Beta coupe volumex back on the road!

[Whitbut]

Hi there. Just wanted to let everyone out there know that I have just put my beta vx back on the road after being garaged since 2007! It had taken a bit of work and it still needs bits doing to it. As so many classics do!
Does anyone know how many volumex's are actually about and on the road? If anyone is in or near Ipswich I'm about if you want to have a look. Or if anyone is around and free this weekend on sunday is a big car show at helmingham Hall on Sunday,which I will be at. I would put some pictures up but it turns out I don't know how haha

[rossocorsa]

It's a bit difficult to say for sure but going by the dvla stats from howmanyleft I think there are roughly 40 to 45 or so coupes in the UK of which slightly less than half are on the road at the peak of the summer

[Neil-yaj396]

To post pictures just click on 'additional options....' bottom left, then browse for the ones you want. Would be nice to see some.

[Whitbut]

Thanks for the pointer. Here are a few pictures of her. Unfortunately all of the pictures I have taken are to big and need to be resized. I took the car to the show today and got plenty of interest, it still needs a few bits of tidying up. Unfortunately I forgot to take any pictures of her all polished up, she looks a lot smarter. I forgot to take any pictures of her there but hopefully someone did take some.

[Whitbut]

Another

[rossocorsa]

I usually post pics from Photobucket by inserting the Image URL

[rossocorsa]

Tidy looking car by the way, vx always look good in black

[Whitbut]

Thanks she is ok pictures make her look really good! Going to go on a bit of a road trip this week so we will see how she likes doing a few miles. I'll be taking it nice and slow that's for sure!

[Whitbut]

Well I've broken down on the m3 lol got a fuelling issue. Pumps working might just be lack of fuel in the tank even though I've only done 100 miles and I put 40 litres in! Could have been only doing 11 mpg haha

[rossocorsa]

Dirt in the carb jets is common after a long lay up

[Whitbut]

We are thinking it may be an overheating fuel pump? Now it's sat and cooled down it seems to be ok

[WestonE]

A lovely looking car and very nice in black.

Please look into the tank and check for rust and scale that travels to the pump and blocks it. This is now very common, but nothing a tank wash out clean and seal will not cure.

Good luck

Eric

[dozza]

Hi Guys,

Congrats on your car  being back on the road.
 I have noticed in the thread the mention of cleaning out the tank and sealing it.
Its on my list of things to do, i was thinking of placing a fuel filter between the tank and fuel pump to help stop rust and rubbish from entering the fuel pump, has anyone done this or is there a problem in doing this ?
I have a filter in line just before the carb.
I also noticed Eric ( Hi Eric ) mentioned sealing the tank after cleaning, can anyone recommend  the best way to clean the tank and a product or method of sealing the tank after it has been cleaned.

Thanks in advance
Lee

[Whitbut]

Yeah my dad has an hpe vx which had running issues which boiled down to a rusty tank. On his recommendation I took the tank off and had a look inside, then thought I would cut an 'inspection' hole in it, which showed that the inside of the tank was in perfect order! There was a nice layer of yellowish green film over everything so I cleaned that off the best I could and cleaned the mesh filter off so I'm pretty sure that it isn't the tank. I also have two filters on the car both In the engine bay. A throw away nylon one before the one way valve, or as lancia call it a fuel shut off valve. And a cartridge filter after the electronic valve and before the carb. So hopefully no rubbish getting through there. So really it boils down to the pump, she drove for a couple of hours with no problems then stuck in traffic getting on to the m3 for half an hour or so she was fine water and oil temperature were both at the lower end of the green. So maybe the lack of air flowing past the pump over heated it? Anyone heard of that before?

[Neil-yaj396]

Debris sits in the bottom of the carb float chamber in laid up cars, then slowly stirs up as you start driving them. Definitely worth stripping and cleaning the carb, then blowing every thing through with an airline. Also worth checking that all the rubber fuel lines are intact as modern fuel kills the old ones pretty quick.

My fairly long running fuel problems after a long lay up are covered in this thread;

http://www.betaboyz.myzen.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=649.0

[rossocorsa]

Try the jets accessible on the sides of the carb first, these are the usual culprits, or check/replace if required the dizzy cap and rotor arm if hasn't been changed recently. It could be a faulty pump but I suspect not.

[Whitbut]

Thanks for all the ideas,unfortunately I can't do anything to her till at least Tuesday as she is in a locked compound on the m3! I know a mechanic with an ultrasound cleaner so I will give the carb to him. The dizzy cap and leads all look quite 'new' and in good condition. I have gone over the contacts with some emery paper just to clean them up. I'm my hast yesterday I may have put the jets that go in the top of the carb the wrong way round! From Neil's post they have a correct way of going in. Is there a way of telling which one is which? Thanks again

[Neil-yaj396]

The jets have numbers stamped into them. Generally, the larger jet will serve the larger choke, though I've never seen a VX carb.

The ultrasound cleaners are meant to be really good for carbs.

[Whitbut]

Well got the carbs cleaned and rebuilt. Has made a massive difference, surprise surprise! So the next problem is that it stops after about 10min of driving! Then let it sit for 5,10min and it starts again and runs for 10 or so minutes. So now I'm looking at the pump. Back to what we thought was the problem from the start haha. So now it's do I get a oem one or do I upgrade? Ideas? The only other thing that could be go no wrong is the pressure valve I suppose, not sure they do go wrong?

[Neil-yaj396]

In the past I've had ignition coils that fail once they get warm. Have you checked for a spark once it conks out?