1966 140 secondary carb linkage

[jmcasaleiz@gmail.com]

Hello,
We've only had our car six months and still finding things I don't understand. Recently discovered that my secondary carb linkage doesn't have the springs that show in all the photo's. Somewhere along the line they have been replace with metal sleeves that are about the same length. I don't know why but the car seems to run fine although my driving experience in Corvairs is limited to our car. Should I replace the sleeves with the proper springs? Can you explain the purpose of the springs? Thank you all so much, Duke

[Brizo]

Many people didnt like the feel of the springs. The solid sleeves felt more positive and were more likely to overcome any tendency of the secondaries to stick closed. Just make sure the secondaries open fully when the throttle if floored, or you may need to alter the length of the sleeves.

[jimbrandberg]

I prefer the metal sleeves. The springs can be a little inconsistent on when and at what rate the carburetors open.
The springs were a way for the Primary carburetors to open when the lock-outs on the Secondaries were still being held closed by the chokes.
Jim Brandberg
Isanti, MN
CorvairRepair.com

[rlp11]

Hi Duke

You have a mix of my Full Bearing linkage for the primary's and then the stock-ish looking linkage for the secondary's.

That is an older linage kit. I stop using Hex rod for the down rods eight years ago.

Yes the springs and tubes are for the secondary choke lock outs but your choke lock out linkage has been removed on your secondary carbs. No need for the springs or tubes.

I can put together a 1965 secondary kit for you at a reasonable price. So you would them have a complete linkage setup.

PM me or email me and we can talk.

[66vairguy]

Hi Duke

You have a mix of my Full Bearing linkage for the primary's and then the stock-ish looking linkage for the secondary's.

That is an older linage kit. I stop using Hex rod for the down rods eight years ago.

Yes the springs and tubes are for the secondary choke lock outs but your choke lock out linkage has been removed on your secondary carbs. No need for the springs or tubes.

I can put together a 1965 secondary kit for you at a reasonable price. So you would them have a complete linkage setup.

PM me or email me and we can talk.

As Jim B. said -- the tubes are more positive but require the secondary carburetor "CHOKE ON/ LOCKED SECONDARY LINKAGE" mechanism must be disabled or the linkage will be bent/damaged. A club buddy made that mistake!. What a mess to fix.

I HIGHLY recommend Roger Parents linkage and using the 65 style he suggests. I kept my 66 secondary tops, with DISABLED secondary lockout linkage, and wanted to use the positive 65 style linkage. Roger worked with me and I ended up with a great working linkage. Roger did not charge me for the extra time he spent on the phone to make a custom setup. Great person to work with. A bonus is the linkage looks good and I like showing it to the Porsche folks.

[Phil Dally]

Roger has it right...go with the 65 set up.

Ditch those stupid choke tabs and springs.

Just did same to Gem...came out bitchen.

[1949chevy]

I just recently sold my 65 RP 140 linkage to someone in Iowa that posts a lot on the two forums. The only fault I saw in the setup was I had to take some of the main clamps off the cross bar and file them down so they closed tight. They were slipping even tightened down as far as they would go. My fix fixed the problem.
The reason I sold the linkage was I left our car show 30 miles away at dusk and about 5 miles into the trip home, the gas pedal would only go about 1/3 of the way down. Then another 3 or so miles it would only go down enough only to let me do 30 miles per hour. I had pulled over and found the down rod on the driver side was hitting carb and not allowing it to travel very far. I straightened it up and tightened it down...I did this 2 times before arriving close to home but still could only go 30 miles per hour after about 1/4 mile. The car was very very slow. When I got about 2 miles from home on the most traveled road in town, the gas pedal would not even go a fraction of an inch down. I was lucky, I coasted into the only empty space at at the pancake house. I took the down rod completely off in darkness with very dim light and tightened it down and reinstalled it and made it to take Maria home, then chanced me going home. It made it with a partial gas pedal. I SWORE THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. The next day, I reinstalled the original linkage and with my different modified linkage have never looked back. It works great. All 4 carbs open wide open. In fairness to RP, the problem was not his fault, I had switched main carbs and had not removed the choke stuff from the right side carb and that was what the linkage was hanging up on. Even though I knew this before taking the linkage off...I was just so P O'd at my nightmare coming home as was my girlfriend.
You can see my modified linkage. I used to have the spacers but found this method you see as working much better and it is adjustable.

[jmcasaleiz@gmail.com]

Thanks to all for all the great information and feedback provided, a grateful Corvair novice!

[66vairguy]

The Roger Parent linkage has MANY adjustments and I've helped a couple club members get theirs sorted. That said I've never had one slip. I did worry that the clamps might slip and was thinking of buying a rod knurling tool, but so far I haven't had an issue. If you do over tighten the clamps the will stretch and become damaged!!

Anybody else had issue with the RP clamps slipping??? Anybody knurled the rod surface were the clamp tightens????

