Vitesse 1600/6 fuel sender

[martyn wright]

Hi!  Fuel Sender and Fuel Gauge!  Put 4 gallons back into the tank after fitting the new tank sender and was hoping to take to the road and get the tracking done, and tyres (due to age) checked,  yesterday?  Obviously this was not to be, as there where  bubbles in the pipes and Fuel pump!  To add to this, the battery went flat!  So put it on charge and waited till morning. After a while and blowing in the tank to try and force the petrol down the fuel pipe to the pump!  She Started!  Drove out of my garage, up my steep drive and she stopped running?  Took the air filter box off and petrol was leaking from the carbs! I lifted the floats in the carbs and got rid of the excess fuel!  Put the car facing forwards and on a downward slop turned her over and she started straight away! Without  choke!  I drove twice around the estate  and back into the garage?  This was because.of a clanking or tinkling noise coming from the back of the car (the new stainless exhaust is solid, so will have to check later this week?  So no more driving at the moment?

[johny]

Great so does that mean fuel gauge all reading correct and one job signed off Martyn? Dont like the sound of bubbles in the fuel line so think thats the next job on the list👍

[martyn wright]

Hi Johny!  The fuel gauge is now showing between half and thee quarters with the 4 gallons?  The bubbles are from air in the pipes after refuelling but she is now running on start up without the choke?  Was surprised how easy to drive the car was and responsive on acceleration?  Just smoking quite a bit where it has had  head  skimmed, valves, etc and not yet run properly ? And engine was flushed and new oil, which would still pick up contamination?

[johny]

well your tank should be 8.75 gal capacity but most important is that the gauge can read zero when empty! Otherwise sounds like its all coming together👍

[martyn wright]

Tappets are a bit noisy but about 500 miles I'll retighten them?  Need to sort noise??  New secondhand hood arrives Friday,  probably needs good rub down and paint Steve at Spitfirespares, Tavistock says it's the best one he's ever had/seen? 30yrs dry stored? Then it's going down to Bernard Littlewood to have my new hood fitted?

[Pete Lewis]

overfilled dashpots can generate some blue smoke    always  check the simples 

Pete

[martyn wright]

Hi Johny!  The fuel gauge is now showing between half and thee quarters with the 4 gallons?  The bubbles are from air in the pipes after refuelling but she is now running on start up without the choke?  Was surprised how easy to drive the car was and responsive on acceleration?  Just smoking quite a bit where it has had  head  skimmed, valves, etc and not yet run properly ? And engine was flushed and new oil, which would still pick up contamination?

[martyn wright]

Thanks Pete!  I did overfill the pots!  Took some out but obviously not enough?  Found out what the noise was!  The handbrake was still on so will need to do an adjustment!

[Pete Lewis]

hand brakes  .....    best to jack up and support  the upright so the wheel is at running height

remove wheels makes adjuster more accessible

remove the handbrake clevis so cable is detached 

fully lock up the rear shoe adjuster hard .

now reconnect the cable adjust to a nice not taut not slack length and refit clevis.

now back off the adjuster around 4 clicks (one turn)

refit wheels  drop to the ground  and check  hand brake has around 4 to 6 clicks 

there can be problems of the wheel cylinder gets stuck from sliding as the handbrake lever has worn a deep groove in the back plate 

if thats the case it needs a weld and clean up to make it flat.

make sure the trailing shoe has the unused square  HB lever hole is at the bottom , many get fitted upside  down 

do not just keep snarling up the cables .

Pete