1972 Granada Mk1 coupe build - Still going... 14-10-2024

Well done!!

With such an extensive rebuild, there's usually the odd teething trouble to contend with - here's hoping these are the only ones? Sounds like the running has started to dislodge some much from the tank - at least the filter is doing its job!

It will soon be, yes... A good wash, polish and clean have to happen first... Oh and fixing the first two niggles that have reveiled themselves so far.

Thanks for your kind comments!

Yes, quite a milestone! And thanks!

Over here there are rules for the one day plates, but they are not issued like yours. No sticky letters/numbers also. The main rules here: they need to be a certain size (same as normal plates) and they have to be on white cardboard and the lettering needs to be 3,9x7cm at least. That's it. And they are only valid for one specific day that is mentioned on the accompanying document.

The fuel issue will no doubt be resolved. The drawback is that the system is a little more complex. There is the tank, then one fuel pump pulling from it and filling a small swirlpot and then there is a second efi fuel pump to feed the engine. So far both pumps seem to be running at the times I get no fuel so prime suspect is dirt clogging the tank feed or pre pump filter. Parts are underway!

Just done a quick search back and found this pic of when you mentioned the tank:


It doesn't look a particularly good colour although that could be the age of the fuel?

That fuel was pretty old, may have been in the tank for 2 years +. But yes that is not a good colour. Action will be taken...

That is EXACTLY what I now think is happening. Although I do wonder how big the debris must be to block (most of) the pipe. At first me and the mechanic/MOT tester were at odds thinking either heat soaking had caused the pump to jam or dirt from the tank blocking the feed.

Replacement part picture shows the feed pipe to have an internal tank filter, I do not remember seeing it on my car when working on the tank. So I ordered both that filter or at least one that is supposed to, but may not fit and to be sure a complete new float that has the filter attached. I'm dedicated to solving this problem!! I think thsi should also immediately solvethe misreading of the float on teh gauge. And a decent reading fuel gauge is also welcome.

I'd like my 10 year old to have his first ride in the car! I promised him he'd be my first passenger!

(yes, I'm sentimental like that)

I had a car that would die randomly then start 10 min later i blew the fuel lines through back in to the tank with a compressed air line nothing happened for a second or 2 then a pop and a stream of bubbles could be heard in the tank, problem solved. Hope yours is as easy.
Dan

Saturday I was awake early as usual and although I would have liked to stay in bed for a little longer, I just couldn't, not with the Granada entering my thoughts almost immediately.

So at 9:30 I was already laying under the car. I had planned to pump out any remaining fuel and have a look in the tank, but in the end I just decided to see how hard it actually could be.... As the electricals and the feed was already detached, there was only the return line a.k.a. tank to filler vent to take off. I decided I was going to just release the tank straps and pull down on the tank to get it off of the filler pipe. And so I did. The slowest work was getting the tank straps loose enough. The deep socket I had was not deep enough to reach the nut so it was a spanner session. The good thing was that the straps only needed to be released I did not need to take the nuts and hooks off completely. With them out of the way the tank was laying on my chest as I had not jacked up the car for this work. So I slid out to the side and gave a good pull on the side with the filler pipe and down it came. It was far easier than I remembered putting it on.

I shook the tank with fuel in it. I unlatched the sender and poored out all the fuel. The bucket was a nasty orange, where the other 15 liters I had evacuated from the tank were pretty clear. Not a good sign. With the sender out and a light shining in, I could see a lot of rust specs. Although the only section of the tank actually rusted was the left top and lower corner. Probably the tank had been on that side while awaiting refurbishment with some fuel in still. Anyway, I saw some larger flakes of rust still clinging to the inside of the tank... So I just banged it around a bit and more came loose. I banged it around and shook it until it went silent and I could only spot a few flakes in there. I rinsed those out with water.... The tank got to dry out and I was sure it was now free from large rust flakes. Now only the little spots were present, but cleaned up a lot.

By now the bucket of fuel had had a chance to settle. I could see most of the orange stuff low down so I drained the fuel from the bucket. I found a massive amount of rusty dirt and larger flakes in the bottom. Funnily enough, I found only a handful of particles in the tank big enough to block the sender. Although looking at the pictures maybe there were more, lol.

