thoughts on leaks

[Charles_Shiplee@batesuk.com]

1. Fuel...... I had a hard time starting the car on Sunday. It was very cold. I ended up flooding the engine. While I was waiting for the situation to resolve itself I noticed liquid running down the outside of the block. On investigation it was fuel not water. I thought that it was coming from the join of the head and block but could not work out how. After a lot of worried exploration with a flashlight and a piece of paper towel, I worked out that the fuel was coming from the bottom of the inlet manifold and then running around the outside of the block so that it looked like it was coming from the block gasket but thankfully not. I guess that all that unburnt fuel under pressure was forcing itself out from under the manifold gasket. Has anyone else had this problem? Is it usual with a flooded engine to see this much fuel leak? The manifold gasket is new , should I get going with a tube of liquid gasket? 2. Oil..... The car finally started, and it runs like a dream when its warm. I had it warming up for 20 mins. I then got ambitious and decided to try driving up and down the drive way a couple of times , ( well it is 5 years since its been going ) . The clutch and gearbox worked brilliantly and then I got out and noticed a large puddle of oil on the left side of the car. Thinking that this was a really serious problem I turned it off and got out the torch again. I could not see oil coming from the engine or sump or gear box, but from the left hand side chassis member. The sump had been nearly drained. A bit more investigation and it dawned on me that the oil pressure gauge line was loose at the t union on the bulkhead. The oil had flowed down the wiring loom to the chassis rail. I guess that at 60psi it does not take long to drain the system. I tightened it up refilled the tank and started up the car. It seems that this was the problem. At least I hope so!. Charles IMPORTANT NOTICE: This message is intended for the use of the person(s) or organisation (the Intended Recipient) to whom it is addressed. It may contain information which is privileged and confidential within the meaning of applicable law. Accordingly dissemination, distribution, copying or other use of this message or any of its contents by any person other than the Intended Recipient may constitute a breach of civil or criminal law and is strictly prohibited. If you are not the Intended Recipient please contact the sender as soon as possible. All information or opinions expressed in this message and/or any attachments are those of the author and are not necessarily those of The Group. All reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure no viruses are present in this E-mail. As The Group accepts no responsibility for loss or damage arising from the use of this E-mail or attachments we recommend that you subject these to your virus checking procedures prior to use.

[DAI]

Charles, Regarding the fuel leak, it could be coming out of the tickle button(s) on the top of the float chamber(s) (if your carbs have them). If it is, then there could be several problems, but could include non-floating floats(!), problem with the float valve, misadjustment of the float valve fork. DAI --- Charles_Shiplee@batesuk.com wrote: >

> 1. Fuel...... > I had a hard time starting the car on Sunday. It was > very cold. I ended up > flooding the engine. While I was waiting for the > situation to resolve > itself I noticed liquid running down the outside of > the block. On > investigation it was fuel not water. I thought that > it was coming from the > join of the head and block but could not work out > how. > After a lot of worried exploration with a flashlight > and a piece of paper > towel, I worked out that the fuel was coming from > the bottom of the inlet > manifold and then running around the outside of the > block so that it looked > like it was coming from the block gasket but > thankfully not. I guess that > all that unburnt fuel under pressure was forcing > itself out from under the > manifold gasket. > Has anyone else had this problem? > Is it usual with a flooded engine to see this much > fuel leak? > The manifold gasket is new , should I get going with > a tube of liquid > gasket? >

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[Mark McCombs]

Charles- This can happen more than one would think. I have had similar experiences in the past with a TR-4. It was not as dramaticas a gusher, but the fuel was flooding down the manifold into the sump. My oil pressure was dropping every day until it only ran around 30 psi, while my oil level was slightly increasing. Finally, enough fuel leaked down past the pistons into the sump that the gas smell became obvious on the dipstick. So, I would check your oil for contamination just to be safe. Rgards Mark TC8126

----- Original Message ----- From: Charles_Shiplee@batesuk.com> To: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Monday, January 29, 2001 3:00 AM Subject: [mg-tabc] thoughts on leaks > > 1. Fuel...... > I had a hard time starting the car on Sunday. It was very cold. I ended up > flooding the engine. While I was waiting for the situation to resolve > itself I noticed liquid running down the outside of the block. On > investigation it was fuel not water. I thought that it was coming from the > join of the head and block but could not work out how. > After a lot of worried exploration with a flashlight and a piece of paper > towel, I worked out that the fuel was coming from the bottom of the inlet > manifold and then running around the outside of the block so that it looked > like it was coming from the block gasket but thankfully not. I guess that > all that unburnt fuel under pressure was forcing itself out from under the > manifold gasket. > Has anyone else had this problem? > Is it usual with a flooded engine to see this much fuel leak? > The manifold gasket is new , should I get going with a tube of liquid > gasket? > > 2. Oil..... > The car finally started, and it runs like a dream when its warm. I had it > warming up for 20 mins. I then got ambitious and decided to try driving up > and down the > drive way a couple of times , ( well it is 5 years since its been going ) > . > The clutch and gearbox worked brilliantly and then I got out and noticed a > large puddle of oil on the left side of the car. Thinking that this was a > really serious problem I turned it off and got out the torch again. I could > not see oil coming from the engine or sump or gear box, but from the left > hand side chassis member. > The sump had been nearly drained. A bit more investigation and it dawned on > me that the oil pressure gauge line was loose at the t union on the > bulkhead. The oil had flowed down the wiring loom to the chassis rail. > I guess that at 60psi it does not take long to drain the system. > I tightened it up refilled the tank and started up the car. It seems that > this was the problem. At least I hope so!. > > > Charles > > > IMPORTANT NOTICE: > This message is intended for the use of the person(s) or organisation (the > Intended Recipient) to whom it is addressed. It may contain information > which is privileged and confidential within the meaning of applicable law. > Accordingly dissemination, distribution, copying or other use of this > message or any of its contents by any person other than the Intended > Recipient may constitute a breach of civil or criminal law and is strictly > prohibited. If you are not the Intended Recipient please contact the sender > as soon as possible. All information or opinions expressed in this message > and/or any attachments are those of the author and are not necessarily > those of The Group. All reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure no > viruses are present in this E-mail. As The Group accepts no responsibility > for loss or damage arising from the use of this E-mail or attachments we > recommend that you subject these to your virus checking procedures prior to > use. > > > > > >