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Nath

Stromberg BX Woes

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Hey guys, so I'm in a bit of a bind here. Hoping someone here has done this before and can give me some advice.

 

Tried to tune my carb and realized that the plastic plug was preventing me from adjusting the mixture. Took it and the idle screw out, and replace it with a new screw, spring and brass bush.

 

20141231_121309_zpsad95896e.jpg

 

20141231_190939_zps1e3b0e95.jpg

 

As you can see, the directions tell me to "remove aluminium plug". Pretty sure it's that sleeve with the lip on it there, as the brass fitting will not make it past that.

 

20141231_190916_zps629ca6eb.jpg

 

Took me ages, but I drilled out the aluminium plug by hand so the hole is now wider. Left a bees dick of a lip there (from the aluminium sleeve) to push the plug under which should have hopefully held it in place. It didn't. The brass plug keeps falling out. The directions say remove the aluminium plug which I would assume means the entire thing, but there's even less holding the brass plug in then if that's the case...

 

As you can see in the second photo, the brass plug is not threaded on the outside (just the inside for the screw to sit in) so what exactly is holding it in place? Is it just a case of throw some red loctite on there and put the stupid thing in or what?

 

I have a bad feeling that I'm up shit creek here and I'm going to need a new carb.

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Hmmm looks like a bit of a dogs breakfast now, doesnt it?

 

You might need to replace the base, probably could pick up a cheap rebuildable stromy from somewhere.

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That was before I stuffed with it, it actually looks a lot smoother now.

 

That's an option, but won't I run into the same problem of that factory plastic plug making it un-tuneable, which means I have to put the new one anyway, which means I have to remove that sleeve... Which means I run into the same issue.

 

The brass plug there is being held in by willpower and hope... There must be something I'm missing as there's no way they'd put out a kit for making the mixture adjustable that doesn't actually work.

 

Loctite was my first thought as well. Problem is, I'm going to be putting a fair bit of pressure on that sleeve when I go to turn the screw to tune it, and that could potentially loosen it a lot couldn't it?

Or one day I'll get stuck on the side of the road 50km from home when it finally decides to come loose.

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At this point I'd settle for a quick fix that'll last a week or two until I can source another carby setup, if I can't get something going that'll work permanently.

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Your this far in now what do you have to lose by using loctite it'll either hold or it wont. Might give you time to organise a better carb for that engine.

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Loctite, or some kind of silicone, or glue seem to be my options. Whatever it is will need to be fuel resistant....

 

I still think I absolutely have to be missing something here. I can't have drilled it too wide, as it just barely fits in now but won't hold. I can't have not drilled it wide enough, as it fit nonetheless. It's not threaded. There's nothing on the outside of it keeping pressure to hold it on...

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But three times the carby's is three times the hassle... :huh:

 

Asked dad if he had some red loctite since everything is shut tomorrow. About to take it over to his place to see if he has a bullshit miracle fix.

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Well we put some red loctite on it. Waiting for it to set now. Not the super retarded strength stuff though.

 

If it fails I might try some metal putty. Other than that I could maybe press in a bigger fitting with the same type of thread as the screw is tapered.

 

Failing that its a new carby.

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No good with the loctite... Problem is, as soon as you start tightening the screw with a bit of pressure (it's a pretty tight fit in the thread) it'll start to turn the bush as well which makes it break free. Doesn't matter what I use, gonna have the same problem.

 

 

I don't understand how the hell it's supposed to go in then. I've followed the instructions/pictures....

 

The only thing I can think of that I might have fucked up, is that I wasn't supposed to take that sleeve out. But if that's the case then I wouldn't be able to get the brass bush in anyway - It wouldn't clear the sleeve, and if I start trying to press it or bash it in the thread will be damaged (tried, stopped just before damaging it) seeing as it's only soft brass.

 

I'm so confused...

 

Hey Stumps, can you do me a favour and tell me/take a photo of what the idle mixture screw on that strommy you took apart looks like?

 

My big worry is that if they all came this way factory, I'm going to run into the same problem again when I replace it.

 

Surely there's someone here who's done this before... Otherwise everyone is kicking around with un-tunetable carburetors...

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http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b534/fordrpo83/Mobile%20Uploads/20150101_114708_zpsffe7d831.jpg

 

My stromberg has the idle mixture completely sealed.

 

According to the offical ford cortina service manual it is non adjustable in normal operation and can only be drill out.

 

Thats a bit strange because the old one from my XC clearly had a screw with a plastic cap over it so i'm not sure why this one is different.

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Emissions laws I think, maybe they did it when they came in.

 

I finally got it in, had to remove a brass piece at the back for the needle to sit fully. I was correct in drilling it out after all. Feels pretty dodgy though, although it doesn't seem to be moving. Not sure how well it will seal/if it'll ever come loose.

 

But I have bigger problems now with this shitty manifold stud breaking...

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