Solex Carb clean up

A while back, when I needed to get my Bug on the road pretty quick, I decided to fit up my twin Dellorto 40mm carbs to my temporary 1600 engine as they were all I had a available at the time. I did originally fit my single Solex 34 pict but when I fired it up it
was leaking fuel from the casting and didn't run very well. Doh! So other than a few potential spare parts
inside, this carb was nothing more than a cool doorstop now. So the twin 40's, destined for my 2007cc engine when I get around to finishing it, were my only option. I choked them down, messed about with the jets and got them running. It pulled like a train but it never really idled correctly. Plus the fuel consumption was through the roof. I guess that was to be expected.

Luckily Lawrence has come to my rescue and provided another Solex 34 pict for me to try. It looked ok, albeit very very dirty. A rebuild was the next step.

So, armed with carb cleaner and a carb rebuild kit from VW Heritage I got to it. I basically took everything apart and gave it all a clean, replaced the 'O' rings, jets, bellows and the gaskets before trying to remember how it all went back together again.

All I have to do now is fit it to the car and tune it up. Hopefully I will then have a fuel friendly engine and the ability to cruise about and not worry about where the needle on the fuel gauge is sitting for at least a few hours.


Here is the carb after the outside was cleaned up a bit and then split open


Here is the carb rebuild kit you can get from VW Heritage. It has a lot of gaskets for other models too.


I took this shot partway through the strip down of the carb. Lots of tiny fiddly parts.


And here is the carb all cleaned, assembled and ready for the two halves to be reunited.

You can buy new carbs and carb parts from VW Heritage

Jon's previous posts:
Solex Carb Clean up
Fuchs Wheels
Black Widow Spider
Notek Spotlight
Ragtop Day
MoT time
VW Oil rush
Engine tune up
Ragtop gets a new home
Ragtop Beetle replica
Ragtop rebuild video
Snapped by Beaker
The first MoT
BRM Wheel detailing
Drive your VW to work
First drive
Project update
61 Ragtop Update
TMI door cards
Dropped spindles
Full steam ahead
Project '61 is getting there
Ragtop now in paint
Ragtop mechanism
Care package
Shock install: The last phase
Shock install: Trials and tribulations
TMI seat covers go on
TMI seatcovers arrive
Front end adjustment
Suspension parts
Narrowed beam
VW gearbox
Pistons
Gearbox clean up
Floorpan detailing
New parts for the '61
NOS mirror
Chassis strip down
Off to the painters
First coat of primer
New number plates
Body stripping
Weekend work
The sanding begins
What's in the box?
On the night shift
Body prep
Body seperation

Photos
Ragtop resto photos part 1
Ragtop resto photos part 2
Ragtop resto photos part 3