Spyder re-awakening

[alcarr]

Hello everyone I’ve been offline for some time and unfortunately the Spyder has been ignored.The reason was that when we went to Silverstone a couple of years back we broke where the M25 meets M23 we got in a jam and the engine died and would not restart. Cars and trucks were all around, this was a nasty experience, the Highways people eventually stopped all the traffic and pushed us  on to the hard shoulder and we phoned the RAC they phoned for a low loader and we waited. While waiting I tried the car and it started, so we carried on to Silverstone. Unfortunately since then the car has been left, but now I want to re awaken it.
1) your advice to get it restarted
2) Is there fuel piping that is heat resistant to prevent evaporation or should it be rerouted
3) Also at the same time it was difficult to engage reverse when the engine was hot.
Sorry to go on a bit but I hope you can guide me
Best wishes
Alan

[JohnFol]

Really sorry to hear what happened.
Sounds like you suspect fuel evaporation as the cause. Have you been able to confirm that was the case?

[peteracs]

Hi Alan

There are one or two threads on recommissioning on here, worth a read. I can hunt them out if you cannot find them.

How recent are the bushes on the gear change mechanism as these are prone to wear/breaking up and cause issues with gear selection, however it may just be a case of adjusting the linkage?

Peter

[alcarr]

Hi Alan

There are one or two threads on recommissioning on here, worth a read. I can hunt them out if you cannot find them.

How recent are the bushes on the gear change mechanism as these are prone to wear/breaking up and cause issues with gear selection, however it may just be a case of adjusting the linkage?

Peter
Hello Peter I came across my thread sent in 2017 about my problem and I noticed that an electric fuel pump was mentioned which is something I could look into, although I’ve never fitted one
Regards Alan

[peteracs]

Hi Alan

Not sure if simply fitting an electric pump is going to help with evaporation if that is the problem.

Typically with an electric pump you block off the return fuel pipe I think. With the mechanical pump, this has the added advantage of recirculating the fuel through the pipes, so pulling cooler fuel from the tank all the time and hence reducing the pipe temp. The electric simply stops pumping when the float valve in the carb is shut and hence the fuel sits in the pipe.

Peter

[alcarr]

Hello
At present I’m unable to get onto the Betaboyz site where I originally posted an enquiry, so please excuse any duplication.
I’m recommissioning a Beta Spider after being garaged for four years, firstly I’m getting the car back from the garage in Essex to my driveway in Kent, so if anyone living in Kent knows of any garages available I’d be interested.
The following was obtained from a friend who is a Jaguar restorer and applies to a Mark 2 3.4. Firstly spark plugs come out and pour in an upper cylinder lubricant (Tru Blue) and leave for three days, change oil and oil filter, drain any fuel from tank, clean any filter there, clean other filters in fuel line. Strip and clean carburettors (never done that in all my amateur mechanics life).
Connect up battery turn over engine without turning on ignition to ascertain if engine turns over( maybe turn over engine manually instead?)
Bleed all brakes, change fluid to DOT 4 fluid, change gearbox oil, change spark plugs, change point?
My thoughts on the above are, use 20/50 engine oil, a synthetic gearbox oil, a new battery ( your recommendations would be appreciated).
In previous messages I retold my “adventure “ on the M23/M25 connection where the fuel evaporated before reaching the carburettor and stranding us in the middle of 6 lanes of motorway, an electric fuel pump seems the best option there Betaboyz bits have one but not in stock at present.
I am so sorry if all the above sounds rather my ABC book of car maintenance but up until recently I was driving a 2005 Alfa GT 1.9 diesel, which dumped most of its oil in Dartford Tunnel last weekend making it not a viable restoration, and I thought spending money on replacement pushes the Lancia renovation further back, so use Carol’s C3 and concentrate on getting things sorted.
Many thanks again for letting me bend your ears, I’ve been impressed by the friendship gained by the Forum,I also still have the Fulvia Zagato 1300, awaiting a similar job
Regards Alan

[Nigel]

Hi Alan,
I suggest you fit a Huco 133010 pump [from Fast Road Cars] in your engine bay, protected by an inertia switch and powered
from the ign circuit at the coil, via a relay. Beware of cheaper Chinese Copies.
I believe the electric pump will purge any evaporation effect. Although the Huco shuts off when the float chamber is full,
the return line can be left connected if desired.

