Fiat Dino Forum (FDF)

I have a 1967 Dino spider and I’ve been told that the 3 Weber carbs need to be rebuilt. They are asking $5,500. I have never paid for carbs to be rebuilt (only serviced) and so don’t have a good gauge on costs. Is this reasonable?

Seems far too expensive - factor 3.

What’s wrong with your carbs?

Having idle problems (warm idle stalling) and they are leaking fuel onto the engine. I just bought the spider and have limited records so not sure when they were last refurbished.

Hi DinoinATL,
Your Dino Spider is a first series with 40 DCN carburettors?
My following thoughts on your carbs matter / pricing are valid for Germany. No idea about pricing in the US.
Just buying a complete set of all required seals and valves and jets for a simple refurbishment will cost EUR 100-120.
Check here: https://di-michele.net/web.aspx?PageID=1761
If you would do the work yourself that’s your cost.
If you would have to change the internal jets, these are expensive.
A complete turnkey refurbishment of all three carburettors incl. material will cost EUR 1200-1600.
5500 USD, to me, seems more than a lot, unless hourly rates in the US are >USD 200/h.
My thoughts on your leaking problem: It can be just as simple as a loose screw, a missing or torn O-ring, a worn seal, a worn and hanging floater valve. If you take away the air filter housing and just engage the fuel pump or start the engine, can you identify where fuel leaks?
The warm idle stalling can relate to the carbs, but it could also be a combination of ignition system issues and carbs.
Is your ignitions distributor well serviced and are the valves correctly adjusted?
Would be nice to know your name. Many of the users here sign with their name and not just use an alias.
Georg

Thanks Georg for the comprehensive response. My name is Dennis. After speaking to several individuals, I’m going to pursue other options. Dinoparts will do a refurb for around $2k on the three carbs. The mechanic that works on my Porsche has also offered to look at them (not the one that quoted me $5500). Not sure I have the courage to buy the kits and attempt to do it myself. I’m good at oil changes and tune-ups but taking the carbs apart feels too ambitious for my skills.

Dennis, I take the liberty to express a recommendation. The Dino, in particular its engine, is not a simple car. Try to get familiar with it, be competent when it comes to more than just oil change. It may save you money and nerves. When it comes to spare parts, compare different suppliers. There can be significant differences in pricing. Some suppliers take you to the cleaner’s.
If the car has not come with a documented servicing history, invest some initial money, take it to a trustworthy mechanic and have the engine analyzed. Compression. Valve clearnce. Ignition timing. Ignition distributor serviced? Correct spark plugs? Correct coolant fluid (in warmer countries cars are often run without antifreeze liquid, which is also an important anti corrosion protection).
Check this forum, many topics relating to Dino engines have been covered over the years.
Enjoy your Dino, it’s a great car.
Georg

Hi Dennis,
I live in the US and can tell you $5.5k to rebuild 3 Weber carbs is daylight robbery.
These are very simple carbs. There are several Weber carb parts places in the US. You have to dig around a bit as many don’t carry the older series parts.
I’m in our Portugal home right now, so I cannot tell you who I bought my rebuild kits from. But I know the kits cost about $130 which included shipping. Buy only Genuine Weber kits.
Your car is already running, so it probably doesn’t have unleaded fuel issues of cars stored for a long time with draining or stabilizers.
Just take your time, remove the air filter and take pics of where every hose and cable goes. Use masking tape and number each connection of the cables and hose.
Remove the throttle linkage on the carbs, these are simple ball and sockets.take your time and photos.
Remove the fuel line in one piece, watch where the washers go on the banjo joints.
Then remove and number each carb so that they go back in the same place. This is actually not really necessary as each carb is identical. Use a small box for each carb to keep track of everything.
Before you remove any adjustment screw, count the turns to completely seat them and note it for each carb. They’re probably all within a 1/4 turn between each carb.
You can leave most linkages in place, but if you were completely stripping them for replating you have to disassemble them. It’s not necessary to do that, the car won’t go any faster.
Then slowly remove the top of the carb and start identifying the components. There is a lot of info online for these carbs including some rebuild videos. Just keep all the parts for each carb separate.
A really good tool for this kind of work is an inexpensive sonic cleaner.
I use the one from Harbor Freight.
All my moto and car carbs have had time in the spa, you would be amazed at the cleaning g ability of this inexpensive tool.
Blow all the orifices dry with your airline, keep a tight hold, you don’t want anything flying out of your hand and under the workbench. Leave everything overnight and reverse the process, take your time based on your quote you will save about $500/hr.
If you can change oil, replace plugs set points, you can do this job.
The very worst case is, you can take you 3 separate boxes of carbs to a rebuilder, but you won’t need to.
Go slow, and you’ll have no problems.
Michael

I second it being doable by yourself; my first serious mechanical job on a car was rebuilding the carbs of the Dino (including changing the bearings) and it ran afterwards, like it never did before (in a good way )...

Gaelicguy wrote: ↑Sun May 12, 2024 9:38 am A really good tool for this kind of work is an inexpensive sonic cleaner.

It is a great tool then cleaning carbs, but a note of caution, although I am not sure if this is applicable with the 2 ltr. carb. On the 2.4 air can/will be trapped in the channels, which may cause the plugs closing the channels to come loose. This will cause fuel to poor, and I mean really poor, out over the hot engine. Ask me how I know...

A good point on the plugs in the carbs. I have probably done 50 different carbs for cars and motos. I never used the heater and don’t usually have the carb in for more than 10 minutes. I’ve done Webers, Solex and lots of Japanese and Italian moto carbs( they have plugs everywhere) so far no problems.
Just don’t overdo it. Carbs that have issues with incrustation due to ethanol fuels, I soak in a bucket of carb cleaner first. It’s a strong chemical, but formulated for all alloys.
Then sonic to remove everything else.
M

Gaelicguy wrote: ↑Mon May 13, 2024 2:46 pm A good point on the plugs in the carbs. I have probably done 50 different carbs for cars and motos. I never used the heater and don’t usually have the carb in for more than 10 minutes. I’ve done Webers, Solex and lots of Japanese and Italian moto carbs( they have plugs everywhere) so far no problems.
Just don’t overdo it. Carbs that have issues with incrustation due to ethanol fuels, I soak in a bucket of carb cleaner first. It’s a strong chemical, but formulated for all alloys.
Then sonic to remove everything else.
M

Fair point on the heat, that may have played a part (50 C by memory). However, I have done similar on different carbs and had no issues, just with the Dino. I was told this is a specific issue with the DCNF. Either way, good to be aware of.