How much trouble could 'needs carbs tuned' mean?!
Discussion
Hi all,
Its been a while since I've posted here but I'm back!
Agreed a purchase on a superb BGT which is in Essex (I'm in East Yorkshire). Car has MOT and Tax, but the seller has told me it needs the carbs tuned as has been stood for a few months. My plan is to get a lift down and just drive her back. I've had a GT before which ran beautifully never needed carb adjustment, so surely it cant be that bad?
I guess what i'm really asking is; what could realistically go wrong on the 4hr drive, and what precautions should I be taking?
Thanks all
Phil
Its been a while since I've posted here but I'm back!
Agreed a purchase on a superb BGT which is in Essex (I'm in East Yorkshire). Car has MOT and Tax, but the seller has told me it needs the carbs tuned as has been stood for a few months. My plan is to get a lift down and just drive her back. I've had a GT before which ran beautifully never needed carb adjustment, so surely it cant be that bad?
I guess what i'm really asking is; what could realistically go wrong on the 4hr drive, and what precautions should I be taking?
Thanks all
Phil
It might be seller-speak for “the carbs are knackered and need re-building, so I’m covering my arse here”.
Not that I’m cynical...
As others have said, get some breakdown cover. I’d also take a few spares & tools along with me – it would be a shame to have your first drive in your new car ruined for lack of a feeler gauge etc. Have you got a mate you could drive back with in convoy to provide moral support if at all goes wrong?
Not that I’m cynical...
As others have said, get some breakdown cover. I’d also take a few spares & tools along with me – it would be a shame to have your first drive in your new car ruined for lack of a feeler gauge etc. Have you got a mate you could drive back with in convoy to provide moral support if at all goes wrong?
hardcastlephil said:
I was thinking this - but how knackered can a pair of SU's get? I'll call Hegarty tomorrow - I think i used them before actually.
Cheers
Phil
If they’re anything like the SUs (HS6s IIRC) on my Amazon, then believe you me; they can get quite knackered indeed! Cheers
Phil
Saying that, they got the car back from Norfolk to Nottinghamshire without too many dramas so hopefully you’ll be OK... my car had been used regularly though. If the car you’re buying has been stood for a while, I’d be more worried about points & condensers (unless it’s been converted to electronic ignition of course) playing up on the way home.
Might be worth buying a set plus a new dizzy cap and fitting them before you drive back... far better to do this on the seller’s drive/nearby car park than on the side of the motorway in the pouring rain!
larrylamb11 said:
Breakdown cover?
Phil, as above, breakdown cover.Your new B' will have either HS4's or HIF4's which are very straight forward to repair, but, a fault causing poor running could come from a number of areas. If this was me, ask the vendor the 'real' condition of the carbs as if the car has only been standing for 6months and they were in good working order before there's no reason why they should not coax back into good tune as soon as they're warm. Do all the usual SU checks...linkages, cables, oil in dashpots etc. Get the girl nicely warmed up, take her for a blatt to clear her system...and then drove home gently.
Any real problems, call the breakdown people to take back home. Happy B'ing
The problem with "needs carbs tuned" is that it is something superficially simple, but not usually the problem. It is the sort of phrase sellers traipse out when there is a deeper, either diagnosed or undiagnosed issue that needs addressing. After all, if SUs just need tuning they can do it in 5 minutes. That suggests it is at least a carb rebuild, or maybe something far worse and un-carb-related for which they are using the carb tuning defence as a cover.
That's the bleak view.
The more positive is three times I have bought a car with precisely that description and there was nothing wrong with anything except the float chambers which always go wrong. The £5 five-minute fix that meant I got a great deal.
That's the bleak view.
The more positive is three times I have bought a car with precisely that description and there was nothing wrong with anything except the float chambers which always go wrong. The £5 five-minute fix that meant I got a great deal.
My advice would be to take a new fanbelt, just in case. If the car has sat the belt can 'form' the shape of the pulleys, and then snap after only a few miles. Happened to me once, so whenever I go for an old car now it goes on the list of things I take. Never happened since I started taking a fanbelt though....
I also take fuel, water for both radiator and washer bottle, foot pump, oil, and a jack, tools etc for changing a wheel. Don't assume these will be in the car. As other posters have mentioned plugs, points etc are worthwhile taking, especially if you are going to service it when you get home anyway. May as well buy them early and take them just in case. New condensors seem exceptionally short lived now. If the one on the car doesn't need changing I never just replace them now.
