Colin

July 30, 2020

Thanks chaps.

I hold a small stock of M size screws.

M4 slips through, M6 is too fat.

I would imagine if I got hold of M5's, the threads would not match.

The 3/16 option sounds like one I should pursue via the 'net.

Cheers and best,

Colin W

July 29, 2020

Team!

Looking at the Club and other suppliers, I am mightily confused about the elements I need and the difficulty/easiness scale there would be to remove 50 yr old seat innards (the rubber diaphragm looks as good as new) and replace those bits that have deteriorated and then rebuild.

Given the driving seat has never been apart, all I can see is that the wrap of the old foam and the old foam itself, is not as good as it was. Strange . . .

But . . . are the replacement parts (I'm sure the covers are excellent) foam, wraps etc), of a quality that is better than giving the job over to an auto upholsterer??

Any advice gratefully received.

Best,

Colin

July 29, 2020

Hi Team ! (sorry) 😑

Working back up the line and following my recent fuel system debacle, I note that at some point (did I drop the originals somewhere??!), two of the flat headed screws seem to have turned into thin wing nutted fixings!

Perfectly adequate, but I'm in a position to replace them properly now and wondered what their spec is, screws and nuts being v complicated.

These days, Mthis and Mthat sizes are the norm, and I think an M5 might be close to the size but I think the thread may be not quite right!!

Any ideas?? 🤔

Best,

C

July 27, 2020

Cheers Clive.

My hunch says tubeless on manufacture.

I reckon the tube (on the spare) I have was added due to some sort of minor tyre piercing 😊

Best,

C.

July 27, 2020

Here I go again . . . !!

Does anyone know, when they rolled off the production line, the Herald 1200 had tubed tyres??

I have always used 145 X 13’s on the wheels, whilst I remember someone saying I could get away with 155 x 13 on the same wheels, to attract that extra grip!!!

I’m having my wheels shot-blasted and then powder coated. The tyre removers mentioned one of my wheels was with inner tube.

For me, this was quite normal as back in the day, if the tyre had been pierced by nail or stone but the tyre still had plenty of tread left on it, they’d just tube it.

And the tubed tyre was the spare anyway . . .

Pics of the wheels, unshod, attached.

July 27, 2020

Wow! I feel for you!! That's a worse pump scenario than my own.

Although my elementary mistakes were rectified (albeit I drove to a fuel pump specialist in Reading with attendant costs for the pleasure), I think I may have sourced a 'correct' replacement, should I ever need one, now, hav8ng bought a Quiton Hazell unit advertised. I'd already refitted and run the car on the old AC Delco, so wasn't going to faff to see if it truly is a good'un. But I did what I could to compare to the pics of the AC I took when it was off and being compared to the unit I bought from the 'R' supplier and it looked a better match (lever arm and flange/gasket correctly shaped). I may never know . . . !! But well done for being so tenacious with your efforts with replacements. BTW, my invoice from 'R' said no spacer required. And, the specialist, Reading, would have completely rebuilt my old AC Delco lock stock and barrel for £65 if he'd not discovered I had simply been a Wally!

Best. C.

July 23, 2020

Would just like to thank everybody for all their help and suggestions in my whole fuel system renovation. Some great ideas and help, there.

I should just like to invite you all now to give me the good kicking I deserve . . .

Re the fuel pump, although it was many moons ago when I last had it apart to clean etc.. prolly ten years or so) and back then had no problem with it working well afterwards, this time round I have finally discovered, I simply hadn’t reassembled it correctly!! 😅

As soon as it was properly reassembled (diaphragm properly engaged), of course there was sucking/blowing at the valves . . . !!

refit, quick carb chamber fill with fuel and she started, first pull 😁!

However . . . I am still puzzling the reason for it ‘failing’ those months ago, which led me to undertake this whole system renewal process but in actual fact, better I found the tank drain tube to be dodgy and additionally the flexible lines brittle and perished whilst she was in my garage and not whilst out on the road somewhere . . . . !

Given the finding of fibrous material in the pump chamber and what appeared to be a cigar butt in the tank along the way, I guess that must have been swilling around in the pump originally and caused its lack of enthusiasm to start. And, by the time I’d finished faffing with decisions about the way to renovate the tank and renew all the lines, it’d dried out . . . . and then I undertook to install the new pump and diaphragm with just a hint my own attendant trademark stupidity!

I sure hope you have all enjoyed my ridiculousness!!

Cheers all!

C.

July 19, 2020

Yuk! Makes you wonder where it came from.

BUT - it's ABOVE the gauze filter, isn't it?

