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Oh No! Not again.....

My wife is a bloody jinx, I'm sure of it!
The last three times she's been out with me for a run in the Box, it's broken down. What's more it's been a different fault every time.

First time it was down to engine wear and plugs fouling up. That cost me a new set of valve guides, valves and a set of rings (engineer said bores were OK)

Second time it was down to ignition - wear in the DK distributor (a Bosch replacement did the trick)

This time, off we go, engine running like a dream in the bright Mediterranean sunshine (dry, but a bit on the cool side)and I'm dead chuffed. On the run back home, we're about half a mile from Chateau Rekkers when..... cough cough cough, splutter splutter, miss, miss, conk.

Need less to say I was a bit put out. And streesed too, having to listen to the Mem'Sahib giving me grief in one ear.

"I don't know why you don't get rid of the **** thing. All you do is spend money on it & still it goes wrong." etc etc etc.


Anyway.... off with the float bowl - no fuel. Off with the banjo bolt - no fuel when cranking. Off with the fuel pump bowl. Dry as a gnats whotsit. By chance, I noticed that the pick up pipe was loose, and hey-presto, it came off in my hand, Guv. Shove it back in wrap round some tape to seal it & give it a try...... engine starts but runs like a dog. No power, missing like buggery.

Gets worse. Have to tell Mem'Sahib that I haven't got a plus spanner so I'm going to have to walk home & fetch one. (You can imagine the scenario)

Eventually get back, take out all the plugs, clean them, put them back. Still the same.

Thinking Cap back on. What's the last thing I touched on this bloody car? Oh yes, I had the Carb off & put a new washer on the needle valve. What did I seal it with? Yes, you've guessed. Silicone.

Take the float bowl off again and have another look. Something like a small white worm peeping out of the main jet. Out with the jets, and of course, they were blocked, with silicone.

Moral of the story.... remember that silicone dissolves in petrol, albeit VERY SLOWLY!

Anyway, back into the workshop. I need to sort that inlet pipe to the fuel pump.

Jaunts in the Box are going to be so much quieter in the future. Mem'Sahib has declared she's NEVER going out in 'That Thing' again.

Oh dear, how sad, never mind!

Re: Oh No! Not again.....

Oh you poor boy, but before the wandering, many thanks for the Silicone advice, strange though how it's never one thing at a time that goes wrong viz. blocked jet and supply pipe loose!

The serious can now go to another topic.....

"My wife is a bloody jinx, ....... we're about half a mile from Chateau Rekkers when..... cough cough cough, splutter splutter, miss, miss, conk." -
Should that be "cough, splutter..Mrs, Mrs, conk".

"I don't know why you don't get rid of the **** thing. All you do is spend money on it & still it goes wrong."
Sounds just like the Mem'Sahib, assuming you Doooo spend a little on her!

"... engine starts but runs like a dog. No power, missing like buggery".
My dog is a buitiful runner, especially if she picks up a foxes scent.

"Gets worse. Have to tell Mem'Sahib that I haven't got a plus spanner so I'm going to have to walk home & fetch one. (You can imagine the scenario)".
Do you mean she didn't offer to go back for you, it is just down the road, perhaps you should direct Mem'Sahib that way......

"Moral of the story.... remember that silicone dissolves in petrol, albeit VERY SLOWLY!"
And Mem'Sahib, would she as well, or is her heart so stoney that nothing melts.....

"Jaunts in the Box are going to be so much quieter in the future. Mem'Sahib has declared she's NEVER going out in 'That Thing' again".
Oh, that sounds a lot better, I'm begining to feel happier for you all ready and of course the proof will be if you have no further problems when out touring in the sunny south.

By the way, when you say it's COOL, what did you have in mind, because it's been belowe freezing this last week, in fact last Thursday we had freezing fog in the South Midlands all day.

Time to go and put my feet up now and watch 'Marples' - Agatha Christie, not that dreadful Transport Minister.

Naomi

All in the BEST possible taste!!!! My best wishes to Mem'Sahib.

Re: Re: Oh No! Not again.....

.

"Time to go and put my feet up now and watch 'Marples' - Agatha Christie, not that dreadful Transport Minister"

Come back Marples - all is forgiven!

Mike

Re: Oh No! Not again.....

Cool normally means below 15°C down here, although the locals are still wearing their thermals when it gets over 30°C! Sunny days, 'Tiffin' on the terrace mid afternoon, but frost in the morning.

We had 8" of snow just over a week ago, but it's all gone apart from a few corners where the sun never gets. Higher up, about 3/4 hour from here there's still over a metre of the stuff and good ski-ing. I don't 'Do' cold, though. I must have been a marine iguana in a former life. Sun & Sea for me, please!

Chassis 176617 will be venturing out again, whatever the weather on Sunday 19th - she's entered in the 4th Cévénnes Winter Rally when she'll be wandering about in the Monts de l'Ardèche, probably up to her front axle in snow. (I don't think she knows yet, so I'm keeping quiet just in case she breaks down yet again!)

Mem'Sahib is staying at home with the central heating turned up to 'full'.

Re: Re: Oh No! Not again.....

Are they still pumping gas to you from Russia then ?
Clive

Re: Oh No! Not again.....

Oh, I knew it would come to this..

Re: Oh No! Not again.....

They did offer to install town gas in our village but the take up was so poor they decided not to bother. We only use it for cooking and we have a bottle of butane under the units. Usually lasts for about 8 months before needing re-filled, which costs us 24€. They wanted over 30€ a month just for the standing charge - I think the French equivalent of sod off is something along the lines of "Fou le con, toi!"

Apart from that, the only other source of gas comes from the regular consumption of lentils, cassoulet, onions & brussel sprouts!