On Dec 9, 1:57*pm, "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
In article
,
* *thirty-six wrote:

The perfomance gains, after degumming the rings and properly bedding
them in, with a 1.3 Maestro were what convinced me to use at least a
good semi-synthetic in all oil changes. *Could pretty much out-
accelerate any regular car including an XR2 at least up to 60mph. * B-
road overtaking was easy in 3rd gear. *Quiet at 85mph and returned
around 55mpg. I found it ideal for winding narrow roads. *I could also
start it at 5 degC without choke and between -8 and 0 with just 1/4
way on the choke control. *There are a few little other tricks to turn
such an indifferent machine into a flyer, and the point is, they are
all cheap or no cost.

If it started without choke on a cold day that simply means the mixture is
too rich.

Nope. The setting was checked with a Colourtune plug.

So it would used more petrol than it should,

Average fuel consumption for that vehicle was probably no more than
38mpg, I was getting up to about 55mpg.

wear out the bores
quicker,

the body rusted.

and produce excess emissions.

tested emmissions were at around 1% of the pass limit

probably down on power too

120mph max 20-80mph (3rd gear) in under 8 seconds.

- if the
carb was otherwise correct.

What, like setting the needle height and cleaning out the damper and
using the correct, low viscocity, damper oil? I thinned the edge of
the throttle plate and spindle, but that doesn't affect emmisions
tests. BL manageg to suss out how to use siamesed ports correctly.
and maintain the fuel mist in a cold tubular manifold. The perfected
design was introduced with the 1.3 Metro. The valve timing was likely
critical to the combined economy and performance engine, clearances
were at 11 thou which is 3 thou under the normal service
specification, yet this is what made the engine sparkle. The design
is spot on, it's the service recommendations which need to be taken
with a pinch of salt. As I recall, the carburetter was considered a
non-servicable item, any problems demanded a replacement. This meant
many cars would never have the needle height checked unless serviced
by a knowledgable independant garage, probably with a little racing
experience.