Richard Farrant

Hi

 

Have spent a bit of time (along with others) in trying to sort out a Ferret Fuel Pump problem.

 

The conclusion we have reached is that the pump is not pumping when fitted to the engine. The pump works fine when it off the engine. When fitted to the engine, Fuel filter bled and fuel lines primed no fuel is reaching the carb.

 

The fuel pump is driven via a push rod and cam in the engine, are these prone to wear ?

 

Also what 24V electric fuel pump can anyone recommend and where is the best place to fit one ?

 

Cheers

Richard

Old trick we used to do in REME workshops, put an airline blowgun on the tank breather pipe and get someone else to slacken the banjo on the carb, this will push the petrol through the system. Sometimes when pumps are dry they do not suck well. Another common issue was the Vokes fuel filter, drawing air in the banjo unions and sometimes at the sealing ring on the bowl.

Hang on, yes, I do know about the housebodied thing. Look at this, though I don't know whether it's Tripoli or Eqypt. Many vehicles that John Newton seems to have photographed whilst based at 10 Ord Depot Geneifa appear again in Tripoli where he was posted to from Geneifa. 3RHA, less J Battery, were also based in different camps in Eqypt and their BLR vehicles ended up in 10 Ord Depot workshop and were shipped back to workshops in Tripoli for repair/scrapping and thence to Homs to where J Battery were awaiting the return of the rest of 3RHA from Egypt. Some Scammells and DTs photod by John in Egypt appear in his Tripoli photos too! Every unit evacuated Egypt in a hurry with many of them finding themselves sent to Libya or Cyprus, again, and some into premature disbandonment prior to being hurriedly reconstituted again for Suez.

Photo by John Newton REME

Thanks Lizzie, I did wonder if it was on a Bedford OY, and it was! I think it is what is sometimes referred to as a 'gin palace' !

No I did not see the Sexton

cheers Richard

 

He also said there was an Australian RSU unit, and they were notorious for taking beer in the containers that should have had water for the engines. The engines had to have recycled beer. Of course I don't know if he really knew that to be true, or whether it was one of the stories told back at camp and he believed it.

 

Steve

Steve,

In your first post, the photo with the GMC six wheel truck, behind it is what I am sure is an Australian Chev 'ute', or to be correct, a Van, 15cwt, 4x2 GS(Aust.) Chevrolet. So this photo may be of the Aussie RSU unit?

Thanks, 10 98. I'll leave AVREs alone now, more so that I have no evidence that any were deployed to the sandy shores of Tripolitania, nor it seems were Centurion Bridgelayers. Bazooka plates? Hmmm, I wonder if those 'many extra scrim hooped' bazooka plates for MK7+ tanks were interchangable with earlier marques, and vice-versa? These Centurion MK7 photos, as noted, don't have the extra hoops but do have the ammunition loading point cover. Am I going to search and sift for photographic evidence? No.

So, I wrote that I'd pop 2 larger photos on here of the 'on trials' Centurion MK7. I'll spoil you, dear viewer, with 3 of them. You might even make out that GHQ Trials flash on the front mudguard.

All 3 photos by John Newton REME

Hi Lizzie,

the two photos in this post show what you thought were boards angled up behind the silencers. They look like boxes or panels due to thickness and what appear to be straps on them, possibly housing monitoring instruments. I was working on an ex-FVRDE (or earlier) armoured vehicle recently and it had about twelve temperature sensors on it, in all sorts of places. This could be why there are 'hand rails' on there and I guess these panels/boards are located as they are so as not to get in the way of engine decks.

Another point on one of these photos is that there is a Bedford QL and Morris MRA1, but next truck along appears to be fitted with a house body which goes over the cab, but not enough to see what it is, any ideas?

Also check the timing chain and sprockets for wear. There being no tensioner. With a new chain and good sprockets there is hardly any movement, so this will give you an idea.

I was at the Hop Farm yesterday, site looks nice and tidy. Talked to the boss and all sounds good. I am going there with an open mind and treating it as a new event. I think some will try to compare it with old. Looking forward to it. :-)

I have a 1939 Morris Commercial six-wheeler, the CDF. I am in need of the carburetter rebuilding to tip top condition, it is a 35 RTVDL, can anyone recommend some one who does not have a waiting time of 9 weeks ?

Hi Bob,

Have you tried Burlen Services in Salisbury? www.burlen.co.uk They deal with Solex carbs

Today's question relates to the bridge weight disc.

I have obtained one of the disc's to go on the front of my Scammell explorer, I would like to know, what is the correct weight to put on the disc ?, and should there be a line underneath the weight with another number ?. If so what is this number relating too ?

 

The Governor.

Bridge Classification for a Scammell Medium was 15. Straight out of the WD "B" Vehicle Data Book. Think you would only find double numbering on this vehicle if it was used with a trailer on a regular / permanent basis.

K6143 is a Gloster Gladiator Mk1. Delivered from factory to 72 Sqn. at RAF Tangmere on 12/2/37, used by this unit until April 1939. Transferred on 11/5/39 to form 112 Sqn. Appears it travelled to the Middle East via HMS Argus. Written off at Khartoum on 20/6/41 when a tyre burst on landing.

