SU Carburetor Removal

I’ve finally had the time to try to remove the carbuetors from the '62. I’ve already hit the first blockade. Everyone talks about how hard it is to remove them and now I know why. I can’t even get a wrench on the back carburetor, lower nut. Even an open wrench it too long to get a bite on the nut without hitting the firewall. I don’t want to have to remove the entire fuel delivery system and remove the carbs by taking off the entire intake manifold, just to get to one carbuetor. Has anyone removed just the back carburetor? How have they accessed the rear lower nut? Sawed off wrench and a 7 year old kid (small hands)?

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Scott Booth
'62 OTS

Stubby combination wrenches.

Regards,
Ray L.

Let me know what works, please.

You can buy open wrenches with different offsets than the standard combination wrench. Also curved obstruction wrenches and of course stubby ones. I have many half inch wrenches. They are invaluable on these cars.

However I would be unbolting the fuel rail and getting it out of the way anyhow. How else would you pull the carb backward off the studs once it’s loose?

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The first thing you should buy are a set of kevlar sleeves to protect your forearms when you are removing the lower nuts.

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You just need to be patient when advancing a 12 point closed end wrench one flat at a time. And a comfortable creeper allows for a quick power nap between hand cramp time-outs.
Some throwaway wrenches can be optimally shortened for use, angled heads help too.
Developing a high level of perseverance will prove invaluable on a variety of Jag-jobs: rear caliper bleeding, fuel tank, starter, oil sump removal, ride height adjustment (aka torsion bars).
Just trying to cheer you up Scott

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Let’s all be thankful they aren’t water cooled.

It’s even harder in a RHD car because you have the pedal box in the way.

See here for my experiences.

I have done this a few times with my '66. There is access with a short stubby wrench as others have mentioned. Just enough room to loosen it. Cheers.

David,

Very astute observations. A beer helps half way through, of course. I didn’t have any stubbies in the tool box, so i had to go out and buy some, however, patience is necessary since, it is a blind approach to the lower rear nut. Someone, somewhere said 20 minutes to get the whole carburetor off. Since I don’t have the hands of a child, it took me a half hour just to get that nut off. Some lessons learned; follow the manual’s directions at removing the throttle and choke linkages first. Clears some room for your right hand to reach under the carb and place the wrench head on the nut. Also, remove the float chamber when you disconnect the fuel line. Again, creates some room for my fat hands.

Now the challenge will be to put it all back on correctly when the rebuild is done.

Thanks everyone for your advice and counsel.

Scott

Further, somewhat foolish observations

I have full distal hyperextensibility. it comes in handy occasionally.

As the International Man of Mystery would say, “Oh behave!”

FTW! …:joy::joy::joy::joy::joy::joy::joy::joy::joy::joy:

Oy vey…!

I took a hacksaw to an old open end wrench and cut it down to about 3" total length. It was a tedious process, but I was able to remove and replace all three carbs. I removed the throttle linkage and vacuum manifold to gain more room.