The BIG Porsche 356 Tune Up Video - SOLEX 40P11 Setup & More

[@carlmclelland7624]

WOW!! Tom, it's SO refreshing to find a 'home Porsche mechanic' who actually knows something about them! I owned seven Porsche's between 1965-1991, overhauling, restoring, racing them. (Imagine, 1965, eighteen years old and owning TWO Speedsters)! If I only had them now. Confirm those are 40P11-4 carbs and not 40P11's, as used on the early type 547 engines. (They look too tall for 40P11's). You got my subscription, and I'll email with a little history.... Carl

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Thanks for the email with your amazing car history and experience. My Solex's are the standard 356/912 versions, not the rare 4 cam ones. You are so lucky to have experienced a real 547 four cam engine. That is special.

[@OwhyeeVdub]

I like that float adjustment.

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Take multiple measurements just to be sure. Sometimes the walls wet the paper.

[@petemart-69x]

Very thorough syncing & good to see The P11's being used!

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Thorough or be sorry, ha ha. Or maybe ignorance is bliss? I'm conflicted😃

[@bradyzq]

I love the way you work through things on your projects. It shows that you put in lots of thought. Re: jetting, you're a good 25% lean of target. With squinty math, if 125 now, 140 might be close, if it really is on the mains.

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Thank you! I ended up with 135 mains and love the way it runs now. See it go in this video.kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoSncmSqYsmZrNU

[@grantroberts4231]

solid work here, Tom. onward & upward.

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Thanks Grant! Onward for sure

[@jeffharrison5265]

Another Master Class Tom. 👍

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Thanks 👍

[@j_dub]

Love the exhaust collector/adapter so you can use a wideband O2. I am sure you will arrive on the correct jetting, I am not as familiar with the available emulsion tubes on the Solex 40p11s as the Weber or Dellorto offerings. Seems you need to start with a bigger main but may need to adjust the timing of the main circuit with the float height, air corrector or emulsion tubes. Really like the stick/gas pedal trick, that is one I think more people need to take note of as that is really one of the most important places to have the carbs balanced. Another great video, thanks for producing such great content.

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Thank you! I can tell by your commentary that you are one of the guys that understands carbs and how they work. I will get there without a doubt. It's always about the journey. So far the car runs great until the mains kick in.

[@krusher74]

but it closed a 2 outlet dowe to a single outlet thats only the size of one of the 2 normal ones. exhaust restriction.

[@michaelmusson3593]

Thank this will definitely help when it come time to sync the 911 carbs. Never seen it done quite that way. I ordered one of those carb sync tools. I do have one that have a ball that runs up a vile that I use to use on an Triumph Spitfire.

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

I've used the unisyn tool with the ball before too. As long as it's adjusted so it doesn't obstruct the airflow it works great.

[@joev3274]

Thanks for another super video! I think that was the most great info & instruction I've seen packed into 27 minutes.👍 I'm trying to get a 1966 912 stock motor with Solexs running and had the problem you avoided: float to high, fuel leaked into carb, but I unfortunately let the fuel leak into the engine. I don't know how much but I don't believe the amount of fuel was excessive. Can you recommend what I can do to minimize any problems that may have occurred as a result? Thanks Tom!

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Thank you Joe! After all that work the engine still doesn't run perfectly, ha ha. The danger of gas dropping into the engine is 1) hydro lock 2) diluted oil I would take the plugs out and turn the engine by hand two full revolutions. Then change the oil. Make sure your floats aren't cracked, leaking, or swollen. They should weigh around 7.5 gms. Unfortunately it's hard to find good Solex floats.

[@joev3274]

@@GarageTimeAutoResto Thanks again Tom! Even more great info. Looking forward to completing what you suggested this weekend, getting it sorted out, and moving on to the next mistake/learning experience 😁

[@fgjf1079]

Return springs on the carbs go to the outer bolts

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Ok good to know. Thx

[@carl545marchbanks4]

Great overview on the tune up process. How far out are the mixture screws?

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

I forgot to check, but I think 1.5 turns out

[@jockellis]

Wish I could have gleaned all this good info from my Elfrink manual In 1970. Will you dyno it once you have everything like you want it? Hope so.

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Dyno is a nice to have, but if the opportunity comes I would gladly do it. I just want good driveability and decent power. Mac is the go fast car and will definitely see some Dyno time.

[@jockellis]

@@GarageTimeAutoResto True, but you’d get another video out of it. Did you port and polish the heads? With almost 10% more cubes and a somewhat hotter cam I’d think 125 HP.

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

No porting or polishing, but I did make sure the seat angles were good for flow.

[@lathropedition]

Nice!!

