Marm's Motors: Entering My Prime Era

[twosmoke300]

Quite a few cars the spare doesn’t match the tyres fitted to the 4 corners . I guess it’s a near enough fitment for all the different wheel / tyre options in the range 

[xtriple]

AMS Newton Abbot says it all really. Mate was a anager of one of their branches and left because even he couldn't deal with the utter dickheads they employed. Bullshit for England. By the by, didn't realise you were local

[Marm Toastsmith]

1 hour ago, xtriple said:

AMS Newton Abbot says it all really. Mate was a anager of one of their branches and left because even he couldn't deal with the utter dickheads they employed. Bullshit for England. By the by, didn't realise you were local

Yeah, wouldn't use them again... they were a fairly random choice out of the list of options Blackcircles provided and seemed to have good reviews. No "partner" garages here in Teignmouth and the last tyre place I used locally is closed for Christmas. I did notice later that the Torquay branch gets terrible reviews online... Was hoping they'd be better than one of the big chain places but it appears not.

Probably better to order the tyres without fitting and get a local place to fit them next time.

[UltraWomble]

7 hours ago, marm said:

Anyway back to the phone call from the garage: I asked whether they were sure - and explained about the spare - they sort of laughed at me, then looked it up and then said that they could fit the tyres.

Tell them to get bent next time if they try that.

Ive run 195's on a car that specified 185's - the handbook for my current car states depending on spec & engine you can have 185 to 205 section tyres as standard. Its currently running 195's (also specified) and the original spare was a 125 space saver that I have thrown in the sea and replaced with a 185 section wheel.

[Marm Toastsmith]

Vehicle #3 has not been mentioned here until now... just took it for a ride and on my return found it's leaking fuel. Quite a lot actually. Pissing out of a hose which is apparently connected to the carburettor float bowl at one end and nothing else at the other. Thankfully with the fuel tap switched off it stops.

Question 1: what should I do with the petrolly slicks on my damp driveway and the street outside my house?

Currently hoping it will just evaporate before someone flicks a cigarette butt on it.

Question 2: where's that hose supposed to be connected, if anywhere?

[Barry Cade]

Your float valve is stuck, give the carb a tap and see if it stops, if not, time to take the carb off. 

 

Leave petrol to evaporate, then just wash off with soapy water.. may leave a stain for a bit.

Hose is just a drain, doesn't go anywhere..

[Rustybullethole]

On some bikes you can remove the float bowl without removing the whole carb or have a nice big drain bolt to get any shite out the bottom and spray some carb cleaner up there for good measure. Like our man says tapping the float bowl is the first step. Good luck fella.

[Marm Toastsmith]

Nice - thanks guys... makes sense. 

Carb is generally playing silly buggers anyway. Or at least I'm assuming that's the cause of the intermittent poor running. Idle seems to fluctuate between 2 points and sometimes it needs more choke than it should to prevent it stalling - also tending to lack power and stall when pulling away as if there's a fuel starvation issue. The throttle cables etc. need looking at too as the throttle does not spring back by itself.

I've not had it for long and had these issues (although not the fuel drain) from day one. It was cheap enough that I'm not too upset about it and it is usable as is but it needs a bit of love. Previous owner had recently had some engine work done by a local garage (a "valve job") and apparently after that he'd had to strip and clean the carb to sort a running issue.

[2flags]

55 minutes ago, marm said:

Nice - thanks guys... makes sense. 

Carb is generally playing silly buggers anyway. Or at least I'm assuming that's the cause of the intermittent poor running. Idle seems to fluctuate between 2 points and sometimes it needs more choke than it should to prevent it stalling - also tending to lack power and stall when pulling away as if there's a fuel starvation issue. The throttle cables etc. need looking at too as the throttle does not spring back by itself.

I've not had it for long and had these issues (although not the fuel drain) from day one. It was cheap enough that I'm not too upset about it and it is usable as is but it needs a bit of love. Previous owner had recently had some engine work done by a local garage (a "valve job") and apparently after that he'd had to strip and clean the carb to sort a running issue.

This sounds like shit in the carbs. Clean them out and ensure the float valve is free. If it's not used must, these can stick. I've no idea how much a new valve would cost, but it would be best to budget for one.

 

[Matty]

3 hours ago, Barry Cade said:

Your float valve is stuck, give the carb a tap and see if it stops, if not, time to take the carb off. 

