1990 Wranger Carb Air Horn - what is it?

I have my 4.2L YJ in for repair and was told that the air horn on the carb is bent and the carb needs to be replaced.

What is the air horn? Where is it? Anyone have a pic?

TIA, George

1990 Wrangler 4.2L 1998 Ram 1500 5.9L 2000 SV650
Reply to
George J. McFadden
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The air horn is the part the air filter sits on with the wire loop for the nut stuck in it.

The bend is from the mold it was made in I believe.

Either that or the wire clip can actually compress the cast. I highly doubt that.

All the ones I can remember looking at are bent inward on the front side. It is flat and curves or bends in toward the center.

I haven't seen that cause any problems at all though.

Is your Jeep having issues running? A carb kit is only $20.00 and is easy to put in. I would 'sure' recommend you do that and see what happens before putting out $300.00 + for a carb.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

"George J. McFadden" wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

Thanks, Mike.

It has been running pretty rough, and I tried timing it and that didn't help. There is no leakage of fuel (dripping) from the idle tubes - seems to be running rich (or lean)... bogs down when I accelerate, recent noticeable lack of power. I tried to adjust the mixture but wasn't successful. I took it to my local shop - it kept dying on me when I would shift to 2nd (ran ok in 1st) and ended up towing it there. The local shop called and said the "air horn" was bent and that I needed a new carb - they said they are putting a Weber replacement in there.

Am I being scammed? I had just asked them to tune it - re-time the engine and re-adjust the fuel/air mix back to where it should be. When they told me the solution (new carb) I asked if they could just fix the old one and they said no.

Any advice?

Thanks, George

1990 Wrangler 4.2L 1998 Ram 1500 5.9L 2000 SV650

Mike Roma>

Reply to
George J. McFadden

A dirty gas filter can act like that.....

I don't know what to tell you without seeing it, but a bent air horn is BS in my opinion for the symptoms you are experiencing.

Those carbs are 'supposed' to get the $20.00 kit put in them every time you change spark plugs. It comes with a float needle and seat and a new accelerator pump.

As I said, if it was me I would put a kit in it. It isn't a difficult job to do and if the engine purrs again, you are ahead 3 or 4 hundred bucks. I can walk you through adjusting it easily.

Mike

"George J. McFadden" wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

Dag nab it! I am gonna give them a call right now.

I haven't ever done anything to the carb other than take out the idle tubes for cleaning when they start to drip. I don't change the plugs since I bought the torquemasters (with MSD-6 ignition and ACCEL Wires) and they don't seem to need much maintenance.

I have a bad feeling I am out $$$s. I will make sure they give the old carb and I will get it checked out at another shop.

Thanks, George

Mike Roma>

Reply to
George J. McFadden

Well I got the jeep back. New carb (Weber rebuilt) is in. Cost around $400. *#$J@!

They showed me the old Carter carb and they were right, the air horn WAS bent inwards. Not part of casting. They say it is due to tightening the cover of the air cleaner too much (I usually keep it tight to prevent dust and dirt from seeping in when 'wheeling). Hmmm, I guess....

Anyway, lo and behold, I get home and pop the hood to check out the work and there is a new carb all right, but also a new fuel filter!

Is this common? (to replace the fuel filter as part of this repair) or is this an indication I really didn't need a new carb - that the old one could have been tuned/rebuilt and I got screwed?

Opinions?

TIA, George

90 Wrangler 4.2L 98 Ram 1500 00 SV650

Mike Roma>

Reply to
George J. McFadden

It is standard procedure to replace the filter any time you replace or rebuild the carb. No sense in having a clean new/rebuilt carb if you're going to allow the filter to pass all kinds of junk into it.

Chris

Reply to
c

Especially if you were just guessing at the trouble. No since having the poor sucker really pissed when he figures out it was only a $5.00 part needed.....

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

c wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

I just went and checked mine which is the same as any others I have seen as far as I can remember. It is obviously warped.

The opening is D shaped. When I put a straight edge along the back of the D, it is 1.25 mm bent this way ) .

Mine purrs.

Hey maybe they are all 14 or more years old so they are all bent now, but I sure can make them purr just like mine.

I always change the $5.00 filter 'first', then if it's still sluggish I put a $20.00 kit in the carb.

Because of the dust/mud I drive in, I go through 1 or 2 gas filters a year. Some dirt is always falling in the tank filler when I open the cap. I also always carry a spare gas filter they plug that often.

No matter, you now have a Weber on there. Folks say they work well although the gas mileage is low with them I hear.

Mike

"George J. McFadden" wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

Yeah, hopefully George didn't get taken for parts he didn't really need, but at least the mechanic did replace the filter. It seems like some of the repair shops are beginning to have the ethics (or lack thereof) equal to most law firms.

Chris

Reply to
c

I just have a sense that I was taken to the cleaners.... I just have a bad feeling, you know? Shoot. And to think I once defended this shop... guess I learned my lesson.

I think I am going to investigate this some more.

Mike, do you have a pic of the top of your carb you can send me? I want to see if it looks like mine did. I am having trouble seeing why a bend in the top of the air horn would mean that it was not possible to put the $20 rebuild kit in it....

TIA, George

c wrote:

Reply to
George J. McFadden

It does sound shady George. There is no reason the carb couldn't be rebuilt because of a "bent" airhorn. Like Mike said, his is warped too. It is probably from the casting process used. I also can't imagine an air cleaner bolt being overtorqued having the capability of warping the airhorn, but it may be possible. If they did scam you on this, shame on them. Especially since it sounds like you have been a repeat customer of theirs. Good, honest repair shops are hard to find these days, and the ones that are honest seem to have to defend what they do all the time because most people have been scammed at one time or another and they simply don't trust the shops anymore.

Chris

Reply to
c

Reply to
L.W.(ßill)

Does that mean all the warped ones I see are bent Bill?

I was thinking the later ones, the Carter-Weber ones just had a crappie mold.

I still don't see how the 1.25 mm bend I see in them will affect the running in any major way though.

It certainly won't cause it to bog down as soon as it needs power or prevent a kit from being successfully installed....

Mike

"L.W.(ßill) Hughes III" wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

My digital camera just decided it didn't want to read floppy disks. I just found my cleaner floppy, but darned if I can find the lighter fluid or rubbing alcohol to use for a cleaner and dry didn't work.

I will get a photo and send it to you as soon as I can, likely tomorrow or my nephew had a digital, maybe he will drop by.

Mine 'really' looks warped though....

Mike

"George J. McFadden" wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

Mike Romain did pass the time by typing:

Vodka :)

Reply to
DougW

Thanks, Mike. I appreciate the help.

I am not going to let this go if I am being scammed. I already have the BBB complaint form page bookmarked!

George

90 Wrangler 4.2L

Mike Roma>

Reply to
George J. McFadden

My carb was bent from the Valoline Oil change place tightening the air filter too much. My mechanic has still been able to keep this carb running though.

I have replaced the carb twice, and both times the fuel filter was replaced also.

-Mark '89 YJ

Reply to
Mark12211

Most I see are bent pretty good. Here is a shot of mine:

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Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Mark12211 wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

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