12-05-2024, 07:31 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-05-2024, 10:08 PM by Colin Morgan.)
Yesterday evening on the way back from a short run out, my Ruby's engine suddenly became unwell. Fortunately I was close to a local petrol station, so I pulled onto the edge of the forecourt and switch off.
I had look under the bonnet. Clear blue coolant was dripping from the carburettor inlet! No chance of starting the engine again - so I would need recovering (for the first time).
A driver from one of the cars filling up on the forecourt came across. He said he was a trainee mechanic, asked me what was dripping, and we discussed possible diagnoses. He then kindly offered to use his old Fiesta tow me home. Using a long piece of strapping I always carry, the car was back in the garage fifteen minutes later. He said he was pleased to have been able to help - saying 'I will probably never get the chance to do this again'.
Today, when I removed the head, the gasket had a chunk missing between cylinders two and three. There is also some water in the oil - which wasn't there when I checked yesterday before the run. Now I think about it, there had been a bit more 'condensation' than usual from the exhaust whilst warming up - but that had been the only sign of the impending trouble. The engine has been in the car since before 1970, so there is always the potential for problems - for example, I have no idea of the state of the 3-bearing crank - however, the head gasket was last renewed in 2017 when no.3 big end bearings were replaced with the engine in the car.
So, I was lucky to be opposite somewhere ideal to stop, and even more lucky on a quiet evening to have someone on the spot who was willing and able to help, and even better that it was someone in their 20s taking an intelligent interest?
I had look under the bonnet. Clear blue coolant was dripping from the carburettor inlet! No chance of starting the engine again - so I would need recovering (for the first time).
A driver from one of the cars filling up on the forecourt came across. He said he was a trainee mechanic, asked me what was dripping, and we discussed possible diagnoses. He then kindly offered to use his old Fiesta tow me home. Using a long piece of strapping I always carry, the car was back in the garage fifteen minutes later. He said he was pleased to have been able to help - saying 'I will probably never get the chance to do this again'.
Today, when I removed the head, the gasket had a chunk missing between cylinders two and three. There is also some water in the oil - which wasn't there when I checked yesterday before the run. Now I think about it, there had been a bit more 'condensation' than usual from the exhaust whilst warming up - but that had been the only sign of the impending trouble. The engine has been in the car since before 1970, so there is always the potential for problems - for example, I have no idea of the state of the 3-bearing crank - however, the head gasket was last renewed in 2017 when no.3 big end bearings were replaced with the engine in the car.
So, I was lucky to be opposite somewhere ideal to stop, and even more lucky on a quiet evening to have someone on the spot who was willing and able to help, and even better that it was someone in their 20s taking an intelligent interest?