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Re: [Healeys] Healey Fuel Injection

To: "'Bob Spidell'" <bspidell@comcast.net>, "'John Harper'"
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Healey Fuel Injection
From: "Simon Lachlan" <simon.lachlan@homecall.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:16:30 +0100
I have a tricarb and if it smells of petrol I investigate. At once.
When all is well, there's no smell.
Simon

-----Original Message-----
From: healeys-bounces@autox.team.net [mailto:healeys-bounces@autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of Bob Spidell
Sent: 28 July 2010 17:01
To: John Harper
Cc: healeys@autox.team.net; Frederich Ficke
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Healey Fuel Injection

Well, I still have a pretty good sense of smell--can't say the same for my
hearing and eyesight, unfortunately--but neither of my Healeys (100M and
BJ8) smell of fuel. If I smelled gasoline I would find the source of the
smell--like I did when the boot of the BJ8 smelled of gasoline (pinhole
leaks, tank replaced, smell gone). Nor do I get a puddle of gas under the
carburettors (oil, well, that's another story). 

The only thing I can think of that would cause overflow is the fuel
'boiling' in the float bowls at shutdown. I've driven the BJ8 in 115degF
heat and not had this problem, although I am experiencing a bit of vapor
lock on hot starts that I didn't used to get. This may or may not be due to
the newer fuel formulations (i.e. 10% ethanol). 

I doubt the volatility of fuel is much different in the UK--internal
combustion gasoline engines require a minimum volatility in order to
function, and the maximum volatility is limited by environmental
considerations--fuel that evaporates too quickly does no one any good (fuel
volatility is usually given as Reid Vapor Pressure). In CA, at least, fuels
are formulated to be more volatile in the winter--for cold starting--than in
the summer--to limit smog (UK fuel may be equivalent to CA winter blends). 

Anyone else have Healeys that smell of fuel? Am I just lucky, or have the
VOC receptors in my nose been fried? Is this an endemic European problem? I
haven't been around any Healeys in good nick that smelled of gas--burning
oil, well, that's another topic (but I haven't smelled any Healeys in
Europe). 


bs 

-------------------------------- 
Bob Spidell - San Jose, CA 



Bob 

All I say is that unless we can go back to less volatile fuel here in 
the UK or insulate the pump and pipes over the exhaust pipe, then 
vaporised fuel as a gas has to come out of the carburettor overflow 
vents. This creates a smell. I agree that this is potentially dangerous 
and the only saving grace on a 100 with an 'M' style airbox is that 
these overflow fumes are drawn back into the engine. 

Regards 

>If your Healey 'smells like a gas tank' there's something wrong (and 
>possibly a fire hazard). 
> 
>bs 

-- 
John Harper 
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