Buying the Chinese ADF on evilbay - A coupla questions

[scrapironchef]

Has anyone ever determined what size jets, etc. are installed in these units? Before spending $50 bucks on new jets and tubes I'd like to know if I actually need them.

Has anybody used the "make an offer" option? If so how much and did you succeed or fail? I'm thinking with the recent change in exchange rates there may be some wiggle room.

I'm doing a 79 conversion to 1800 heads and manifold and I'm at the carb stage now. I've got a rebuildable 32ADF on the shelf but I'm leaning towards the NOS 34ADF from our Asian brothers. If I'm going to put that work into a carb it might as well be the 34.

Larry

[131]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/RECO-FORD-XE ... 21023a71a6

A much better carb than the Chinese stuff, about $270USD on the current rate, not sure what freight from Oz would be though. The ADM is also 3mm larger on both venturis, a great carb on a Fiat.

[bradartigue]

I have once of them and none of the jets are marked - I had planned to rejet it completely but never got around to it. Some folks run them without resetting (on the 2L), seem happy enough. As to longevity, etc., who knows...these have not been out very long. They are at least as good in quality as the current crop of "Webers" but I'd rather see you run a real Italian Weber - get yours rebuilt.

[johnsje6]

I bought a Chinese ADF, along with an 1800 intake and have had them on my '79 for about 3,000 miles. After some initial problems with loose screws, have been very happy with the performance with the original jets (whatever size they are). As Brad has mentioned before, it is not something you would take to a car show to be judged on originality, but as a fair weather driver, it works for me, major improvement over the original.

[scrapironchef]

Brad - what's your opinion of the 32 vs the 34?

Larry

[bradartigue]

Brad - what's your opinion of the 32 vs the 34?

Larry

It's smaller. If they were both brand new and installed in the same way, same manifold, etc., the 34 would give you notably higher performance. Some things to consider:

The 32ADF installed on every FIAT car imported into the USA has pollution controls. You have to block them off (which takes about 2 seconds) or remove them and block the ports if you don't want them in the way. It is remarkably larger and more powerful carburetor than the thing that replaced it, the ADHA, in 1979 and anyone who installs a 32ADF on an 1800 manifold on a 1979 motor will see a 15 or so HP gain. It literally brings the car back to the performance level it should have had to begin with.

The 34ADF was sold as a performance upgrade through FIAT parts vendors. It is a big carburetor and had no pollution controls. They originally came with the port for the distributor drilled in them (and the Chinese one has it, at least mine does). Unless you find a 36ADL it is about as big as you can get without some of the dune buggy, synchronous Webers (DGAS for example). I don't know what the 34ADF helps to produce in terms of HP but I would guess you're getting well above 100HP, or 20 HP over stock with them. The 36ADL, by contrasts, packs enough punch to break U-joints...don't ask how I know.

In both cases these are more advanced carburetors than the "D" series (DMS, DFEV, etc.) While not as compact as the D these have a separate throttle body and mixture body, a longer run for the mixture. With a spacer (you'll need one typically as some 1800 manifolds sit funny) you'll find a nice torque curve with the A series.

Given the choice of all the carbs out there for the 2000 or 1800 I'd go with a 34ADF or 36ADL. They are at least as powerful as the 40IDF that many use (which are too small for anything but a 1608 if you ask me), dead reliable, and bring the Spider 2000 back to life.

The right combination is the 2000cc fuel injected or 1800cc head, and the 1800 intake manifold. On the 2000 block use the 2000 carbureted (1979) 4-2-1 or 2000 fuel injected (80-85) exhaust system. If the exhaust has the O2 sensor threading just block it off.

[scrapironchef]

Brad-

It may not be what you are saying but what I'm hearing argues strongly for buying the 34, the 32 I have has an unknown history and in your words will only bring the car up to what it should be, not what it could be. Going to the 36 would lead to drivetrain headaches I don't need, especially since my wife also drives this car.

I've spent a fair amount of money getting the head redone and I'm shelf aging a few more parts I'll be putting on, the 34 seems a low cost/medium low risk add to this project. I've read through the threads on the board and nothing seems to be a negative. I'm leaning towards buying the 34 and keeping my eyes peeled for a real one to rebuild at some point.

The only other item I need to add to the parts pile is a new exhaust manifold, it's amazing how they managed to do everything wrong for one year.

Larry

[bradartigue]

Brad-

It may not be what you are saying but what I'm hearing argues strongly for buying the 34, the 32 I have has an unknown history and in your words will only bring the car up to what it should be, not what it could be. Going to the 36 would lead to drivetrain headaches I don't need, especially since my wife also drives this car.

I've spent a fair amount of money getting the head redone and I'm shelf aging a few more parts I'll be putting on, the 34 seems a low cost/medium low risk add to this project. I've read through the threads on the board and nothing seems to be a negative. I'm leaning towards buying the 34 and keeping my eyes peeled for a real one to rebuild at some point.

The only other item I need to add to the parts pile is a new exhaust manifold, it's amazing how they managed to do everything wrong for one year.

Larry

Well sort of...I was being a bit sarcastic on the 36. You won't blow out U-joints with a powerful engine unless you drive like a knucklehead, which I did when I was in my 20s. Now I'm more refined, more mature...

I used the 36ADL because in 1999 you could buy them new and cheap - Bruce was selling them for under $300 back in the day (and 34ADFs were $500). They are the same basic carburetor, the 36 was just bigger. I look at it like this: get a new carburetor, preferably the 34ADF or 36ADL, and enjoy the thing.

As to getting everything wrong, I think the 79 was a stop gap because the fuel injected cars were not ready for prime time. Like most late 70s cars the smog stuff had more to do with EPA compliance than actual clean burning - a 79 with all of that garbage removed runs just as clean as one with it all there. These were good, efficient little engines and didn't need all of the stuff a nasty Chevy 350 needed to be clean - but the EPA made them install it all, the USA was the top market, and there you have it.

[707kevin]

I just did a "Make Offer" on one listed for 169.99. I offered 150 and it was excepted. (same seller that always has them on there)
$140 is probably worth a shot, the worst that happens is they say 'no', and then you try again at +$5

[3wheelernut]

Please keep us up to date on your experience. I don't want to hijack this but I have a 34 ADF on mine and just rebuilt it with a 32 kit from Bayless. I wasn't sure where to set the screws to so I just put them back where they were. Unfortunately it was a bad head gasket, not a running rich issue, so thats going to be my weekend next week, but does anyone have experience tuning the 34? Id really like to see how the Chinese one compares for longevity but if I have the original Id like it to be proper.

Thanks in advance.

[btoran]

i "made an offer" a few months ago (i think for $145) and it was accepted. the first one i received had a broken barb. they sent me a second one for free, which arrived with a different broken barb. they just don't pack them well for international shipping. i cobbled one good one together fromt he two they sent but couldn't get the car running witht he jets they supplied. i re-used the jets from my 32 adf and that does ok. lots more power than before but too rich, even turned down as much as i dare. i boguht a proper jet kit and will install over the winter.

[scrapironchef]

I pulled the trigger and offered $125, it was accepted quickly so I don't think we've seen the bottom price yet. I'll update when I get it.

[707kevin]

125? Nice!
What was the shipping cost?

[scrapironchef]

$35 Shipping

[85redpini]

3 out of 6 carbs we bought had a loose jet laying in the float bowl.
oem rebuilds are the better choice, especially for emissions locations

only one vendors sells rebuilds done by a major USA rebuilder.