bottom hand position, when you push and pull to see the play, well it still has what I felt at the very beginning........

So guess that means all has wear to it and I have live with it, or replace all that is worn so it is tight again.

Well the wife said it would be a project for me, sure she did not think it would cost me so much, but it has become the project that is for sure. At least I know she runs again, and now I know I need to care for it more, so I think all is moving along in the right direction. Learning so much new info, kinda like it.

[grandpanystrom61]

The kardon carbs do have a range for each group of jet settings/venture size. So if the 1600 is not overly beefed up, my carbs are set for my needs, but if it has had some other hidden inside work done, well it would push it to the next size venturie and jets that coincide with it.

They can be adjusted to run on most engines, but to dial them in so all is performing top notch, that takes a bit more work, but it is suppose to be well worth the effort. I am sure with time and some money I will get this on the road again. Think I might enjoy going around the blocks a few more times first before doing the front end project.

[DeathBySnuSnu]

You will probably have to make the front. Especially with that much rake.

Or live with large trail. Which ain't all bad.

[grandpanystrom61]

I knew I had a chance I would have to spend money to get things correct, and started to see it might be on the front end, now I know it is for sure in need of replacing.

Okay this is a pricey area, so one should make sure the rest of the trike is worth this next step.

Engine, running, not to worn, but worn more to lack of a oil cooler used, just have that feeling about it, hope I am wrong.

Did the time and instrument panel, wiring, and putting it all down on paper. Spent some body work time sealing old holes, changing switch's, any how more time.

But, before anymore time or money is spent, I would think one should make sure that the center beam to rear end can be aligned, is not bent, I should be able to put the rear drive axle's over the Tsquare on the floor, work back from left to right adjusting them so they are aligned, look and see how the center beam lays over the center line............

Okay how about this, think it works easier, set the center beam over the center line, and shot a lazer level beam of the neck post center to see that it aligns to the center line... now step to the rear end and see if the axles line up on their line, or how much adjustment is needed, and if it can be adjusted. As I see it, if all got knocked off, well I should be able to get it back, if something got bent, I should be able to prove that. I know the frame was all painted after all welding was done and it helps looking over the welds.

My project, I know, just working the mind and making sure I approach this the right way. I do welcome any feed back or help you think you can give me. Even advice or your opinion, but "everyone has their right to their opinion as long as it is mine. " right ? LOL, my wife got me a shirt saying that.

Seriously, new area to me, I can only apply what I learn and figure out in my head, which is not always right, but at least I am trying to keep all working. " use it or lose it"

A Dead horse, a money bit, or just a bit more of a project than first expected, but it is worth the effort ? any thoughts ?

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Well.....

I dont know how old you are or what you like to do.

If you want something to tinker with or if you want something you can ride and enjoy now?

I think it would be worth fixing up.

I can not see what is bent. But it sounds like you are going to have some weld and fab to do.

[grandpanystrom61]

I am 57 years young and getting younger mentally everyday, LOL

I do not need to ride right now, just that desire to, plus the trike has just been waiting for me to get it on the road. Told myself "doing something with it, or sell it". I started to do things so I could ride. As we know one thing led to another, but still all was worth the time, money, and skinned knuckles, at least to me it was.

I like to play with engines and things, this year engine is still with in my abilities, from mid 80's up I try to avoid, newer cars just get longer stronger warranty coverage on them so I do nothing, oh pay for it.

I will get done with the rear end for what I can see and achieve, just lifted front end up 3.5 inchs and noticed a change in drive axle angle, not a lot, but it changed, so just going with what I have height wise set now in rear, and calculate the forks from this. I will still have room to go up or down in the rear some if I need to for that fine tuning of the ride and handling.

I will not 100% be able to confirm if the trees are bent, from what I see right now, something is bent, so for sure have to remove the body from frame. Plus I can get more true accurate measurements with out the body on, also if I take off the forks I can lay the center beam down the on the line, put rear axles on their line, and see how it all is.

I do feel it would have more value repaired, even if it requires new forks made, just would take a little longer to get that price, but the right person would see the value in it, at least I think so.

I do not want to sell it, I was just looking at it from that angle, plus the wife always likes it when I can get my money back out of things, or the usage from it.

I have a full summer ahead of me. I am up early every morning, so I have something to pass that time until the house wakes up. It all will work out, and later when I get all prepared and ready, I will rebuild the engine.

I know that can be a whole nother can of worms I open, but that is why I said when I am ready, just pray all holds together until that time comes.

Out for more weed pulling, they are not that bad, but a few coming up out of the rock, flower beds are just loaded with them this year. At least it is warm outside today.

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Well I am 56. Still work 7 days a week 10 to 12hrs a day just like when I was young.

I am getting worn down though.

So you still have some time and strength left.

It would be great to get to ride around the block a few times and see if it is what you really like and want to do/have. Then spend or not.

I am voting for fixing it.

[grandpanystrom61]

Yes, I to vote for keeping it, at least until I reach a point of no return.

I can tackle one issue at a time, take my time doing it, all will give me something to do that I enjoy and want to do.

It is my toy, just like she has her rocks and craft stuff to play with, I have my Trike.

I already hit one little obstacle, I have to get a plug, male female pair, and wire it in on the rear light so that when I want to remove the body it is just unplug things and lift it off. It will be nice just to set the body back on and plug things back together. I will look it over and do what is needed for body removal, and than the fun begins.

Thank you all for all the help

[LarryA]

I'm 70 and retired and tired, but got some go yet. This trike project of mine has been most enjoyable, lots of work and lots of armchair contemplation! Not done yet, and very well may be a perpetual project!

At this point, mainly test rides close to home. I would say to anyone who would listen, great forum here, lots of friendly help. Grandpanystrom....enjoy your project, Its a good one. Snu... thanks for all the information you have given all of us trike folks here. much appreciated!

[grandpanystrom61]

I am a bit upset about the time spent trying to figure things out only to find someone bent it up. Now to really find out what was done to straighten things. There is a wrong way and a right way, plus most the time it is better to replace what is damaged instead of making it work.

I have been wondering if the trailing arms are bent, or at least for sure the right side, but hard for me to tell.

I just spent yesterday reading on Samba, in he baja forum, and yes it is off road and things take a beating, but all say that stock arms get bent in a way many say "no", yet when they do upgrade to new stronger ones, the camber issue is resolved.

For me, well that is a new rear drive axle set up also.

I even read where over time the wide tire idea, like on my trike, will effect the camber in a negative way. I think because orginal design was not for this, so all wears and gives over time, could be wrong just the same.

I do want to go back to the short stub axle, the new hub with the tighter bolt pattern, along with the trailing arm. That should do it, but it does mean new rims for the rear, kinda need new tires, so doing it would not be all bad.

But what if one spends the $$, does the work, and than things still are off ???

or is this just one of those things we do and just hope for the best....... I am still at the rear end trying to get it balanced and aligned, and of course I never get the time that I need to spend on it, LOL.

[DeathBySnuSnu]

I would fix it.....but.....well....I may be the wrong person to ask.

You know I just put more money and effort into one that it will ever be worth. It has no real sell value. I did it cuz I wanna.

Do you wanna?

Do you want something built by your own hands?

Or do you want something that has value/resell?