GTV - mystery problem

[poohbah]

Cheers Beatle - good point! Maybe I will source some 40s, then sell the 45s.

[DHDamo]

If it were me, I'd get some 40s to get it running, keep the 45s and source a worked head and cams or a stock one and do it yourself - sounds like fun kinda. I have a book that gels you how to do it by Jim kartamalakis. Or if you're desperate to get rid of the 45s I have a set of 40 dellortos fully rebuilt I'd be keen to swap/sell.

[carlo rossi]

ok Ill bite
how much for the 45's have 40 dellortos as well
but first can you ring the #%$^& that sold it to you and ask its history
you just dont throw 45's on there has to be more to it can you send photo of the setup
carbs is one of the last options not the first

[poohbah]

Thanks all. I'll let you know how it pans out. Carlo, I will take a pic tomorrow.

[poohbah]

For you Carlo. Carbs in situ: Tipo DCOE 13, No.4C

[carlo rossi]

assuming the number before DCOE is 45 these pre pollution WEBERs are quite sort after 45's
removing the gold cover unscrew the jet stack and tell me the numbers on the bottom jet(1??) the tube (f?) and by pulling the thread of the top what is that jet number also give them a good blow out if the little hidden jet ( air corrector ) is block ed it will be easy to start but a pig after that . 
it could have the wrong jetting these were original equipment on a number of cars ie lotus and maserati had these numbers
what is the manifold made of black rubber or aluminium?

[poohbah]

Thanks Carlo for the info and advice on the jets. I will have a look inside the cover. Yes, the full number was Tipo 45 DCOE 13 No.4C 

Poking around yesterday I found one of the vacuum hoses had disconnected itself, and a second appeared loose so I clamped them. But even after that, it sounds like the the left hand carby (as shown in pic - is it number 1 or number 2?) seems to be making a put-put noise, which I presume is a vacuum leak somewhere. So it's still a conundrum.

And just to add to the fun, the water pump appears to have sprung a leak overnight - spotted some dirty droplet marks on the shiny brand new coil.  So after a bit of poking around, spotted tiny drops being spat out from the vicinity of the pump. So looks like that will need replacing too.

[DHDamo]

As Carlo asked, are the mounts (between carb and manifold) rubber or metal? If they're rubber these can often crack (or even lose their gasket seal) and let air in and mess up the mixtures and run like a pig. To test, while running spray wd40 (there is prob a better method with controlled fuel spray but we works) or similar on these rubber mounts - if the idle/revs change there is a leak. This is easily fixed if the case (was the first "maintenance job" I did when I first got my gtv 2 yrs ago). Not sure if it explains the change after getting hot but the put put you describe sounds like a leak.  Mine had pod air filters and the carb mount (long steel arm below carb) was not attached properly and the bush was flogged where it joins the block. Essentially the soft rubber mounts were supporting the whole weight of the carbs. Just some "cool mods" I've come across that were shite (or done shitely in my case).

[carlo rossi]

Hi poobah
When finding these leaks I like to use ether in little squirts if the motor revs  you found it
popping generally means too rich
if its using the rubber manifold rubbers ( it shouldnt with 45's) they are probably cracked
I ll go into the data base, if it has the right manifold for the jetting although I would think Neil Choi , choderboy
or one of these guys would have it tattooed somewhere
the other thing we need to find out is what size chokes you will need a mirror to look down the carb and a torch

[carlo rossi]

Oh sorry there you have it, Damo to the rescue
you took the words from right under my fingers
ps Damo have up date on jetting

[DHDamo]

Carlo, went back to the bigger idles and did a 0.4 sec then 0.7pb at lakeside (rebuilt brakes and ferodo pads assisted in the 2nd case). Cheers again for the tips.

[poohbah]

Cheers Carlo and Damo. I'll have a look at the chokes and manifolds etc, but it will probably have to wait til next weekend.

[carlo rossi]

Its exciting stuff and we wait in anticipation for the next chapter of .....da da daaahh ....The alfa that will not go.
stay tuned same bat channel
ps Dhdamo im using 60 idles and 152 mains
have you dyno ed the beast
cheers guys

[poohbah]

Huzzah. Problem solved.

Got the car into the workshop this morning. After a few minutes confirming it was nothing electrical, a quick spin round the block with the mechanic confirmed it was a fuel blockage somewhere.

He pulled the fuel lines, fuel filter and the top off both carbies, and my gawd, what a mess.

Seems the previous dodgy owner had removed the fuel filter, so the fuel inlets and filters in both carbies were completely caked in brown poop from the tank.

New fuel pressure regulator and filter fitted, and the carbies (floats, jets, inlets and filters) cleaned and she's running beautifully again. Should have trusted my original suspicion that it was linked to me filling the tank after running it almost to empty. That must have stirred up the 35 years of sludge in the tank and eventually starved the engine.

In hindsight, it is amazing it managed to even start, let alone run for even a few minutes, given the amount of crapola clogging the inlets: they looked like they had been left sitting in the bottom of a river bed.

So all good for now - when I get a chance I will have to drop the tank and flush it and the fuel lines properly to remove the root cause.

But thanks all for your input - I've learned a lot over the last couple of weeks.

Carlo and Damo, to follow up on your queries:  the number on the bottom jet is 160 and the carby mount is rubber. I gather the correct jet number should be 144 and the mount for 45s should be aluminium. But plenty of time to get the optimum carby/engine set up down the track.

For now, I'm back in love with my GTV again.

PS - I have gone back and re-read the very first reply I got when I initially posted this problem. Craig_m67 - you win the prize: You were absolutely bang on with your diagnosis and suggestion. Somehow I got distracted along the way and forgot to follow up the first suggested remedy that would have saved me a whole lot of angst!

No matter, at least I now have a completely refurbished ignition set-up, which I would have put in at some stage anyway.

[Alfapride]

Sounds like a happy ending! Always good when you learn along the way