Javelin sump.

[Leo Bolter]

Keith said

. . . . Zenith with a holed float, take them out and shake them, if they have any petrol inside you need a new one!

Brass floats with petrol in them can be re-claimed . . . just put them into hot water, quickly turn them so as to observe where the the bubbles come from and turn that place downward to force the petrol out the hole. This will show by a "slick" on the surface of the hot water.

Using your judgement as to when the flow has slowed, remove the float and allow it to cool in air (if in a hurry, maybe a short visit to the the fridge freezer compartment? . . if you dare! ). The above procedure may need to be repeated several times, or at least until bubbles appear with the float leak downward (proving that all the petrol has gone).

Then quickly, and with a really hot iron of sufficient bulk, solder the leak area with the barest minimum of 60/40 solder (used on electronics). Full and proper preparation for soldering must not be skimped.

Cheers. Leo.

P.S. Keith. I have found the "delete post check box" . . . there's now one inside the "Edit" facility. Thanks for sorting that double post I made recently

[Chris Spencer]

Keith - Glad you have resolved the problem with the Jav - we can start to to tidy the paintwork when I get back at the end of week - any day next week suit you (not Weds)

[David Morris]

Hi Ted,

Great news that you have found the problem! Good that the solution proved to be simple. Just in time for your charity car show!

One more Jowett back on the road!

All the best,

David

[TedAllen]

Hi David...
Not totally sure yet, I've tried the valve timing check but it's all a bit of a mystery to me. Very kindly explained by me old mate Drummond on the phone.....my brain hurts now, even though he made it sound simple !
So, knowing I had a spare camshaft with the chainwheel still bolted on the end and well marked with Tippex, I buckled down
yesterday and removed the old shaft through the front and replaced it, with the wheel still on.
I've put the chain back straight away and then fitted the gasket to the block with some instant gasket and the bolts to locate it overnight.
I've just re-set all the rocker clearances and that's where I'm at up to now. Next to put the front cover back and see if it runs before I fit the water pump and alternator.

Digits crossed !

Ted

[TedAllen]

All done...different cam in and started up readily..............still on 1 and 3.
Can take 2 and 4 leads out of dizzy with it running and it makes no difference.
Frustrated....to say the least !
Only thing I haven't changed is the rotor arm. I've had one fail in the past, same arm, on a Land Rover, but that was like I'd switched off the engine. Solid brass and it is flying the spark to 2 and 4 when I hold the leads out slightly.

Ted

[David Morris]

Hi Ted,

I thought that you had traced the fault to a jet in the carb driving 2 & 4? Sorry to hear this still gives you problems. You mention that you can pull the leads to cylinders 2 & 4 from the dizzy and this makes no difference? Can I suggest that there may be a problem with the dizzy's cap? If you can pull the leads out,( by hand I presume? ) then either you can stand 12,000volts better than me or the spark is well down?

I think there must be an ignition fault somewhere?

Hope this helps!

David

[TedAllen]

David,
No, that wasn't me with the jet problem, it was Keith.
It's a brand new cap, bought yesterday. It's no problem to take the leads out of the cap by hand, you won't get a shock because the leccie is coming out of the cap...not down the lead. So the lead is ' dead' as soon as it leaves the cap. It's the plug end of the lead that'll give you a punch........it's not very much and quite survivable. Had loads. Tones your arm muscles up , anyway
I'm going to ring for one of your dizzys tomorrow. Originality doesn't bother me either, this car's not that good enough to worry about.
I was once called a bodger for re-threading the RTC mounting holes to 8mm and fitter longer bolts. But who notices and who cares ? It reclaimed the block, though.....and It doesn't leak !
As long as the outside looks ok and it's not festooned with non period accessories, then I'm quite happy.
Once it's running, of course.......Pigging thing !!

Ted

[David Morris]

Hi Ted,

Thanks for the reply. I had obviously got you and Keith muddled-up! Hope you get success with the dizzy? The company on eBay selling the dizzys have a phone number which is 0121 423 1637 and I think they are based near Birmingham.

Yes, I'am not one for strict originality either. So long as it looks reasonable and not too out of character. I have one of those aluminium adapters in the top hose that Jowett's supplied, so as to avoid having a single hose with different sizes at each end. I have obtained some of that blue hose for the short fat bit of pipe just above the water pump. Looked ok to me, but others suggested that it does look a bit garish!

Anyway, we were at the Berkerley Steam Rally last week and a stall there had a whole big crate of short lengths of black rubber pipe that looked about the right size. I bought one on spec. and when I got home, found it was exactly the right size and length! Wonder where that NOS came from.....

All the best,

David

[Chris Spencer]

Ted & David - I like your style - if all we had to bow to the great god of orginality every time we attempted to keep our cars on the road the world would be a much poorer place - while some may scorn at your efforts to maintain your vehicles and use them on a practicle basis others spend far more time and money worrying that the braid on the wiring harness is not quite the correct shade of black. I know which camp I am in and it is not the latter.

[TedAllen]

Well, No change here, still on 1/3.
Distributor arrived this morning and fitted this afternoon.....no difference although she did start 1st push of the button.
Was probably a good buy anyway at the price.

Compressions on the firing cylinders are about 130 psi....About 125 on the duff side. A bit low, I know, but should be enough to fire.

Seems a similar fault to Keith's although he mentions Dellorto carbs. Mine dumps petrol into the exhaust and drips through the flange gaskets and push fit crosspipe at the front. Smoking, I assume is caused by petrol in the hot pipe.
I had assumed petrol was just dripping out because it wasn't firing but could cause and effect be spinning me a googly.
What if it's not firing it because there's too much petrol ? She certainly started easily from cold without any choke.
I've just had the float chamber off and there's fuel in it. I changed the float before putting it back together.
Putting my palm over the intake pipe rubber speeds it up and it seems to have a good ' suck ' at that point.

So, any ideas, guys and gals ?

Ted

[Drummond Black]

Ted, A long shot. SWAP THE PLUG LEADS ON TWO AND FOUR at the plug ends ONLY. I would check the spark plugs first. Take them out and if they look doubtful fit two new ones. Worth a try.

Drummond.

[TedAllen]

Just tried but no different...I'll phone you. Thanks.



Ted

[Chris Spencer]

Ted - This fault is identical to the one Keith had - take the carb apart and check that the main jet holder has not dropped the smaller jet it retains.

[TedAllen]

Thanks, Chris. Keith is on Dellortos...mine's on the Zeniths.
Actually I did change the bowl and float this afternoon with no change. I checked the jets and blew them out with high pressure oxygen at the same time.

Had a long talk with Drummond but apart from some suggestions between us, more from him than me, we came up with no definite solution.
A couple of things came up in conversation....the manifold is getting hot ( but not ' take your skin off ' hot ) and there's some light popping back from that side
Off to a motorbike rally tomorrow so I'll not look again 'til Monday........might have a clearer head by then !

Ted

[Forumadmin]

Try the emulsion block and check the petrol feed vane is still in place
Look down wach carb when idling and when blipping the throttle and see if excess petrol.