Dellorto or Weber ?

[Tubolare Zagato]

Dear members,

I would like your opinion on this question as i know that all of you have some experience for each of these brands or better a combined experience for both brands. Let's not talk about popularity or availability of spare parts because we are living in different countries. Let's talk only about performance and reliability.

[papajam]

I can't comment on the reliability of the Dellortos since I have no experience with them but as far as Webers are concerned, I've found that once they are properly adjusted, they go out of tune about as often as the valves go out of adjustment. Which is to say the Webers may need to be readjusted every couple of years.

[67GTV]

I have a friend that said the same thing about his Dellortos. Aren't Dellortos essentially copies of Webers? Strictly speaking of DCOE class carbs.

[djone101]

Both are common over here and the general opinion is that the Dellorto whilst a copy of the Weber is actually a better design solution. However Weber are still the best known name and so are the most desirable.

I don't think you'll see a measurable performance difference between the two if they are correctly set up. As Jim said they don't really vary once set.

I'm sure that if there was a significant difference then Alfa would not have dual sourced them.

[pauldyworth]

Firstly I'll admit this isnt my opinion as I only enjoy my Alfa, I dont though, know a great deal about what goes on behind the scenes. Instead it is something I've now heard from 3 qualified sources. Each reckons the Dellorto for road use as the better bet, as it holds onto its tune for longer than the Weber. Paradoxically though its Webers you see on all race cars, why? - Dellorto stopped production over 10years ago.

[Takis]

You should read the book 'How to build & power tune Weber & Dellorto DCOE & DHLA carburators' by Des Hamill.
Inside this book you will find all the answers to your questions.
My personal preferance are Webers because i find them much more easier to adjust due to their simplicity against Dellortos even though both carbs do the same thing , though i believe that either carburator if tuned well for the given car will stay tuned for a long time.
Whether you choose Weber or Dellorto the key is to tune each one for the given car.

[67GTV]

So theoretically you could run one Weber and one Dellorto on the same engine?

[John M]

For carbs I see it like this:

Weber = Dellorto > Solex > Mikuni/SK Racing PHH

I, like Papa, have had no experience with Dellortos. My assumption is that they are both readily the same in performance and reliability when comparing Webers and Dellortos. I can attest that the Webers stay in tune. And for that matter are extremely easy to rejet and tune. I have also heard that the new production Weber DCOEs have some new enhancements as compared to their predecessor. For me it all boils down to the ease of accessibility of parts and jets. And here in the US, its Weber that wins that category.

I will also add to stay away from the SK Racing/Mikuni derivatives as they are substandard as compared to Weber/Dellorto in reliability.

Best Regards,
John M

[NikosF]

Quote:

Originally posted by 67GTV So theoretically you could run one Weber and one Dellorto on the same engine?

[fangthorpe]

I've probably installed 100 sets each of Dellortos and Webers, mostly on BMWs and Mercedes 190SLs in the '70s. Then, they were the same price and availability, but for whatever reason we leaned toward the Dellortos. I remember the primary advantage being a much greater range of idle screw adjustment. A tiny movement on a Weber gives greater change than the Dellorto. Easier to tune the Dellortos. Also something about being able to fiddle with the volume of the acelerator pump shot without rejetting, but I can't remember. Top end seemed the same, but we could never get the really big venturis for the Dellortos, like the 58 Webers, for the racecars. We had 2 55 gallon drums in the corner and whoever took the sidedraft Solexes off the BMW 1800 TI or MBZ 190SL or Alfa 2000 got to throw them at the barrels from across the shop. My kid's 50cc Italian gokart has a Dellorto. Did they quit making the big carbs?

[fgc]

Was wondering the same about dellortos vs webers. I remember talking to an experienced alfa mechanic who once told me that he personally prefers dellortos because he said something about it being better to tune or something like that... that he can play with it more than with the webers. Didnt understand what he meant but given what fangthorpe said it kind of make sense now

fgc
67 spider veloce webers 40dcoe32

[franco975]

in the same position, but the webbers have a more raspy sound how would you get that with the dellortos?

[enri]

most delortos i have seen have been on later models and use bearings on the main shaft which never wear, instead of a bushes which can leak air.

i reckon it sounds (and looks) better to say you have webers, but the car should sound the same

[60sRacer]

My '67 Webers have ball bearings on the throttle shaft. Hand lube with white lithium, add a leather washer from the rebuild kit as the outside seal. Can't imagine they went backward in later production.

Robert

[Bill S]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 60sRacer My '67 Webers have ball bearings on the throttle shaft. Hand lube with white lithium, add a leather washer from the rebuild kit as the outside seal. Can't imagine they went backward in later production. Robert