Every ride is a test ride

[Michael Oritt]

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.

 

[tahoe healey]

Wood steering wheels are convient so that you have wood to knock on when you think everything is working fine.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

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]

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]

"Murphy was an optimist"

Doug

 

[John Turney]

.... I'll add a spare banjo bolt/gasket kit to my onboard parts kit.

That will guarantee you will not have that problem again.

 

[Randy Forbes]

New item(s) for your revised pre flight checklist: check/secure Banjo Bolts

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

 

[Michael Oritt]

Randy--

I am one of three customers whose cars run an MSD box and will certainly pass it along!

 

[Randy Forbes]

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.

 

[Michael Oritt]

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.