[Mgs] Stuff and nonsense

[Max Heim]

Sometimes it's not just one thing, or even two things.

I have been struggling with the B for awhile. First I decided it needed front wheel bearings and it took a while to get them in and find time to install them. In the meantime the battery went flat. It turned out to have joined the choir invisible, as they say, so I installed a new battery. I thought while it was sitting around I would install the Lucas Sport Coil that I had acquired for the new project. 

Finally, today the weather was splendid and I had the time to go for a jaunt. The first 15 miles of highway driving went well, then I exited to do some shopping. The B sputtered to stop within a few blocks. I pushed it into a parking lot and popped the bonnet. Nothing looked particularly amiss, but the coil was too hot to touch. Hmm. The old coil didn't do that. I redid the connections just in case, then went into McD's to wash up. After that it fired right up. Huh.

I took a longer route home to avoid the bridge. It made it within 4 blocks of my house. This time I said to myself "That is the fuel pump crapping out." As I was on a quiet street I just grabbed my hammer from the boot and confidently gave the pump a few taps. No clicks. So I reached in to feel the hot lead, and it came off in my hand -- just the wire, leaving the female connector on the pump. Oh. So I started pushing it up the middle of the street. This was a little tough as it is a slight uphill, and my calves were tired from 18 miles on my bike earlier. Fortunately a young guy pulled up and asked if I needed help. I replied "Yeah, just for three blocks." That was cool.

Not so cool: about midway up the next block, a guy in a Bimmer stopped and gushed "What a cool car! Are those Melee stickers? Awesome! What a perfect thing to be pushing. I'm an old car guy, too!"...and proceeded to drive on without helping. Thanks, dude. I guess the reputation is well deserved.

Anyway, once it was in the carport, I got a new end crimped on, but it still wouldn't start. So I changed out the coil for the old one. That did the trick. Faulty out of the box?

While I was under the fuel pump I discovered the flex hose was seeping fuel. So it's kind of a good thing I had a reason to look under there. But a bad thing to have a loose power wire under a fuel drip. So it goes. It's still not roadworthy until I get that replaced.

Sent from my iPad