Now I have (at least part of) my workshop back in a useable state again I have been indulging myself playing with lots of carbs,

A general take apart, clean, and (hopefully) putting back together of some 109s, 83s, Z10s and Z11s (well us retired addicts have to do something all day),







And another still hiding in the tank,



One thing that will usually "scrap" a carb is a major failure of one of the main castings and a common problem with the later DIRs is failure of the air cleaner housing mounting studs - or at least the threads in the carbs top housing. Generally a "Helicoil" insert will resolve this but frequently the top flange is found to be distorted or even broken to the extent it cannot be reused. As fewer and fewer "good" parts remain we must become more inventive in repairing what we have.

One of "Today's" carbs illustrates this perfectly - a nice crack!,



I'm going to investigate ways of repair, to begin with I've cleaned the area and drilled the ends of the crack to prevent further spread.



The obvious choice would be to open out the crack with a burr and TIG it but I've come across a "new" way that uses a relatively low temp 500C (MAPP torch) and a rather special (read expensive) filler rod. The process seems rather like brazing.

I will report further as things progress

Mac.

I used lumiweld on the 360 gearbox mounts but also added a steel casing, just to be sure.

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=13717&start=15

The kit I was looking at was called "Durafix Easyweld" but on second look seems to be a Lumiweld clone (at a rather higher price) - I'll investigate further!

Mac.

The stuff I remember being tried by a friend 20-odd year ago was Techno Weld - http://www.techno-weld.co.uk/

One day I had to ditch my motorcycle on the deck because some plonker was coming down a one-way street at me - result: amongst other things was a broken engine side cover. That night I came into said friend's bike shop (it was "open all hours") and his solution to enable work the next day was to get the die grinder out, grind the crack out and get a Techno Weld rod into in the void. Not the prettiest repair to a brand new Kawasaki, but it held the oil in whilst I was waiting on a new cover.*

Just goes to show that new means new and "new" means old.




*After the new glossy one arrived, I think the repaired cover became an ashtray for a while before ending up in the scrap metal bin.

Mac, that looks superb as always. If ever you get too bored, and feel like taking a Zenith Stromberg into your care, just let me know.

Cheers

Tom

Mac,

What are the bottom of the float chambers like in those carbs? Last time I looked in my fairly new one it was pitted, whereas I thought it was smooth when new. Pesky ethanol?

Rich - smooth as,

Tom - if you would like me to rebuild a 175 CD2SE for you - you only have to ask!

Mac.

Mac, that is an extremely tempting offer. I'll give it some thought, and send you a PM.

Cheers

Tom

I'd not thought about it until recently, but what are the castings made of Mac? Reading a set of 1980's Model Engineers recently and there have been a couple of articles about casting with it, using "plentiful carb bodies from the scrap yard"

Would explain why the threads always pull through if they are.

Grump, grump, grump,

Post from last night was there - now has gone!!!! - your comments are pertinent Chris.
Let's try a repeat.

Ground out crack, prepared for welding -



Oh deep joy - Weber metal seems to melt at 1degC above Lumiweld - much wobbling later I've managed to make some sort of a job of it (clean it up over the weekend).



One last thing for today - been playing with my new toy - using Soda as media at the mo and must confess much impressed! - pics to follow.



Mac.

A nasty Solex Z11 (360 B200k) top casting - before,



After - using my new Soda blasting setup - I'm impressed




The soda is very gentle on the castings!

Also today - SWMBO "the washing machine is complaining" - to keep the peace I listen - nasty bearing noise on spin cycle.
(Not helped by having tumble dryer mounted above washer) - a few checks reveal the noise comes from the motor!
Shocking it's a Bosch washer and only 11 years old!
Anyway pulled motor out and stripped - found back bearing gone (an INA 6002) front bearing fine.
New one on order from Simply Bearings for the HUGE cost of £3.45 - will put a set of brushes in as well.

The armature mounted up ready to reface the comm.



Mac.

Great work, the cracked DIR isn't the one I sent is it? I couldn't really see for all the muck!

Hi Daniel,

No, cracked DIR was one from my scrap pile.

"Yours" will be going back together when the linkages come back from the re-platers.

Mac.

mac wrote:Also today - SWMBO "the washing machine is complaining" - to keep the peace I listen - nasty bearing noise on spin cycle.
(Not helped by having tumble dryer mounted above washer) - a few checks reveal the noise comes from the motor!
Shocking it's a Bosch washer and only 11 years old!
Anyway pulled motor out and stripped - found back bearing gone (an INA 6002) front bearing fine.
New one on order from Simply Bearings for the HUGE cost of £3.45 - will put a set of brushes in as well.
The armature mounted up ready to reface the comm.
Mac.

To keep the peace with the washing machine you mean or did you fancy a quick and easy in-between the carbs job ?
At least you have a washing machine you can service and that can let you go where no Volvo nut has gone before .....

That sounds very dodgy to me, in fact this whole thread is very dodgy.... that carb was perfectly fine before someone sonicated it and opened out all the cracks. I jest, of course.