I think I am gettin g it figured out..., 1970 1.7 Options

[Stuie]

I have been browsing the forums to research previous advice on upgrades and fixes and this is what i think I need to do. Please correct me if you guys see a funky choice!

I have had the car 4 days...

I have a '70 1.7 with a Weber progressive which I don't care for. (lousy throttle response/lame starting)

Sloppy shifting (bushings I assume)

Motor turns over slow when starting (corroded pos battery cable I think)

I believe Frt rt wheel bearings are close to shot (car pulls a bit to the right and hub shakes a little under hand load)


It's my primary car so it needs to be drivable most of the time and pulling the engine mods aren't possible right now.

From what I gather..

1. The dual solex singles should be the best for my stock engine with std cam. (better throttle response and mpg)

2. I should bag the .009 and get the Mallory distributor. (precise firing thru entire rpm range, fixing the boggy low end rpm)

3. Installing new pos battery cable to get more power to the starter ( better starting power, installed an optima red top batt on Friday)

I have the bearings and shifter bushings coming from Eric.

At the moment, I am not looking for raw power but just a dependable peppy 914 which starts every time I need it to.

Also, I saw on ebay some company selling LED gauge lights. Has anyone tried these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...em=130017582385

Stuie

[davep]

The original FI cam does not like carbs. Installing a FI system would be the best for ease of running.

All shifter bushings are probably shot, hope you still have all the covers on the linkage.

Check the ground strap on the transmission to the body. You could also try a ground strap from the battery to the hole in the fan shroud directly in front of the distributor. Positive cables are rarely a problem, but the ground straps are often at fault.

The 009 distributor is only useful for industrial engines running at a constant speed. If you go back to FI choose the distributor carefully.

[JPB]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) Hey bro. I would suggest a premium AAA card which offers 4X100 miles of towing free until all the potential bugs are figured out. Sounds like you have a good car and have read much about them. All the above stuff sounds good and should improve it some. Its true that FI is the best way to go. Hope ya have fun and not get addicted to much.LOL

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

[tdgray]

I concur on the switch back to FI.

You biggest road block will be finding a MPS... but they are out there you just have to dig around.

I'm sure someone has all the related stuff to go with it. I have a 1.7 brain if you need it.

[bd1308]

If D-jet stuff is what you're looking for and 1.7L is your displacement, I have a whole boatload of stuff for it. Even L-jet stuff too (it'll bolt right on)

b

[Stuie]

Thanks a million for your suggestions and offers of parts.

It shouldn't bother me (I would just need to learn about fi more) but, I feel more comfortable with carbs. I have a bunch of British bikes with carbs, had 5 Bugs, 1 bus and I feel more comfortable diagnosing problems on the side of the road if the machine is something I am sort of familiar with. Plus, for what seems to be a reasonable amount of money, I could throw on some new carbs which at least mentally seems like they should function trouble free for a couple years until worn out.

I guess the cam is an issue though with this motor and carbs right?

I suppose I should start looking for a second engine to build up the way I want over the next year or two and then do a swap out.

From the posts it seems Jake Raby is "the man" for a hot engine kit. To smoke the tires in second gear would be the ultimate!

JPB- It looks like it's too late. I have apparently been infected with the 914 disease. (I think I always have been infected since my Pop taught me to drive in his back in the early 80's)

My wife will probably kill me as she deals with my 2 1970 BSA Scrambler Projects, 1 1969 Triumph Daytona project, 2 riding bikes (my '05 Triumph Thruxton and her '67 BSA) and 1 '79 Vespa scooter project... Now this!

I don't "need" six bikes do I? Maybe sell a few for 914 components...

Ahh well, she's probably used to it by now!

Thanks again for the knowledge and sharing of it!

Stu

[Brando]

I also reccommend the switch back to FI. The rest of your list sounds good. I'd add at the bottom some sways front and rear (for a much later date?). I would reccommend the AFC (ljet) system over MPC (djet) as cost is higher and parts aren't as readily available for MPC systems.

[davep]

Notice when I said that I recommend FI I did not state you have to use the original FI components. You certainly could go back to stock, or a combination of stock parts and and aftermarket programmable FI computer. With good MPS's getting pricey it may be a better way. Lots of parts offered to get you started. Carbs simply suck.

A Porsche is better in the rain etc than a bike, BTDT long ago.

[Stuie]

Well, you cats know way more than I do so, I'll take your word for it.

I think the old fuel pump had to come out and the distributor as well. I don't have any of the original parts so I would need everything that goes to the fi system. Are the intake manifolds that this Weber is mounted to the same or would I need fi compatable intakes also?

Britt, how much would you let a system go for? Also, how hard will it be to re-install one? Would it be a weekend job or just a day?

Thanks again for all of your responses and advice!

Stu

[A TV dinner]

hey stuie.

i also recently switched back to djetronic fuel injection. my 72 1.7 had dual idf 44's, and i was convinced to put the fuel injection back on when the car also had a poor throttle responce and would back fire almost constantly. i think my problem was with the jets, but i didnt want to mess with the webers.

it took me about 3 months to find all the working parts i needed, and probably about $150.

if you need any FI parts, i also have a box of djet stuff, like intake runners and throttle bodies, etc.

goodluck.

~alex~ (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drunk.gif)

[Eric_Shea]

I'll take the Triumph...

[Stuie]

I dig the BSA as well (blue & white)