My gunk was below the filter. The filter gad captured none of it . . . 🤔🤔

July 19, 2020

Thanks to all. I'm glad not to have blocked up any invisible jets or anything of the ilk. Sounds like replacing the valves - even if I could work out what 'normal' resistance is supposed to equate to, could be fraught with damage risk?!?

I'm beginninv to become more and more perplexed, I admit . . . 😐

July 19, 2020

Folks:- just to ask a question and also give you an idea of what was lurking inside my AC Delco fuel pump (and before I seriously think about electric alternatives).

Question:- top pic shows the inside of the pump body. See the fibrous crud( I think was bits of cigar) drawn up into the pump, and which was packed in the dark recess pictured.

DOES that dark recess have any channelling, drilled or otherwise?

'Cos if it does, despite cleaning crud out with the smallest of watchmaker's srewdrivers and swishing with meths after (the pump, not me), it may still be blocked somewhere . . . hence my fuel drawing problem(???).

Second shot shows the valves in situ. According to the w/shop manual, these are supposed to be accessed by a 2 screw covering plate; NOT in my case!

So, are they interference fits and is there a method to remove and replace with the spare, new valves that came in the AC repair kit, without mullering the pump case??

I didn't perform a diaphragm centering action prior to tightening body screws. Problem??

More thoughts, please. 😊

July 19, 2020

Thanks to both.

I was querulous about the lever being able to go beyind the cam lobe.

That's not the issue, I'm pretty certain (how can you see inside a block??!!). It would've been foolish for Triumph to have used a pump that allowed this to be the case - perhaps with the replacement pumps Colin et al have posted about . . .

Adrian Cooper - thanks. But it is the pump original to the car. So excess pressure is/should not be an issue. I can recall replacing the diaphragm and have done so again. Bit loathe to try to dig the valves out in case I damage what looks like an interference fit (and conversely damaging new in refit!).

Having done all this, I can't countenance removing the tank again to ensure fuel empties out of its output pipe. But if needs must . . .

July 19, 2020

Thanks to both.

I was querulous about the lever being able to go beyind the cam lobe.

That's not the issue, I'm pretty certain (how can you see inside a block??!!). It would've been foolish for Triumph to have used a pump that allowed this to be the case - perhaps with the replacement pumps Colin et al have posted about . . .

Adrian Cooper - thanks. But it is the pump original to the car. So excess pressure is/should not be an issue. I can recall replacing the diaphragm and have done so again. Bit loathe to try to dig the valves out in case I damage what looks like an interference fit (and conversely damaging new in refit!).

Having done all this, I can't countenance removing the tank again to ensure fuel empties out of its output pipe. But if needs must . . .

July 19, 2020

Gents,

With specific regard to the threads;

How would one know if I've reinstalled with the lever the far side if the cam??!?

Cleaned, reinstalled and with replaced new diaphragm, I still can't get any spurts of fuel to the carb end of the fuel run by engine turning. With carb unprimed to start with - then primed. Have to sya the priming lever fells a little soggy and is reluctant to return to position without assistance.

Today's job, I guess, is to get the tank to pump delivery pipe off to see if it's been drawn through by the pump in any way shape or form.

Colin L, I e-mailed you on your tssc mail address.

Any further thoughts welcome.

BTW, whilst the Powertune unit was wrong, R's refunded me but also let me keep the unit (?!?).

Would it be worth my while chopping and changing its innards - the ones that fit - into my AC unit??

Or is this increased pressure situation going to bite if I do that? (Lord only knows where you get or how you fit a 'regulator'!!??)

Best,

C.

July 19, 2020

That said, replacement tie rod did not arrive with same diameter screw thread as old unit and locking nut was therefore larger. Manual shows washer to be used. New rod did not include said washer.

Critical??

Best,

C.

July 19, 2020

Dear All,

Ditched the coke can idea. Couldn't find a suitably rigid plstic bottle once its screw top was cut off for the 40mm clearance it needed.

Simply held the gaiter inside neck against the knuckle joint and gently levered the top up and over onto the joint with a short flat blade screwdriver.

Then pushed over into position with suitable jubilee waiting.

Best, Colin.

July 17, 2020

Colin Lindsay; thanks!

I have replaced the diaphram after its thorough clean. It's ready to be put back.

Is the cam lobe visible? She just slots in beautifully right now;

How will I know that the lever arm is in front of the cam when I replace it?!?

Best,

Colin

July 17, 2020

Great reading, chaps. Thanks for all suggestions. I'll repeat a little of my previous post:- seemed silly of me not to change all the fuel lines after having the tank ReNu'd (I got change out of £300). So I did. Copper and new ethanol proof flexibles.

I e-mailed the well known supplier beginning with R.

