Faffing around with fuel..... part IV

What I forgot to say between parts II & III is that I did try again to start the car after the first successful attempts some days later.
It would not start. never, No way.
The cause...........................bad fuel !

Remember I don't have an unleaded head. The fuel was about 10/14  days old. I should ahve known since it was a light tea colour. I dismissed this as mild contam from the plastic ( approved) container I'd previously had Diesel in.
After some research ont tinterweb I found out that fuel loses quite an amount of its octane rating if its just stood, particularly if its small amounts like less than 2 litres.
That's the reason it won't start.....................I'm sure........ish.

One tip I can pass on for all would be restorers of MG's is use a site called BBS.
Its a web ring for MG car restorers and has the best ever Forum. Post any question, General or Technical and your guaranteed to get some sound and experienced advice.
This is the link >BBS Forum   You have to register ( its free and very easy with NO commercial spam/hassles.

Its them who assisted me with my spring conundrum ( yet to be resolved- replacement wise).
Apologies for the delay in getting to the point of the thread. You knew we'd get there in the end though didn't you ?

I have a spare day from Uni/Placement Friday. So, before the big match and work in the p.m I'll put on the new fuel pump, replace the oil cooler pipe with a new one, replace the oil gauge engine block connector, re tighten cylinder head bolt, renew fan belt, set tappet clearances and renew the old wrinkly engine bay fuel pipe, get some new fuel and have another go at starting her up in attempt to find if the alternators charging and the leaks have stopped.

To keep you Interested here's  pictures of new and old fuel pumps.

 p.s I also have yet to finish fitting the new copper brake pipes from rear to front and front to L & R.
So thats enough to keep me busy for a while.
More trials and tribulations soon.

Faffing around with fuel part III

The fuel then. After the last attempt I decided to leave the car a week to concentrate on Academic matters (Exams). Next attempt saw me spill fuel several times over the inner engine bay in an attempt to re-use the same plastic bottle/funnel arrangement. The the rubber hose perished and leaked like a sieve. Fuel spill again.
Engine turnover wobbled mounting of bottle, Fuel spill again.
The fuel did look a rather darker shade of brown from the last success full attempt though. It had been stored in the old plastic approved storage can thingy ( except it once held diesel).
The car would not start using its own battery as it gradually died. Connected up jump leads and still not starting. Employed daughter raise revs on wifeys donor car  and still no start, so I gave up for now.




Some time later.
 I emptied the water system by undoing the bottom hose. Removed the alternator bolts and fan belt. Ditto pulley housing bolts and pump housing bolts. Carefully scrutiny of wonderful Mr Haynes good book and some poking and pulling revealed the probable cause. Either a worn spindle seal near the pump impeller, or worn bearings. In fact, worn bearings definitely. The shaft veritably wobbled. So I set about taking the pump apart. Not a hope. It was harder than a Rubik's cube. The manual showed a pin/clip and or screw holding bearing/shaft in situ. Nothing doing even after about an hour of poking prodding cleaning cursing and grunting.
A careful read of the tho other guru Mr Lindsay Porters book made the following statement  "with pumps being relatively cheap and easily obtainable it is not worth refurbishing this piece of equipment".
Thanks a bunch mate. Another unexpected cost.
The good news is though, I've been putting in extra shifts at the pub and some work at Uni so the funds are good, in fact an all time high of the grand total of £42.53.
I have a shopping list and I'm off to Mechspec to buy a small list of needed goodies.

More soon.