I also take fuel, water for both radiator and washer bottle, foot pump, oil, and a jack, tools etc for changing a wheel. Don't assume these will be in the car. As other posters have mentioned plugs, points etc are worthwhile taking, especially if you are going to service it when you get home anyway. May as well buy them early and take them just in case. New condensors seem exceptionally short lived now. If the one on the car doesn't need changing I never just replace them now.
jamesatcandsc said:
The problem with "needs carbs tuned" is that it is something superficially simple, but not usually the problem. It is the sort of phrase sellers traipse out when there is a deeper, either diagnosed or undiagnosed issue that needs addressing. After all, if SUs just need tuning they can do it in 5 minutes. That suggests it is at least a carb rebuild, or maybe something far worse and un-carb-related for which they are using the carb tuning defence as a cover.
That's the bleak view.
The more positive is three times I have bought a car with precisely that description and there was nothing wrong with anything except the float chambers which always go wrong. The £5 five-minute fix that meant I got a great deal.
This. To me, it sounds just like the old "air con just needs a regas" line, which actually means 'air con is dead as a dead thing and needs two grand's worth of compressor and upping to ever work again.That's the bleak view.
The more positive is three times I have bought a car with precisely that description and there was nothing wrong with anything except the float chambers which always go wrong. The £5 five-minute fix that meant I got a great deal.
If you make it more than ten miles before calling he breakdown people, you'll have done well. But so long as you're prepared for that, and you have a decent contingency fund, it's no big deal.
Haven't read the rest of the replies, but in my experience "needs carbs tuning" translates to "the carb was found in a puddle, chucked on and for some odd reason it seems to be not running quite right"
It's very similar to "needs paintwork tidying few bubbles here and there" which translates to "needs full restoration, filler is parting company from tarted up rotten shell"
sorry, tired and cynical, but the above are more common than not!
It's very similar to "needs paintwork tidying few bubbles here and there" which translates to "needs full restoration, filler is parting company from tarted up rotten shell"
sorry, tired and cynical, but the above are more common than not!
in fact this has just reminded me of a laugh from the other week, a hugely overpriced modified opel manta on ebay, horrible thing, at something like £35,000 which then said in the ad that (as well as having no MOT and needing a new roof) it "needs new battery"................
on a £35k car??
that translates to, "put the new battery on well away from your house, as it WILL catch fire"
on a £35k car??
that translates to, "put the new battery on well away from your house, as it WILL catch fire"
Yes yes, enjoyed reading the comments and I think you're all correct! I'm (hopefully) heading into this with my eyes open though and if it all goes wrong at least it's not my daily.
Ive just had a few quotes back from Anyvan.com and a couple of offers to have it trailered for £200, which is almost cheaper then driving it back here I think!
May pay a few £ extra, get her delivered and then look into the rough running. As someone above pointed out it only takes 5 mins to set up the SU's in my experience.
Will keep you posted!
Ive just had a few quotes back from Anyvan.com and a couple of offers to have it trailered for £200, which is almost cheaper then driving it back here I think!
May pay a few £ extra, get her delivered and then look into the rough running. As someone above pointed out it only takes 5 mins to set up the SU's in my experience.
Will keep you posted!
sounds like it might be the usual I-never-drive-the-car-so-don't-know-much-about-it from the seller
why would the carbs need tuning because it's been stood for a few months?
you'll probably find it not the carbs (or not wholly the carbs) - unless the carbs are very worn they're set up last (after tappets, CB points, plugs, timing) and then left alone until at least the next service, a lot of (even long term) owners of classics like Bs know very little about the cars or how to drive them and think all you do to them is change the oil every few years and constantly fiddle with the carbs
it may be something simple like the nasty CB point need adjusting, or the timing to cock - if the seller says that modern made CB points and/or condenser has recently been fitted then I'd suspect them and swap them for NOS - perhaps the seller has the HT leads in the wrong order, ect.
but you wont know until you see the car what's wrong with it, if the carbs do need retuning it wont be because the car been standing for months though
why would the carbs need tuning because it's been stood for a few months?
you'll probably find it not the carbs (or not wholly the carbs) - unless the carbs are very worn they're set up last (after tappets, CB points, plugs, timing) and then left alone until at least the next service, a lot of (even long term) owners of classics like Bs know very little about the cars or how to drive them and think all you do to them is change the oil every few years and constantly fiddle with the carbs
it may be something simple like the nasty CB point need adjusting, or the timing to cock - if the seller says that modern made CB points and/or condenser has recently been fitted then I'd suspect them and swap them for NOS - perhaps the seller has the HT leads in the wrong order, ect.
but you wont know until you see the car what's wrong with it, if the carbs do need retuning it wont be because the car been standing for months though
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