bheinen74 Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 I started my carb swap tonight on my 85 BRAT. The weber setup which just arrived from JerryDemoss in a nice box yesterday is almost ready to go on. What i purchased from Jerry is a rebuilt Weber, with a complete intake manifold so I could keep my old hitachi setup if I ever wanted to return it to bone stock. Also, he ported the intake to adapter plate so its a better matchup. The Weber has a new antidiesel solenoid too, and Jerry is quite the pro, all the wires on the choke/antidiesel are nicely labeled etc. Just rally impressed with what the box contained. So, for the last 4 or so days i have been spraying down my old intake bolts with PB blaster after reading all the horror stories of broken intake bolts when trying to remove them. I have sprayed them with the PBblaster and driven short distances hoping the heat would work the solution down into the threads some. After reading a few threads on here that recommended to "jolt/shock the bolt heads, I did that as well with a small punch and hammer. Again, more PBblaster. Then, I started the engine and let it run about 5 minutes, enough that when i touched the intake it felt hot, the temp guage was just starting to climb about halfway to normal. Shut the car off, spray some more PBblaster, and it sizzled. Okay, time to slowly test the bolts. First one moved, off to the next one, moved but not quite as nicely. then the third. Pretty tight, sprayed some more then off to the other side. about the same. got them to turn just enough, more PBblaster. off to the other side, more blaster. and check the 2 tightest ones, turn them back in the 1/8th turn, more spray then back out the 1/8th turn maybe a little more. more spray. they were turning. Anyhow, got them all nice and loose, decided now was the time to drain the coolant from the radiator, and while it was draining to pull off the stock aircleaner kidney bean. Started unhooking stuff, wires for the coil, distributor, plug wires etc. Time to pull off the manifold. notice a hose that was like glass (breather tube on top side of block) it needs to get replaced the thing basically exploded. Off with the manifold. noticed one intake side had some crud that fell down, oops, find the vacuum attachment to suck that out. Stuff intake openings in heads with towel rag. Begin the cleaning process, wiping off the excess pbblaster, crud etc. most is looking nice and shiny with a brass bristle brush helping. It was late, i came in and ended up locking my garage with the door down, and the keys are still in the Brat ignition. waiting on my neighbor with the spare to come over so i can get my keys back out of the locked garage. more to come later. I am tired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Don't know how much you have read about what you are doing but I'll impart what I've learned. Use ONLY intake manifold gaskets from the dealer. They are built like mini-head gaskets - graphite impregnated metal. Use new bolts - zinc coated. Chase the threads in the block with a tap. Torque the bolts to 12 ft/lbs. Use anti-sieze obviously. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 so far my only question is for the stock coolant passage run thru the old intake and how it all hooks up on the new, since the weber doesnt need that. Do i still hook the coolant hose off the top back side of water pump water run near the driver side, to the intake inlet. And was the brittle glass like hose which goes to the top of the block near the passenger side is that the coolant hose too, and does it still get hooked up to the nipple on the intake front As far as I know the carb coolant base plate was epoxied/welded shut. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 The carb base heater (coolant passage) is purely ancillery. Unfortunately the real reason coolant runs through the intake is that this is a primary coolant cross-over passage from head-to-head. You can't eliminate any of the coolant lines. The one under the intake that goes to the block should be replaced with some new hose if it's hard and brittle. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 now the pics of the start. http://s405.photobucket.com/albums/pp132/bheinen74/BRAT%20weber%20install/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever Victorious Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Mmm... weber... My BRAT has a Weber, love how it drives! Well except, how the throttle spring is now ungodly stiff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Hey i notice that motor is still pretty muddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 (edited) Hey i notice that motor is still pretty muddy. nah (it is in the pic) but, i cleaned it last night will get some more pics this evening. its shiny again. also, noticed my Hitachi choke assembly cover was really loose, hmmm, that could have beeen part of the craptachi issue.....oh well, this will make the car much better. Edited June 18, 2009 by bheinen74 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 (edited) okay DubeAbides, added 4 pictures, there you go. this http://s405.photobucket.com/albums/pp132/bheinen74/BRAT%20weber%20install/?action=view¤t=IMGA4158.jpg to this http://s405.photobucket.com/albums/pp132/bheinen74/BRAT%20weber%20install/?action=view¤t=IMGA4160.jpg Edited June 19, 2009 by bheinen74 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 (edited) okay the Weber is now installed on my 85 BRAT. I got a couple questions. What the heck do i do with the Air Suction Valve which is located over by the driver side head, it has a big vacuum line like the valve cover breather size of line, and it has a small vacuum line off the other part of it? I ran the car a little tonight with the asv valve open which is sucking air. decided needed to find the right way to finish this. help is appreciated. Only a few little issues. Not sure my choke is working correctly. But it runs with a Weber....so i will be happy when i get the asv thing sorted out I also need to redo my vac advance, as i have it off the manifold now, reason is the nipple off the front of the weber is a larger diameter than the stock vac dvance hose size, so i need to find a way to couple that together......any ideas? When i first started it, the idle went high. started looking around and the throttle end holder (lead sinker thing on the cable) was hitting the linkage, so i had to put a washer behind the throttle control so it would clear. lost my camera so i guess no pics right now. Edited June 27, 2009 by bheinen74 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Unscrew the ASV valve from the steel pipe and drop in a quarter. Or you can weld up the hole in the spacer under the head. As for the vacuum advance - just buy a new section of silicone vacuum line. It will stretch to accomidate the larger nipple and you won't need an adaptor. