Fuel filter bowl leakage

[ianc]

For the first time in nearly 60 years of TR ownership, I have been plagued this month with a minor weep from the filter bowl on my TR4.

I have quite a collection of spares, so tried replacement of the seal, using neoprene and cork versions.  Didn't work.

I fitted another glass bowl, and then another clamp (called "bail assembly" in the Parts Manual).  Didn't work.

I bought another couple of cork gaskets - ditto!

I came to the conclusion that the screw on the clamp was hitting the end of its thread's travel before the bowl was sufficiently tight - but there's no easy way of permitting the clamp to turn further.

Fortunately, the base of the moulded glass bowl is shaped to provide a ring to locate the cup of the clamp.

From the garage shelf, I got out my large collection of fibre, rubber and other washers, and found a thin nylon washer which would fit inside the ring in the base of the bowl. 

Loosening the clamp, I managed to slide the washer beneath the bowl and over the cup of the clamp.  This seems to have provided just sufficient extra clamping, and the bowl has ceased weeping.

I'm very glad that I had a cut-off valve fitted alongside the pump when the car was re-built in the early 1990s as, with some 16 gallons of the most expensive Esso fuel in the tank, I need to be able to stop the flow.  One of Triumph's really stupid "enhancements" with the introduction of the TR4, was to remove the tap fitted to every sidescreen car.  Worse was to come with the TR4A, of course, as, when I was Technical Editor in the 1970s & 1980s, I started to receive letters about the front suspension collapsing on the 4As.  Later, it was semi-trailing arms and differentials coming adrift, and failures of drive shafts and hubs.  The rather simple (some would say, "crude") TR4 is pretty well bullet-proof!

Ian Cornish

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

Does the TR4 not have a length of rubber hose, rather than the braided steel covered Petro-flex hose of a sidescreen car,  from the chassis fuel pipe end up to the pump?

in which case a simple brake hose clamp could be used if a fuel tap is not provided.

I realise at the side of the road such a tool may not be in the boot filled tool roll, but mole grips might be and would do at a ‘pinch’

Edited November 27, 2022 by BlueTR3A-5EKT
Spelling

[Z320]

Hi Ian,

I guess the metal sieve is to wide between the seal and the pump body.

This was the case on a repro pump which I fitted to test and I made the slieve only 1 mm smaller with a good scissors.

Ciao, Marco 

[ianc]

Peter & Marco: being a Works rally car, 4VC has pipework above floor level, so as not to be ripped off when charging over rough ground.  Also has sheet steel protection welded to the bottom of the chassis beneath driver and navigator, and skid shield welded in place (very strong and very useful - with my trolley jack, I can lift the front of the car on this).

The bundy pipe for rear brakes runs inside the cabin,  along the right floor, beside the inner sill. 

The petrol pipe runs inside the cabin, along the floor on the left side of the prop shaft and gearbox covers, entering the engine compartment near the navigator's right foot.  Inside the engine compartment there's the stop cock and then it's taken in a braided hose to the pump.

Thanks for the thought about the gauze filter (sieve), but I had checked this, and made sure that it was seated correctly within the ring in the pump's casting - so that was not causing my problem.

Always enjoy reading your contributions to the Forum - both of you are much valued contributors.

Ian Cornish

Edited November 28, 2022 by ianc

[Z320]

Hi Ian,

thank you for your laud, sometimes I feel "not comfortable" when I notice I have a different look on things... 

Could it be your (soft) pump housing is bended and needs to be leveled? This happens when the 6 screws are tight up too strong.

Before:

After

[Lebro]

Ian said the leak was from the glass bowl, not the pump it's self.

Bob

[Z320]

Yes I know, but what can leak on the bowl?

From a leaking flange petrol can’t run down to the bowl?