[@dra911]

I must say, that's a nice solution for the wideband sensor. Also, it's interesting to me how the distributor is controlling the amount of time it takes to return to idle. So does this mean with the mechanical weights coming back in, the ignition advance is taking a while to return to normal in these low/no load conditions, hence the revs take a while to come down? Trying to understand as this might be applicable to a problem I'm having with my own engine.

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

The distributor springs allow advance at 900 rpm which is right at idle. Attach a timing light and watch how slow the timing returns. Sometimes the weights need to be lubed with sil-glyde or a drop of oil under the rotor felt. The distributor and carbs sometimes get in a weird feedback loop and the idle suffers. The best solution is the 123 distributor. Stay tuned for that video too. I have some stealthy planned

[@dra911]

@@GarageTimeAutoResto I probably mislead you a bit there... The engine I'm running doesn't have a distributor (it's running MicroSquirt + CoP ignition) - but the problem I'm working on is, the revs would fall so fast after a throttle blip, it would stall. My solution so far is to add a dramatic amount of timing (idle advance settings) in the right circumstance (low revs, low load) so it "catches" the engine revs and returns to idle speed nicely. Apparently that's how it's done, so people tell me. Consequently, I was just fascinated in how smoothly (if a little slowly) this 356 returned to idle speed with just the behaviour of the distributor!

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Oh, I see. You've gone all techy 😃 Your timing strategy sounds like it would work to mimic the slower responding distributor weights. I know my 3.2 engine with electronic timing also sounds like it's going to die when returning to idle. Especially with a light flywheel.

[@dra911]

@@GarageTimeAutoResto Yep, that's right... So I spoke to a few others, and this way (via ignition timing) is an acceptable way of doing it. On the 3.2 Carrera and 928, they actually use their idle motors to soften the revs as well back to idle speed. I was so happy just to get it started with EFI, but it seems it's just the beginning of the journey.

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Well I'm right behind you. Stay tuned for more ITB fun!

[@akokarski]

I know you said you checked the level at the end but was that at part throttle and acceleration? Some people say that shimming fuel pump can reduce volume.

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

I can see how fuel volume might be reduced slightly with the necessary shims, but I don't think a volume problem would show up immediately at 1/2 throttle. It takes a while to drain the bowls. If you watch the afr guage it goes from rich to lean in a hurry. That is why I checked for a clogged jet.

[@polloloci21]

Tom - for these 616 engines- do you have a preference between the Solex and the Webers?

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Personally, I think the driveability and smoothness is better with Solex. However the problems with sunk floats and shaft wear is no fun. Webers have clogged idle jets all the time, so there really is no clear winner.

[@polloloci21]

@@GarageTimeAutoResto I have a set of each for my 912 project. wasn’t sure if I should get rid of the Webers since I’ve always heard solex would be best - but I think my solex will require a complete rebuild. One last question- do you have any experience with LN Nickies? I picked up a set years ago (with JE pistons). Haven’t used them- they say to replace the head studs with ARP but have also heard otherwise. This won’t be a race engine. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@craiggeiger167]

Rookie question here - why didn’t you use the colortune plugs (from your Weber vid)?

[@krusher74]

well you got a like but no answer.

[@dasboototto]

I wish Harry Pellow was still around. I'm sure he would be doing youtube videos.

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Me too, I miss his long winded rants/stories.

[@schuttrostig5729]

As long as you dont drive it through the desert you are fine without the air cleaners. I have no idea what jets you need, but i am sure you will figure that out.

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

The other trouble with jets is they are often modified. All used jets need to be checked

[@rsrguy]

@@GarageTimeAutoResto yup... do you have a set of jet bits?

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

I have pin gauges in .001" increments.

[@krusher74]

what they measure and what they flow are two different things@@GarageTimeAutoResto

[@davidmaldonado4849]

Do you want a set of solex p11 split shaft

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Sure

[@davidmaldonado4849]

@@GarageTimeAutoResto do you need any 356 parts?

[@walterkucharski4790]

I don't see you doing anything wrong. Sorry! I used to do the same tuning on my boss's Ferrari with 6 twin Webers. A real challenge!

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Thanks Walter, I'm going to have to post strange things to get people to comment!

[@polloloci21]

Thanks for the info Tom. No clue on the main jets size. Also don’t drive with the air cleaners off 😂 🫣 (joking of course)

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Ha ha! Now we need one more to say don't drive without all the engine tin in place.

[@krusher74]

i dont understand why we are happy with no air cleaners?

[@polloloci21]

@@krusher74- hello, it’s understood that this is just temporary while he diagnoses the issue. Agreed- a little risky and could possibly ingest something in the engine- but Tom knows what he’s doing