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 for the quarter block off trick, my BRAT was a hitachi feedback and the asv is only on the driver side head. I still have all my CATS and don't want to risk fouling them. will the blocking off with a quarter have drastic affects on my cats? I was thinking of fitting the open end of the big tube with a filter of some sorts so it can still breathe. Whats the right thing to do on a Brat with the cats still? block it with quarter, or add airbreather filter to end? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 It won't foul the cat - it just won't work as well. Newer cat's don't require this extra oxygen supply like the old cat's in the 80's did. Biggest problem with the ASV's is down the road when the reed valve fails. Better to block them, gut the stock cat, and install a $50 aftermarket cat if you need one. Besides that - being you have the feedback ASV, it's probably vacuum actuated and isn't even doing anything without a vacuum signal to it's diaphram. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 okay that has been blocked by a quarter. My choke coil spring was in backwards, as it warmed up the spring was closing the choke door completely, not opening it. And when I reversed the spring to open the correct way, the carb will not idle with choke open. Something is messed up in the idle low speed section in the carb. The way it is now, i have the idle screw all the way in for it to stay running, and that is with the choke door still closed. once it the choke opens, no run. I adjusted it back so the choke stays closed, and i got back home from parents. this carb has problems, pm sent to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 (edited) okay dug deep tonight. Took off the idle circuit cover plate and diaphram, cleaned with choke cleaner and compressed air, that was not dirty or clogged. removed anti diesel solenoid. upon inspection, notice the end was kind of not looking right. Also, the antidiesel solenoid is in the place where the idel circuit gas flow is. Upon more inspections and the way the anti diesel solenoid end was smashed up, the end that thread into the carb, decided to test air flow thru the valve. Hooked up a vacuum line could not blow thru, applied power to the anti diesel solenoid, could not blow air thru. hooked up a vaccuum guage, same no relase of vaccuum either even when 12v applied to the valve it was not flowing anything. Determined that a gasket was missing on the valve which when it had been installed (not me) it had gotten too tight due to no gasket. It damaged the 3 holes at the end and the valve was STUCK. No flow of fuel, thus my idle circuit was clogged via the anti diesel solenoid. Had some specialize drill bits numering from tiny to about 65 / 70 and was able to take apart the valve end, and it then functioned again after using the reeming bit to clean it out and remove the barbs from the smashed overtightened portion. Installed a copper washer gasket to correct the whole issue. Checked after my fix and it again had flow. Install anti diesel solenoid, put things back together, and it has idle circuit back. Did i mention also the choke spring was in backwards the way the carb arrived to me. It was acutally pulling choke closed when hot, not open, so that had to be fixed as well. going to see if i can get arrange to get a replacement solenoid valve, since this was damaged when i received the Carb unit. anyhow, it does run and idle etc now after much work, but the fact the anti diesel valve had arrived damaged, not sure if it even works correctly, but we got the flow open again so at least the carb idles the BRAT. found the problem and was able to fix mostly. brent Edited June 28, 2009 by bheinen74 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 report update. Just went to Des Moines and back Sunday, that is about 65 miles each way so around 130 miles roundtrip I can do math. Anyhow, no way to determine fuel consumption yet, there was around a 25 mph head wind going, with gusts up to about 40. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbrat Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 report update. Just went to Des Moines and back Sunday, that is about 65 miles each way so around 130 miles roundtrip I can do math. Anyhow, no way to determine fuel consumption yet, there was around a 25 mph head wind going, with gusts up to about 40. so with the headwind, you probably just had it floored the whole way to go about 60 right I got so used to just driving the Brats floored all the time, it made for some problems when I had the turbo outback, and the Forester now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 so with the headwind, you probably just had it floored the whole way to go about 60 right I got so used to just driving the Brats floored all the time, it made for some problems when I had the turbo outback, and the Forester now more like floored on the way to go almost 70. my guage shows about half when i got back, i filled it up right before doing this drive. but again, this is not a typical trip with the high winds we had. I must have plumbed my PCV stuff and breather hoses correctly, did not use or lose any oil.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbrat Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 it'll be interesting to see what you get for mileage... I still get about 24 with my Blue Brat with the Hitachi carb.... I've never gotten over 21 with a weber in Iowa... and that's 3 different carbs, one was brand new..... of course it all depends on how you drive it I get much worse mileage in the FXT than my wife does Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 the guage was showing 1/4 today (its a funky guage though) so i filled it up. took 7.9 gallons. My mileage tripometer showed 161 miles, adjust for the big tires that adds up to about 181 real miles.....i might be off some on my 12.5% thats a nice guess on the 7.9 gallons so 22.93mpg into the 25-40 mph headwind then back witha 20mph tale wind-the wind had died down later in the day. Also, after i filled up the tank, as usual, my guage goes to empty. the needle bounces from empty to 1/4 until i hit about the 3/4 full on the tank and then the guage is accurate from that point to empty. So when i drove to Des Moines, the guage showed empty on the way, but then the more i drive, then the guage shows i am making gas, not using gas lol by the time i got to DM is showed about 3/4 full lol I have plugged the ECU back in to make my Brat think all is normal lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 Just an update. After calculating the corrected mileage reading, I have figured my mileage at 24.0 mpg will update if that changes, but so far, with my 205/75/15 27.5 inch tires, and its dead on at 24mpg. This calculation is with just over 600 miles of driving since the Weber install. just did about 140 on it today. its ready for a long trip now...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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