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Leaking petrol/fuel pump


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I have recently acquired my dad's 1973 TR6 (he has had it from 1981 to 2010) and always I remember, as a child, a fairly strong smell of petrol whilst driving with hood down. He always said it was what you smelt whilst driving a car like this.....

 

After a few years being laid-up I now have it on the road again and that petrol smell is still there, albeit considerably worse. Unfortunately dad is not able to give me guidance now.

 

Today, I noticed petrol dripping from under the rear near-side rear wheel arch and see a clear plastic pipe - some 1'2" in diameter - emerging from the boot above that has been cut so as to look like a drain or overflow pipe. Not having any (at all) mecahnical ability, I did trace it back to the fuel pump above, and to the base of the cast housing of that pump. I blocked the dripping pipe temporarily but later noted fuel seeping from the gasket that seperates the top from the bottom of the pump. Having recently re-fuelled the tank to full (and only having done a few miles) I vented the tank just in case some pressure had built up. It is now free draining and discharging into a fuel can and very little has come out.

 

Anyway - I looked at dad's TR6 workshop manual which suggests this vent pipe may drip when the seal has gone in the pump, which sounds sensible to me, given the cars history of being laid-up. The questions I have are.....

 

 

Before I take it to my mechanic, are there any other obvious things it could be?

 

Is it OK to fire up and drive the 1/4 mile to the garage, bearing in mind the housing of the pump is leaking fuel?

 

Is it a new pump or a new seal? Any idea of costs?

 

If there is any other advice members can give on what I am sure is a basic problem, I would be grateful to hear. I am hopefully shaking-down any problems related to a few years of being dormant and want to get the vehicle back on the road gradually whilst the sun is able to shine, ironing out any of these niggles before I break down miles from home....

 

Wisdom appreciated....

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hi

I did this job last week at home and i have very little skill !

As long as your tank is half full or less you can disconnet the feed pipe to the pump and tape it as high on tank as you can .Then tape outlet pipe high on boot hinge .Get a new seal and o ring from rimmers or where ever about 15 quid with post age . Disconnect the wires and mark which feed goes to which . Get the pump off the car and undo the 6 bolt hold in the pump to the moter and put it to 1 side . Then undo the 2 screws on the moter body and pull it off gently the moter brushes wiil spring forward .you should be able to care fully tap the seal out . only tricky but is hold in the brushes back on reassemble 2 bits of bent wire and 3 pairs of hands ! .I had no probs with air in system and saved a couple of hundred the fun for me in own in these cars is the falabilty of them and the way they drive .

 

 

Just the usual "survival" tips when dealing with fuel.Disconnect the battery, do the work out in the fresh air away from sources of ignition, fire extinguisher to hand, a mate to watch your back / lend a hand,etc

 

Jmo

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I have recently acquired my dad's 1973 TR6 (he has had it from 1981 to 2010) and always I remember, as a child, a fairly strong smell of petrol whilst driving with hood down. He always said it was what you smelt whilst driving a car like this.....

 

After a few years being laid-up I now have it on the road again and that petrol smell is still there, albeit considerably worse. Unfortunately dad is not able to give me guidance now.

 

Today, I noticed petrol dripping from under the rear near-side rear wheel arch and see a clear plastic pipe - some 1'2" in diameter - emerging from the boot above that has been cut so as to look like a drain or overflow pipe. Not having any (at all) mecahnical ability, I did trace it back to the fuel pump above, and to the base of the cast housing of that pump. I blocked the dripping pipe temporarily but later noted fuel seeping from the gasket that seperates the top from the bottom of the pump. Having recently re-fuelled the tank to full (and only having done a few miles) I vented the tank just in case some pressure had built up. It is now free draining and discharging into a fuel can and very little has come out.

 

Anyway - I looked at dad's TR6 workshop manual which suggests this vent pipe may drip when the seal has gone in the pump, which sounds sensible to me, given the cars history of being laid-up. The questions I have are.....

 

 

Before I take it to my mechanic, are there any other obvious things it could be?

 

Is it OK to fire up and drive the 1/4 mile to the garage, bearing in mind the housing of the pump is leaking fuel?

 

Is it a new pump or a new seal? Any idea of costs?

 

If there is any other advice members can give on what I am sure is a basic problem, I would be grateful to hear. I am hopefully shaking-down any problems related to a few years of being dormant and want to get the vehicle back on the road gradually whilst the sun is able to shine, ironing out any of these niggles before I break down miles from home....

 

Wisdom appreciated....

 

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You can pick up reconditioned Lucas pumps for about £250 which is the route I went down. Some people may tell you to go the Bosch route if it isn't already, or you can try and pull the actual pump to bits yourself - up to you :)

 

See this thread for all the info that was provided when I had the same problem!

 

Simon

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