Thread: Stromberg Carby

it could be the points......it could be the leads.....the rings...the valves.....leaking manifold gasket......incorrect jets......and the list goes on.....

if you just give the throttle a light blip.....does the engine want to rev...or does it near stall.....?
this will tell whether the pump in the carby is working......

have you done a compression test....both wet and dry.....?
this will tell you the condition of the engine.....

have you checked the resistance of the ignition leads......?
should have around 6-8 kilo ohms resistance per foot of lead.......

have you checked the ignition points....(i assume it has points)....
make sure they are opening and the gap is right.....make sure they are clean....fit a new set if they are sus......

have you checked the spark plugs....?
make sure they are not fouled up and the gaps are correct......


these are a few basic checks.......do you have a vacuum guage you can use....?
very handy for diagnosing all sorts of problems.......
is the float level in the carby correct.....it may be running too rich or lean......

theres a few things to check......these checks dont cost anything so are a good place to start.........

good luck...let us know how you go......

Inlet manifold air leak. Makes for a very lean fuel mix, needs lots of choke to stay alive.
Happened to me, barge Fairlane, 302 windsor motor, tried to reuse an inlet gasket.

Shorty.

Ah ye olde stromberg, simple devices,
a few things I remember from my old FE ( that was 30 years ago.)
The old holden site is a gem for all things holden.
For my money i would do a carby clean or even put a carby kit in it, just to be sure.
Clean out the jets and the air ways.( the FE would notstart or go unless the choke was on full, found a piece of fluff in the jet)

is the mixture screw out too much. Float is it stuck up and flooding
Is fuel dripping/or getting sucked through a leaking gasket.
Had a similar problem with the batmobile, it came with a whopping great holley on it, it used to pop and backfire, drip and smell as well as use copious amounts of fuel.All the gaskets were leaking.
i replaced it with a standrd 4 brl rochester that i put a rebuild kit through. Fixed it and is now easier on fuel.
Just to add to zooks list the distributor, could be worn and on high revs stabilises the points.

john

G'day Bren

First up how well used is this motor, what fuel are you using, they like 91 unleaded the best, (they were designed to run on 75 --- 90 octaine LEADED fuels, My check list is as follows, check points 015 (014-016)thou, check timing 6 Deg Before TDC, Holden Carby mixture screw-right in, then out 1 1/2--3/4 turns, but I would not discount a burnt exhaust valve, that would give the poping/spitting out of the exhaust, these motors were not fitted with hardened valve seats that enables them to run sucessfully on unleaded for long periods (years) compression test will confirm that

cheers.

Hang on uncle Ho, the tally plate on my S3 with the same 2.25 engine states static timing as 6 AFTER tdc. Quick check for that, is to simply spin the motor over with the starter motor. If it spins freely with no inclination to start, timing is super-retarded (bit like me in the mornings), if it struggles to turn in a jerking fashion, timing is super-advanced. Bren's problem sounds more like air\fuel ratio problems to me. Burnt exhaust valves give a whistley fluffy sound at the exhaust end, and burnt inlets will backfire through the carby much like advanced timing. leaks in any part of the inlet system give a weak mixture that requires choke to give enough fuel for the extra air entering the system.

Damn it is taking a long time to type today, my bloody fingers have got lysdexia. Have to keep correcting spelling mistakes, maybe another beer is in order.

Shorty.

Hi Shorty
Chances are if your Ser3 is newer than 1976 that timing is for emmisions rules.I tuned mine to what it wanted to run sweet.Those holden carbs are the go on a Ser3,that and remove the pollution gear,the power/economy gain is huge.My 1979 Ser3 with the 2.25 and the holden carb/no polly gear went better than my 1984 Ser3 with a 202 and LPG.
There are lower comp motors aswell,denoted by a stamping on the head,so there are varied timing suggestions for different 2.25 motors.
Andrew

G'day Shorty943

I gave him the settings for the 2a, as that is what he said he had, the late 2a's(71) and the Series 3s had the pollution control stuff on them which robbed them of valuable horse power, so removal was the go, if you are dead unlucky the plods can defect you for no anti poll stuff, but you have had to been doing something BAD for them to get THAT desparate


vehicles fitted with detox equipment was 3-to-6 degrees AFTER TDC.


cheers.

Thanks uncle Ho, that explains more to me. don't help poor Bren, but explains more to me. Do bad things in a Landy? didn't know they could. won't go fast enough to break speed laws. Not enough power to do wheelies. Can't be bad boy in a Landy. The old effie, well they did not seem to see the humour in me chasing them. But the Landy, nah.

Shorty.