Dellorto Carb help on the Caterham

Talk about your cars etc here. Keep it sort of sensible and on topic please.
User avatar
Scruffy Bodger
TeeShirtFun
Posts: 5307
Joined: Mon May 27, 2019 9:18 pm
Has thanked: 8055 times
Been thanked: 2413 times

Re: Dellorto Carb help on the Caterham

Post by Scruffy Bodger »

I was always led to believe Dellortos were meant to be superior to Webers if set up correctly, better fuel atomisation iirc?
User avatar
Broccoli
Posts: 2171
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2020 3:30 am
Has thanked: 1291 times
Been thanked: 1237 times

Re: Dellorto Carb help on the Caterham

Post by Broccoli »

Thanks for all the thoughts and input. :)
I did wonder if the carbs were on rubber ‘O’ rings, but then wondered why the gaskets seem to be in there as well.

I’m back at work now, but as long as it’s not stupidly cold this weekend, I’m going to get back out and carefully disconnect, clean up and tighten the top hose mounts. Then try and start it. It hasn’t started while I’ve had it, but with the petrol version of Niagara Falls in the engine bay, it’s not surprising it wouldn’t start.

Once the hose connection is tight, I’ll then try to start it. If it struggles, I’ll give the carb base a looking at.
DodgeRover
Posts: 13696
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2019 11:24 pm
Has thanked: 1819 times
Been thanked: 2696 times

Re: Dellorto Carb help on the Caterham

Post by DodgeRover »

That does look very odd with that Ali plate for gasket in-between as that would defeat the point of having o rings.
User avatar
panhard65
Posts: 3962
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 7:18 am
Has thanked: 153 times
Been thanked: 4563 times

Re: Dellorto Carb help on the Caterham

Post by panhard65 »

They have a plate with O rings each side and I think that you aren't supposed to tighten them right up. I had a nightmare with my Elan which was why I sent it to a specialist as they are bastards to get exactly right.
Conical-Carburettor-Mounting-Spacers-For-Dellorto-Dhla-Lotus.jpg
Conical-Carburettor-Mounting-Spacers-For-Dellorto-Dhla-Lotus.jpg (18.31 KiB) Viewed 1283 times
1939 Hotchkiss 864
1966 Rover P5 (for sale)
1971 Lancia Fulvia Berlinetta (also for sale)
1977 Dodge 3700GT Hearse
1987 Renault 25 V6 Turbo
2010 Skoda Felica tdi
2013 Peugeot RCZ
2021 Yadea C1S Gay leccy scooter
User avatar
christine
Posts: 4220
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 9:50 pm
Has thanked: 1315 times
Been thanked: 1697 times

Re: Dellorto Carb help on the Caterham

Post by christine »

To stop heat transfer?
User avatar
LynehamHerc
Boomer, gammon, senile old fart and Eurosmasher!
Posts: 20650
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 1:37 am
Location: Here
Has thanked: 13792 times
Been thanked: 3620 times

Re: Dellorto Carb help on the Caterham

Post by LynehamHerc »

Apologies if this has already been mentioned but I seem to remember that it was to stop the fuel frothing.
User avatar
Broccoli
Posts: 2171
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2020 3:30 am
Has thanked: 1291 times
Been thanked: 1237 times

Re: Dellorto Carb help on the Caterham

Post by Broccoli »

Thanks for the thoughts and ideas. :)

Due to snow and the wife's hours today, I’ve ended up working from home. The big benefit of that is, I can hit the garage in my lunch hour!

Pinched up the upper carb pipe intakes that were leaking and it seems Niagara Falls has been dammed (Damned :lol: )

So I tried to start it and she wouldn’t have it…


The first try and ‘pop’ was with the choke out. I couldn’t hold the choke and camera at the same time and didn’t know to bring a clothes peg to hold it open!

After a couple of tries I went back to the carbs and gave them a quick up and down push and they look pretty loose.
Looking on the other side, I can see there is no nut behind the thread. So looking at the state of the thread on that side, I’m guessing that the intake manifold is threaded? Is that likely and I just need to inch up the nylocks?
21F7BD9A-9C3E-4BFE-8DE5-188BDD63A5D9.jpeg
21F7BD9A-9C3E-4BFE-8DE5-188BDD63A5D9.jpeg (699.01 KiB) Viewed 1257 times
My work phone rang as I was about to try spinning one of the threads out. Is the intake likely to be threaded?
BenHar
Banned Grinch!
Posts: 2332
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 2:16 pm
Location: Reigate, Surrey
Has thanked: 2105 times
Been thanked: 505 times

Re: Dellorto Carb help on the Caterham

Post by BenHar »

Looking at the spring washers I think it has already been over tightened.

Probably worth getting some new o-rings.

Ben
User avatar
Broccoli
Posts: 2171
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2020 3:30 am
Has thanked: 1291 times
Been thanked: 1237 times

Re: Dellorto Carb help on the Caterham

Post by Broccoli »

Thanks.
I think I’m going to take them off this weekend and have a look in the gap, to see what’s going on.

‘Sigh’ this was supposed to be the ready-out-of-the-box car, with the Porsche crapola turning up this Saturday.
SiC
It's S small i C
Posts: 9350
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:59 am
Has thanked: 1819 times
Been thanked: 5356 times

Re: Dellorto Carb help on the Caterham

Post by SiC »

You right now
Untitled.png
Untitled.png (194.34 KiB) Viewed 1226 times
Mrs SiC said to me that she hopes the Civic we are buying isn't another car that will need to visit the local garage shortly after buying. :oops:
Post Reply