Bop-Bop-Bop...

Where does the 'click ' come from? If it is under the floor, then suspect the solenoid over the starter. My S used to do this, and it was a loose connection to the solenoid. cued by removing the connections and replacing. Often it would start after several attempts.
or look for a loose fuss.
 
It took me a few days to arrange to get BOP swapped with our son Tom's Mk6 Fiesta ST over our garage pit (it needed pushing by 2 people as access is difficult going in 'forwards').

Anyhow, I got under the car & checked all the terminals & looked at the OWM to take the starter out. Beneath that section, it talked about the starter relay, so I thought I'd have a look at that first.....

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...always try the simple things, first :rolleyes::LOL:

So we managed to have a drive of the V8s on Christmas Day again (photo credit to Tom):

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Whether Tom will still be living nearby next year, or whether we'll still have both V8s, only time will tell! So we took the opportunity while we could.

If anyone is interested, this is Tom's Fiesta ST (at a local landmark) - a cracking 'go cart' sort of car & no doubt an emerging classic:

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Referring back to earlier posts on early 3500S. I have chassis no. 48100763. CHJ 805K Registered 17 /1 72. Made Dec 71. Tobacco lef with (non standard) box pleat buckskin leather seats.
 
Referring back to earlier posts on early 3500S. I have chassis no. 48100763. CHJ 805K Registered 17 /1 72. Made Dec 71. Tobacco lef with (non standard) box pleat buckskin leather seats.

That's very close to BOP, Robin which is 48100732A. Built in December 1971 or early January 1972 & registered 13 January 1972. (I used to own chassis 668 which was built on 20.12.71, yet not registered until 21 March 1972).

I've also checked BOP's base unit number, further to this thread Find your P6's base unit number: & it's BM000800, so quite close to the chassis number & very likely to be the original.

Also, its engine number is 48100836A, so again this will be the original.
 
Be very very careful. Matching numbers syndrome is a viral disease close in transmissable properties to Covid 19.
Once infected the poor owner has no choice but to spend countless hours searching the interweb looking for the original bolts, nuts, and even valve caps for their car.
It starts slowly, usually with an engine number, then spreads rapidly, there is no known cure. Ask any Corvette owner, if you can find one not welded to his laptop scouring ebay.
 
Be very very careful. Matching numbers syndrome is a viral disease close in transmissable properties to Covid 19.
Once infected the poor owner has no choice but to spend countless hours searching the interweb looking for the original bolts, nuts, and even valve caps for their car.
It starts slowly, usually with an engine number, then spreads rapidly, there is no known cure. Ask any Corvette owner, if you can find one not welded to his laptop scouring ebay.

Quite....

I do have a foot in both camps though - my recent Alfa purchase is a real dog’s breakfast in terms of numbers, but actually more interesting as a result!
 
I went to give BOP a run out the other day & it started running roughly after a few seconds :(.

It seemed like a mis-fire but on closer inspection, the nearside carb is flooding (again...):

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(I've removed the overflow pipe).

Immediately after start up, the car runs fine, but quickly stalls after the petrol floods out... I did examine the floats for cracks & they seemed fine, so I'm at a bit of a loss as to what the problem is :hmm:.

The chokes are now very stiff after the fitting of seals shown in the rebuild kit. You may recall these seals weren't there when I took the choke mechanisms apart. If they're sticking open that could possibly explain it, but it was also overflowing before the rebuild, so I'm missing something. I'm going to take the seals out anyway so I can get back to a good base line & then try it.

Has anyone had similar problems?
 
I have now dismantled the LHS carburettor again & found that the float is around 1/3rd full with fuel!

I do have some spares so will change it in the next few days. It must have had time to drain out last time I looked & it’s taken a few weeks to become a problem again. The only crack I can see is very fine.

Hopefully it’s a simple & cheap fix.
 
I had a problem with fuel overflowing from carbs. Suddenly started after replacing the water pump!
Floats looked OK and float level was correct.
After conversation with car. expert (Burlem?) I fitted new floats. White plastic, where old ones were brown plastic. Problem cured.
Old floats looked OK , but as soon as I told Biurlem they were brown , he said "That's you problem, you need new floast"
 
After conversation with car. expert (Burlem?) I fitted new floats. White plastic, where old ones were brown plastic. Problem cured.
Old floats looked OK , but as soon as I told Biurlem they were brown , he said "That's you problem, you need new floast"

Mine are brown - presumably due to age. May be best to order a new pair!
 
I've changed both floats for good spares that I had. This I think was the offending crack in the old one - so small that the fuel inside has still not drained out or evaporated:

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After a bit of faffing about, I got everything back together & was a little disappointed in the performance. Again, the car seemed to be running unevenly :(.

I got the factory manual out & realised that I'd set the RHS throttle adjuster incorrectly so that there was too much slack in it before that carburettor's throttle opened. It's now set correctly & the car goes very well :).

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There should only be about a 6 thou’ gap on the 'contact' side, whereas I'd got it nearer to the other side....
 
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I've done a few miles in BOP now that it's fixed, unfortunately there's some dreaded white salt dried on the front (& underneath...) :rolleyes:

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Time for a nice picture though ;)

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BOP is continuing to provide good service & will have a few issues dealt with before our daughter's wedding in August, as it's the chosen wedding car :)

I was out in it today & it has annoying plasticky creaks from many parts of the dashboard (Series 2 - round dials) which I can't seem to locate. It definitely appears to be far worse when the interior is warmest.

I'd just thought of spraying copious amounts of 'WD40' around the touch points, but has anyone else got a more considered approach?
 
I'd probably not use wd40, as it might not do the plastics any good, ptfe or silicone spray might be better? Is everything tight?
 
Thanks Quagmire.

I’ll check tightness. I put a new parcel shelf in a while ago so things may have worked loose.

Good point about the lube; I have some silicone spray & will use that.
 
As I've mentioned elsewhere, BOP did the honours at our daughter's wedding in August. It was the 2nd heatwave, so I was a bit concerned that it would overheat :oops: like Hazel tends to do. However, it went perfectly well in stop/start traffic at around 30C so I was pleased.

The happy couple:

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We removed the 'ETs' for the day, so rear passengers could see forwards. It made photos much easier as well. Here's the proud father with daughter in BOP; our son did the driving:

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:):)
 
BOP has been providing good service recently, whilst Hazel's having the service & OCC had its boot resprayed (& Alfa not quite yet on the road). However, needing the windscreen blower on during recent mornings became a problem as the levers became loose. For those of you familiar with the heater box set up, whilst the premise is very simple, these must be some of the most difficult fixings to get to on the car :rolleyes:

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(I've just seen that there's an earth wire loose...)

After dropping the passenger glovebox, I faffed about with the usual spanners, small ratchets & socket holders etc, but the small bolts are on the 'wrong' side & very difficult to tighten up.

In the end I had an idea & used this flexible ratchet screwdriver/socket:

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This was one of those cheap tools I've had many many years & never really used, but it's the tool for this job :D. Using an 8mm hex socket (I think the bolt is actually 5/16) I put the screwdriver through the gap above the radio, after removing the trim piece:

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& located it on the bolt head easily:

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Both levers are now fully tight & working properly :)
 
I use the 5/16 socket, but get to it behind the centre console, By using a couple of 1/4" extension bars or so, and open the driver's side knee bin, you can get to them quite easily and at 90°.
 
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