Fluids: Oil, gasoline, bourbon

[BlueBDA]

Good news/bad news.

 

The good: I've spent the winter slowly trying to fix engine oil leaks. New sump gaskets and goop, better sealing of oil tank fittings, etc. Started it up today, and it appears that I have fixed most of the oil leaks. There's one area that might still be leaking, but I'm not sure yet. And time may change things. But first experience is it's drier than it used to be. Yay.

 

The bad: I now have a gas leak. WTF?! I have a braided stainless line that runs from the fuel pump in the rear all the way to the carbs. It's dry at both ends, so somehow it is leaking along its length, in the vicinity of the shifter - the only place where I can't see the line, of course. Seems very odd to me that a braided line like this has sprung a leak, but it is leaking. Didn't leak with the fuel pump running before I started the engine; only leaked when I ran the engine.

 

So, I need to replace the fuel line. Seems as if I'll have to remove the driveshaft to get access? I assume I have to remove the differential to do that? I don't have to pull the engine, do I? Or is there access from the cockpit?

 

Car is a 97 Caterham, standard size, T-9 transmission, BDA engine with Dellorto carbs, Facet fuel pump.

 

Please share any words of wisdom re how to go about fixing this. What a PIA. :banghead:

 

Now on to the bourbon.

[Croc]

Pour a glass for me please!

 

The reason the braided line is likely leaking is that the inner rubber is not fuel safe. So over time it decays and eventually starts weeping through the rubber then through the braiding.

 

So when you spec a replacement make sure you get a fuel safe line.

 

As for replacing, Its probably easier with the tail shaft out unless you have small fingers.

 

But I would contemplate the problem with another glass of bourbon first.

[ashyers]

If the line is failing sometimes they will "shed". You may want to check your float bowls and toss in a new fuel filter.

[BlueBDA]

Can I take the driveshaft out without removing the differential?

 

Can I access the center tunnel from above, if I remove the center armrest?

[coffee break]

There may be an access panel around the shifter under the carpet. Check the rear u-joint, you may be able to disconnect it from the drive shaft or diff without removing major parts. With the drive shaft disconnected at the rear, the yoke should slide out (and allow oil to drain out). Drain the tranny first.

[BlueBDA]

Thanks. But isn't the driveshaft fully surrounded by frame members, so that even if I disconnected at the u-joint, I wouldn't be able to get it out of the tunnel?

 

Also, maybe kind of a newbie question, but where's the tranny oil fill location, and how do I access it?

 

There may be an access panel around the shifter under the carpet. Check the rear u-joint, you may be able to disconnect it from the drive shaft or diff without removing major parts. With the drive shaft disconnected at the rear, the yoke should slide out (and allow oil to drain out). Drain the tranny first.

[bball7754]

Yes, you should be able to access the tunnel by removing the center arm rest. I removed mine to repair the covering, which had come unglued. As I remember it just pulled off (I don’t have carpet on my tunnel walls), and I only had to remove the gearshift knob.

[bball7754]

Removed duplicate entry to post above.

[coffee break]

I was able to remove the driveshaft by sliding it to the rear past the straight axle. I had the car on a lift.

The oil FILL plug is on the side of the tranny, I wish I had an oil DRAIN plug. That's the box in my car, thou it is self draining a little at a time...

Edited April 9, 2020 by coffee break

[11Budlite]

Thanks. But isn't the driveshaft fully surrounded by frame members, so that even if I disconnected at the u-joint, I wouldn't be able to get it out of the tunnel?

 

Also, maybe kind of a newbie question, but where's the tranny oil fill location, and how do I access it?

 

To add to what others have said. If your car is a deDion (I think it is IIRC) then I'm pretty sure you have to remove the diff to get the driveshaft out of the tunnel. The tunnel top should just pull up with the gearknob removed and the handbrake pulled all the way up. Although there could be a couple screws holding it to the tunnel towards the rear. In my old Birkin I fabricated some 3/8" stainless steel hard lines through the tunnel and had flexible lines to hook to the fuel pump/filter in the back and the fuel rail in the front. I didn't like the idea of using all flexible lines from front to rear but others have done it succesfully without issue.

 

The tranny fill plug is on the left side of the case and hopefully there's an access plug in the driver's footwell if you can't access it from below. Should be a 10mm allen IIRC.

[BlueBDA]

Just thought I'd close the loop on this thread. I completed the fuel line replacement this past weekend. Removed the center tunnel cover, drilled out all of the rivets that hold the aluminum plate over the rear section. Got the old line out, which looked like this:

 

 

Pump to rubber to plastic to braided to braided to carb. 5 connections in total. Replaced with one length of rubber fuel line, and tidied up fuel pump power wire while I was in there:

 

.

 

Of course I knocked several wire connections loose while doing this, so when I was done I had no ignition, then ignition but no starter. Finally got it all back together and started it up at around 7:00pm. Went in the house and told my wife "I hate that car".:banghead:

 

Next day tuned up the carbs (I had them off over the winter to fix some stuff). Engine running beautifully. Went for a blat (as they say). Came in the house and told my wife "I don't hate that car anymore". :driving:

[panamericano]

Congratulations. I'm going through a similar starter issue also. Makes me look at Miata ads, especially white ones.

 

Of course what makes it worse is that we are having lovely weather that is not 100 degrees. Every good driving day missed is not coming back around until November.

[BlueBDA]

Seven + NA Miata + GTI = always something fun up and running to drive.

 

Congratulations. I'm going through a similar starter issue also. Makes me look at Miata ads, especially white ones.

 

Of course what makes it worse is that we are having lovely weather that is not 100 degrees. Every good driving day missed is not coming back around until November.

[BruceBe]

To route and confidently secure the hose, you'll likely need more access than what removing the tunnel top will provide. In the past, in a CSR, we have managed to remove the tunnel side panel on the driver's side. Once that was done, we could remove the driveshaft, and then install a new hard fuel-line in the tunnel. It's a grunt, for sure.

 

Croc is right about the hose - even fuel-rated hose has permeability over time. The newer SAE specs (J30 R7) can handle the ethanol that is found in most fuels now, and promises better permeability performance. I would consider a hard line in the tunnel, flared for -6AN at both ends. Then, to integrate with the undoubtedly barb-connected stuff in the engine compartment and back at the fuel-tank, consider using Earls new Vapor Guard line of hose and fittings. The product is specifically designed for user-friendly install, and solves the sweating fuel problem. The system offers fittings (including barb-to-AN), and specific smooth-bore hose clamps for their fittings.

 

Cheers,

-Bruce

Edited April 15, 2020 by BruceBe

[fastg]

I did a fuel line swap on my Locost when I went to a return based system. I used the hard lines to AN -6 fittings, mounted with P clips along the funnel. It came out nice with 2 AN fitting poking out from either and of the tunnel. I then used the Superflex soft lines for rest of the way.

 

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/group.asp?GroupID=PLUMANFLEX

 

Graham