[TR] Let loose the flood...

[Mark Hooper]

Hi Tom:

Hmmmm, something to check... I replaced the pump diaphragm a year or two
back. Perhaps I did not do such a great job, or "shock!" the new parts
are less well made than the originals that lasted 35 years.

Cheers,

Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Walling & Wendy Rose [mailto:pdqtr6 at suscom-maine.net]
Sent: June 8, 2009 11:30 PM
To: Mark Hooper; triumphs at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [TR] Let loose the flood...

When this happened to me, the culprit was a torn diaphragm in the
mechanical
fuel pump which allowed the gas to drain directly into the engine.
Simple
draining and replacing the oil and filter were all that were needed to
get
my oil pressure back, and I replaced the pump with an electric one to
avoid
a repeat performance.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Hooper" <mhooper at digiscreen.ca>
To: <triumphs at autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, June 08, 2009 11:19 PM
Subject: [TR] Let loose the flood...


> So after many years of hearing about gas in the sump, I seem to be
> experiencing the joys myself.
>
> I filled my TR6's tank before putting it away last week. I fired it up

> today
> and noticed a definite want of willingness to stay running at idle.
Headed
> down the road. bitching about being a quarter tank down after only 10
> miles
> from fillup. After a km or so the engine stalled out after running
very
> rough
> at idle kept only going with foot on gas. I noticed the oil pressure
was
> low.
> Just could not restart the machine, so came back home on a float.
(Thank
> heavens for CAA.)
>
> This evening I filled the dashpots and the car fired right up. Still
lousy
> idle, but seemingly better than today. Still had rotten oil pressure
> (normally
> 75-100 cold). On a strange whim I checked the oil level expecting to
find
> no
> oil. Instead the stick measured 2 inches over full ! Seemingly oil or
gas
> on
> top and a level line about half way up.
>
> I installed a set of triple strombergs last season, but did not get
around
> to
> putting in the fuel filter. So, I assume that some grit left a carb
bowl
> leaking. I recall that, with a full tank, the TR6 has the carbs below
the
> fuel
> level. I think I'm a bit lucky not to have blown myself to bits. I was

> about
> 100 feet from the highway entrance. At 3000 rpm with a sump massively
> overfilled with gas, the conditions under the bonnet would have been
quite
> close to a fuel-air bomb. I guess it's safer than it sounds as this
must
> have
> been quite a common occurance at one time.
>
> Is there a process here? Just drain the sump and re-fill? Can I just
pop
> the
> bowls off and, catching the needle valves,  hope the grit will wash
out
> with
> some pump levering?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Mark Hooper
> 1972 TR6