It took three days in a 100F and sometimes a 120F degree garage, but the
oil, gas and exhaust leaks are no more. I removed the entire oil filter
assembly the first day and replaced it with a better gasket and Aviation
Gasket Cement. No problem, I change the filter by removing the center
bolt anyway. The next day I tackled the gas leak. Tried for a couple
of hours to get at the mechanical fuel pump, but finally decided that
the supercharger had to come off for ease of access. Today I removed
the supercharger and then went after the fuel pump. I could have just
tightened the screws that hold the halves together and put everything
back, but figured I better do this right. So I removed the screws and
put some blue Locktite on them and replaced them. I don't want to be
typing this again in a few months. When I tried to remove the fuel pump
I began to remember the day I put it on the block for the first time
earlier this year. Just like that first day I cursed the engineer that
figured the stud spacing. I'm not sure who I am cursing, the engineer
that designed the pump or the engineer that designed the hole in the
block for the pump. One of them had to accommodate the other one's
stupidity in making the studs too close together. If any of you are
familiar with Machinery's Handbook, there is a section that gives
specifications of clearance for tools when you design a mounting stud.
Obviously this idiot never saw this chapter. It took three different
wrenches to get the right nut tight. Turn a little with one wrench,
then grab a different wrench that fits a little better when the nut is
turned to that spot. Sheeesh! A socket would not fit and the open end
of the wrench would slip off before it was tight enough. After enough
monkying around, the thing was on tight. I took off the exhaust pipe
and bent the bell shaped end of it to conform a little better with the
manifold and then ran a bead of Permatex Ultra Copper Silicone Sealer on
the outer edge of the bell mouth. I put everything pack together and
re-installed the supercharger.
It is probably a good thing that I did all this work because there were
a few loose fasteners or not so tight anyway in every component I dealt
with in this repair. I let the car sit for a few hours and started it
up just long enough to check for leaks. None! The Ultra Copper Sealer
had set up sufficiently by then. Just for S & Gs, I put Bosch Platinum
Plus plugs in and Wow! The car fired up and idled better than it has
since I installed the supercharger. Since all the exhaust is now going
out the exhaust pipe the sound of the engine is awesome even if it is a
948. Thanks for all the help on the list with this repair. Thanks
Gerard for suggesting the Permatex Ultra Copper Sealant.
Mike MacLean Supercharged And No Longer Leaking 60 Sprite
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