Float chamber float level

[RobHomewood]

Luli
I have made some measurements and concur with your 11mm overall depth of float valve needle from the rim of the bowl without gasket and also 2.5mm travel (well near enought). I also measured 14mm to top of float (21.5 GR) but this was the centre not the pin impact point as you did. My measure of 34mm to the fuel level from lip is frankly unreliable as I think I took to long getting the dip tube to work and it was a hot day (yes unusually hot for England) and I had been out to the beach in the Rover, so lots of evaporation. The float was only about 1mm of the bottom of the bowl. Other dims then start to diverge from the 30FAI eg the air intake throat at the top is 60.5mm diameter and the top cover 40 high rather than 31.25.
I found I had a 0,3mm steel washer under the float valve and added a fibre washer at 1.6mm. In theory that should push the pin cut off down by that amount and the float possibly by more so I shall check the performance on the road and then remeasure the fuel level.
I am also not convinced that the bistarter disk is in place correctly- there are 4 different orientations possible I think and no marker as to which is correct. Any suggestions?
I shall let you know!
Rob

[RobHomewood]

Well I tried yesterday to run her after adding the extra washer under the needle valve and found she would not start at all. On taking off the float cover the bowl was pretty well dry so the additional washer has held the float so far down it did not open at all - no fuel. I removed the washer and she ran again.
Now the washer was only 1.6 mm and the travel of the valve pin is over 2mm so reducing the travel by 1.6 should not really cut off the fuel. I thought I was getting too much fuel but maybe it is too little and the float has been cutting off too early instead of too late? I saw a reference to the float weighing 26gr whereas mine is 21.5gr. It would therefore float higher and cut off earlier. Is that an incorrect weight float? and should I add some weight?
Alternatively has the float arm been bent previously and if I straighten it will that help?
I am a bit out of my depth here (no pun intended) so any suggestions welcome
Rob

[dhbuchanan]

Rob is not the only one out of his depth here. Reading this baffling correspondence has cast some light on why, more than 40 years ago, a previous owner ditched the original Solex on the 1940 engine in my 1939 car and fitted the simpler S.U. in its place. The old Solex came with all the loose bits of the project when purchased in 1985. Attached to it was a label stating that it was returning only 11 m.p.g.when disconnected.