Just trying to mount my weber DCOE 45's to my zetec and have encountered a big problem.

The throttle linkage mounted under the carbs prevents me from getting the carbs onto the mounting studs because it (the linkage) fouls on the top chassis rail. Without the linkage the carbs go on easily.

a few things to note:

1. once the carbs are fitted sucessfully the linkage will not foul anything.

2. Doesn't matter which carb I fit the linkage to it still fouls and I can't fit the carb to the manifold.

3. I have no room for a top mounted linkage

4. Because of (3.) I cannot raise the engine to allow me to get any more clearance. Raising the engine would also cause other clearance issues.


So here is the bit I'm not sure about:

Because once the carbs are in their final positions the linkage won't foul anything, I think that using ordinary nuts and bolts to fit them will make fitting them much easier. (Don't worry I will still use the misab plates and the flexible rubber donut washers). Just drop the carbs in from the top (no clearance problems to worry about). Push the bolts in from the back of the manifold and tighten it all up.

To do this I could either just remove the inlet manifold studs an drill the hole right through to allow an M8 bolt to be used.

OR buy some Bolts to match the tapped hole in the inlet manifold.

I would favour the first solution as the inlet manifold is made of some what soft cast aluminium and just using bolts would probably ruin the threads on the inlet manifold after removing the carbs a few times.

Anyone think this is a really bad idea ?

If it works do it. As long as they are still aligned with the bolt holes it can't be far out. Drill the threads out and use a bolt with a nyloc on the front. I can't see a problem.

thanks Pete,

thought about this for a long time this afternoon then... did it this evening.

problem was that the two mating surfaces of the inlet manifold are not parallel. So that ruled out the pillar drill. So I drilled several 8mm holes on a length of solid 20mm square aluminium bar, slipped the one of the holes in the bar over an inlet manifold stud, clamped the bar to the manifold, then removed the stud leaving a nice guide to drill the hole out on the manifold to 8mm. Did all eight like this - all perfect and square. I had to remove a little material from inlet manifold to allow me to get the nuts on the back of the lower bolts (which I did very carefully with the micrometer in one hand and the grinder in the other )

All I need now is a new inlet manifold gasket and some bolts of the right length (I only had a couple).

thanks again

just hope I did the right thing, if I haven't then... who cares it's just even more money I 'll have to throw at the car..............

It slopes up or down then. I'd use some threadlock on the nuts as well as relying on the nyloc, you don't want to crush the washers too much dogging them up.

Just a small point on safety, DO NOT USE A GRINDER ON ALLY!! ally will clog a grinding wheel and can cause it to shatter, having seen the results it's not something I want to see again. . p.s. the same applies to using metal cutting discs on stone, Rusty

thanks rusty I'll be throwing those discs away tonight. Never realised there was a risk.

thanks

I knew alloy clogs grinding discs, but what causes them to shatter?

Not sure why clogged discs disintegrate, suspect it may be due to overheating when clogged, once saw a guy almost severe his arm below elbow using the wrong disc, Not recommended. hospital managed to sew arm back on , he had some use of it the last time I saw him. Rusty