solex problem...

[opel kid]

ok,first of all i know all of you guys are going to say trash it and buy a webber carb but....
i have a solex on my 69 GT and for some reason the gas inlet acts like it's clogged or something....it's the best way to describe it .....does anyone know why the gas isn't going into the carb???
when i pour gas into the carb manually it cranks right up...


also not sure if this is the right forum to put it...

[baz]

one choice down too far past solex repairs

have you tested to see if you get gas when you crank the engine ? if not then remove the gas line at the carb and put a glass jar at the end to catch gas , remove the high tension lead from coil to dizzy for safety then crank the engine over a few times to see if anything comes out if not look to the fuel pump if not there look to the sock in the gas tank (search will find tons of stuff on it )

if you have gas from the pump look at the float level valve in the top of the carb it may have jambed closed or be clogged with grit

[opel kid]

Originally Posted by baz one choice down too far past solex repairs have you tested to see if you get gas when you crank the engine ? if not then remove the gas line at the carb and put a glass jar at the end to catch gas , remove the high tension lead from coil to dizzy for safety then crank the engine over a few times to see if anything comes out if not look to the fuel pump if not there look to the sock in the gas tank (search will find tons of stuff on it ) if you have gas from the pump look at the float level valve in the top of the carb it may have jambed closed or be clogged with grit

well instead of dragging a line all the way to the gas tank we got a electric fule pump and simply hooked one end to a jug filled with gas and the other end to the carb inlet...i'll try to see if it's clogged up with it
....i'm not sure wheather i should unbolt the carb and take a look at it...i was told these things were tuned so good that the smallest thing like a bolt being too tight or loose and so on will screw it up

[timemachine]

Baz is right, You don't need to drag a fuel line anywhere, just disconnect the fuel line going into the carb, point it in a jar, crank the car and see if the fuel pump is working. Don't go buying stuff until you know what the problem is.

I doubt that there's an Opel out there that hasn't had the carb taken off a hundred times. Don't worry about removing it but first make sure it is getting gas.

If the fuel pump works, you ought to check for a stuck float and consider a rebuild. It's not hard to do it yourself.

Jim

[opel kid]

Originally Posted by timemachine Baz is right, You don't need to drag a fuel line anywhere, just disconnect the fuel line going into the carb, point it in a jar, crank the car and see if the fuel pump is working. Don't go buying stuff until you know what the problem is. I doubt that there's an Opel out there that hasn't had the carb taken off a hundred times. Don't worry about removing it but first make sure it is getting gas. If the fuel pump works, you ought to check for a stuck float and consider a rebuild. It's not hard to do it yourself. Jim

ok,i'll try to take the carb off the car and see what the problem is
i don't think gas is going into the carb
also....the top part of the carb is there a seal that seals it to the main piece of the carb?,i also noticed there was a little bit of gas around the seal when i got out and stopped cranking the car...this is hard to explain!

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by opel kid ok,i'll try to take the carb off the car and see what the problem is i don't think gas is going into the carb also.... ...this is hard to explain!

Hmmm, let me get this straight, you're going to take the carb off the car because you don't think there's gas going into the carb?! . . . uh, WHY?!! Sounds like "fuzzy logic" to me . . . don't fix things that ain't broke!

BEFORE you do anything at all, determine whether or not gas is at least getting to the carb inlet, as already mentioned in previous posts. If not, your problem's NOT the carb! Check fuel filter by disconnecting fuel line going from pump to filter and testing for fuel there.

If you're getting fuel at carb fuel inlet, take a screwdriver by the shaft and give the area where the fuel enters the carb bowl a couple of raps with the plastic end. Maybe the needle is just sticking a bit . . . works sometimes.

[GTJIM]

Don't haul stuff off until you have done a few simple checks:

1) Have a look at any in-line fuel filters to see if they are clogged.
You should have one at the tank outlet and one between the fuel pump and the carb inlet - not stock but should be fitted if the PO has not already done so.

