Pete Lewis Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 easy to find manifold leaks put some petrol in a squirt oil can and dribble a;long the gasket edge, it wont burst into flames just fiz on the exhaust if you want flames try brake fluid . if it speeds up with some extra fuel then theres some leakage, by nature of the gasket material they are a little leaky never use any sealant Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 I remember some years ago that a lot of fords (probably others too) that burst into flames following an accident and that was because the dot 4 (I think dot3 was ok) brake fluid was dropping into the exhaust because the cylinder mounted clip on reservoir flew off and sprayed its contents everywhere and it burst into flame having a lower flash point than petrol. They now or did in the 80’s cable tie them on. Most cars now have the master cylinder in a separate compartment or behind another bulkhead. I’ll try petrol though it’s probably going to be in a place I can’t get to! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 we only used petrol on the test beds or in smoke emission on petrol engines , i remember the 1725 had a couple of rings to align the manifold, they made them too deep it held the mani off when hot caused a load of hassle especially as the car side didnt talk to the truck side and didnt like being told get your a*rse down here when youve got 90 vans a day all running on 3 not 4 good days Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted May 24, 2018 Report Share Posted May 24, 2018 Having a squirt bottle of petrol? Meh! Don't want that around the workshop, unless you're using it frequently. What I use frequently is Brake Cleaner, in a squirt bottle, for all sorts of clean-up jobs. Not as flammable as petrol, but will show up leaks as above. Also avaliable in an aerosol can, for infrequent users. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2018 Johns right, when I was involved with engine tests lots of current products were not around our safety officer had lost a finger checking a guillotine before H and S spoilt common sense and pump oil cans filled with smelly stuff demised Oil donst work well either and you have to look for a plume in the exhaust , brake cleaner , very vesatile and useful in many places Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted May 24, 2018 Report Share Posted May 24, 2018 My granddad lost a finger in a workshop of some sort - story goes he was running his finger over a machine and it sliced it off. Wouldnt be so bad but he was the inspector. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blitz Posted May 26, 2018 Report Share Posted May 26, 2018 Well as you know my water pump was shot so today was my first real spanner day. My new radiator came off easily enough thankfully. Water pump off without a problem but one of the studs stripped on reassembly. Lucky I bought new ones but getting the old one out proved difficult. Thankfully I had some plus gas and persiverance. Anyway all back together and no obvious leaks so fingers crossed. Topped my diff oil up too just in case because of the leaking seals. Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted May 26, 2018 Report Share Posted May 26, 2018 My simple job yesterday - fit the new wiper arms and blades to the Spitfire - turned into a frustrating investigation of electrical faults. The wipers didn't work when I tested them, and I found the fuse had blown. Swapping the fuse instantly blew that one, too. Testing with a handy bit of wire suggested a serious short to ground, which was not the wiper motor. It went away when I disconnected the gearbox harness, and the wipers then worked properly. So now I need to work out which of the two switches (reverse lamp or OD inhibit) has a dead short to its body. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted May 31, 2018 Report Share Posted May 31, 2018 I think I've found the air leak. Gasket Sprayed with some brake cleaner and it nearly stalls - both sides too. Whats the best gasket to get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 31, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2018 The clamps should take up any variance in exhaust and inlet flange thicknesses but might be worth a check on the inlet flatness. Cant suggest a supplier , all about the same Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 I picked up a gasket from David Manners at lunchtime as they aren't far from the office- and also a new PRV plunger thing and copper washer. I've had a thought that when I put the exhaust and manifold on, that there was a compression dip in the alloy of the inlet manifold - and I wonder if the clamps aren't applying enough pressure before being fouled by something else - so was going to drop a small penny washer behind the nose of the clamp on the inlets to see if that nips it up before I go to the trouble of changing the gasket - if it doesn't work, then I have the bits to sort it (hopefully!