12 replies to this topic

[Gaffer]

Hi, i have a 1275 lump that im taking out of my crashed '85 mini and transfereing it to my Neon to replace the 998. Whilst i'm waiting for the use of an engine crane im cleaning other engine bits.

The job i'm doing now is cleaning the carb, i was going to strip down the carb and get it deep cleaned, but have been advised to not do it at the moment as my engine was running quite good in my other car. Now, I have a spare carb that i'm going to strip down and fully overhaul ready to be tuned when my mini is finished and on the rolling road.

Now, my question is this, how much of my running carb can i stip down to get all clean without effecting performance of it due to needles and jets? Is it just a quick wipeover of the casings or can i dismantle some stuff and still be okay. The carb hasnt been kept completly upright as since it has been removed from the engine it has been turned upside down in order to access all the bolts to remove the bit that connects it to the manifold.

Cheers in advance

Andy

[Big_Adam]

Not sure what carb you got, but if its a Hs4 then it has 3 or 4 moving parts and is really easy to strip down and clean with no problems.

HIF's on the other hand I've not touched, or will ever, as they work via witch craft and are built stupidly.

[bobs]

HIF's on the other hand I've not touched, or will ever, as they work via witch craft and are built stupidly.

Haha, just as easy if not easier to strip down and clean well. Strip it down as if accessing the needle, then clean the piston, throats and everything you can see, you won't mess things up. Take your time and don't lose things, use a good carb cleaning solution if you've got one.

[Gaffer]

Cheers for thre replies guys, this is the carb I have



Will get come carb cleaner at the weekend the and follow my book

[Big_Adam]

Its a HIF and therefore evil.

More so if the float bowl decides to clog, Hs's you can sort on the car.

[Shifty]

Its a HIF and therefore evil.

More so if the float bowl decides to clog, Hs's you can sort on the car.

Amen to that!!

[Gaffer]

Its a HIF and therefore evil.

More so if the float bowl decides to clog, Hs's you can sort on the car.

Amen to that!!

so thats two votes for them being the spawn of satan against one for being easier to work on. Why the big difference in opinion? are HIFs more tempermental or are they just a bit more fiddly to work on?

[Globule]

Be careful if you throw carb cleaner all over it, there are rubber seals and i'm not sure how they react to it! You can remove the throttle spindle without effecting any of the tuning, it's just 2 nuts, and the 2 screws and it slides out, not the positioning of the springs though! The elbow can also be removed, and then you should be able to see straight through the bore.

The choke assembly could also be removed, the dash pot too, be careful not to push the brass/silver flat round section in the centre of the carb body once you remove the dash pot, you'll see what bit i mean

In your position, i would leave the float chamber alone, if it was running it "shouldn't" be too bad inside, the outside looks different though, block up all the pipes too before you clean it, stops all that black nastyness getting inside where you won't go.

*for the vote, I like HIF's *

Edited by Globule, 23 November 2010 - 08:46 PM.

[Gaffer]

Cheers for the reply Globule, will prob buy some carb cleaner at my local motor factors trade place (cheep as chips ) and attack it at the weekend, i'm aware of the rubber being quite sensitive to solvent cleaners but thanks for the heads up. Will take loads of photos and see where i get

[Big_Adam]

People like the HIF's for the central bowl that stops petrol starvation at high speed cornering.

They have a few seals because of this and all the main works of it are in the bottom.

A HS carb has the bowl on the side, so you can just pop the top off when you need to (change needle, clean out, etc) but suffer from cornering and fuel starvation. Which I never had, maybe its more a track car thing.

If a HS4 gets clogged, its 6 screws to remove the bowl and the needle (with the bell thing as well, piston, whatever you want to call it) which can be all done on car. With a long screwdriver you could disassemble the whole thing on the car if you where lucky and persistent enough.

I just don't like the design of HIF's. I'd rather stick with the simple HS carb.

Than and HS's are cheap second hand.

[Retro_10s]

are HIFs more tempermental or are they just a bit more fiddly to work on?

Little more fiddly to work on but That's the only reason i can see that some people would choose the HIF over the Aged HS, apart from being scared of change, lol.

HIF overall build quality is miles better, as is the body casting, There's additional features such as a small bearing and race in the dashpot for the piston, the throttle return springs are stiffer, the machining on the inside of the carb is much finer, and the elbows are a lot smoother in terms of air flow, and there's a nice little circlip in the top of the piston. Mixture is not difficult to change,.. you can even do it with a plectrum and you don't have to risk touching a hot manifold to do it.

Don't forget that HIF38's are all a newer design and Younger than HS4's (unless you have bought new) and so naturally, have not had much of the wear and tear that the the majority of HS4's have had to put up with -

Nothing wrong with HS2/4's at all providing they're in good, regularly serviced condtion which unfortuinatley they are rarely not. But I will tend to lean towards the above qualities of the HIF's to base my decision on what i prefer.

What ever you chose - It's wise to strip and clean it,.. and if it's an Hs4 i would be tempeted to get a rebuild kit no matter what.

Happy motoring

[Gaffer]

cheers for that indepth explination retro, much apreciated. Just looked at my other carbs and they are both HS so will probably stick with my HIF. Going to stip it down in a bit ready to be sent of for cleaning tonight, i can see this turning into a full engine strip down and rebuild soon

[Stigscuz1]

Sorry I don't have a picture to make it a bit easier but how do I know what carb I have and if I wanted to turn it into a twin carb setup what would I have to dot do that?