2) Undo the fuel line where it goes into the carb and with the coil wire removed crank the motor to see if the fuel pump is actually pumping.
If it is then the problem is inside the carb - follow Otto's advice; then start delving into the carb to find the problem.

3) If the pump is not pumping then undo the fuel line further back near the tank to see if fuel runs out - if it does then the fuel pump is suspect. If not then the fuel tank sock is probably clogged - do a search to find the fix.

Watch the fuel line where it goes into the tank as this is usually old, rusted steel tube which can disintegrate when you try to undo it! OGTS has a replacement kit.

[ungermm]

Originally Posted by opel kid when i pour gas into the carb manually it cranks right up

Once it starts, does it continue to run or does it die? And, ditto to all the previous posts, except if it continues to run. Jerry

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by GTJIM Don't haul stuff off until you have done a few simple checks: 1) Have a look at any in-line fuel filters to see if they are clogged. You should have one at the tank outlet and one between the fuel pump and the carb inlet - not stock but should be fitted if the PO has not already done so. 2) Undo the fuel line where it goes into the carb and with the coil wire removed crank the motor to see if the fuel pump is actually pumping. If it is then the problem is inside the carb - follow Otto's advice; then start delving into the carb to find the problem. 3) If the pump is not pumping then undo the fuel line further back near the tank to see if fuel runs out - if it does then the fuel pump is suspect. If not then the fuel tank sock is probably clogged - do a search to find the fix. Watch the fuel line where it goes into the tank as this is usually old, rusted steel tube which can disintegrate when you try to undo it! OGTS has a replacement kit.

Since you're working underhood already, just undo the fuel line where it enters the pump . . . it'll tell you the same thing.

[opel kid]

i'm not getting fuel past the inlet on the carb
i have no gas lines to take off...when i bought the car it had no lines... but this carb problem is holding me back from buying a fule line...also my exhaust i want to get

[baronbors]

Originally Posted by opel kid i have no gas lines to take off...when i bought the car it had no lines... but this carb problem is holding me back from buying a fule line..

HUH??? Maybe you better back the pony up and tell us exactly what you are doing to check the carb out. If you have no fuel line then how do you know the gas is being blocked at the fuel intake. Just sticking a hose on the intake to the carb and trying to siphon gas in wont work. I think we need more info on what your doing

[baz]

you have no , ah i see got it now , full info always helps


get a short length of fuel line and attach to carb inlet and on the other end you need a bottle or container or funnel to hold fuel and let it run into the carb under gravity (not by siphon it will not work )
while you hold it above the hight of the carb have some one crank the engine

some will run in at first while the float chamber fills (before cranking) and that will keep the engine running for a little while as the fuel pulls out of the container

[opel kid]

yes i have no lines
insted of running hoses to the fule pump we had a electric fule pump,got some hoses one end to the carb and the other end in a milk jug of gas

[opel kid]

Originally Posted by opel kid well instead of dragging a line all the way to the gas tank we got a electric fule pump and simply hooked one end to a jug filled with gas and the other end to the carb inlet...i'll try to see if it's clogged up with it ....i'm not sure wheather i should unbolt the carb and take a look at it...i was told these things were tuned so good that the smallest thing like a bolt being too tight or loose and so on will screw it up

the quote is a post i made the 3rd post...
i also tryed to explain earlier that i was using a electric fule pump to make the process faster insted if running lines to the origional pump

[baz]

what pressure pump ? you only want 2-4 psi
any more and the carb floods out

[opel kid]

Originally Posted by baz what pressure pump ? you only want 2-4 psi any more and the carb floods out

it's just a simple small electric fule pump...i have no idea how much psi it has
my dad was also watching the carb while i was cranking it...he said there was no gas at all going into the carb

[baz]

give the top a tap as said to try and free the float needle it sounds like its jambed shut
or give it a quick shot of compressed air if you have it up the gas inlet ( does it have 1 or more ? inlets that is )

[opel kid]

well instead of trying to fix the solex carb i bought a used/almost new Weber electric choke carb thanks to BobCGT

[baz]

ah the "easy fix" fix