Head gasket 4 done. Reset the Clock!

Refitted the head gasket after work. Making use of the long evenings like I used to the last time I had something major to do.

Started around 5.00pm, All done and drove around the block at about 7.30pm.

About an hour prep, checking the head and cleaning up. All looking fine on that front.

Then about an hour actuallt fitting the head, connecting up hoses etc..

The Hylomar red didnt hurt last time so used it again!

Then 30 minutes torquing, warming up the engine and re-torquing.

Still got other issues to look at, but a basic functioning engine helps!!

And to round off the day - Head Gasket 4!!

Well, at the time of doing the last head gasket, I didnt expect it to last and it was a bog standard one, so to cap off all my niggles, I confirmed that the head gasket has also gone.

Some of the misbehaving I hadn't mentioned on the journey home was some rough running, and a bit noisy. (over and above actually breaking down there was also poorer than normal acceleration and a background noise that I couldn't put my finger on at the time)

For some reason it was nagging at me so I checked compression. 2 & 3 ZERO compression. Head Gasket failure strikes again!!!

Took me about an hour to tear down the top end. Bit of clean up and refit with the reinforced head gasket that I have had laying around waiting to be used for nearly 2 and a half years.. so wont complain too much. Roughly 3,500 miles since the last one and combination of other issues plus really hot weather just got too much I guess.

So -

1. Head gasket is easy, will probably have that done during the evenings this week
2. Some electrical spares needed, no problem. 
3. Still seems like I have poor fuel flow  to fix
   (may mean removing the fuel tank)

Littlewick Green Show 2016 - Not all Roses

Well... We were all ready to go and set off with show pass in place.

Usual light buff to make her as shiny as possible and set off at 9.00am so as to arrive on time.

Hmpfff... well so much for the having fixed the problem.

Half way to the above mentioned show Amy coasted to another gentle stop and refused to start agan.

No visible spark, DEFINATELY!!.

So we sat by the side of the road for an hour, teasingly facing the way we wanted to go, but unable to do so.

Maybe I did have multiple intermittent electrical problems as well as fuel problems.  As of typing this entry, the breakdown man was coming waiting to see what he could do

RAC was man fab. Short story is that he spent 3 hours fixing Amy and I was able to progress. Points were iffy - he did a job on them to clean them up. (I should have done that) Still nothing, changed coil back for old one, still nothing. Changed condensor - she fired. Re-fitted the new coil, nothing. Put the old coil back on she ran!! Hurrah. So the theory is that the condenosr was breaking down, which was knackering the points and causing my coil to fail. The new coil masked that for a while but then gave up the ghost. The points being bad would probably not have caused a breakdown on their own, but put the whole sorry mess together and well.. That;s where we are at. I now have a shopping list. New coil (again), new spare condensor and two new sets of points. One to replace the old ones, one spare.

Anyway set off again for the show, stopped half way in Waltham St Lawrence for a nice picture.


Finally got to Littlewick Green Show 4 hours later that intended!!

Some show shots, including, WOW another Somerset Coupe. They are pretty rare and I know one guy with one, well now I know another!!

Finally, I NEARLY bought one of these. Happy with the Somerset, I am sure I would have been equally so if I had got a Cambrige. This was the same year as my Somerset, so one of the first Cambridges.







Postscript: Broke down AGAIN on way home, back to a FUEL issue, fuel line blocked AGAIN, cleared it AGAIN, got home. But all in all a slightly frustrating day, albeit, nice to get a show under our belt!! Work still to be done.

Just a nice photo

Early morning after overnight showers, sun just coming over the fence raindrops glistening in the light.

Just seemed like a nice picture!

And perfect opportunity to give her a wash immediately after, that's mostly all I have done since getting Amy, wash her down from time to time after being left out in a rain shower.

I guess I should note that after a few more drives, no recurring breakdown issues. Littlewick Green Show next Bank Holiday weekend, first one in a while, registered and looking forward to a new venue.

Fixed this time??

With the evidence of the crudded up fuel pump and now the performance after clearing the issue, I am more satisfied that it is fixed.

Cleaned out the carb bowl this morning (although there was hardly any residue there) then went for a drive. Ever increasing circles as confidence grew and ended up doing nearly 20 miles, with some good open sections and some windy, bumpy sections.

No problem so that seems to be that at last.

No harm in having fitted a new coil and having a spare condenser!

With hindsight, I think I was convinced of electrics being the issue due to having only just changed the dynamo for an alternator. Seemed just too much of a coincidence and I was a bit blinkered that it must be related

I must remember to check the pump at least every year!! I wont re-fit an inline fuel filter, because it is quite clear that the system used all those years ago does a great job.

Fuel? Reason static simulated drives seemed OK??

Haven't driven Amy for three weeks. After a long lay off I normally prime the carb bowl manually first. It took more effort than I remember on similar occasions, but she started fine so I had no real concerns. After that I only drove to the petrol station to fill up, but already broke down just as entering the forecourt half a mile away.

Despite previously being fairly sure of electricals being my problem, this forced me go back to the fuel possibility. Whilst at the station she still wouldn't restart and the pump jet area of the carb bowl - which usually looks wet with fuel was bone dry again. So I took the fuel line to pieces, it should have poured petrol when taken apart. nothing. A bit of fiddling got fuel coming through enough to get me home.

So at the moment I still have issues. Coil or condenser is not the issue, it is fuel.

Need to clear it properly, couple of shows coming up soon and need to fix it a restore confidence.

Update. The fuel pump is full of crud. I haven't checked it in around 2 years!! Oooops. Cant explain the seemingly weak sparks that I THOUGHT I was seeing before. But this HAS to be my problem! It would also explain why static engine revving on the driveway didn't show the problem up, as the crud was not being sloshed about to reblock any clear channel that may have form.