Faffing around with fuel part II

So I left the last post with the engine going "roar" and me grinning like a demented Cheshire cat.
I removed the jump leads after a few minutes of deafening the neighbourhood and switched the engine off.
If only to let the smoke and fumes disappear.
I tried to start again and after a few /couple of splutters, then..... "roar".
I revved the engine whilst sat in the car......cooo.
It ain't half responsive and loud. Its gonna a be a real rocket........I hope.
Its then when wifey said...."whats all that brown stuff spraying everywhere ?"
A quick inspection with the engine running saw a tiny leak from where the oil gauge pipe meets the engine block. This I knew would leak as it was a swine to screw in and I think I cross-threaded it once or twice in the process. However there were three, yes three water leaks. A small one from the rear of the cylinder head gasket. Easily cured with a quick tweek from ratchet. In fact I think I will need to torque all the cylinder head bolts as I seem to remember on re-assembly I did them up by feel ( medium tight to 45/50 lbf/ft - 61/68 Nm -ish). Another dribble/bubble from what looks like a plugged up waterway in the back of the cylinder head. No worries on that score ( a dab of Araldite will resolve this ala fuel tank repair)
The two major ones were the thermostat housing ( rear bolt) and somewhere near the water pump pulley. It was the latter one that alerted wifey. The browney water was being spun by the movement of the pump pulley in a lovely arc passing each inner engine bay side and wing, right up to the wall next to wifeys worried stance.
So I did what I normally do in these situations. Switched the engine off, disconnected the earth lead on battery and faffed around looking at the engine front end with a worried look on my face. The thermostat housing was easy to remove and cure. It was a brand new housing ( another long story of postal ordering/sending back/lost in post stuff) new gasket made and lovely red gasket sealant - job done.
Pulley not so. I was not sure where the leak was. I was convinced the leak was from the above housing so I restarted the engine again after connecting up leads and battery.
Still leaking, but hard to ascertain where from. It was definitely not the thermostat housing.
I was still overjoyed at the engine firing up, it was late and I wanted a drink.
Still not got to the fuel bit yet.................see next post.

Faffing around with fuel

So, as the title says fuel and faffing around

Let me explain. I decided, after the confusion with the rear spring dampers to move on to something else.

What I decided to do was fit the rear copper brake pipes. This I did without too much fuss and crossed threads. Only one and that was stupid. How I wish now I'd fitted them onto the axle whilst it was on the bench. The RH side was a swine to attach since now the axle and fuel tank/fuel pump and associated lines were also in position. Not until I got up in a fit of severe arm ache and frustration did I realise the 3 way union causing all the swearing was oh so easily accessible from the inside behind the battery hole. Doh !

              So what to do next ?? It was a nice sunny day, nothing else doing ( DIY etc, well lots really but I was trying to ignore it) so I decided to fire it up.

This time I would be well prepared. I needed two sets of jumpleads though. Mine don't reach from front of wifeys car to inside backseat of MG. Borrowed neighbours jumpleads then it went a little downhill.

I could'nt find my/our jumpleads. They've been in the MG for the best part of 5 years skulking in the rear wheelarch. A few months ago I had a clearout of the MG but where the hell did I put the leads ?

After about 45 mins they were found hiding at the bottom of the electrical parts way down on the bottom of a pile of stuff in the shed.

Next job get fuel. Easy peasy. 2 litres minimum.

Then..........make gravity feed fuel pipe from household plastic bottle.  Not as easy as it sounds. The day before me and wifey, as usual deposited all the plastic into the council recycle skips during our early morning grocery shopping............hmmmm.

Anyways, eventually found Gatorade bottle donated by son No 1 after some shouting and pleading round the house for  assistance in finding suitable receptacle. This was great as it even had the soft inside spout that sealed the old discarded rubber section of fuel line.
Connected up battery and jump leads. Found that my own leads did the job without having to borrow an extra set. Result No 1.
Filled makeshift funnel/Gatorade receptacle with fuel. Mopped up a few leaks and re-plumbed the few hoses responsible.
Started up wifeys car then got ready to turn the MG key..........................

HHHHrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
HHHHrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhh
HHHHrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhh
HHrrrrrrrr.....rrrrrrrrrrrr...........rrrrrrrrrrrrr.......................rrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Hrrr..............rrr.........rrr........rrrrrrr...........rrrrrrrrrr..rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.ROOOOOAAAAARRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes it actually fired up ( the above is the best way i can describe its initial reluctance to fire then its gradual ppfut/ppfutp/pfutfutfut)

I couldn't stop laughing. It sounded like the loudest thing on earth. ( Bear in mind no exhaust on )
It revved and revved and sounded like a WW1 tank.............Fantastic. Even the next door neighbour comment on it.
I was beaming ear to ear, all the family came out to see a grown man nearly crying with joy. It made my day/week/month/year/decade.

To be continued !