• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

Every ride is a test ride

Michael Oritt

Yoda
Gold
Country flag
Offline
It's a lovely day here in Southern Maryland and, it being a week since the roads were salted for the snow we had last weekend, I figured it would be a nice day to take the car for a few hour's drive. Before departing I went over the normal stuff--tire pressures, knock-off's, fluid levels, etc--eye-balled the engine for any leaks at idle, cleaned the windshield and took off towards a nearby Wawa store about ten miles north to get some coffee and fill the fuel tank prior to setting out for the day's drive.

Within a couple of miles the engine had reached operating temperature and I turned the fan rheostat down as the interior was already nice and toasty. I was just beginning to silently compliment myself on what a wonderful job I do on keeping the car in tip-top condition when I suddenly smelled the strong odor of fuel as power simultaneously fell off. I quickly shut the engine down and coasted to the side of the road, and on popping the hood and turning on the key I saw the source of the problem: the banjo bolt holding the float bowl to the base of the rear H6 carburettor was missing and fuel was leaking onto the front and top of the toe box bigtime.

It didn't appear that fuel was making its way to any ignition source or the headers so I turned around and made it back to my shop without incident. Though I had a couple of later HS SU carbs for the Courier there were no banjo bolts that I could cannibalize so my experience just ended with a call to Moss for a replacement banjo bolt and gasket set.

Truly, every ride is a test ride in that we never know what may happen. I'll add a spare banjo bolt/gasket kit to my onboard parts kit.
 

Bob_Spidell

Yoda
Gold
Country flag
Offline
re: "...I'll add a spare banjo bolt/gasket kit to my onboard parts kit."

I've carried spare gaskets/O-rings for years, and started carrying a spare banjo bolt a couple years ago since I seem to have the world's worst luck with SU fuel pumps. IIRC, I got the bolt from Moss but saw cheaper sources afterward.
 

steveg

Yoda
Gold
Country flag
Offline
Michael - I've never had one of my carb banjo bolts loosen, but will follow your advice and add one to my spares along with the various gaskets for same.

Possibility of a single point of failure.
 

twas_brillig

Jedi Knight
Country flag
Offline
"Murphy was an optimist"

Doug
 
Country flag
Offline
New item(s) for your revised pre flight checklist: check/secure Banjo Bolts :cheers:

BTW, Michaels Sr & Jr WON the Best Race Prep Shop category in Classic Motorsports Magazine!

Now, if they would just add this tool to their repertoire...

https://www.holley.com/products/tools/ignition_tools_and_testers/parts/8998

8998.jpg
 
OP
Michael Oritt

Michael Oritt

Yoda
Gold
Country flag
Offline
Randy--

I am one of three customers whose cars run an MSD box and will certainly pass it along!
 
Country flag
Offline
It's tempting to have, and I am only concerned about one car...

Mine is stuck up under the cowl, not just because of the already space-challenged engine compartment, but offering a slightly better environment.

IMG_2923-me.jpg
 
OP
Michael Oritt

Michael Oritt

Yoda
Gold
Country flag
Offline
I got a new banjo bolt and gaskets from Moss this past Monday and installing the parts took about 10 minutes. Today was the first nice (non-rain) day so I continued the test ride and drove down to Fredericksburg VA and back, about 150 miles roundtrip. Car ran great.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
mctriumph TR2/3/3A Safety mods every Tr3 should get Triumph 12
S TR6 Steering question you will not hear every day Triumph 1
KVH General Tech Loud Metallic Click Pop Every Time After Engine Off Triumph 11
TomMull Post-War Other Here's one not seen every day Triumph 2
luke44 General TR Every TR Owner should really appreciate this picture. Any guesses? Triumph 7
Trevor Jessie If I had nickle for every... Spridgets 8
Darrell_Walker Two TRs in every garage..... Triumph 26
Got_All_4 TR2/3/3A Prize in every box! TR3 gear box Triumph 30
Cottontop Ya learn something every day. Austin Healey 11
Gundy What every BE owner needs Spridgets 8
healeyboz For every LBC owner! Spridgets 7
regularman There is one born every minute. Spridgets 17
JPSmit ebay - not something you see every day Other British Cars 1
jlaird Here is what every Bugeye needs Spridgets 3
G $2.95 part is worth every penny. Triumph 4
T Anyone every spray paint/primer with one of these? Triumph 34
T You Don't see that every day!!! MG 9
C MGB-GT Ride Height MG 7
C MGB-GT MGB-GT Front Ride Height MG 0
C MGB-GT Front Ride Height MG 0
Rob Glasgow Barbie’s Ride Austin Healey 9
R TR6 Mazda Miata ride, everything else TR6 Triumph 13
Sherlock My ride tonight Other Cars 14
K TR2/3/3A Tire pressure and ride comfort? Triumph 9
Pythias Springs and ride height... Questions. Spridgets 2
steveg TR6 Spec needed for correct ride height Triumph 28
Michael Oritt Raising Ride Height Austin Healey 9
Gray_Cat Socal Norton Owners Club Annual Meet, Ride & Show November 3rd, 2019 British Motorbikes 0
jfarris TR2/3/3A Loss of Power - ride of shame on flatbed to the house Triumph 15
PeterK TR2/3/3A Father's Day ride Triumph 4
dougie 100-S Ride Along Austin Healey 3
Gray_Cat Socal Norton Owners Club 39th Annual Meet/Ride & Show 11-4-18 British Motorbikes 0
A Spitfire Spitfire Ride Down The Mountain - Vermont Rt 100 Triumph 12
HighAltitudeTR3 TR2/3/3A Doesn’t want to start up again after a ride... Triumph 24
PeterK General TR Time for a long ride Triumph 3
Michael Oritt Ride height Austin Healey 20
C Classic Sports Racing Group at Sonoma Raceway/ Track ride. Austin Healey 2
Gray_Cat 38th Annual Norton Owners Club Meet & Ride, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017 British Motorbikes 1
Scot1966 TR2/3/3A Last ride of the year Triumph 6
Gray_Cat 37th Annual Socal Norton Owners Club Meet, Ride & Show, Sunday, November 6th 2016! British Motorbikes 0
H 1/4 elliptic ride height Spridgets 1
tinman58 General TR Ride up the Delta Triumph 2
BlueMax Bugeye Ride Height? Spridgets 4
T TR4/4A Who is running Good Parts front springs on their TR4a? I have a ride height question. Triumph 1
Gray_Cat 36th Annual Socal Norton Owners Club "All Brit Ride", Sunday, 11-1-15 British Motorbikes 0
tinman58 General TR Taking Mom for a ride Triumph 7
H First ride in 28 years Austin Healey 5
RJS TR4/4A TR4A Stock Ride Height - my measurements Triumph 0
58Custom Ride height issue, spring help Spridgets 8
RJS TR4/4A TR4A Stock Ride Height Triumph 5

Similar threads

Top