[1949chevy]

When I was grinding/filing the openings bigger, those clamps were easily bent and bent out of shape, not sure but my money is on they are made in China...I think I put a magnet to them and it would not stick.
I don't know how ANYONE could stretch them that far with the tiny hex head in that 1/4 inch bolt...and if they did, they did NOT have enough clearance to begin with...!

[rlp11]

Hi All

I have had the rod arm slip a couple times and what I found was the clamps were not tightened enough. Maybe I need to change steel alloys. Out of 800 linkage kits I have made I have only had 7 reports of slipping clamps. Aside from welding or Knurling any ideas on how to stop this. Both of these look terrible.

In the car 08-18-19 --02600x450.JPG (132.58 KiB) Viewed 282 times

This linkage has 7 rod arms and all are tight and no slip. (my daily driver)

All parts in my linkage kits are American made. Except the Heim Joints they are China, I think, but are of high quality.

Thanks

[1949chevy]

Roger, its Jimmy in Asheville...you probably remember me for two months I could not get your linkage to open all 4 carbs...they would only open 1/2 throttle or less...I had sent you about 20 very high quality photos and you had told me I had installed the linkage as it should be. Then one day, I discovered that if I kept pushing very hard on the linkage it did just fine. After crawling under the car many times and not finding anything, I discovered that the helper springs from Clarks was keeping your linkage and the original linkage from opening more that half throttle and the day I fixed the problem I called you or emailed you and told you I finally got your linkage to open all 4 carbs by removing those helper springs. Then one day much much later on... weeks or months, you had the same problem and mentioned by removing the helper springs also fixed your opening problem...now do you remember me?

One easy fix Roger is to make the clamp opening where the bolt goes thru about 3/16 larger. The clamp ends were touching before they got tight. I could grab the clamp and turn it with my hand with some force. Another fix is to make the clamps thicker to make them stronger. They are very flimsy. I would say the weakest link is those clamps. Also, if you never have to remove the carbs or their settings, the down rods are fine, but if you have to remove the carbs or adjust the sync of the carbs, those rods do come loose and that was my problem coming back home from that car show. The nuts came loose and the rod swiveled and became lodged on the carb choke linkage I had failed to remove after checking a bad carb? by switching sides. One more fix Roger you will not like...make the cross bar from carb to carb about 1/16 plus in thicker...LOL.

A lot of folks probably did what I did Roger...they opened up the clamps to not close up when you tightened them...I did not tell you I had that problem until today and I am sure there are many Corvair owners like me that fix it and say NOTHING. So saying only 7 or so have complained is not an accurate amount believe me. Today is the 1st time I have mentioned these clamps ever...! After building 3 street rods from the ground up, cutting the frames and welding in Monte Carlo clips and NONE ever even needing an alignment, opening a little clamp about 3/16 more was a NOTHING.

Keep producing your stuff...I see more items that I wished I had seen before buying else where

Jimmy

[Spectre]

Hi All

I have had the rod arm slip a couple times and what I found was the clamps were not tightened enough. Maybe I need to change steel alloys. Out of 800 linkage kits I have made I have only had 7 reports of slipping clamps. Aside from welding or Knurling any ideas on how to stop this. Both of these look terrible.

In the car 08-18-19 --02600x450.JPG
This linkage has 7 rod arms and all are tight and no slip. (my daily driver)

All parts in my linkage kits are American made. Except the Heim Joints they are China, I think, but are of high quality.

Thanks

I love that 6 carb setup.

[66vairguy]

Clark's helper springs are not required for primary carburetors IF the linkage is in good shape as the main throttle linkage spring (firewall to linkage) will close the primaries via the linkage. The secondaries ONLY close via the accelerator pump springs. Yes the secondary pump spring has a slightly higher spring tension, but not by much. I found using the Clark's helper springs worked well on my secondaries and don't overwhelm the throttle linkage like using helper springs on all four carburetors.

The 140HP engine linkage is known for the problem of NOT opening the carburetors fully. I found most of the loss of travel was in the "toothed" washer (Clark's C548R) in the bellcrank under the rear seat floor pan that compresses a LOT. davemotohead said he used a solid walled piece of hose to replace the Clark's toothed bushing to fix the problem. I made up a solid rubber part and now ALL four carburetors open fully. I'll add I noticed no increase in vibration at the "gas pedal".

[aj_ed]

I would love to find pictures like this of the early 65 140 set-up. All the pics I have are taken too far away,
or show very little of the stock secondary linkage. I am looking at the throttle links and all 4 are supposed to be different. My links are all mostly the same (4.0" end to end), but have been rebent to whatever. The ends of the links are worn half way through so need replacing. I am mocking up the linkage while waiting for my heads.
I want to use Roger's set-up, but want to get everything right with the new engine first.
If anyone has a set of usable rods, I will take them. Also will be getting new secondary long rods, as the ends going into the "rainbow" slots are badly worn. I would buy new, if I can find them, but saving my dollars for the New linkage Roger has.

Ed in Wildomar, Ca
1965 Corsa
2nd owner since 1971

[pete]

I have what you need, my 65 with 4000 miles is all original as new, PM sent. Good day, pete