The Classic Machinery Network

Hi there I followed Fowler Mans advice and checked everything I could. It has an external oil filter which has been cleaned thoroughly. Don’t think it’s sludge in the pipe. Going to give it a good run soon and see how it goes. The problem at the moment is the brakes. Advice about these old mechanica...

I continue to make progress on my old Benford 1 ton dumper. The Petter AVA1 engine starts first pop but I still fail to get oil to the rocker box. I have not run the engine for more than a few minutes at a time ( to avoid the fumes in my garage) and I am hoping that a more prolonged session outdoors...

Now that my AVA1 is running I noticed that there was no oil circulating up from the oil filter assembly via a pipe up to the rocker box. I thought it was probably choked up with oil sludge so I dismantled the filter housing and cleaned all the compartments, pipes and pressure reducing valves. I chec...

My thanks to Fred for the advice about spill timing. When I followed his instructions plus the ones in the manual it was straightforward enough after a bit of fiddling. I had adjusted the pressure release screw on the injector assembly to get a fine mist of fuel and it started more easily. Messing w...

Sorry, another problem. In the photo there is my fuel filter. The bleed screw that the screw driver head is resting in is pouring out fuel due to a stripped thread. Is there a solution or is it a whole new filter? If the latter, does anyone have one to spare that they can sell to me? I can get a new...

My euphoria was short lived after the first firing. I have managed to get it going again but only after warming the air intake with a hot air gun and using some ‘cold start’ spray. Surely if it is going to be a usable item, it should not need a blow lamp, smoking rag and a whole rugby team to cajole...

Eureka! We Have lift off but it did not occur as I expected. I asked a friend who wrestles with old tractors and the like to have a look. We could not identify the three marks on the flywheel for starters ( I have eventually found them under all the grime.) AS it happened we did not need them. He lo...

Thank you. Very clear. The pump has been overhauled and, presumably, the injection release pressure was adjusted, but I have fiddled with it so I suspect it will need resetting. But there is certainly a fine atomised spray coming from the injector nozzle. I will have a go at adjusting spill time and...

Thank you for the helpful suggestions. After Ian suggested looking at the shims/ lack of shims where the fuel pump is mounted, I realised that I had made a new gasket for this purpose. I checked in the manual and there is not meant to be a gasket at all! I promptly removed it and cleaned out the fue...