Solex Questions

[gt crazy]

Ok so my solex like to have good moments and bad moments. 1 minute it will be perfect usually when I start it up, then after a couple of minutes it will not hold an idle, then on occasion it just starts to dump gas and then idles at 2k rpms. Do you think this is caused by a vaccum leak?

[guyopel]

Not with it " Dumping " gas , sound like trash in the carb. bowl and or sticking float . HTH

[timemachine]

Float is a common problem, but with warmup it could be a little heat flexing. You often see fuel dumping after you turn off a hot engine. Make sure everything is tightened down, starting with the four screws holding on the top half of the carb assembly.

Jim

[GTJIM]

Dip the carb in Nitric Acid .............................................. or Caustic Soda

That will (dis)solve the problem and you will be forced to buy a Weber!

[wrench459]

Originally Posted by gt crazy Ok so my solex like to have good moments and bad moments. 1 minute it will be perfect usually when I start it up, then after a couple of minutes it will not hold a idle, then on occasion it just starts to dump the gas and it idles and 2k rpms. Do you think this is cause by a vaccum leak?

2000 rpms? Is the secondary hanging open?

[gt crazy]

ill check the secondary after i drive it tommorrow and let you know

[timemachine]

Originally Posted by GTJIM Dip the carb in Nitric Acid .............................................. or Caustic Soda That will (dis)solve the problem and you will be forced to buy a Weber!

Despite the frustration over Solexes expressed on this site, my 32 didta performs quite well thank you very much.

(knock on wood)

Jim

[opelbits]

Hey-

This is Tony P. (opelbits). I'm just down in Hillsboro, what's your location?

I have a cd-rom with the Solex manuals on it.
Give me a call 314 803 6440. I'll be out and about today (in my GT).

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by gt crazy Ok so my solex like to have good moments and bad moments. 1 minute it will be perfect usually when I start it up, then after a couple of minutes it will not hold an idle, then on occasion it just starts to dump gas and then idles at 2k rpms. Do you think this is caused by a vaccum leak?

1. a) mechanical or b) vacuum secondary? . . . don't assume, CHECK your Solex!
2. how do you know it "starts to dump gas" . . . a) observed? b) assumed?

. . . some possible answers relating to above questions:

If 1. and 2. are answered b), more than likely you're not dumping gas and do have a vacuum leak, just not at the 'carb-base'!

More than likely the intermittent vacuum leak, which causes your idle RPMs to increase uncontrolledly, is due to a ruptured secondary vacuum diaphragm . . . inside the secondary actuating vacuum housing! This is the most common problem with vacuum-secondary Solexes for the symptoms you describe!

[West Coast GT]

Originally Posted by GTJIM Dip the carb in Nitric Acid .............................................. or Caustic Soda

I will be re-installing the Weber one of these days. But meanwhile, on a 5,246 mile trip in the '72 GT this last September, I got an average 31.2 miles per gallon running:

• On the original Solex's primary barrel only,
• Exceeding the car's weight limit,
• Crossing six major mountain ranges, plains, and deserts,
• Approximately 55% freeway, 40% secondary roads, some city, some one-lane gravel roads, and 1/2 hour of idling to get into a car show.

I've done my share of bad-mouthing the Solex, but hey, it came through. Not bad for 35 year-old equipment we generally regard as POS.

________________

1. Sierra Nevada
2. Wasatch Mountains
3. Northern Rockies (continental divide)
4. Southern Rockies
5. Tehachapi Mountains
6. Transverse Mountains (Southern California's Grapevine)

[gt crazy]

hey opel bit my location is in fenton so im pretty close to you. i just got your message so ill call you this weekend when i have some free time if thats ok? or you can call me 636-544-4281.

[opelbits]

Hey-

That's fine, I'll be around all weekend.

Tony P.

[gt crazy]

im working on the opel saturday morning so if i dont finish too late ill give you a call tomorrow.

[opelbits]

I'll be in Fenton sometime around noon.

[gt crazy]

you can stop by if you want i live behind the "pink elephant" on the big hill called schneider hill. you should see the opel parked in the drive way. but you can call me when your in fenton if not ill call you at 11:30 or so