The list seems quiet at the moment and I'm prompted me to stop lurking
by a great run in autumn sun the 90 miles to work & back yesterday in
the Mk III. So here's something for comment/ info/ deletion about
going around the houses to solve a simple problem.
A year or 2 back I posted a problem I had on the list: after 30 miles on
a hot day the car would misfire. Many people kindly sent suggestions & I
followed most of them, with some improvements, so thanks for those.
The complete solution, however, started more recently with a visit to
Lucas to get the petrol gauge working. I wanted a new voltage regulator
before putting in a new instrument voltage regulator. This was because
the 4th instrument regulator failure 4 or 5 years ago suggested to me a
problem. With both regulators swapped, the gauges came back to life for
the first time in 5 years & I no longer have to use a dipstick or the
200 mile rule to gauge the petrol.
The other thing I found was that the engine ran very hot on a long run:
nudging the top at the top of hills and those high temperatures
coincided with the misfire. Never boiled, never used water, just got
hot.
So stlg 60 for a new radiator core, another 11 for the regulator and the
problem has gone. I guess that the heat under bonnet was vapourising the
fuel in the carbs or (my favourite) the fuel pump.
What started it happening? The MOT test a few years back made me put the
bumper on, and maybe that cut the airflow just too much for the old rad
to cope with.
If you want to feel good about the state of your Spitfire, this car was
car of the month at
http://www.virtualgaz.co.uk/COTM2.htm
It hasn't changed much since those pictures were taken with the previous
keeper.
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