 

Leave petrol to evaporate, then just wash off with soapy water.. may leave a stain for a bit.

Hose is just a drain, doesn't go anywhere..

Indeed. My 550/4 used to do this regular till I cleaned the tank. Always on the outer carb on the stand side. 

[Marm Toastsmith]

Gave the float bowl a few taps, but it's still pissing fuel out. I guess I'll take the carb off and clean it all up. The fuel coming out of the drain hose looked a bit grubby and there was some water in it too... Will have to order a set of new seals etc. Also need to either make some space in the garage or wait for better weather.

Not sure you can get the float bowl off without taking the carb off, also the accelerator pump seems to be part of the same assembly so may need to be disassembled first. Could possibly just pull off the drain hose and spray some carb clean up there but it probably needs doing properly.

On my MZs you could just rotate the carb on the inlet to remove the float bowl!

I was planning to swap over the tank anyway as it came with a spare black one which I prefer. So maybe I'll give the entire fuel system a good going over. Quite tempted to start taking it apart right away... it would be a shame to take it off the road but the weather is shit at the moment so it's probably not a bad time to do it.

Plan B would be see if I can fit some new honda "Rebel" twin carbs. The manifold arrangement is different but the setup below looks as if it would fit.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254711236151

This one isn't much more expensive than a new set of gaskets... would need manifolds etc but they're available elsewhere.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383310644228

Wrong chinese carb, WCPGW?

@andyberg has one of these, I think. Copied him in just in case...

 

 

[andyberg]

Yeah I have one of these beauties 😁 fortunately mine runs sweet as a nut and have never had to take anything apart. It does sound like you have a but of crap from your take stuck on the float needle hence the pissing everywhere. As to how to take the carb apart I don't have a clue unfortunately. But you should be able to take off the float bowl without taking everything else off 🤔

Sorry I can't be any more help. Good luck. I would probably do as you are going to do and stick the other tank on after giving it a good swill round to get rid of any crap. 

[Marm Toastsmith]

Done nothing to the CB yet. Decided I needed to tidy up the garage first. Been getting my (push) bike tools organised instead. Classic procrastination move. But quite satisfying.

Also taking up space in the garage is a huge crate of spares that came with the CB. There are some small bits that are definitely worth keeping but front and rear wheels, forks, dodgy exhausts, spare tanks all take up space and I'll probably never use them. Maybe I'll sort through and stick a load of it on eBay. @andyberg - need anything?

In other news the Caddy's new tyres are brilliant. Ride/handling and grip transformed. Feel slightly daft having good tyres on a rusty van that's playing cambelt roulette but like the DAB radio it's a cost effective way to make cheap motoring more pleasant.

[andyberg]

22 hours ago, marm said:

Done nothing to the CB yet. Decided I needed to tidy up the garage first. Been getting my (push) bike tools organised instead. Classic procrastination move. But quite satisfying.

Also taking up space in the garage is a huge crate of spares that came with the CB. There are some small bits that are definitely worth keeping but front and rear wheels, forks, dodgy exhausts, spare tanks all take up space and I'll probably never use them. Maybe I'll sort through and stick a load of it on eBay. @andyberg - need anything?

In other news the Caddy's new tyres are brilliant. Ride/handling and grip transformed. Feel slightly daft having good tyres on a rusty van that's playing cambelt roulette but like the DAB radio it's a cost effective way to make cheap motoring more pleasant.

Thanks for the kind offer but I think I have been really lucky with my bike, it has been well looked after. Even the original exhausts are pretty rust free. It's stored in the shed for the winter now. Started it the other day, still sweet as a nut. 

[Jmac]

Is the petrol coming from the black pipe that’s connected to the centre of the bottom of the float bowl ? . That’s a carburettor drain pipe , the brass slot head screw on the side of the pipe boss is  to undo to drain the carb , is it tight ? .

[Marm Toastsmith]

2 hours ago, Jmac said:

Is the petrol coming from the black pipe that’s connected to the centre of the bottom of the float bowl ? . That’s a carburettor drain pipe , the brass slot head screw on the side of the pipe boss is  to undo to drain the carb , is it tight ? .

Yes, and yes the screw's tight.

More fuel came out when I loosened it though. Good to know!

[Zelandeth]

Worth changing all the fuel lines while you're in there.  Bear in mind that there's ethanol in all* pump fuel in the UK now so A: Your hoses etc need to be compatible, and B: It tends to flush out all manner of crap from an old fuel system over time.

