SU Carbs, Parts and Fuel

[Alec Pringle]

Of late we've been making a start on raising m'lady's Pennant - if not quite from the dead, at least from the hibernating Standard Van Winkle.

 

Having got the engine running, Jeff is now brazing up the odd rust holes in the petrol tank, and it seems sensible to tackle the carbs too. Twin SU H1s, 1958 original nos in the' 80s but they'd only done 500 or so miles after fitting and before the car was laid up for 30 years.

 

Modern fuel isn't kind to 50 year old seals, so a gasket set and a needle valve/seat apiece seemed appropriate - shouldn't need anything else beyond a clean.

 

I tried one of the Triumph specialists, they don't stock gasket sets, only rebuild kits, the nice young man assured me that the carb would need the full rebuild kit anyway - evidently it will be all rusty and full of crud inside, like an old engine block, and need acid cleaning . . . . .

 

Right, I can recognise a man who has missed his vocation, and dealing in Triumph parts doesn't seem like his vocation to me.

 

A quick phone call to Burlen SU, and their techie chappie concurs with my view that a gasket set and needle valve and seat is all that's likely to be needed. They're in Salisbury, so I thought I'd pick up the bits next time I'm down there, as in next week. I checked Burlen's prices online, then tried a few marque specialists' websites . . . . H1s and H2s share lots of common component, and they were fitted to numerous A-series BMC as well as small Standard Triumph cars.

 

Some of the marque specialists couldn't offer a basic gasket set and valve/seat, only the more comprehensive service kit or the even more comprehensive rebuild kit - considerably more expensive, with superfluous component for my modest needs. Something worth noting next time you need to do anything on TR carbs.

 

As is the fact that marque specialists of whatever description seem to be more costly for parts than Burlen themselves, not to mention anything from £5 to £9 P&P for a small padded envelope and a 75p large letter stamp.

 

In the end I remembered Andrew Turner, dropped him an email late Sunday evening, 10am email response Monday morning, quick Paypal job and the parts turned up Wednesday morning. Bang on as required, and with the P&P some 20% cheaper than Burlen, who in turn were cheaper than any of the S-T or BMC marque specialists.

 

Usual disclaimers, Andrew Turner is simply someone whose products I've glanced over at past TR Internationals, I don't know the bloke as such. Good value though, and helpful.

 

For future reference

 

Burlen Services SU - http://sucarb.co.uk/?___store=su and Andrew Turner - http://www.su-carbs.co.uk/

 

Cheers

 

Alec

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Don H.]

Fuel pump on the list too, yes?

[Alec Pringle]

Not yet . . . . . It ain't broke . . . . . .

 

Cheers

 

Alec

Edited April 13, 2016 by Alec Pringle

[Don H.]

Do your fuels regularly contain ethanol? We're typically 15% ethanol over here -- sometimes higher. Those old diaphragms don't like alcohol. Be sure to put a modern spare in the boot.

 

On the way back to town today from a customer visit in another state, I had the chance to fill one of my jerrycans with "pure gas" (no-ethanol petrol). I use it in lawn mowers, my BMW motorbike, and my TR when none of them are getting driven much. By environmental regulations they don't sell petrol without ethanol in my area.