Weber

[70GT]

I found that the VW bug, and bus carb is the same as the Opel. So you can go to a VW shop and get a Webber without ordering one and paying shipping. I can get a good working used one at a local shop for for $50.00.

[jpiper]

Is this the same Weber carb (Weber 32/36) that is suggested by some of the other members as a replacement for the Solex on the 1.9L to improve performance?

[70GT]

Yea the ones I have seen are 32/36.

[oldopelguy]

The 32/36 DG()V is also very commonly used as a high performance replacement on Jeep 6-cylinder engines, as well as almost any street driven import. Several permutations exist based on the type of choke, and each choke type gets a different 3rd letter.

Make sure you get the Weber billed as "progresive" from the VW supplier as there are also several other Weber carbs used on VW's that are very difficult to use on an Opel.

[jpiper]

70GT/oldopelguy;
Thanks for the info. Once I get my brakes taken care of I now know where to begin a searching for a replacement carb. It is always helpful to let your parts guy know what vehicle your particular part numbered item is common on.
Always appreciate the very helpful info you provide to amateurs like myself.

[Gary]

One other thing.....

Make sure it is Not the Pinto Weber with the primary located closest to the engine. The GT linkage will not line up with this carb.

The Webers for the Opel need the primary on the outboard side.

[jpiper]

Me again;
This is a description I received from Keith for the Weber ,"32/36 DGAV (water choke) or DGEV (electric choke) with a progressive mechanical secondary". Are these numbers and letters stamped on an ID tag on the carb somewhere? What is meant by a progressive mechanical secondary? How can I tell by looking at a carb?
Thanks.

[Gary]

Webers have the model number stamped on the side of the carb base. The model used on the Pinto is DFEV or DFAV.

The Progressive secondary means the carb will run off the primary throttle until it is about half open then the secondary opens up to give more fuel. Both barrels will be fully open at full throttle.

On the high performance 38/38 DGAS, both throttles open at the same time.

[kwilford]

Gary's right, the best overall carb for a stock engine is the DG_V series. The 38 DG_S is really only suitable for higher output engines, as OpelMeister RallyBob has said. I have been told that the "A" (water choke) is best for cold climates, as it makes the choke respond to actual engine temperature, while the "E" (electric choke) is generally easier to install (no messy heater hose connections) and works pretty good, even in moderately cold weather applications. Probably fine for balmy southern Ontario, less so for Northern Saskatchewan. I happen to have a manual choke, which fits nicely into my "control" oriented personality.

As for the DF_V series, I actually happen to have a 32 DFM on my GT, which has the primary on the wrong side and the rotation is reversed. It has 32 mm throttles on both sides, but is a progressive mechanical versus the vacuum operated secondary on some applications. It REALLY pissed me off when I bought it (24 years ago) as I needed the car the next day, the shop where I bought it was closed, and the Solex was toast! A girl thing, as I recall (Life Before Myrna). So I worked all night, figured out how to reverse the bell crank, and made a fancy offset pin for the carb lever. I have read that this style can lead to leaning out due to the intake manifold design (RallyBob again) but mine has been in service for at least 15 of those years and 55,000 miles, many of them at high speed and full throttle, without a burnt valve or other misadventure. But the throttle rod is at a bit of an angle, and the pin is a bit bush, so I will probably fork out for the proper carb on the next engine upgrade. But it works MUCH better than the old Solex! And it generally can be found easily and cheap, since they came on early '70's Cortina GT's (the DFAV, at least) and some other domestic applications, including the pitiful Pinto.

HTH

[oldopelguy]

The pinto one actually can work fine, along with the holley equivalents commonly found on other small American cars of the late 70's, with a twist:
Keep the orientanion of the carbs butterfly's the same (ie primary on the outside and secondary on the inside) and change over to a cable operated throttle on the front of the carb. I used the automatic transmission kick-down cable and mountings from an auto GT and instead ran the cable over to the carb. Several of those carbs were cable operated anyway, so it can be a real easy swap.

The real issue with some webers is the orientation of the fuel bowl with respect to the venturi and how acceleration and corners affect enrichment when the fuel is sloshing around in the fuel bowl. Weber thought it was very important, and designed several carbs with the same basic construction and fuel circuits that differed only in where the fuel pick-ups were with respect to the venturi and the position of the fuel float. For most of us who really don't do a whole lot of cornering or 1/4 mile stuff it doesn't matter much, but for serious racers it is a real concern. The dg_v series was designed for the orientation the Opel has, and it is easy to install, and they are relativly cheap. Unless you are stuck with a different one, or you happen to have something else, I recommend staying with a known variable and enjoying the drive.

For the record, a 1.1 with a single 40MM IDT style Weber, which is all wrong for a 1.9, will smoke a stock twin carb set-up, and give a stock 1.9 a serious run for their money. All for much less than $200! That is another story though.....

[opelbits]

I used to run a 32/36 DGEV on my Manta. If the car sat for 15 minutews or more, the electric ckoke would cool down and I'd have to wait for ther car to 'warm-up' again. Every time. Very annoying and it used more fuel that way. Also, after doing highway driving on really cold nights (20 F or below) the choke would cool down. I noticed this when I would get off the highway and the choke would be partially closed. I'm much happier with a water choke.

[jvandyke]

I'll dredge up this thread. I've decided to live with my DF carb for the time being (since it runs pretty well) and explore the possibility of a 38 (2.0, Manta intake, Pacesetter exhaust and custom 2" from there back). But, I discovered early in ownership the DF was very loose, I tightened her down and it passes a leak check with ether but if a manifold gasket is easy to get I'll put a new one on for piece of mind. Now, which gasket? If I ask for gasket for the properly equipped Pinto, will that work?
Maybe I should, if it fits, order up the heatshield and gasket set from OTGS? Would that work/be recommended for a future 38?

PS my DF has only a manual choke and that only operates a butterfly over the primary, no throttle linkage involved. I rigged a cable but it does nothing, but isn't a big deal, warms up pretty quick anyway.

PSS The Pinto listing has a spacer involved, so if I went with a Pinto gasket, which one? carb to spacer, or spacer to manifold, or am I barking up the wrong tree? How about buying a hunk of gasket and cutting my own?