Solex Solex Solex

[satolsa]

Hi

It is the first time posting a thread in this web cuz I am a new member.

I have a '72 240z bought in CA and brought to Houston, TX back in '98.

It comes with Triple Solex 40 PHH set up, head and all cool looking stuffs. I let it sit too long in my garage (really long). The carbs stopped working. I took them off, disassemble, and clean them. Here's the problem. I am a mechanical illiterate. I don't know anything about carbs. They look clean and beautiful now. BUT they just don't work. I need to rebuild them, I guess.

I know that people here always talk about Mikuni, Weber, SU and New one, but not Solex. I understand the Mikuni bought the technology from Solex, and improved them. Right?

I don't know what to do with my Solex. Does anyone know anyone (good one) who can rebuild Solex????

My z has rebuild 240z stock engine and SUs now by Legendary Z specialist Kin Chan. He doesn't like Solex or Mikuni.

[beandip]

If you went out and bought a Rolex watch . Took it home and found that it was not working properly , and you dident have a clue what to do to the works to make it right. WOULD YOU TAKE IT ALL APART AND CLEAN ALL THE GEARS AND SPRINGS ???????? Sorry but WHAT WERE YOU THINKING ?? By the way welcome to the club. There are several members that live in your area . Why don't you post a question in the HELP ME forum and ask for a responce for some one in your area that may know a good mechanic. Or someone local that knows SOLEX carbs. Trying to reassemble these over the net using email will be a tall order . There may be a member that can shed some light on these units, I really hope so . If you are new to the Z world , I strongly recommend that you watch ebay and find a Nissan survice manual for your year of Z . They run around $50.00 but will be will worth the money . Gary :surprised

[satolsa]

I know. I was dummy arse.

It all started when I let a punk husband of a person I knew, ex-air force self-claim know everything, touched them. Actually he is the one started disassembling them. He stationed in Japan, and has 240sx. If you are reading this thread, Yes I am talking about you!

[GunnerRob]

If you are new to the Z world , I strongly recommend that you watch ebay and find a Nissan survice manual for your year of Z . They run around $50.00 but will be will worth the money . Gary :surprised

satolsa, keep in mind 240Z's DIDN'T come with Solex carbs. They came with SU style carbs. So the manual Beandip is referring to won't help at all with your carbs. If I were in your predicament, I'd eBay off the Solex's and buy roundtop SU's and start from there. I've been a member of this club for nearly three years and I don't ever recall reading of Solex carbs here. :eek:

On the other hand, there are quite a few " SU experts" here, including many who race competetively, that would be more than happy to help you out with SU issues, especially after you have searched the old threads FIRST.

[satolsa]

Ex-owner installed the triple Solexs. My z has SUs installed by KIN now. I know they are not stock. I am mechanically dummy, but not that much. Did you read my first posting?

By the way, Ohhh No~. I don't want to give them up. They look so cool in the engine room. I might keep them as decoration. Cuz they look so cool. Oh no NO NO. I want resurrect them as a part of great carb revolution history for future generations!

Yet, does anyone interested?

[jmortensen]

You are correct that Mikuni bought Solex. There are several different carburetor styles, and they all have slightly different float assemblies. The main stuff that gets changed out, the jets, are all the same AFAIK.

If you can find a Mikuni manual that would help. A copy of the "How to Modify your Nissan/Datsun OHC Engine" book would also help, as there is a pretty good explanation of the carbs there.

I don't know how much you took apart, but as for the "normal" stuff one would get into like the float chamber covers and the jet covers that stuff is pretty basic. If you get the manual or the book you should be able to get them back together properly.

Getting them tuned is a whole other ball of wax, but it also isn't rocket science. Unless you're really mechanically inept I'd suggest you give it a go yourself AFTER reading some of the info in the above manuals.

You need a little bit of knowledge, because if you don't have any idea what jets do what you'll chase your tail. But if you have a basic understanding of what jets are working and when it's not that difficult to tune them. I would HIGHLY recommend putting an O2 sensor in the exhaust so that you can monitor the air fuel ratios as you're driving. Then you can figure out which circuit should be working when you go lean or rich, and make the jetting for that circuit richer or leaner to compensate.

[satolsa]

"I would HIGHLY recommend putting an O2 sensor in the exhaust so that you can monitor the air fuel ratios as you're driving. Then you can figure out which circuit should be working when you go lean or rich, and make the jetting for that circuit richer or leaner to compensate."

It is a great idea! Only if I knew how to install O2 sensor!!! I will talk to my mechanic. He is against Solex idea.

[jmortensen]

Take the car to a muffler shop. Have them weld in a O2 bung. Then get a simple one wire O2 sensor and either buy a gauge that shows the air fuel ratio (Autometer makes one) or if you're cheap like me hook the sensor up to a volt/ohm meter and shoot for .8V. It's pretty simple to get the O2 in there, and you can get it fairly close that way.

[g72s20]

Zpoint (Guus) a member here, might be able to sell you a Mikuni manual, at a nice price, that's where I got mine. The triples are really only suited to a motor that has been built with 6 chokes in mind, you know..cam, headwork, extractors,.. part of a package. A nice trait of the mikunis is they seem to be almost a set and forget item, or in other words, once you got 'em right...don't mess with 'em!

Get the manual and make a project of detailing them, and putting them together just right. They do make an expensive decoration...but you 're spot on about the look! That would be some conversation piece for the garage :classic:

Jim.

[satolsa]

What I learned so far from everyone is that I messed up pretty bad. For everyday driving with sock engine SU is suited better than SolexSolexSolex. It hurts. If you want to hurts me more please post your opinion. I would take it, and learn as hard lesson.

But does anyone know anyone who can rebuild Solex??? There gatta be someone. Please the someone claim yourself.

[Mr Camouflage]

If you went out and bought a Rolex watch . Took it home and found that it was not working properly , and you didn't have a clue what to do to the works to make it right. WOULD YOU TAKE IT ALL APART AND CLEAN ALL THE GEARS AND SPRINGS ????????

Yeah I probably would...

And by doing so I would learn how it works and how to fix it, usually..

Actually I'wouldnt buy a rolex, I'd get a Japanese copy of a rolex, Just like my Japanese copies of Gibson Guitars (by Ibanez) and My Japanese copy of a porsche/e-type/ferrari (by Datsun) , which I have taken all apart with no formal mechanical training. But I'm good at that sort of thing, and have done it to other cars before.

With the proper manual, you should be able to put them back together. You might need to get somone else to tune them though. Some times you just have to know when to leave it to the experts. Like I do with gearboxes.

Good luck with it.

Solex Carbs were a pretty common swap in Japan. They were fitted to 240Z rally cars, and the Z432R, Skyline GTR probably had them too, and lots of roadsters have them bolted on their U20's. Dont know for sure, but I'm guessing they were available through nissan motorsport.

[satolsa]

Please take look at my Avatar. This is the latest picture of my SolexSolexSolex. As you can see here they are put back together, and dirty again. As a matter of fact, I have Mikuni Manuals in English and Japanese. I bought them and read them so that I could at least put them back together. But I still have no clue how to tune all jets. I cannot even find new jets. I did all I could do for my part before I posted here!

Maybe I was not clear. I want someone to tell me who can rebuid my SolexSolexSolex. Please Have a mercy on my SolexSolexSolex.