roybr Posted April 13, 2011 Report Share Posted April 13, 2011 Evening ladies and gents,my petrol tap is leaking and so,I shall be attempting to fit a new cork seal.After a brief recce' I need to ask your advice on the following.If I drive the front of the car onto my ramps, will this stop the tank from emptying itself when I dismantle the tap, and save trying to block the flow some other way? Is there a trick to undoing the small grub screw on the side of the tap as the gap looks very small to get a screwdriver in. Has anybody simply replaced the tap with an 8mm 90 degree compression joint? Any advice greatfully received. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted April 13, 2011 Report Share Posted April 13, 2011 As long as you can get the front up higher than the level in the tank then you should be OK.(Best not to have a full tank to start )Do be aware though the currently supplied corks arent very good. (Apparently there is a shortage of good cork anyway thats why you are seeing more screw tops and plastic corks in wine bottles these days. )You can just delete it altogether or do as Menno has done and replace with a newer type of lever shut off valve. Stuart Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 My brother's article in Section K4 (page K-14 & 15) of the Technicalities CD might be worth reading. As others have said, modern cork isn't very good (for example, I failed to obtain a seal with new cork on my filter bowl, so used the neoprene seal). A modern shut-off valve, with a 90 degree turn, might be a better bet. It's what I fitted to my TR4 as Triumph foolishly deleted the cut-off valve on introducing the TR4 - it's an example of what is called "a constant programme of improvement!" Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike ellis Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 Following is a 'Technical Tip' I put in TRaction a while ago, use in conjunction with the article Ian mentions. Petrol taps on sidescreen cars tend to have problems these days as the cork seal often dries out and replacements seem to be of variable quality and supply. I have overcome this by the simple expedient of replacing the cork with rubber O rings, this solution allows normal use of the tap and is invisible from the outside. Fitting is easy, first loosen the locking screw on the side and remove the thumbscrew/seal assembly then slacken the hexagon locknut and remove the plunger. Replace the cork with the O rings (I used four rings 1/2inch OD x 1/4inch ID) and reassemble. I found the hardest part to be loosening the hexagon locknut which sits in a recess, nothing seemed to fit and I had to go out and buy a 1/4inch AF socket. Also remember to use O rings compatible with lead free fuel. I still have a few left so if you PM me with your address I could send you some. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ians Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 I recently replaced the front fuel pipe and tap in my 3. I found that with a quarter tank full if you jack up (high) the near side both front and back and put it on axle stands then the only fuel you lose is that in the pipe. You do need to make sure there isn't a siphon effect which might require you to blow back the fuel in the line into the tank. Key thing is to make sure the tank is as empty as possible before you start. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR 2100 Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 I still have a few left so if you PM me with your address I could send you some. Mike Mike, I have two or three taps in my boxes, waiting for new owners. Please save me 3 sets (or send/pass to AlecP), whenever. AlanR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
roybr Posted April 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 Thanks all, for your comments/help, hopefully Mike's tweak will do the trick. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 Last year I asked my neighbour who has a lathe to turn me a new steel piece and I inserted two Viton O-rings. It's working fine. Just like the cork ones when they were new (in 1958) and the Viton is fuel resistant and the shut-off valve seems like it is lubricated with silicone grease, it is so easy to move. The steel part was machined for free and the viton seals cost me $7.20 (CDN) for a bag of 10 o-rings. That makes it about 90 pence total for two Viton o-rings. BTW, they are tan to dark brown in colour. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 Last year I asked my neighbour who has a lathe to turn me a new steel piece and I inserted two Viton O-rings. It's working fine. Just like the cork ones when they were new (in 1958) and the Viton is fuel resistant and the shut-off valve seems like it is lubricated with silicone grease, it is so easy to move. The steel part was machined for free and the viton seals cost me $7.20 (CDN) for a bag of 10 o-rings. That makes it about 90 pence total for two Viton o-rings. BTW, they are tan to dark brown in colour. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike ellis Posted April 15, 2011 Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 Mike, I have two or three taps in my boxes, waiting for new owners. Please save me 3 sets (or send/pass to AlecP), whenever. AlanR Alan, I will get some down to Alec. Regards Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
roybr Posted April 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2011 "O" rings arrived this morning, thanks again Mike. Had to resort to a bit of "non-expert", and ended up using thin nosed pliers to undo the grub screw and the lock nut, whipped the seal assembly out and jammed a rubber bung in to stop the petrol running out, re-assembled with the "O" rings and popped it back in, 15 mins in total.Looking nice and dry up to now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeteT Posted April 30, 2011 Report Share Posted April 30, 2011 Following is a 'Technical Tip' I put in TRaction a while ago, use in conjunction with the article Ian mentions. Petrol taps on sidescreen cars tend to have problems these days as the cork seal often dries out and replacements seem to be of variable quality and supply. I have overcome this by the simple expedient of replacing the cork with rubber O rings, this solution allows normal use of the tap and is invisible from the outside. Fitting is easy, first loosen the locking screw on the side and remove the thumbscrew/seal assembly then slacken the hexagon locknut and remove the plunger. Replace the cork with the O rings (I used four rings 1/2inch OD x 1/4inch ID) and reassemble. I found the hardest part to be loosening the hexagon locknut which sits in a recess, nothing seemed to fit and I had to go out and buy a 1/4inch AF socket. Also remember to use O rings compatible with lead free fuel. I still have a few left so if you PM me with your address I could send you some. Mike Hi Mike, You havnt still got some of those 'O' rings have you? Ive got exactly the same problem. Please contact on following email address pete.tomkinson@hotmail.co.uk Many thanks, Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike ellis Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 Pete, Email sent. Regards Mike These are all I have, if anyone else wants some I am quite happy to make a bulk order and to supply them as and when. There would obviously be a small cost to this I would guess probably about £3 including postage. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Soffe Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 Pete, Email sent. Regards Mike These are all I have, if anyone else wants some I am quite happy to make a bulk order and to supply them as and when. There would obviously be a small cost to this I would guess probably about £3 including postage. Many years ago I had the same problem and my solution is still leak tight - I wrapped the cork washer with PTF tape. After over 75,000 miles it was still not leaking. I imagine the new owner of MJA 765 is still happy with my repair! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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