Excessive smoke

Our series 3 seems to smoke a little too much, hazy blue smoke on tickover then a puff of black when you blip the throttle. I know for mot purposes a visual check is all thats needed but the tester would have to be a blind man with no sense of smell.
Its a 2.25 petrol, I'm just waiting for a delivery from paddocks of points, plugs, dizzy cap, leads & plugs etc. I have tried to adjust the mixture on the zenith carb cause I figured it may be running too rich, but turning the screw either in or out made no different to engine tickover so I could'nt guage what way to go. The screw was and still is, fully wound in.
My questions are: will a service of ignition bits, timing & valve adjustment help the smoking, is me carb fooked? and does the black smoke indicate the the rings are gone.
The engines done 61k, seems nice and quiet, but I'm just thinking that I'm gonna grief when it comes to MOT time. (not worried about smoking following cars out!)
Any advise would be appreciate it.
Ta, Paul

In a petrol engine, black smoke is certainly part-burned fuel causing soot, caused by running RICH.

Make sure the float level is correct, the float needle stops the flow of incoming fuel properly, the air filter is clean (or for MoT remove it), that the CHOKE goes completely OFF, and if all else fails that the carb JETS are in place, and the right sizes. It is amazing how many experts there are out there who reckon they can increase the power of a car by poking bits of wire through carb jets to make them bigger.

Next to look at is the accelerator PUMP device on the carb, a spring loaded lever attached to a little plunger pump on the carb, which squirts a bit of extra petrol when you stomp on the GO pedal. This is to stop the "flat spot" when you deck it to pass the next Ferrari that gets in your way. BLIPPING the gas pedal WILL squirt the extra fuel and if the throttle is closed by a quick blip the air supply will then be cut off resulting in soot.
Moral: don't blip the throttle. Don't deck the throttle quickly - press it down smoothly as opposed to slamming it down. It does make a difference.

Jets wear out eventually. Solution is a new carb as loose jets are a pest to find.

CharlesY

CharlesY said:

In a petrol engine, black smoke is certainly part-burned fuel causing soot, caused by running RICH.

Make sure the float level is correct, the float needle stops the flow of incoming fuel properly, the air filter is clean (or for MoT remove it), that the CHOKE goes completely OFF, and if all else fails that the carb JETS are in place, and the right sizes. It is amazing how many experts there are out there who reckon they can increase the power of a car by poking bits of wire through carb jets to make them bigger.

Next to look at is the accelerator PUMP device on the carb, a spring loaded lever attached to a little plunger pump on the carb, which squirts a bit of extra petrol when you stomp on the GO pedal. This is to stop the "flat spot" when you deck it to pass the next Ferrari that gets in your way. BLIPPING the gas pedal WILL squirt the extra fuel and if the throttle is closed by a quick blip the air supply will then be cut off resulting in soot.
Moral: don't blip the throttle. Don't deck the throttle quickly - press it down smoothly as opposed to slamming it down. It does make a difference.

Jets wear out eventually. Solution is a new carb as loose jets are a pest to find.

CharlesY

Click to expand...

Thanks Charles, looks like a new carb would more than likely resolve this problem then, I have seen a couple on ebay but you dont really know what condition they are in, so I guess a new one will be the answer.
Thanks, Paul

paulypaul said:

Thanks Charles, looks like a new carb would more than likely resolve this problem then, I have seen a couple on ebay but you dont really know what condition they are in, so I guess a new one will be the answer.
Thanks, Paul

Click to expand...

If you can find a NEW carb or a RECON (propetly) carb, I think that would be the way to go. Carbs do wear out, and they do so in ways it's more or less impossible to sort out. What would a repalcement cost?

Find a Weber carb for the model type. Theya re as good as any and better that most, and you get a good drive, good power, and fair economy.

My wee 1969 lightweight 2.25 I bought on Saturday has a Weber carb.

CharlesY

CharlesY said:

If you can find a NEW carb or a RECON (propetly) carb, I think that would be the way to go. Carbs do wear out, and they do so in ways it's more or less impossible to sort out. What would a repalcement cost?

Find a Weber carb for the model type. Theya re as good as any and better that most, and you get a good drive, good power, and fair economy.

My wee 1969 lightweight 2.25 I bought on Saturday has a Weber carb.

CharlesY

Click to expand...

Charles, if I were to get hold of a weber, would I need some sort of adapter to go onto the inlet manifold or would it be a straight swap. Also, if sourcing a new weber, what exactly would I ask for, meaning, did a 72 2.25 petrol come with either weber or zenith, or was it specific to the year of manufacture...if you know what I mean?

paulypaul said:

Charles, if I were to get hold of a weber, would I need some sort of adapter to go onto the inlet manifold or would it be a straight swap. Also, if sourcing a new weber, what exactly would I ask for, meaning, did a 72 2.25 petrol come with either weber or zenith, or was it specific to the year of manufacture...if you know what I mean?

Click to expand...

Try Google for WEBER landrover

http://fpuk.co.uk/products/Catalogues/carb/carbkits.pdf

here's one site to look at.

My carb sits on an adapter block which makes it fit the manifold.

It is a WEBER TIPO 34 ICH, and the body is stamped 2 - 350 - 5J which may specify the choke and jet setup.

It starts well and runs well. Might be a way to improve yours.

CharlesY