We started the shows originally at the Kent & East Sussex railway at Tenterden and then moved to the Whitbread Hop Farm. The primary aim was to have a show for club members and allow members of the public in to offset costs. By the time we moved to the Hop Farm where there was a good public footfall, we were in serious needs of funds and so it was almost a gamble in that we sank most of the club funds into providing the show and shared the take with Whitbreads. Luckily at that time they were not the most efficient of groups and one year we were allowed to organise (and take the profits from) the catering and that boosted the club funds no end. Then we allowed our Events Secretary to take control and the rest is history. By the way, his name was Rex Cadman!!

Hi Tony,

I well remember that first show at Tenterden, Nigel Hay blitzed the local countryside with posters to attract the public there. He still tells that story too

cheers Richard

Didn't IMPS shows start as club only events?

 

No, the first IMPS shows were public events.

Clive,

we have searched this part number before, in 2014. I found the following post that I made:

LV6/MT4/CB/G7A24/7X

fitted to Commer lorry 3 ton 4x4, fixed container body (W/T), Centurion tanks Mk III and VII

taken from 1956 Vocab

Flushed with success after my question about CMPs, I wonder if I can ask for IDs on some more trucks that feature in my father's phutos from the war in the desert between 1942 to 1944 (assuming I manage to attach them correctly...they started as thumbnails and have expanded in the preview and I don't seem to be able to resize them, and in my Firefox browser it has become quite a mess - apols if it is hard to read)

 

I remember my father said they had a Cole's Crane - is it on a Scammell?

 

 

The trailer is a Queen Mary but I don't know about the tractor

 

 

Similar tractor units - Bedfords?

 

 

 

No idea about the 2 below

 

 

 

I assume they were all painted desert sand. I have nearly finished making a CMP model for my father, and need to know what colour to paint it. I am slightly curious about the headlights, they seem to only have one convoy light, and the other blacked out.

 

Thanks, Steve

Steve,

First crane is a Thornycroft Amazon / Coles EMA crane, second crane is a Leyland Retriever/ Coles EMA. Queen Mary tractors with bonnets are Bedford OX, and the other with a flat front is a Commer. The 6wheeler is a GMC

There is a law in Kent that also comes into play, regarding sale of second hand goods,

http://www.kent.gov.uk/business/business-licences-and-registration/register-to-sell-second-hand-goods

I am going to put the manifolds back on and try to diagnose the problem as you said,i do have a vacuum gauge tester,,many thanks,i will update,sorry I am not on here much ,I am very busy,as I guess we all are,darren;)

Darren,

Having had another look at your posted photos, as someone else suggested, the oil could be from an over filled air cleaner, so wash out the inlet manifold first and leave the air cleaner disconnected to see if it still smokes.

Interesting but how so, Richard? The Chilwell list shows this as being the contract for the 500 units L4493120-L4493619 - chassis numbers 61A5000 to 61A5499 I understand.

This is from a list of all Rootes wartime contracts (copy of company records).

Details shown;

for War Office / Code 209 / Qty. 500 / Karrier 'SPIDER' F.W.D. / Enquiry received 23-3-40/ Cont. 294/V/3787 / Date of contract; 16-6-41

There is a further entry for one vehicle under this contract number, Code 220 / Karrier Four-wheel drive/ with the words 'to be brought thro' as first machine to V3787 (WO Code 209).

Looks like the company may have referred to FWD vehicles as Spider for several years before they listed them as K6

Hello All

 

Does anyone have any information on RAL codes for US Navy Grey.

Hoping to put a WLA in that scheme.

 

Thanks

 

Rick

Rick,

Take a look at this thread, http://g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=55684 There is a post on there from Ken Clay that may answer your question.

Out of interest, to which contract does this relate - 294/V/3787 ?

I believe this contract was for the Karrier 'Spider' 4x4, not the K6

Sadly it seems that you can't view the video if you don't have a Facebook account. Shame.

I am also a non-Facebook person and lead my own life!

There is no problem viewing it if you are not on FB. If it asks you to sign on, just click the "Not now" and you will view it, no obligation.

Something not seen for a long time, two Matilda tanks operating together. Matt McMahon from NSW, Australia is well known in the field of Matilda owners and has been giving restoration assistance to the Royal New South Wales Lancers Museum's Matilda "Ace", which was a veteran of the Balikpapan battle in 1945.

A great video of Matt's tank with the Lancers one, watch it on full screen!

It's a minefield out there, watch where you are walking

Well the B&W was not strictly military, it was something I spotted in the long grass one night. The heat is retained for some while but the image shows evidence that it was quite recent. I think I'll leave the description at that. Even so I suppose in some circumstances such evidence could of tactical value to an enemy.

Not faeces :shocked: !!

Hi Darren,

If you had the valves out, did you notice any side to side movement of the valves? If they are worn then likely they will not be seating well, even if you lapped them in. If you do find the guides are worn, when they are replaced, ensure that the seats are recut, that way they will true to the guide.

Clive,

Is the image of a cartridge case as it is fired?

If it is I don't know how you would get the image though.

Hi Womble,

I am pretty sure that is a Canadian Ford F30 ambulance, going by the window and locker door. Certainly not an Austin K2. Great artwork!