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

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 8:48 am

Here's the scenario .....

Having finally got tired of the dreadful hot starting, I've finally decided the CISAC Solex is due a service on the Athena, and I'm going to bite the bullet and send it off to be refurbed (if I can a reply from the ruddy carb people, that is.

).

Except the Athena won't run without a carb and herself's taken to nicking the Bora every day to visit clients, the TZD's off the road SORNED, and it's getting too cold for the motorbikes ......

My most recent thought is, if anyone can lend me a tatty Solex for a few weeks, I can either fit it to the Athena while mine's being done, or I can send the loan carb off for refurbishing and send the Athena's working-but-tired carb back to the loanee (or whatever the word is your crazy language )

Anyone care to do an old git a favour (and maybe get a working-but-tired Solex back in exchange for a knackered one)........? <peers hopefully around, rubbing hands together and cackling>

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 9:00 am

Bob, ask at Medway Citroen - they'll probably sort you one out.

Out of interest how much is a Refurb? I've been toying with the idea of buying a *new* Carb. from Gower Lee. Two hundred smakeroonees though! Plus another forty quid to get it fitted/tuned...

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 9:09 am

scarecrow wrote:Bob, ask at Medway Citroën - they'll probably sort you one out.

Out of interest how much is a Refurb? I've been toying with the idea of buying a *new* Carb. from Gower Lee. Two hundred smakeroonees though! Plus another forty quid to get it fitted/tuned...

Good thinking...!!!

Refurbs seem to be coming out at around £150 guv' - less than half the price of a new Solex and, if the blurb's to be believed, just as good.

I'm trying to contact "Careburettor Exchange" at the moment - been trying for several days in fact, but no reply to emails, no telephone answer either .....

'Course, if anyone wants to sell me a nice Weber ..........

Post by **Tim Leech** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 10:19 am

Bugger i chucked the one off the 16TRS when I changed it

sorry Bob.

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 10:34 am

<SOB!>

electrokid · Post by **electrokid** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 12:11 pm

I'd have thought the recon would be well within your capabilities Bob, and since the carburettor repair people don't seem to be at home, probably quicker too.

I've seen rumours of recon kits being available at GSF but a search of their pages doen't seem to get anywhere - worth a call perhaps - I've seen £12 quoted on other forums but expect to pay up to £25 (which is slightly less than a recon carb

). There's a place in Kent or search ebay of course.

Get an exploded diagram of the carb and work from that to identify the bits - what you get in the kit is all the bits that could possibly go wrong except where you may have worn shaft bearings but that's unlikely.

There'll be setting up info on the web too.

Otherwise it's just a question of cleaning before fitting the new parts from the kit - give the emulsifier tube a good soak in a solvent overnight - then it's ready for another 200K

Tim ! you threw the old carb away

I get the feeling that Bob's reply - sob - wasn't at all tearfull - I think it stood for 'a well known phrase or saying'

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 12:29 pm

That's good advice.... thanks.

The place in Kent may well be just down the road from me- I seem to remember Phil at Medway Citroen telling me about them last time I was there. I'll investigate some more - it's supposed to be on a little industrial park along the A2 near Newington/Sittingbourne.

My only issue with Refurbs. is wear to the actual Carb. body which can't be addressed with new parts, as far as I can see.

Are any special tools needed to carry out a Refurb, other than a brain of course? (maybe I should look for a Refurb. kit for one of these too? Though I'd probably end up speaking Mandarin as a consequence...)

This is the Gower Lee site I was looking at:-

http://www.gowerlee.dircon.co.uk/

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 12:32 pm

It does look like they offer NEW Carbs. as well as a Refurb. service...

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 12:37 pm

electrokid wrote:Tim ! you threw the old carb away I get the feeling that Bob's reply - sob - wasn't at all tearfull - I think it stood for 'a well known phrase or saying'

TBH I've got enough to do without taking on the Solex rebuild .......

It's a question of priorities for me - I'd rather spend what spare time I have waxoiling the Athena than crouched over a bench full of watch-like bits .......

The carb rebuilders I've looked at all specialise in making old carbs 'as new' - ie rebushing shafts, sonic cleaning, etc, etc ....... and, for £150 it seems like money well spent (and that will be recouped in fuel saved).

Then there's my increasingly arthritic fingers and tendency to scatter small parts over wide areas when I sneeze/move suddenly/scratch carelessly/knock coffee over. I'm often amazed that people actually let me loose on their expensive fileservers ................

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

artic-steel · Post by **artic-steel** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 12:59 pm

I bought a spare one for my GT whilst i was on the BXagon, it is sitting in my shed, you are more than welcome to borrow it but whether it will fit a 1.6 i have no idea.

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 1:26 pm

That's about right, Bob. I'd rather pay an expert to do it. I have to keep telling my poor narcissistic self that I'm not an expert and it'll end up costing me more if I get my clumsy banana fingered mitts on those little teeny weeny specks of confusion that Carbs are built from.

I once decided to fix a niggly issue with a Nikon FM and at the moment the little springs pinged everywhere its owner rang to ask for his camera back. Synchronisity in action.

I gave the bits back in a plastic bag

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 1:31 pm

I would have thought it would work, but run a bit on the rich side. IIRC it's a twin choke type, and I remember it looked almost brand new when you took it off the car!
I'm planning on going over to Anglesey in the next few weeks (although not telling Bob when otherwise he'll be 'out' when I come round...

) so if I'm in the Wrexham area before then I'll give you a shout Andy.

Steve, if the body itself is worn it can be rebushed. Everything is fixable, at a price!

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 1:33 pm

scarecrow wrote:I gave the bits back in a plastic bag

I've done that a few times myself Steve. It gets a bit expensive - when one of the victims is your mother-in-law's new printer ...........

Post by **Tim Leech** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 1:40 pm

artic-steel wrote:I bought a spare one for my GT whilst i was on the BXagon, it is sitting in my shed, you are more than welcome to borrow it but whether it will fit a 1.6 i have no idea.

the one on my 16TRS came from a 1.9 and it works fine Bob.

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 1:51 pm

Roverman wrote:
artic-steel wrote:I bought a spare one for my GT whilst i was on the BXagon, it is sitting in my shed, you are more than welcome to borrow it but whether it will fit a 1.6 i have no idea.
the one on my 16TRS came from a 1.9 and it works fine Bob.

Thanks for that info Tim.

Andy - that sounds like it might well be useful, thank you. If the carb's a runner, I could swap it out while mine's away. Once I can contact the rebuilders I'll contact you re postage.