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 As Pete said, those clamps are usually pretty good at coping with indentations. Unlike the Mk1 2L engine, where the clamps are rubbish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted June 1, 2018 Report Share Posted June 1, 2018 Hi Rob, It wasn't that side of the manifold that I was thinking of (The head side) but the clamping side - I'll grab some pictures in a bit - I've finished work and SWMBO is cooking tea so was going to see if I could slip out and have a tinker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted June 2, 2018 Report Share Posted June 2, 2018 Didn’t get out last night but have this morning. you can also see where the gasket has compressed by the exhaust manifold but a lot less by the inlet. I managed to get two of the clamps off the old engine as they seem to have bigger dimples compared to the old one so swapped those out and also added Small washers behind the others to lift the middle bit away from the exhaust manifold - it’s better on the one half, but the other half is still very similar ? so I’m going to have to pull the manifolds off and change the gasket. Perhaps tomorrow. Too hot now ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshire_spam Posted June 2, 2018 Report Share Posted June 2, 2018 I found a Land Rover propshaft slim socket very handy when trying to get to some of (but not all) the manifold nuts on the Spitfire: I thinned the walls very very slightly to get it to clear, but it really saved my neck on one nut in particular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted June 2, 2018 Report Share Posted June 2, 2018 YS, I have a short extension bar from a socket set that got bent about 15 degrees in the middle. An idiot at the tyre place had over tightened a wheel nut and I was jumping on a bar, extension and socket to make it let go. Woops! But it's ideal for getting at those pesky manifold bolts! Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted June 2, 2018 Report Share Posted June 2, 2018 28 minutes ago, yorkshire_spam said: I found a Land Rover propshaft slim socket very handy when trying to get to some of (but not all) the manifold nuts on the Spitfire: I thinned the walls very very slightly to get it to clear, but it really saved my neck on one nut in particular. I might have one of these. I know I bought one, but may have got rid of it when the Land Rover went. I’ll have to have a look in my tool boxes. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted June 3, 2018 Report Share Posted June 3, 2018 Found my Land Rover socket ? still wouldn’t work on the one bottom nut but did on the other one. Just. But gasket is swapped - just got to fit the carbs and try it. There is a lot of oil in the inlet though. To be fair I did put some on top of the flange yesterday when testing for leaks - but I thought that had burnt off - especially as it had a 40odd mile run out yesterday evening. Gasket looks thinner too. And a different pattern of holes. I also swapped the clamps for the ones off the old engine as the dimples are much prouder so look to be clamping the inlet better. Oh well time to get back into the sun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted June 3, 2018 Report Share Posted June 3, 2018 And it’s made no difference at all. In fact it’s probably worse ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted June 3, 2018 Report Share Posted June 3, 2018 Oh and I checked the timing - idling a little high, but way out compared to when Pete did it on twiddle day. I’m reading about 16btdc and Pete had it at 10 or thereabouts when we left the twiddle. Its a fairly new light too. And I’ve noticed the twiddle thing on the back doesn’t seem to have the right effect to the timing. Looks like I might have to replace it with something better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted June 3, 2018 Report Share Posted June 3, 2018 I had one final twiddle before putting the back in the garage. Basically I had another spray of brake fluid around the place - the bottom clamps seem to be ok. The top clamps I’ve re-tightened after it’s hot - and the carb flanges - they had a small effect to, so nipped the bolts up. And finally in a fit of madness, smeared some high temperature grease over the joint. Started her up and does seem better. Not right given the idle screws are doing bugger all, but was sitting at about 850rpm and not 1000+ But how long it will last is anyone’s guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted June 3, 2018 Report Share Posted June 3, 2018 Whilst twiddling earlier, I removed my vacuum tester from the packet and attached it to the dizzy takeoff - where it moved not one iota! But looking at the location, that would seem to me to be correct (Reving the engine did move the gauge) - as the breather pipe is just in front of it. I guess the only way to really tell the vacuum is from the blanked off servo port? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted June 3, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2018 Yes the dizzy vac is generated by a vortex over the partly close throttle plate , nothing to do with manifold depression/ vac. It does exactly the opposite Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted June 3, 2018 Report Share Posted June 3, 2018 I've been looking at the gasket and a picture of one on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=222732759551&_sacat=0 Which I've ordered - this one is a Payen (I hope!) one and has a sealing ring around the inlet ports - which has to be better surely? Neither the one I took off or the new one has such a thing (You can see this in the pictures above) It's only a couple of hours to swap it out. Should get some time one evening after it turns up to fit it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglefire Posted June 5, 2018 Report Share Posted June 5, 2018 The gasket arrived today and is exactly like the picture above and is genuine Payen. Hopefully with the metal sealing rings around the inlets, it will seal properly and my vacuum leak will be a thing of the past! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now