I had been fiddling with the twin SU carbs on the Daimler over the
weekend, looking at what it was going to take to replace the
non-stock pan-cake air filters with the original 50's-dream silver-
twin-snout-filter-ducted-to-aluminum-runners air cleaner that came
with the car. I figured they put the pancakes on to get it through
emissions. It didn't look like it was going to be much of a
problem other than finding some 2" ID tubing to replace the old
stuff. Since I still have to get it through emissions, I left the
pancakes on, buttoned it all back up and called it a day. During
that time I had been receiving plenty of sage advice and pointers
from my two young consultants; Roane 5 and Tristan 4.
This morning, Anne pulled the Daimler out onto the street so she
could work outside (at my newly refinished table!) and still keep an
eye on the kids while they played out front. It ran just fine.
This evening I was putting the air-dam back on our X1/9 project car
and it began clouding up. Then it began really getting dark over
Green Mountain and I could see the virga and the showers coming in.
I need to get the Daimler under cover 'cause the rear window seal
leaks and had already damaged the leather before I got to it. I
get in, turn the key, hear the reassuring whirr of the fuel pump,
then hit the start button. Like it's done every time before, it
catches within a turn or two. But this time, it suddenly quits.
Further presses of the button only yield a fast wh-er-er-er-er-er-er.
It's not even thinking of catching. Go grab the DMM and the
inductive timing light to check for voltage and spark. Yup, 12.4V
at the battery with normal dropage when I'm cranking it and the
timing light flashing on and off sez I've got juice to the plugs.
Shooot, lack of spark is usually the easy one to fix.
It's starting to sprinkle.
Now to check for gas. Lessee, the tank's 3/4 full, the fuel pump
sounds right, it feels like there's pressure in the line to the
fuel filter... What?! The fuel pressure regulator's been turned
down to ZERO! Turn it back up and the Daimler starts on the first
try. The consultants are denying all, the sprinkles stop and the
sun comes out, Anne returns from her bike ride, things are alright
in the world...
I retire, knowing full well that if I hadn't noticed the pressure
regulator, we would have gotten a gully-washer of a storm.
/\ Lawrence Buja Climate and Global Dynamics Division
\_][ southern@ncar.ucar.edu National Center for Atmospheric Research
\_________________________Boulder,_Colorado___80307-3000__________
|