Carburetor Repair & Tuning
Also called carburettor tuning
Older cars without fuel injection mix air and petrol in a carburettor, and its small passages block with varnish and dirt while the float, needle and diaphragms wear. Symptoms include hard starting, black smoke, stalling at idle and heavy fuel consumption. An overhaul strips, cleans and rebuilds the unit with a kit, then sets idle and mixture. It cannot compensate for worn engine compression, an ignition fault or a leaking inlet manifold gasket.
Signs you need this
- Hard starting when cold or when hot
- Engine stalls at idle or when the clutch is pressed
- Black smoke and a strong petrol smell
- Fuel consumption much worse than it used to be
- Petrol seeping or flooding from the carburettor
- Engine surges at steady throttle
Not all of these have to be present, and one of them on its own can mean something else entirely. That is what the diagnosis is for.
What the job includes
- Removal, dismantling and cleaning of jets and passages
- Repair kit with gaskets, needle and valve where available
- Float level and choke operation set correctly
- Idle speed and mixture adjustment once the engine is warm
- Inlet manifold gasket and vacuum hose inspection for air leaks
- Road test with a check of plug colour afterwards
How we do it
Rule out air leaks
Vacuum hoses, the manifold gasket and the ignition system are checked first, since these imitate carburettor faults.
Strip and clean
The unit is dismantled and every jet and passage is cleaned through, as a single blocked jet upsets the whole mixture.
Rebuild with a kit
Gaskets, needle valve and worn parts are renewed and the float level is set to specification.
Tune when warm
Idle speed and mixture are adjusted with the engine at full temperature and the choke fully off.
Road test and check
The car is driven, then spark plug colour is inspected to confirm the mixture is neither rich nor lean.
How we work
The same on every job, which is why we can write it down.
Diagnosis before quote
We find the fault first. A price given over the phone for a noise nobody has heard is a guess.
The price is agreed first
You approve the work and the cost before a spanner is picked up. Extra work means another call.
Parts you can check
We tell you whether a part is genuine, OEM, aftermarket or used, and what each one costs.
Old parts returned
Ask and we will hand back whatever we replaced. It is the simplest proof that the job was done.
Book carburetor repair & tuning
Fill this in and a person will call you back to confirm the time and the price. Only your name and one way to reach you are required.
You send this
Takes a minute. No payment, no obligation.
We call you
To confirm the car, the time and the location.
Tell us the car and the symptom
We will arrange a mechanic at your location, or a slot at the nearest workshop. No payment until the price is agreed.