Gold FFM Sparky Posted September 7, 2021 Gold FFM Report Share Posted September 7, 2021 Did an A service on an '87 TE today. When it arrived I did smell fumes, so checked the breathers and found them in pieces. No replacement in stock, so agreed they'd be ordered and the car returned for fitting. Pretty much at the end of the job, I was topping up the geabox through the boot, and something caught my eye. Watch carefully... TE fuel leak.mp4 So, carb rebuild kit etc. on order! Reminder to self: always stick hand under carbs on every car, whatever the job. 1 4 Quote British Fart to Florida, Nude to New York, Dunce to Denmark, Numpty to Newfoundland. And Shitfaced Silly Sod to Sweden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giniw Posted September 7, 2021 Report Share Posted September 7, 2021 Wow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM tomcattom Posted September 7, 2021 Gold FFM Report Share Posted September 7, 2021 I had to watch that twice. A literal case of blink and I missed it! Quote Norfolk Mustard S4s #1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM Barrykearley Posted September 7, 2021 Gold FFM Report Share Posted September 7, 2021 Woof 1 Quote Only here once Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowrx Posted September 8, 2021 Report Share Posted September 8, 2021 This is why my carbs and distributor are in the attic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Coleman Posted September 12, 2021 Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 Everything leaks when it gets old Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choppa Posted September 12, 2021 Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 (edited) @Sparky, Seeing the video clip reminded me of the dribble I had from the carbs on mine which you sorted a few years ago. Do you think this is a similar problem, i.e. worn float needle valves rather than anything to do with fuel lines? Also, even though I generally use "super" do you have any thoughts on E10 fuel and the lifetime of those breather pipes? Do you think they will expire even quicker? I bet mine are nice and crispy and in several pieces if I peeled back the carpet on the bulkhead and had a look. Edited September 12, 2021 by Choppa Quote Normally Aspirated - and lovin' it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM Sparky Posted September 12, 2021 Author Gold FFM Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 On this occasion, I believe the diaphragm is split. All will be revealed next week when it returns! 1 Quote British Fart to Florida, Nude to New York, Dunce to Denmark, Numpty to Newfoundland. And Shitfaced Silly Sod to Sweden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdoom Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 Is it only now that the UK is E10 going into widespread use? It's been so long that North America went that way it's hard to recall whether that was the reason we concluded upgrade was necessary for much of the OEM lines, etc. For many years prior to that there had been reformulations of fuel versus earlier times, including MBTE oxygenate/octane booster and higher distillate solvents to mitigate fouling of injectors and valves. I believe concerns over here date back to those earlier changes to fuel. The case for upgrade of all perishable bits in the fuel systems is made on age alone for most of our cars, in any case. Cheers 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM Sparky Posted September 22, 2021 Author Gold FFM Report Share Posted September 22, 2021 Car returned for carb rebuild today. It had not spontaneously combusted; I like to think my field fix helped. Another episode of Columbo ensued. 3 hours to get the plenum off. I presented a socket to one of the plenum bolts and the head fell off. No problem, take all the others out and slide it off the shank. No chance, seized solid. Can't rotate the plenum as the trumpets are in the way. Spent ages soaking it, shocking it, swearing at it (that shocked it too), going at what I thought was corrosion with a Dremel, but no dice. So the only option (I didn't have a spare inlet gasket) was to remove the carbs and plenum as an assembly. First time I've had to do this, and it's irksome. Turns out the 'corrosion' is - yet again - some kind of filler. Seems someone in the past has sheared it, thought about drilling it and finally just stuck the head back on with JB Weld or whatever. No amount of (careful) prying will move it, and I'm pretty reluctant to use heat. At this stage I still think I have a simple task, so didn't break out the heavy equipment. No chance of a centre (at this point I have NO intention of drilling through this!) , so started drilling the 'filler'. That wasn't a smart move. Seems this thing is bound up all the way through the plenum drilling. Finally got a mini cutting disc in there and cut the bolt between plenum and backplate. No damage to speak of to the plenum, but the backplate will need building up a little. So, off to the press. After several tons, gave up as I was getting nervous about the casting. So today it will be going in the drill press. That'll be fun. Had to crack on with the carbs, which were pretty bad. They're done and refitted, so today I'll be sorting his breather pipes and having a crack at sorting the plenum. On a bright note, no silicon was found. 1 4 Quote British Fart to Florida, Nude to New York, Dunce to Denmark, Numpty to Newfoundland. And Shitfaced Silly Sod to Sweden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM Sparky Posted September 22, 2021 Author Gold FFM Report Share Posted September 22, 2021 Given the mess left by whoever had last played with this, even in the drill press it was impossible to guide the bits accurately. Nevertheless, I finally managed to drill out a fair proportion of the bolt, and managed to drift out what was left - which wasn't much, as evidenced by the photo. I haven't posted a pic of the plenum, as it's before the watershed and nervous owners may be watching. I will need to build up and profile a bit of the plenum, and a tiny bit on the mating face of the backplate tomorrow, which will hopefully be the end of it. Can't wait to see the back of this one. 1 Quote British Fart to Florida, Nude to New York, Dunce to Denmark, Numpty to Newfoundland. And Shitfaced Silly Sod to Sweden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM Sparky Posted September 23, 2021 Author Gold FFM Report Share Posted September 23, 2021 Sorted! Happy owner drove away today. 1 Quote British Fart to Florida, Nude to New York, Dunce to Denmark, Numpty to Newfoundland. And Shitfaced Silly Sod to Sweden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eds Posted September 23, 2021 Report Share Posted September 23, 2021 2 hours ago, Sparky said: Sorted! Happy owner drove away today. Muttering his Arnie impression, cos he knows he will be...... Quote Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM Sparky Posted September 23, 2021 Author Gold FFM Report Share Posted September 23, 2021 What, getting to the chopper? Quote British Fart to Florida, Nude to New York, Dunce to Denmark, Numpty to Newfoundland. And Shitfaced Silly Sod to Sweden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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