TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Apr 15, 2014 7:59 am

Hi guys,
Yes I KNOW EMPI SUCKS and I will replace it as soon as I recover from the
last beating my wife gave me over money spent on this car,

BUT

In the meantime, I want to adjust it but can't find any written instructions.
Do I use the same instructions I have for a comparable Solex Pict 3?

OR does anyone have the procedure out there?

Thanks,
JB in Ohio (72 Beetle - Not Super - Dual Port)

Tue Apr 15, 2014 8:35 am

Tune it the same as a Solex 34 PICT 3...

http://www.vw-resource.com/34pict3.html

Tue Apr 15, 2014 8:49 am

Joey wrote: Tune it the same as a Solex 34 PICT 3...

http://www.vw-resource.com/34pict3.html

Thanks Joey !
JB

Wed Apr 23, 2014 8:20 am

Just throwing this out there had a brand new empi carb and I swear the adjustments didn't seem like they did anything at all. Never got it running right threw on a old solex I had in the parts pile and you talk about a huge difference. Never again will I buy empi

Wed Apr 23, 2014 8:22 am

Just throwing this out there had a brand new empire carb and I swear the adjustments didn't seem like they did anything at all. Never got it running right through on a old sole I had in the parts pile and you talk about a huge difference. Never again will I buy empi

Wed Apr 23, 2014 9:07 am

superblue72 wrote: Just throwing this out there had a brand new empire carb and I swear the adjustments didn't seem like they did anything at all. Never got it running right through on a old sole I had in the parts pile and you talk about a huge difference. Never again will I buy empi

I must have a good one because mine adjusts throughout the
range and fell right in at a good smooth idle.
Must be good uns and bad uns
JB

Wed Apr 23, 2014 9:11 am

AlienJohn wrote: superblue72 wrote: Just throwing this out there had a brand new empire carb and I swear the adjustments didn't seem like they did anything at all. Never got it running right through on a old sole I had in the parts pile and you talk about a huge difference. Never again will I buy empi

I must have a good one because mine adjusts throughout the
range and fell right in at a good smooth idle.
Must be good uns and bad uns
JB

I installed one on my friends '66 bus and it adjusted, idled and ran fine.

Wed Apr 23, 2014 12:49 pm

superblue72 wrote: Just throwing this out there had a brand new empire carb and I swear the adjustments didn't seem like they did anything at all. Never got it running right through on a old sole I had in the parts pile and you talk about a huge difference. Never again will I buy empi

X1000

Sat Oct 19, 2019 8:00 pm

I know this is an old tread but I just bought an EMPI 34 PICT-3 and couldn't adjust it worth sh!t.

Sat Oct 19, 2019 11:14 pm

Did you take it apart and remove all of the Jets and clean the passages and jets and blow out everything . Also make sure the electric jet is working.

Sun Oct 20, 2019 3:07 am

Electric jet is working. No, I didn't "rebuild" the new carb. For two reasons. First, it's new and should be ready to go. Second, I bought an EMPI 28 PICT-1 for my 67 and it worked perfectly out of the box. I guess it was too much to expect the same here.

Sun Oct 20, 2019 9:51 am

Sometimes there is production crud in carberators. Also you didn't find vacuum leaks .

Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:05 am

You need to clean them before use. Cutting compound/shavings/grit will be in the passages. They are not cleaned well before assembly. It says so in the instructions. You need to check the float height as well.

If they worked out of the box, you got lucky.

Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:14 am

davidw99 wrote: I know this is an old tread but I just bought an EMPI 34 PICT-3 and couldn't adjust it worth sh!t.
Second above suggestions to flush out any "dust" that made it into the carb while sitting in the box on a shelf.

Next, I would ask if you adjusted the throttle screw at the end of the throttle arm as suggested? 1/4-turn in from just contacting the lowest level of the fast idle cam.