Your recommission list is sound. Your Spider, if standard, only has one fuel filter just before the carb. Replace it,
and have a few spares as well. It's possible that the fuel tank is harbouring some rust dust which will clog the filter
very quickly.

I'm also in Kent, Sittingbourne, where are you?   

Regards
Nigel

[alcarr]

Hello Nigel
I am now in Bexleyheath, from being an Essex lad ( at 74 that’s a laugh!)

Regards Alan

[Neil-yaj396]

Depending on how long the car has been stood, it may be best to replace the cambelt before a start up.

[mangocrazy]

Hello Nigel
I am now in Bexleyheath, from being an Essex lad ( at 74 that’s a laugh!)

Regards Alan

I lived the first ten years of my life in Bexleyheath - Cartmel Road, as i recall... Can't remember too much except that the school playing fields backed on to the lane that bordered the back gardens of our terraced house.

And welcome!

Graham

[Nigel]

Depending on how long the car has been stood, it may be best to replace the cambelt before a start up.

That's very well posted Neil, missed that one.

[alcarr]

Following on from my previous postings, can anyone recommend a suitable replacement battery
Regards Alan

[peteracs]

Hi Alan

I bought Varta Silver Dynamic C6, late last year cost me £50

Peter

[Nigel]

Hi Alan,

Like Peter, I bought a Varta, but the one I chose is a Blue Dynamic D59 60 aH
and cost £64.47 from Tayna Batteries delivered a year ago.

This one has a slightly higher capacity than Peter's, but is probably quite
a bit heavier.

Nigel

[WestonE]

For the hot starting issue you can fit a phenolic (plastic) spacer between manifold and carb AND put heat shielding on the petrol pipes where they cross over the exhaust. NB Lancia did away with this silly idea on later cars. The electric fuel pump should be considered as standard for reliability these days. Replace fuel lines with pipe compatible with E10 fuel or they will swell and fail!

Eric   

[alcarr]

Here’s something from the good idea/stupid idea department.
There is a possibility that the rear brakes are seized on I have yet to confirm that. When I spoke to the Lowloader driver he had the idea that when he hooks up to the rear (axle?) they can free up when pulled, I want bring the car back home to work on as at the moment I have to drive through the Dartford Crossing and the garage is a rented one which doesn’t give much room to work on. I only have the drive for the car but  at least it’s handy.
The second bright idea is if I hook a battery up, select reverse and turn it over whilst in gear might free the brakes up.
I would appreciate your thoughts on this.
Regards Alan

[peteracs]

Hi Alan

Under no circumstances let anyone attach a tow rope to the rear suspension, there is no rear axle and the outriggers will bend and you will be screwed as far as alignment is concerned.

Simply remove the rear wheels, take off or loosen the rear callipers and you should be good to go if they are seized. Most likely they are just all rusted up, so starting and going into reverse may do the job.

Peter

[alcarr]

Thank you Peter,
I didn’t much fancy the car being pulled backwards, also in my ignorance I didn’t realise that there is no rear axle, I will certainly go the route you suggest that seems a more car friendly way
It’s a shame about the lack of a garage but it won’t be left alone I do have a cover for it which is a small relief
Regards Alan

[unclejam]

I sympathise with your M25 experience, as I once broke down in the outside lane of the Dartford tunnel in my 1982 Beta Coupe (my first car) in 1988 on my way to visit a girlfriend in Benfleet!  I also had to get other motorists to help me push the car to the hard shoulder. Not much fun