* Esso Supreme+ 99 is currently the one exception to this rule, still FOR NOW being ethanol free (despite the E5 label on the pump, which means UP TO 5% ethanol...The labelling is a standardised thing and there is no E0 label!).  No telling how long that may remain the case though.

[Jmac]

  I think that screw has a tapered end to it that blocks the hole to stop fuel flow . Might have dirt stopping it seating .

try turning the fuel off , put a drip catcher under the pipe on floor and a spray can lid under the screw , remove screw and turn on petrol tap for a couple of seconds to flush out . Put the screw back in and tighten. 

Fowler’s of bristol have microfiche parts look up on their website , good for genuine spares .

[Marm Toastsmith]

25 minutes ago, Jmac said:

  I think that screw has a tapered end to it that blocks the hole to stop fuel flow . Might have dirt stopping it seating .

try turning the fuel off , put a drip catcher under the pipe on floor and a spray can lid under the screw , remove screw and turn on petrol tap for a couple of seconds to flush out . Put the screw back in and tighten. 

Fowler’s of bristol have microfiche parts look up on their website , good for genuine spares .

Hmm... It's stopping fuel coming out OK as far as it goes - when I loosen it the contents of the bowl flows out, and it stops once tightened as long as the tank tap is turned off. With the tank tap on the bowl seems to be overflowing... I'm not sure the screw is relevant?

[Jmac]

im stumped , the drain screw should be sealed 100% , no drips from bottom drain pipe .

the overflow pipe no21 on the parts card l/h of carb would drip fuel if the fuel was on and needle valve stuck open .

good luck finding the leak .

[Marm Toastsmith]

Ah... er...

[Marm Toastsmith]

Had a quick look. Can't work out where hose #21 actually ends up as the bike's in a dark corner of the garage but I'm sure it's not where the fuel was coming from. I'll have another look tomorrow.

Started cleaning up the replacement (actually original) tank. It seems in better nick than the repainted white one the PO fitted but there is some surface rust etc which I will deal with before fitting. Decided I might as well keep this bike forever and do it right.

[andyberg]

6 minutes ago, marm said:

Had a quick look. Can't work out where hose #21 actually ends up as the bike's in a dark corner of the garage but I'm sure it's not where the fuel was coming from. I'll have another look tomorrow.

Started cleaning up the replacement (actually original) tank. It seems in better nick than the repainted white one the PO fitted but there is some surface rust etc which I will deal with before fitting. Decided I might as well keep this bike forever and do it right.

A good decision, they are good bikes. A bit like an Astra 😂 just an bike, no fuss, no rush, comfy, economical. 

[Marm Toastsmith]

2 minutes ago, andyberg said:

A bit like an Astra 

Don't say that. You'll make me want a new bike. I know what you mean though.

To me it's Honda's current* version of the bike he describes in Zen and art of Motorcycle Maintenance. A slow, small, simple, twin cylinder machine.

[Marm Toastsmith]

Lockdown 2.0: Started cleaning up the rusty arches on the caddy. Seems pretty solid on this side. Phew.

Admittedly I haven't poked the back end of the sill too hard, it's slightly crusty around the edges, but the underseal seems well stuck on so I might just liberally douse it in waxoyl at some point.

[Marm Toastsmith]

Gave the other side a scape and a sand. It's mostly still metal* under the flaking bubbling paint. Then gave the whole van a wash. Every time I wash it I try to properly clean out the arches and every time they seem to be absolutely caked in shit.

I can't decide whether to quickly touch up with some silver Hammerite - or prime it (got a tin of Hammerite anti-rust stuff which is good shit IME) and once I've prepped all the little bits and bobs repaint the whole car in brushed/rollered on green tractor enamel or green army paint. I'd love a brush painted green van.

[Marm Toastsmith]

One side's got some paint on. Went with silver Hammerite, it's actually not a bad match by my standards. Did the wheel too, this time using the time honoured "slap it on" (zero prep) technique. Both need a second coat really. Be interesting to see how long it holds up - hopefully it'll slow down the rust. 

[bunglebus]

That's better, just in time by the look of it

[Marm Toastsmith]

2nd coat on o/s, 1st coach on n/s. It's too bloody cold for this nonsense. Done a pretty shit job on the wheels. Oh well. 

[bezzabsa]

looks good......2nd for Rollering it NATO green....but then you'd need to get the wheels done matt black!!