'86 Spree carb settings without a tach

[duckcove]

I've searched the archives but still have not come up with a "foolproof" way of setting the two carb needles. I can get close but that's all that I can get. Can anyone please explain the BEST way to set the two screws WITHOUT A TACHOMETER and get near factory results on a stock '86 Spree?

[aerorob]

whati have done in the past is always set the air/fuel first and to do that, get it running and screw it in until it gets really blurby(rich is in) and then back it off 1/4 to 1/2 a turn. that should set that pretty well, then as for idle, put it on its main stand and adjust the idle to where the back wheel spins slowly under its own power. like maybe a five second revolution time.
hope that helps!

[bradthreee]

Getting close is about as good as it gets without a tachometer or timing gun...

[duckcove]

Brad, I guess you are right...close is what it will be. Duck

[bradthreee]

Make sure you check your plug to make sure you are running right. Google "spark plug chart" for comparison.

Good luck

[Lunytune]

A tach is nice, but I've been setting carbs by ear for more years than I'm willing to admit. I can even set a Stromberg. I generally go back and forth from mixture screw to idle screw, and then do it again. Sometimes idle can be too high to get a true balance on the mixture. As far as final idle, simple rule is: fast enough that it won't die when stopped and slow enough that it won't run away when the brake is released.

[duckcove]

Luny, I believe I've got it just about right. Lots of playing with it. It really doesn't take much of a turn on the idle screw to get it where it should be while the air/mixture screw seems about perfect at 1 1/2 turns. These little jewels are really fun to play with and very intuitive. You can look at them and eventually figure them out along with all the good info on this website. Oh yes, I had Strombergs on a '72 Triumph TR6 car. I would not have touched them with a 10 foot pole. Hope you find one of those big Missouri bucks this year. Duck

[elitedio]

I was wondering what English cars that you guys had with Stromberg's I have had two Healeys with SU. I remember the drill of filling the dampers with oil and using a piece of rubber tubing to my ear balance them. Electronic fuel injection is much better when it works.

Yeah you don't need many gauges to monitor the idle mixture on the spree/elite 50.

[duckcove]

Elite, I wasn't smart enough to touch the carbs, or rather, smart enough to leave the carbs alone. Way out of my league. Duck