Lots of sediment in bottom of SU's!

P

prospect8816

Member
Can any members help me with my latest problem!!

Yet another problem with my Su's. Shortly after buying the car last year, My mechanic friend who was doing a general checkup of carbs and engine, found a lot of silt/sediment within the float chamber on the right hand carb. After cleaning out & replacing filters etc and topping up with oil, it was all re-asembled.
Now after only about 450 miles or so of easy driving, apart from 3 weeks with the sprayers, the same problem is back again! My mechanic stripped down the carbs and found another large pile of silt/sediment! That surely shouldn't happen so soon, should it?? I should point out that before I bought the car, it had been standing for about 5 years, albeit under cover, so maybe that is the cause of the problem? One of the first jobs I had done, was the freeing up of the sender unit within the fuel tank, as my fuel guage was not working at the time. By doing that, I wonder if the sediment was disturbed enough to pass through the fuel lines & then into the carbs?

My mechanic has suggested to me, that maybe I ought to invest in a new fuel tank! Would that cure the problem?

Your replies, fellow members, will be greatly received, as always!

Paul :?
 
It certainly sounds like you have a collection of gunge in the fuel system - 5 years off the road will not have improved things. What state is the new fuel filter in?

I would certainly recommend that you have the tank removed and inspected. Replacement is a last resort if it is seriously leaky, but a good clean and perhaps aplying a high quality internal sealant would probably be cheaper.
 
To Grimv8 & Mad_Dan_Eccles:

My mechanic fitted a new fuel filter on Oct '09. He also fitted a new fuel pump/needle valves and generaly gave them both a very good clean, before re-assembling.

MD Eccles, pardon the abbreviation, I shall most certainly suggest he removes the fuel tank and give it a good clean & apply the sealant, then see how it goes. If it still plays up, then I suppose i'll have to have a new tank! More expense...!

"Who said owning a classic car was fun"! Anybody tell me? If you do, i'll shoot the so & so.....!

Cheers

Paul
 
Make sure the filter has a mesh in it and that somoene hasn't poked a hole in it
The filter should catch the crud before it gets to the carbs
 
Did they fit the filter the correct way round? there is a flow direction on the original type.

Is it a manual pump you have fitted?

I would have suggested getting some filter paper and a jerry can an run a few gallons out of the tank via a line as this would show how much dirt is in the system.

Colin
 
I had a fuel filter break up before and deposit sediment from the actual filter.

Try changing it for another one - I know you have just had one, but it may be faulty.

Richard
 
An update!

My mechanic has replaced the fuel filter again and fitted it the correct way up. He has also fully drained the tank, blown through the fuel lines and then checked to see what sediment was left in the tank. The tank was virtually empty of sediment, which means that he has removed all or most of it. Anyway, he is no longer seeing any silt/sediment in the carbs! So hopefully that is the end of that problem!! As for applying the sealant, I would have to take the car to a specialist which deal with that. I believe there is such a place at Hailsham, East Sussex. As I live in West Sussex, that wouldn't be a problem!

Another problem has now reared it's ugly head, that is I don't appear to have "kick-down"! If you remember, guy's this was one of the original problems along with the above, that I asked my mechanic to look at. Well, whatever he tried, failed! I believe he renewed the throttle linkages, but nothing worked! Any idea's??

Cheers
Paul :eek:
 
have a look at the cable where it comes out at the manifold. Gently operate it and see if it feels like the cable will pull through the outer cable. It is not unknown for the cable to break. The other thing to look at is that you are getting full travel on the pedal, i.e no carpet etc in the way. You can adjust the pedal stop and see if this helps.

Does it kick down at any speed?

Colin
 
To arthuy:

Colin, thanks for your reply. I'm collecting the car tomorrow so i'll pass on to my mechanic, your comments, and see what his replies are!

I'll reply again once I know.

Thanks again

Paul
 
Hello Paul,

To reduce any additional length that what is required in the cable loosen the locknut on the cable where it attaches at the bracket on the manifold and then wind out the cable. When you then lift the accelerator linkage so that the cable rises from the casing, you should feel, see and hear when the cable accuates the kickdown valve in the transmission.

If the casing can be screwed until no more threads are left and the cable is still too loose to initiate kickdown, then the cable is too long (assuming it has not broken) and a shorter cable and casing will need to be acquired.

Driving with the transmission running with less than the minimum required line pressure will result in high clutch wear and possible transmission failure. You will need to get this problem addressed as soon as possible.

Ron.
 
To arthuy & SydneyRoverP6B:

To arthuy.
Colin, as promised my reply. I have now collected the car from my mechanic. Everything seems to be working ok, by that I mean the car has more power than it had, which is good. My mechanic did check the cable and found it to be unbroken and giving full travel on the pedal. I did notice upon driving it home, that there was a slight kick down when accelerating from a full stop, so maybe there is something there after all! I shall check again when the weather is not p...ing down, like it is today!

To SydneyRoverP6B.
Ron, In answer to your comments, I shall be contacting a company fairly local to me, who deal with Auto Transmissions, and shall pass on your comments to them. They are recommended by my mechanic.
If I remember, I shall post onto forum the outcome of their investigations, but that will not be for a while yet!

Regards

Paul :|
 
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