Solex Carb Issues —

[HappyJack]

…More on my sad tale of trying to get Abby up and running smoothly and consistently — I ran into a major glitch while trying to set the engine idle after replacing the ignition system components (coil, wires, SVDA distributor), fuel tank, oil pump and fuel pump —  all at the same time —

It turns out that I have joined the legions of 1600cc Dual Port engine owners who have become frustrated with the Solex 34 PICT 3 carburetor.  I’v had the TD run great one day, and then stumble and stall the next day.  The last straw was when I tried for hours — even begged a few hours’ help from Royal– and could not get the car to idle down below 1600 RPM.  I as also getting some weird readings form my tach/timing light.  The timing light showed that the timing was all over the map and the tach part of the light was reading 4600 rpm when the dash tach was showing 1600 rpm???

Finally, after all of those fruitless hours, Roy loaned me his spare Solex 30/31 carb and an intake manifold adaptor that I needed to mount the single port carb on my dual port intake manifold.  I put the 30/31 on the car and the car started right up and I was able to set the idle to 850 rpm with no trouble.  Even my timing light/tach started reading correctly.  Everything I have read suggested that I not even attempt to figure out what is wrong with the 34 PICT 3 but to just throw it away and buy a replacement when my lease of Roy’s spare 30/31runs out.

This was a hard won lesson that all started with a rusty gas tank and finally ended (after replacing the tank, fuel hoses, fuel pump, and ignition parts) with replacing the intermittently defective 34 PICT 3. 

Now that I know that I know that I need a new carburetor, the fun of figuring out which set up would be best begins — center mount, dual carb setup, progressive, single or dual BBL, etc.

Suggestions?  What set up on your TDs works best for you all??

Thanks,  Jack 

[Dale Schumacher]

 Jack,
Happy you finally figured it out – always a big relief when you know what is wrong and can move forward.
My opinion – Dual Kadrons w/ a vaccum advance dist. I have a 1641 and installed the set up about 5 years ago and adjusted – still going strong – about 15,000 miles now w/ no adjustments.

[HappyJack]

Thanks schu — I did install an Pertronics SVDA with electronic ignition that I just got from AIRCOOLED.NET, so I will need a carb setup that provides a vacuum signal to be able to keep that distributor.  Are you supplying vacuum from both Kadrons to the distributor? — Jack

[Dale Schumacher]

 I had one side ported ( they are tied together anyway ) at AJ Sims and used their vacuum advance Dist.
and have not looked back. Aircooled has a great SVDA so you should be good to go. See if you can locate a nice used set and rebuild and port the unit and give it a go. One of my speedster buddies in CA has 80,000 on this same set up. It works
I am sure others have opinions as well – this is just my two cents 

[newkitman]

The only time I had engine running troubles was with the 009 distributor, 34PICT3 carb and dual 32mm Dellortos (Baby Dells). Engine was a pain to get running and I had to fiddle with it forever. Since then, for me, its been pure stock setup. But IF I were to do dual carbs, I’d go with 1776cc engine with a Bernie Bergman fan shroud setup, dual kadron 44s mounted on the short manifolds, and a SVDA distributor. But that’s a BIG if.   😉 newkitman2013-10-12 10:51:24

Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The Shack

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