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#1 Series 3 carb removal

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2018 7:02 pm
by nigeld
Hi. I’m just starting to tinker with a Series 3 fhc. I believe it’s a 1973 in Uk spec. First job is to service the Stombergs
I assume the carbs can be removed with the manifold still on the car but I’m having difficulty accessing the 4th nut (lower inner side ie nearest the other carb). Does anyone have any special tips/techniques for this? seems like my hands are too big to get a spanner or socket on it. Thanks

#2 Re: Series 3 carb removal

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2018 9:33 pm
by baganz.sven@web.de
Hi,

I think you have no chance to get a socket on the nut.
Also a ring spanner is not possible.
I used a normal spanner, it has not been too difficult to remove the carbs.
I acessed the nut from below.
Of course it took some time because I could always only turn some degrees :wrench:
And then turn the spanner around for the next degrees.

There is no magic or trick behind it.
Sven

#3 Re: Series 3 carb removal

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2018 10:05 pm
by nigeld
Hi Sven

Thanks - yes I had another go and was able to get a c spanner in it. Not as hard as I thought once I knew it was possible!

Nigel.

#4 Re: Series 3 carb removal

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 12:02 am
by JJC
Pain in the neck job for sure. It helps if you keep a few extra nuts around , cause your gonna drop one, and of course it will never be found ! LOL
JJ

#5 Re: Series 3 carb removal

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 11:18 am
by Woolfi
Easy solution: take a spare spanner (in german language is called "fork key" or "open mouth" key) and saw it short and grind the mouth slim. Drill a small hole at the end and make a thin 1 m long yarn at it. 5 minutes to work, if you have a saw and a grinder. With this special stromberg-tool I was able to put it on the fourth nut and to turn it a few degrees. The first half turn I have done with such a tool , which was not cutted shorter. You have full torque to turn the first half turn.
Regards Wolfgang Gatza

#6 Re: Series 3 carb removal

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 11:22 am
by Ole-xke1974
When I took mine off I used an adjustable 4" spanner.
When I fitted them again, I had purchased a set of "stubby" wrenches.
The advise of securing the wrench with a piece of string to aid easy retrieval WHEN you drop it, seem like a good idea.
It's a lot quicker to take the manifolds off with the carbs attached, but then you have to consider the added cost of new gaskets. On the other hand then you have the opportunity to refresh the manifolds if the need it.

#7 Re: Series 3 carb removal

Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2019 9:16 am
by Leekade
Forgive the delay in reply but I thought I’d post this to help others in future. My father in law, a talented mechanic, devised a solution when we encountered the same issue. He cut a 1/2” open end spanner in half and welded an old socket to it. This enabled us to insert a socket extension and ratchet which made tightening and undoing much easier. Beware, once the nut is removed, the most difficult bit is putting it on again... apologies as the picture isn’t the best but it shows what I mean.
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#8 Re: Series 3 carb removal

Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2019 10:59 am
by JJC
Adrian......Bravo !! Necessity is the mother of invention !! That's the way to go. And, as I posted a while back, keep a couple of extra handy for the inevitable dropped, and never found, nut . Now I am going to go build one myself....well done !

JC

#9 Re: Series 3 carb removal

Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2019 4:40 pm
by Leekade
Thanks JC. It is simple but very effective! Glad you’re inspired. As for nuts, yes, they were dropped a few times but we had a few spares however this gave me an idea, why not paint them with day-glo yellow paint?!!!!! It might look odd under the bonnet but darn easier to find on the floor :bigrin:

Adrian

#10 Re: Series 3 carb removal

Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2019 6:16 am
by angelw
Hello Adrian,
Simply place a piece of cloth, or paper towel under the carburetors to catch the dropped washers and nuts.

Regards,

Bill

#11 Re: Series 3 carb removal

Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2019 5:33 pm
by Leekade
Cheers, Bill, though nowhere near as much fun as painting them!! :bigrin:

Best wishes
Adrian

#12 Re: Series 3 carb removal

Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2019 4:42 am
by angelw
Adrian Wrote:
This enabled us to insert a socket extension and ratchet which made tightening and undoing much easier.

Hello Adrian,
I don't see much, if any advantage in being able to attach a ratchet, apart from the added leverage for the initial loosening of the nut, as the nut can only be turned a relatively small amount before the spanner fouls with the carburetor.

The following pictures show the modified spanners I use if the intent is to leave the Intake Manifolds in place. Except for having to use new gaskets between the Intake Manifolds and the Heads, removing the carburetors complete with the Manifolds is a much simpler and quicker method.

The spanners bent at right angles are Left and Right handed so as to alternate between the two, when required, when the one hand won't quite engage with the hex to progress.

Regards,

Bill

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