My '72 P6 V8 is back in use on UK roads and once again wearing its silver on black 'K' plates!

@quattro – When I log in, the time stamps at the top of each post go back one hour!?!? Hunnh? Winter time when logged in, summer time if not!
 
A new bottom hose arrived promptly this morning, so I set about installing it. Couldn't get the old one off the rad in situ, so I had to yank the whole rad back out. Sheesh! Went much quicker the second time! Alll good, no more leaks.
Temp sender is faulty though, and now the horns have stopped honking! Always something, eh!?
 
Well, the old jalopy conveyed me briskly from East Finchley down to sunny Bexhill-on-sea and back this weekend, without any major trouble, which was nice. However, in addition to the lack of a functioning horn (ooh-err!), the clock has again stopped. Electrickery!? Damn and blast. I only fairly recently had it swapped in, to replace the previous malfunctioning clock, so I'd like to know why this one has also given up the ghost after so little time?
Definitely got a strong smell of petrol in the passenger cabin too, despite having had all the windows down in the summer heat, and it didn't really get any less noticeable as the full tank of gas got expended down to not much before the reserve tap level. I thought it might have been something to do with having filled up the tank really brim full before setting off, but now I'm not sure. Like I said the other day, always something needing attention!
 
I avoid filling to brim I am sure I read somewhere on here a post about the hot weather and heat effecting petrol in tank and how it breaths through the breather pipes that go up behind the D posts then turn back down to under the car- petrol I think could end up going up and thud smelling? Hopefully someone can explain.

Just over half way 3/4 tops is my max. Mind my fuel gauge has been on n off past month or so - wiggled n cleaned rear connectors and was ok - now gone off again so need to investigate!

Added to list!

Dave
 
On non-emmissions cars the (single) breather line goes up into the qtr panel then u turns back down (some have a loop I think). The idea is to stop fuel leaving via the breather. However if you fill the tank right up till fuel is visible in the filler you leave stuff all air in the tank. Fuel normally comes out of an underground tank so is quite cool when it goes in. The boot area, including fuel tank, can get very hot if car is in the sun. This causes the fuel to expand and there being no room in the tank it heads up the breather then back down and out under the car. It stops running as soon as the petrol level drops below the point where the breather enters the tank. It can get a bit stinky because the breather is a loose push fit at the tank connection allowing fumes into the boot area. Normally, bar filling up, the air flow through the breather is the opposite direction, going into the tank to replace the used petrol hence very little or no smell.
 
I have an enlarged print of the wiring diagram for my car laminated in protective plastic, which I keep in the boot. When I went to consult it I noticed the boot light wasn't illuminating. According to the wiring index the horn shares a fuse with the boot light, the clock and the interior light. Clipped a new 25 amp fuse in position no. 1 and hey presto, the horn honks again, the clock ticks again, the passenger cabin is dimly illuminated, and so is the boot. Miraculously the coolant temperature sender has also returned to functionality of its own accord, so I'm pleased I really didn't have to do much to get everything back in working order!
The strong petrol smell is gone, now back to being just the occassional little whiff, so I'm going to attribute it to my having filled the tank to the top of the filler neck. @mikecoombs Thanks for that helpful explanation of how the tank breather functions.
I've never actually got around to fitting a replacement loudspeaker for the knackered one I removed from the middle of the rear parcel shelf, and I reckon that big hole through to the boot probably allows a lot of the petrol smell from the boot to come in to the cabin.
 
Ha yes that’s the battery fuse IIRC- the things that work with no ignition key in other than the lights which have own fuses (not the front fog supply that is worryingly unfused!). My fuel gauge had started to go on strike adhoc! At moment it’s working but it’s getting more militant!! Good idea re having wiring diagram with you. I have a pdf saved on to my iPhone in the notes. Bugger read though at times!

Dave
 
Hi Ron. Might be in parts book but it’s not fused at all on my series 2 suffix E and having checked the circuit that is the case. I guess could be that its choice to fuse both lamps down where pick up points are in engine bay but not very good place to fuse as get damp in rain etc. anyway mine are now fused on feed out the light switch!

Dave
 
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