If this screw at the end of the throttle arm is turned in too far it opens the throttle plate and exposes the progression holes in the side of the carb throat at idle. This makes all idle adjustments useless as fuel will flow out the progression holes at idle. The progression holes should only be exposed when the throttle is cracked open by the choke (fast idle cam) or when the throttle is opened.
Set the screw too loose and the throttle plate will contact the inner sides of the carb throat and score the smooth surface.

Sun Oct 20, 2019 12:56 pm

ashman40 wrote: davidw99 wrote: I know this is an old tread but I just bought an EMPI 34 PICT-3 and couldn't adjust it worth sh!t.
Second above suggestions to flush out any "dust" that made it into the carb while sitting in the box on a shelf.

The carb smelled faintly of gas when taken from the box. I presume that this is because it was bench adjusted to get it close to functional when installed on a car (as stated on the vendor's web site). It was then wrapped in a plastic bag and boxed. I do not see how any dust could make its way in to jets. In any event, I did check the idle jet and main jet and both were clear.

Quote: Next, I would ask if you adjusted the throttle screw at the end of the throttle arm as suggested? 1/4-turn in from just contacting the lowest level of the fast idle cam.

If this screw at the end of the throttle arm is turned in too far it opens the throttle plate and exposes the progression holes in the side of the carb throat at idle. This makes all idle adjustments useless as fuel will flow out the progression holes at idle. The progression holes should only be exposed when the throttle is cracked open by the choke (fast idle cam) or when the throttle is opened.

Set the screw too loose and the throttle plate will contact the inner sides of the carb throat and score the smooth surface.

This actually was OK out of the box.

The vacuum control screw was 2 1/2 turns out.

I also did check for vacuum leaks as well as I could but this entailed running around to the engine before it stalled out and holding the throttle lever open. No vacuum leaks at the carb or any where on the intake.

By any measure, the car should have idled at least well enough to make any necessary adjustments.

I put the old carb back on. I might tackle this at another time.

Sun Oct 20, 2019 1:00 pm

Pruneman99 wrote: They are not cleaned well before assembly. It says so in the instructions.

The instructions that came with it said no such thing. The vendor's web site states:

"Our Carburetors are factory bench tested, adjusted, and ready to install. They are guaranteed to work properly right out of the box, free of all manufacturing defects."

No, the carb should not need to be cleaned, rebuilt or taken apart before installation.

Sun Oct 20, 2019 1:29 pm

davidw99 wrote: I know this is an old tread but I just bought an EMPI 34 PICT-3 and couldn't adjust it worth sh!t.

davidw99 wrote: Pruneman99 wrote: They are not cleaned well before assembly. It says so in the instructions.

The instructions that came with it said no such thing. The vendor's web site states:

"Our Carburetors are factory bench tested, adjusted, and ready to install. They are guaranteed to work properly right out of the box, free of all manufacturing defects."

No, the carb should not need to be cleaned, rebuilt or taken apart before installation.
You should probably ask the vendor for help.

Sun Oct 20, 2019 2:06 pm

davidw99 wrote: First, it's new and should be ready to go.

You're a funny guy

Sun Oct 20, 2019 4:17 pm

davidw99 wrote: Pruneman99 wrote: They are not cleaned well before assembly. It says so in the instructions.

The instructions that came with it said no such thing. The vendor's web site states:

"Our Carburetors are factory bench tested, adjusted, and ready to install. They are guaranteed to work properly right out of the box, free of all manufacturing defects."

No, the carb should not need to be cleaned, rebuilt or taken apart before installation.

The last Chinese carb I bought definitely had these instructions. If you got it from a vendor that gets them from China, then goes through them, well, that's different. I'd still run it through the ultrasonic before I'd use it. I don't like chasing my tail.

Sun Oct 20, 2019 4:57 pm

Even with webers it is reccomended that they be inspected before putting them on. If you think a new Empi carb should be the exception you are WRONG.

With that said, I have had great luck in the past on my ride and other peoples' rides with Empi carbs. Given your difficulties you probably DO have a dud, but if it is due to crud from the manuf process then I'd say your troubles fall under the "expected" category. If you got it from Amazon return it and get it agan.

But something is not quite adding up here. Good luck and let us know what you find!

-Frank