By now I had a clean tank and had clean fuel and a bucket of remnants to prove it was a good decision to go to this length. So it was time to focus on the sender. My new one was still in Germany and I did not want to wait. With the tank out I fitted the sender without a seal so it was easily rotated in place. I then checked via the feed pipe hole how the pickup/feed pipe was oriented. It was way high. So obviously I needed a lot of fuel in the tank to get any to the front. Also it was now clearly visible how easily the feed cour rotate in its base plate. And how fuel could work its way past it. So I had bought a new can of gas for my torch and brought flux and solder for tubing. I cleaned the mating surfaces as good as I could and torched the hell out of it!! Heating it up nice and evenly I hoped. I put the solder to it and it flowed nicely, but left a larger rim then I had liked. I may have been a bit quick adding the tin. Anyway it was now solid and not moving anymore. Also looked like it would be a lot harder to get fuel past it now.

I cleaned up the new old (it was fresh a few months ago) seal and fitted the spare barrel filter I bought. I thought at the time that would allow me to sell the old one. It now turns out it is doing it's job once more asif it were a new one. So I may in the end sell the new one on... hahaha. Anyway, a testfit showed the barrel still a ways up in the tank, so I bent the tube a bit to get the pickup lower in the tank. I then fitted it in place with a little dish washing liquid and was ready to put the tank back in.

I put the tank under the car and lubed up some of the parts that would need to slide together like the feed pipe. I have to say this time it went up no problem, a good push was required on the filler side but that also had a benefit in keeping the tank up at that location without a strap. So I put the strap of the other side in first and with that the tank was at least secure. I finished it all of nicely and checked all connections of the fuel lines. I'd also cleaned up the electrical connections so they would hopefully not act up.


The car fired right up!


But died a little later after it ran out of fuel.

It was behaving just as it had when I got stranded. At first I thought maybe some water was present in the fuel pumped from the tank. But a quick look under the car confirmed another cause: the rear pump wasn't running!! No movement at all. A wiggle was enough to get it going so I thought its connection to ground was bad. And upon investigation that didn't surprise me much. The pump is hung from a bracket that is separated by rubber from the car body but the screws go through all layers, bracket, rubber and body. Only what I hadn't condidered was the rubber seal that was between the bolt and the bracket itself. This meant that the ground surface was ridiculously small and could be disturbed from vibration. The rubber ring looked just like a washer as it was coated in the same go. So I took out that extra rubber ring and now the pump runs well. And is no longer susceptible to vibration or movement. I want to add another screw as well to help ground even better. But I had to drill a hole and I had no drill at hand.

So with the lot gone through, the car fired up after the swirlpot had filled enough. Revved beautifully! The gauge reflecting that. SamJ, yes the gauge goed up with revs nicely, the leak down to the oil pressure light is not affected by engine speed. It shows Idle when cold as 1250 rpms, which seems high, but how to confirm? I don't think this ecu is capable of showing live data like my transit van can?

So to summarise, the cause of my fuel issue could be one of three:

- no in tank filter allowing the feed to be blocked
- a very dirty fuel filter not allowing enough flow anymore
- a poor ground causing the rear pump to run intermittantly

Whichever it was, I think after all this it should now be fine.... Now to find someone to help me escort the car home...


I moved the car to get to the caliper bolts . Turns out all 4 of those were not tightened down correctly. How or why I can't really come up with. Most were at least almost fully seated, just needing a torque down...One was almost fully out... I have no real excues. I must have just quickly put them on or something, or maybe I was still testing how they sat as I was making up brake lines etc. I just have no excuse I can think of... They are tight now, though.

So with those retorqued I think the car is ready for its trip home... But a thorough check of all bolts after a few miles is definitely on the cards.

A few pics...

Sounds like dropping the tank was worth it! hopefully you won't be under there changing the filters too often now.



My timing gun can display RPM, can use that to check the gauge? Can also try adding a diode into the ground path from the relay. The output actually goes negative at some points, so that will give a current path for the LEDs possibly.

Just remembered, I think the water temp sender was only finger tight, worth checking before you drive far.