Solex 40 PHH help

[Tim of Capitola]

Hi, just acquired this 70 2002 with Solex's, trying to get it to idle and run better, very rich.

 

Not having any luck finding guide books, etc.  The Mikuni guides for PHH show a much different carb.

 

Can someone point me in the right direction?

 

Here's a link to some photos:

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/92jvBaKOjMCiJBRx2

 

Cheers

Tim

[Mike Self]

If you have access to a factory shop manual, those 40 PHH Solexes are covered in the manual, as  they were standard equipment on both the 1600ti and the 2002ti.

 

The factory manual will give you jetting guidance, overhaul instructions etc.  

 

Also check FAQ archives...

 

mike

[zinz]

Howdy, Tim,

 

Several of us are running the PHHs and I'm certain we can get you tuned up in no time.  Looks like you've already taken the tops off and given things a blast of carb cleaner, that's good. 

 

The BMW Service manual Mike refers to can be found in the Articles Section of FAQ, History/Reference, Service Repair Manual, Fuel System

 

 

The best place to start is knowing exactly what jets you have in each carb.  The mains are underneath and kinda hard to access, but I see you have a mirror, so you should be able to sort that out.  Idle jets are towards the back of the carb on top.

 

Basics... Idle mix screws should be about 2 1/2 turns out from the bottom.  You may need more or less depending on your set up.

 

The carbs will need to be synchronized... do you have a sync tool?

 

Fuel level is very important to good running on a sidedraft.  From the gap I see on your fuel inlet, I'm thinking it should be close. The fuel level should be even with the mid-point of the carburetor's body.  There is actually a small line in the casting you can use to reference against. 

 

 

Use the "dip method" to measure the fuel level.  Idle the engine then shut it off. Remove the top cover of the carb. Use a bright flashlight down the air corrector while inserting a small wire and watch when the wire touches the surface of the fuel.  Pinch the wire with your thumbnail at the top of the carb body and remove the wire.  Now place the wire on the outside of the body of the carb and measure how that length corresponds with the mark on the carb body.

 

Fuel level is adjusted by screwing the big brass inlet in or out.  You have to loosen the locknut on the bottom of the inlet.  Small increments go a long way here.  1/2 turn at a time, then 1/4 turns to dial it in.  

 

How's your ignition system?  The engine won't run well until the ignition is sorted out.  Adjust valves, new plugs, points, condensor and timing is very important...

 

Here's the Solex book I keep with me all the time.  

 

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Solex-Carburetters-Tuning-Tips-Techniques-BOOK-/351790434162

 

What else can you tell us about the set up?  You might want to measure the fuel pressure from that mechanical pump... the PHH does not want more than about 2.5 psi.  

 

Hope this helps,

 

Ed

 

FAQ search results here:

https://www.bmw2002faq.com/search/

 

 

 

 

Edited March 14, 2018 by zinz

[Tim of Capitola]

Ed, thanks. Very impressive response and almost instantaneous.  Yes I'm cleaning as I go. Not much junk in the float bowls, which was a relief.

 

Getting to those main fuel jets will be a challenge.   The fellow I bought the car from had ordered some 120 mains, which I will try.

 

I have a uni syn( for my SU's and the German flow meter).

 

I set the valve lash and will double check the timing.  It has an after market point less distributor with no vacuum advance.

 

I've got some NGK BPr6es coming today from Amazon. The plugs in the car were BPR6ETX's, very dark and strong gasoline odor.

 

Also coming today is a good compression tester. I borrowed a friends, threaded it in and snapped the quick connect hose on. Great, except I couldn't release it.  Finally used a long thin spring hook to release it.  Yes I was sweating, thinking only other solution was to pull the head.  DUH, always a learning experience on a new vehicle.

 

Fun and games.

 

Cheers

Tim

[Tim of Capitola]

I do have Solex book, haven't studied it .

[Simeon]

You might just want to check the throttle shafts for vacuum leaks (and vacuum pranks in general) by spraying carb cleaner at the throttle shafts and gasket surfaces. The base flanges can also warp increasing chances of a vacuum leak. 

[jgerock]

Check your venturi size and jet sizes first.  The carbs on your car may have been sourced from an 1800ti - very common swap to 2002's.

 

I haven't had luck moving the large brass fuel inlet fitting on the tops of the carbs - that adjusts the fuel bowl level.

 

 

[Tim of Capitola]

Got one main jet out, it was a 130, installed the 120.  Three to go, not real easy to get to that carrier nut with a 14mm mini wrench, working with a mirror.

 

Hard for this 72 year old dog.

 

Thanks for all the tips, keep 'em coming.

 

Cheers

Tim

[jgerock]

14 minutes ago, Tim of Capitola said:

Got one main jet out, it was a 130, installed the 120.  Three to go, not real easy to get to that carrier nut with a 14mm mini wrench, working with a mirror.

 

Hard for this 72 year old dog.

 

Thanks for all the tips, keep 'em coming.

 

Cheers

Tim

There is an Alfa Romeo guy on ebay who sells Solex 40PHH parts - very reasonable prices.

Venturis, gaskets, jets.

 

[zinz]

I dug up my notes on my 2000CS after I rebuilt the PHHs last year. 

 

Pilot Jet - 57.5 and mixture out 3/4 turn

Main - 130

Air Corrector - 155

 

I had tried a 52.5 Pilot and could idle at 1 3/4 turns out on the mix screw, but it lean popped at part throttle, so I put the 57.5s back in. It runs well. 

 

 

 

Ed

 

[Tim of Capitola]

Thanks for all the help. I installed the 130 mains, reset the timing( ball in window at 2000 rpm) , raised the float levels.  

 

Now it's running very strong, just about redline in 4th and no misses.  A/F meter stays about 15 under acceleration in fourth gear.

 

Love it.  Now if I could solve the lumpy idle...might be the cam, unknown spec. Motor mounts look good.  Might just be a characteristic of the e10?

[zinz]

Give it more timing advance, 3, maybe 5 degrees.  Side drafts need more advance at idle. 

 

Ed

[Son of Marty]

Having a throttle for each cylinder should do a lot toward damping out rough cam idle untill you get into a pretty big cam, as Ed said play with the timing a bit what dist curve are you running?  hopefully something close to the Ti curve not the Tii one, also check for vacuum leaks everywhere including the brake booster hose all the way to the booster connection.

 

PS what size chokes are you running?

Edited December 24, 2018 by Son of Marty

[Simeon]

9 hours ago, Son of Marty said:

Having a throttle for each cylinder should do a lot toward damping out rough cam idle untill you get into a pretty big cam

 

Don’t forget that with PHH you actually have the ability to balance each choke separately using the adjustable linkage between each pair of chokes. Shop manual (and Haynes manual) gives the method. 

[Hans]

The timing specs for the ti called for 39 deg max, which might have worked with 1970 spec euro premium leaded fuel. I use 33 deg max advance at 3k rpm, which equates to about 8 - 10 at idle if memory serves . As mentioned, phh prone to shaft wear and air leaks, which would affect idle. Found quite a bit of info via google. Benz 190sl group.