Re: SU Carbs on 3.

5 V8 by Pumba on 14 Jul 2009 08:42

Anyways, in short the book had the following to say about tuning SUs:

First of all - the engine must be in good condition. Specifically no vacuum leaks and bad compression - The way that a SU work
is very dependent on a good vacuum signal. A leaking valleyplate, partially blown gaskets, cams missing lobes and burnt valves
will not make SUs work nice, and these are things that usually go wrong on high-mileage V8 Rover engines. All the breather
pipes must be in its original places, with nothing being blanked off etc. Check that the air filter is still good – they’re usually a
bit dusty on Rangies.

Second of all - ignition timing must be spot-on: 6 degrees at the Reef idling at 700 rpm, with the vacuum advance pipe
removed and the hole plugged on the inlet manifold. Also check that the vacuum advance is working properly.

Thirdly: The carbs must be in good condition with no excessive wear on the butterfly spindle, no leaky o-rings on the Pot, choke,
or floatbowl. My choke o-rings were leaking and you’ll never get it to run properly with the excess of fuel – o-ring-size is 2mm
thick 14mm outside dia. The step on the bottom of the needle must be flush with the piston.

Another note: The carb link bar is sometimes quite fubar with the plastic part usually broken. You can buy (about R100 for two)
these little ball-joints from some spares places, get the one with the 8mm head, and make a bar from 5mm threaded rod. I used
an old starter bolt and threaded it M5.

Now for the tuning part. - To get to a starting point:

Remove the carb link on the one carb, and disconnect the choke link so that the chokes don’t interfere. On each carb: Turn the
idle screw (that’s the ones at the top of the carb) out so that the butterfly closes, then turn the screw slowly in while checking the
butterfly mechanism for movement. From the point of movement starting turn the screw in another half a turn. The
butterflies are used to synchronize the carbs, and ideally will have to use a flow-gauge to be set accurately.

Now to get the mixture sorted out:

Remove the pots. The mix screws raises or lowers the main jet. Lower it by turning the mix screw in – this makes the mix richer.
Adjust the mix screws to be the same amount down as measured with a vernier from the bridge of the carb (that is the bottom of
the “throat”). You want to aim for between 1.25 and 2.25 mm – I set mine at 1.80 with my needle code BGK. You must get the
same setting on each carb! If the mix is not set even then 4 pistons will run leaner and this will lead to one side fighting the other
side. An electronic vernier works nicely.

Fill the middle tube (where the little brass piston moves in) on the pods with ATF to about 12mm lower than the top of the tube.
Don’t fill the whole pod with oil, just the tube! You could use thinner oil like 3-in-1 for a quicker throttle response (and higher
fuel consumption) or thicker 10W40 oil for slower throttle response (a bit of a bitch to drive with in winter). Put the pods back
on.

Now start up, use the choke if necessary and get the engine running at operating temp (about 78C).

If the idling is too low, turn the idle screws in another half turn (equal amounts on each carb). Try to aim for about 700 rpm.
Once again I have to say – you have to use a flow-gauge to be set the balance accurately. You can get close to ideal without the
balancer by using patience, the same start point and adjusting each butterfly in equal amounts until you get to an acceptable idle
speed.

Now set the mix screws by turning them in by a quarter at a time – equal amounts per carb! The % CO should be between
3.5 and 5 if you have a gas analyzer. If you don’t have a gas analyzer, try to set it to highest idle speed. Also listen to the exhaust
note – hold your hand at the exhaust so that you can feel the beat - you want to set it at a point where it does not miss or suck
back, you want it smooth but not too rich.

After setting the mix switch off the engine and remove the pods – don’t spill the oil. Measure the distance from the bridge
down to the jet on each carb, then once again set them equal using the vernier. I added the readings then halved it e.g. (1.65 +
1.55)/ 2 = 1.60.

Replace the pods. Set the idle speed for the final time – remember to adjust both carbs equal amounts.

Reconnect the connector bars and adjust for any play. Both carbs must pull open at the butterflies at the exact same instance.

Go for a drive and if you feel that it’s a bit flattish make the mix a bit richer by turning the mix screws in a quarter turn on each
carb. If you see the exhaust is black then the engine may be running too rich, make the mix leaner by turning the mix screws out
a quarter turn each. Keep on trying – you’ll eventually get to a point where it’s good to drive and not too bad on petrol.

So the job is do-able without gas analyzers, carb balancers and dyna-tuning, although these are still the preferred way.