Carburetor Confusion

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dkphotog

Carburetor Confusion

Post by dkphotog »

Helloooo!! I know I've been on here a lot lately but I'm in a bit of a breakdown situation. I need to put a new carburetor in my 1978 Spider 124 1800. There are SOOOO many options and variables that I'm confused. Here are my goals:

1. Simple installation with very few mods
2. Works with my stock engine & stock air filter
3. Reliable
4. More power is great but not a big deal to me
5. Under $300
6. Did I say compatible? Simple?

That's about it. Please keep answers simple if possible & know I appreciate the answers. It will either be installed by my semi-mechanical husband or by Wine Country Motors who specialize in Fiats (last resort) as I am jobless right now.

THANKS!!!
Last edited by dkphotog on Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
manoa matt
Posts: 3442
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:28 pm
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124 Spider 1800
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

Re: Carburetor Confusion

Post by manoa matt »

Switching over to a 32/36 Weber DFEV carburator is the most popular carb conversion and would satisfy all of your goals.
http://www.webercarbsdirect.com/32_36_D ... 80.160.htm

You need this linkage piece: http://www.piercemanifolds.com/product_p/45027.089.htm

And this spacer: http://www.autoricambi.us/cgi/commerce. ... ey=FU1-409

Several hoses will be capped or removed, but most will simply switch over.

Have to ask though, what is wrong with your stock 32ADFA carb? Its a good carb and can be rebuild easily. Rebuild kits are around $40.
dkphotog

Re: Carburetor Confusion

Post by dkphotog »

manoa matt wrote:Switching over to a 32/36 Weber DFEV carburator is the most popular carb conversion and would satisfy all of your goals.
http://www.webercarbsdirect.com/32_36_D ... 80.160.htm

You need this linkage piece: http://www.piercemanifolds.com/product_p/45027.089.htm

And this spacer: http://www.autoricambi.us/cgi/commerce. ... ey=FU1-409

Several hoses will be capped or removed, but most will simply switch over.

Have to ask though, what is wrong with your stock 32ADFA carb? Its a good carb and can be rebuild easily. Rebuild kits are around $40.
It's been hacked - notes in my previous owners service binder say it was JB Welded. Secondary notes state that it will need a new carb. (that was 2 years ago)....now it is just running rough, backfiring, won't idle at all, hard to start. I think it's the original carb (which has 174,000 miles on it).

Your answer is awesome btw and what I've been considering - it's the capping off & removing sentence that throws me. That's where I get lost - and also where my hubby is probably going to get lost too. Kinda ready to drive my car off a cliff. It was running stellar for 5 months & is a beauty on the outside.
User avatar
kmead
Posts: 1069
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2008 9:24 pm
Your car is a: 1969 850 SC 1970 124 SC 85 X19
Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Re: Carburetor Confusion

Post by kmead »

So one caution, being in the land of fruits and nuts now, you have to get the car smoged and they may take issue with a non standard carburetor that doesn't allow all of the various vacuum connections and so on.

We lived there for 6 years and the biannual inspections and emissions testing was a frustrating experience.
Karl

1969 Fiat 850 Sports Coupe
1970 Fiat 124 Sports Coupe
1985 Bertone X1/9
joelbert2k

Re: Carburetor Confusion

Post by joelbert2k »

I don't believe you stock air filter will fit either :(
So Cal Mark

Re: Carburetor Confusion

Post by So Cal Mark »

with a simple mod, the stock air cleaner fits just fine. With the stock filter in place, we haven't had one car kicked from a smog test for the carb and we've sold hundreds of these. Jetting is just fine out of the box for an 1800. We haven't had to rejet for smog tests. A couple of the vacuum hoses have to be tee'd together if you plan to have all of the emission equipment connected. The electric choke is a nice improvement over the water choke also
majicwrench

Re: Carburetor Confusion

Post by majicwrench »

Like was said earlier, that is a good carb and very repairable. Fixing it is likely easier and simpler than replacing it. Carb almost never "wear out", they simply plug up and have gaskets fail.
Keith
dmwhiteoak
Posts: 1088
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 1:12 pm
Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 spider
Location: White Oak Tx

Re: Carburetor Confusion

Post by dmwhiteoak »

She had stated in an earlier post that the carb was being held together with JB weld. I have seen many 32 adfa for sale on here for as little as 50 bucks off a running car. That may be her best bet to get her back on the road for the least amount of money spent. Times are tough .
Dennis Modisette

1972 124 Spider
2003 Chevrolet Z71
2007 GMC Yucon
User avatar
124JOE
Posts: 3141
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 7:11 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 fiat spider sport 1800
Location: SO. WI

Re: Carburetor Confusion

Post by 124JOE »

if /when you get a 32/36 hold it over the old carb and see the hose you keep on the new carb by where the nipples are
the other hoses can be capped off or even beter pluged at the intake

i havnt done this so if any one else can jump in go a head

the choke hoses
one comes off and the other goes on where the first came off
the wire for the idle stop silanoid goes to the new ele choke

i belive your carb leaks air at the base gasket
if your holding tabs are still ok then snug up the 4 nuts that hold the carb on
if you see a crack pm me
when you do everything correct people arent sure youve done anything at all (futurama)
ul1joe@yahoo.com 124joe@gmail.com
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