Loan Solex requested for a few weeks .......

Gibbo2286 · Post by **Gibbo2286** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 3:33 pm

It's been a long, long time since I've been to them but this firm used to be the best place for carb stuff, new, exchange and parts, maybe still do it but I can't say definitely. Gibbo.

http://sitebuilder.yell.com/sb/show.do? ... 9497000100

electrokid · Post by **electrokid** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 7:59 am

The place in Kent may well be just down the road from me

I've been looking for their website but I haven't found it yet. Gower Lee look just as useful though.

On balance, I'd really rather contract this carb job out

Understood - sometimes I spend far too long on a job I should have got someone else to do.

when I sneeze/move suddenly/scratch carelessly/knock coffee over

It's my keyboard that usually gets the spilt drink - so far I've avoided getting it in the laptop which is just 2 feet away but I'm in two minds about that one - it's such a pile of junk I might just be pleased if I do

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 8:37 am

Our dog spilt coffee all over Lana's laptop last weekend - after a drying out first the mouse pad stopped working, then it refused to boot at all.

Fortunately after stripping it down and cleaning all the corrosion off the motherboard/connectors it fired back up again!

electrokid · Post by **electrokid** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:07 am

The usual process with any electronics kit is to wash with clean water immediately then put it somewhere reasonably warm - airing cupboard or such - for about a week to thoroughly dry out because water can get into places such as any gaps in the PCB fibreglass etc. A bit more difficult with a laptop though with the possibility of water in the cd / disk drives - you did well to get it back up and running.

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:56 am

I won a bet with my wife last Christmas when I washed her filthy keyboard in washing detergent with a brush to get 3 year's worth of makeup, foundation, lipstick and chick-filler that was encrusted all over the keys. It was so thick that, at the right angle, the keyboard looked like Anne Widdicombe.

Herself was convinced the keyboard'd never work again, and she was quite mortified when, 2 days later, it came out of the airing cupboard looking like new - and working.

Cost her a nice bottle of French screech that did!

rayfenwick · Post by **rayfenwick** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:35 am

In my IT support days, I was remotely tinkering with a server from my laptop perched on the bath-rack (goes across the bath for soap etc) while I grabbed a quick soak, like many times before. This time however, somehow the laptop slipped, and plunged into the bath. It stopped.

I whipped out the battery, stripped it down and dried it out. I left it to dry for literally months, as I started using a MacBook about that time. When I did reassemble it it worked fine. 5 years on and my brother uses it daily.

I remember finding a website about old TVs, where the restorer used to put whole chassis though his dishwasher. (presumably discharged first

)

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:59 am

rayfenwick wrote:I remember finding a website about old TVs, where the restorer used to put whole chassis though his dishwasher. (presumably discharged first )

For me, that's a step of faith TOO far!!!!

electrokid · Post by **electrokid** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:26 am

Back in the days when Tektronix made big blue oscilloscopes using valves that took most of a kilowatt from the mains and doubled as fan heaters in wintertime - they were serviced at their plant on the Isle of Wight.

They had ceramic tagstrips for component mounting and used silver solder throughout - a small reel of it was mounted inside the scope for running repairs in case the local repair shop was too skinflint to supply their own.

They were designed to be washed !

If you sent one back to the IoW for service, the first thing they did was to put it in a bath of warm detergent for 20 minutes or so - then off to the drying room for a couple of days - only after that would they repair / recal.

TVs and monitors in the dishwasher is a bit over the top even for a mad person like me - but cover off and take it outside for a blow with the air line is an essential first step.

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 1:52 pm

electrokid wrote:............... cover off and take it outside for a blow with the air line is an essential first step.

Absolutely! I always carry an air duster - the amount of rubbish that comes out of the average computer case once the lid's off is amazing.

If you factor in that the dust is mainly dead skin cells and faecal matter, blowing it out upwind's infinitely preferable to getting a lungful up close and personal on the bench.

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 4:07 pm

During a momentary loss of lucidity this morning, I thought it might be worth exploring the idea of replacing the Solex completely with something more reliable and proven - a Weber.

So I telephoned Fast Road Cars and had a chat with a very helpful bloke called Anthony ................... who gravely quoted me the sum of £329 all-in for a brand new Weber 32/34 DRTC.

Now, to my mind this be worthwhile as (1) I can easily sell it on on EBAY if I ever give up BX ownership (2) It'll quickly pay for itself on current fuel consumption figures with the dreadful Solex.

Is that sum OTT for a new Weber ............... and what does the panel think?

Post by **Tim Leech** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 4:16 pm

Linegeist wrote:During a momentary loss of lucidity this morning, I thought it might be worth exploring the idea of replacing the Solex completely with something more reliable and proven - a Weber.

So I telephoned Fast Road Cars and had a chat with a very helpful bloke called Anthony ................... who gravely quoted me the sum of £329 all-in for a brand new Weber 32/34 DRTC.

Now, to my mind this be worthwhile as (1) I can easily sell it on on EBAY if I ever give up BX ownership (2) It'll quickly pay for itself on current fuel consumption figures with the dreadful Solex.

Is that sum OTT for a new Weber ............... and what does the panel think?

If that includes the manifold then doesnt sound too bad, on ebay earlier this year though they were selling weber conversion kits for a BX 16/19 for £99 but that didnt include manifolds.

All i would say is ive got two cars running on solex's, both of which are set up right and they run well. is it not worth getting the original carb refurbed and seeing how it goes and maybe parking the 16 up for a few days. Its quick and easy to remove, even I managed it.

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 4:39 pm

Thanks for the reply Tim. The carb in question is a straight whip-off/bolt-on swapout for the gas guzzling Solex, all jetted and ready to go - so no manifold, no. It just seems rather a lot when it's not even a DCOE...........

My reason for being attracted to the Weber is that I know them from previous positive experience. I also know Solexes - but with less than positive results and, like Pierburgs, they are often a royal a pain to work with once worn.

Conventional wisdom used to have it that 60,000 miles would see a carb well past its best and due an overhaul - which, in the case of the Solex is going to cost me the chewy end of £200 to get done professionally. At the end of this I'll still have a Solex, with all its inherent foibles.

Plus, the Weber is an outright buy - meaning I can do the swapout in less than an hour and be back on the road. As the TZD is hors d'combat right now, and as herself has kindly commandeered the Bora - and I'm definitely not freezing my undercarriage off on the motorbikes at my age (and there's absolutely NO way I'm driving her rollerskate-cum-shopping trolley Smart Car

) I'm obviously looking for a non-VOR solution (hence my trawl for a loan carb on here).

Alles klar?

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 4:48 pm

Gibbo2286 wrote:It's been a long, long time since I've been to them but this firm used to be the best place for carb stuff, new, exchange and parts, maybe still do it but I can't say definitely. Gibbo.

http://sitebuilder.yell.com/sb/show.do? ... 9497000100

Bit of a goose chase this one - the company looks to have folded, and its number pounced on by several these annoying site leeches that infest search engines. The number shown is now a recruitment agency.

Post by **Tim Leech** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 4:51 pm

Ah well if its £200 for a rebuilt solex and its a direct swop then ok, I have a weber carb in my garage from a 86 16TRS auto (for phil greaves) but no manifold, I was told that without the manifold it wont work!

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 5:15 pm

Roverman wrote:I was told that without the manifold it wont work!

True, just plonking the carb somewhere in the engine bay is likely to lead to poor running and difficulty to start...

Seriously, it may well be that the one you have does need a different manifold whereas Bob's is just a straight swap.