Ended up having a conversation about how only a few out of many sold pumps are complained about and returned.

And, also, about some spacer block used with the pump. I actually think in retrospect their replacement might've worked if I'd had a spacer block.

But I don't - and it hasn't! How many owners' Heralds have a fuel pump spacer block ??

I suggested it might be good for them to source a manufacturing company which could replicate (for example) the AC Delco I have had in my car its entire working life.

In the meantime - and here's an oddity - I cleaned my pump out and inspected the previously replaced innards (not the lever arms as they don't come with repair kits). In the dark side recess in the body of the pump (lid and cleaned gauze filter taken off), I found a load of fibrous material, that I then cleared out. This then led me to remember (in horror), that after having bust off the drain tube and tipping out remaining fuel before sending away for repair and coating, an item resembling an old cigar butt waltzed its way out if the tank! I am now wondering if the pump had sucked up a bit of the old tobacco and in operation, it'd prevented fuel flow!!??!!

Back in the day, eh, when your practical joker mates would try to blow your car up outside the pub by depositing their cigar butts in your fuel tank!!

First thing I did on acquisition was put a locking cap on, so it wasn't in my ownership that happened . . .

Ho hum.

Pump not back on yet, but am reasonably sure having been overhauled and turning on the key (having checked all lines from the pump to the carb and in the carb too), that she'll be fine.

Still puzzled about the spacer, though!

July 17, 2020

Thanks All.

Going to try the coke can method!

Might have to lose the engine screen panel for better access, too.

Best,

C.

July 17, 2020

Thanks Colin.

Good to know.

Regards,

Colin

July 16, 2020

Thanks Pete.

Will be overhauling very soon.

I don't think I'll understanx the first sentence until I've dismantled and rebuilt it!

Best,

C.

July 16, 2020

Thanks chaps.

I had ReNu, Hartlepool chop the broken drain tube off, weld a repair. Split and shot blast clean the tank innards. Use their special coating inside and out, baked. Couriered to them and returned to me all for the same cost as a new tank which would have been sitting and deteriorating on a suppliers’ shelf. I made a boot floor pan repair section and silicone sealed it and bolted it in. Underneath and inside the boot. 😊

July 16, 2020

Hi All,

Herald 1147cc 1970 Fuel Pump (attempted replacement)

A bit of an FYI . . . .

Following my extensive fuel feed and total system renewal saga (including looking at having an aluminium fuel tank made: I rejected the escalated cost, for a chop off and weld repair of the existing broken drain tube, interior shot blasting and a baked coating applied inside and out, with ReNu), but, with fuel still not being drawn through, I decided to replace the pump for a new one (I know I’ve repaired it before).

Bought one locally, for speed. By Powertune. It didn’t slot in, moving the crankcase lever, or not. The flange shape and the gaskets were different. I took it back. Bought another from one of the main well known "reputable" suppliers. Same thing. A Powertune unit arrived. Exactly the same as the first. Box marked up as for Spitfire Mk 3.

I have been sage enough to buy from them, what is described as an AC Delco fuel pump repair to repeat my kit previous works. This looks like matching the parts of my actual and original AC unit body.

Begs the question why have the well known suppliers not noticed the difference between an original AC Delco pump, its internal and associated parts and the commissioned replacements? Has anyone else had the same experience??

BTW, once I’ve rebuilt the pump, if I can’t get fuel through, I’ll have to ask for some more assistance (is it just a question of using the pump priming lever? A friend said suck it through from the tank . . . ).

All thoughts welcome!!

Best,

Colin

July 16, 2020

Hi All.

Been putting this job off for a while . . . new tie rod end and nearside steering rack bellows.

Very easy dismantle. Tugged removal of old bellows with small end split.

I fear of splitting the inner end of the new bellows, how can I feed the opening over the articulated knuckle joint to the location of where I can electrical tie it off?

Please see photo.

All suggestions welcome.

Best,

Colin

May 27, 2020

Hi Folks,

Now I’m over the steel vs Aluminium fuel tank hiatus, I’m clearly going to fit all new fuel lines. The Automec kit, I know to be fitted to length. but there may be some bend tweaks to be encountered. Does anyone have anything to say about the suitability of the Club pipe bending tool, pipe please?

May 27, 2020

Chaps; In the spirit of ‘make and mend’, and whilst not anticipating a concours medal award after the act . . . I thought that, were I to be retaining the drain tube (and I’m not!), I could simply trim the very lower portion from a fizzy pop bottle and silicone sealant the dome over the drain tube end and nut! Why not? Easy to prise off if you needed to get to the tube (always assuming it’ll open for you and is functioning well!), and easy to replace and silicone up again . . . and its waterproof!! Simples!!

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