IDAs, Venturis and intake valves...

[FJCamper]

Hi Madmike!

There you go blurting out speed secrets!

Might as well give them the rest of the story.

FJC

[ecksrash]

Wouldn't the rest of the story also include the diameter of the exhaust valve in relation to the venturi, intake valve and exhaust runner diameter?? Haven't we gotten off subject as well?? I built my 2276 for my full bodied ghia, which is heavier than an early beetle. Since my ghia is no where close to being road worthy I decided to install the 2276 in my '67 sedan. Still being a full bodied car with all the trim on it I feel that the engine would benefit from having a smaller diameter exhaust... moving the power band lower rather than higher. I could be wrong...

[Piledriver]

It probably depends on where the rest of the combo makes power.

If the cam and heads are done at 6K, its senseless to put a exhaust sized and tuned for 8500 on it.

Its sorta like cam suggestions: Find the one in the catalog that you want, then buy the one a step or two milder.
You will be FAR happier on the street with a little less than too much cam.

[britegreenVWSB]

Is it possible to set the IDA float bowls "close enough" w/o any of the recommended tools?

[Marc]

There're a few ways you can "fake it". With the top removed, turn the carburetor upside down and use calipers or a rule to measure how far the float (on either side of its center seam) hangs below the gasket surface and tweak the float tang to achieve the 5½-6mm measurement.

You could just go ahead and make the measurement tools like Bruce2 did - scroll down about 1/3 of the way in this thread at T.O.S. for pictures showing them in use: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=242163

With the carb in place you can measure the fuel level "live"...if you remove one of the main jet stacks, you can probe the fuel well until the probe tip hits fuel, then measure from the fuel level to the floor of the area the stacks screw into....43mm is about right.

You can also compare the levels between the carbs in place by using a light probe (a broomstraw's good) dropped through the hole above the float until it makes contact...make a reference mark on it with a Sharpie and repeat on the other carb.