On The Road Problems - March 2005
On The Road Problems - March 2005
Well, Daisy has been running ok recently, but, as we all know by now, she can be a wee bit temperamental at times. This is one of those times. A very strong smell of petrol was coming from Daisy, when I put her in the garage. Didn't notice it while she was out in the fresh air. Moving her out of the garage the next morning, and there it was. A puddle on the floor. It was not very big, but, I didn't want to take any chances. So, off to work in the Saab, and Daisy gets the day off.
Well, there is petrol everywhere.... the engine bay stinks. The source was not hard to find. The fuel pump. Although now, it was more of a 'fuel spraying device' rather than a pump!
It was not too difficult to fix, basically, the filter was clogged, and the rubber seal had died. What was happening was that petrol was building up inside, due to the filter not allowing enough through, it was then escaping from the sides, and the top nut hole.
The result was petrol leaking VERY close to the exhaust manifold.
Time for a clean up.
Hmm...... lid was in a state. Light wire brush should do the trick.
The filter.... was a bugger to lift from the pump. Using a stanley knife did the trick though. Its in a fairly bad way, but can be rescued. It is only a build up of impurities that have got in somehow to the fuel. Again, a slight/soft wire brush cleaned it up well. And now, I can actually see through it!!
One thing that I will mention, Daisy's fuel pump had a screw fitted to the pump lid. Standard flat screw driver type. Given the position of the fuel pump in the engine bay, it was bloody difficult to get to this screw. Not only that, but all the references in the books I have, (see black and white images above) refer to this being a bolt. Which would make more sense, as its a lot easier to get a spanner in there, than a screw driver. Anyhow, managed to get a new rubber seal, and the bolt/nut for pennies from a fellow restorer. It took me 25minutes to get my 'screw' off, and 30seconds to tighten the bolt. Job done. Daisy no longer leaks petrol.