Choked.

[Stormin 4,458]

   At Biddenden the Black Horse started to run rich. The reason was traced to a sticking choke cable. Today I set too to sort it. I rooted out a cable lubricator from my motorcycle days, disconnect the cable from the carb and connected it to the lubricator.

  Filled the lubricator with hydraulic oil, (good for freeing rusted parts) and pushed it down the casing. Operating the lever I worked it back and forth. Seemed nice and free. THEN I noticed the outer cable was moving and oil was appearing alongside the battery. The outer cable had broken. So I'll have to get a new cable, as I couldn't find one of the right length among my pile of spares.

 

  Another job I had to do, was the bonnet hinges on the Sears/Roper. Some of the screws had worked loose. Most likely due to driving over rough ground and the bouncing of the trailer. These have now been replaced with more substantial ones that should last.

[the showman 4,074]

Any photos of the lubricator. ?

[Stormin 4,458]

1 hour ago, the showman said:

Any photos of the lubricator. ?

 

 Err! No!  I shall go and take a couple post haste.

 

 

[Stormin 4,458]

Here you are Chris. In detail.

 

M.C.A. Hydraulic Cable Lubricator. Had it for 50 something years, so don't ask where I got it. Certainly NOT on line.

 

 

Slight boo boo here. Cable, washers and seal go in the other end.

 

This shows cable inserted from the left.

 

You inert the cable etc as shown. Fill with oil then fit the other end and screw the T handle in  and that forces oil through the cable.

[the showman 4,074]

That's a good little tool, just looked on line and still available for £17

[Stormin 4,458]

SEVENTEEN POUNDS??   I only paid a couple of bob.

[Wristpin 400]

I had one of those back in Lambretta days , 1958 ish. Seem to remember that it was a bit hit and miss and rather messy.  Haven’t seen it for a long time - may have gone awol when I had the business. Now days I just get a four inch length of the appropriate diameter clear fuel pipe and push it over the engine end of the cable, hold it up heigher than the lever end and fill it with air tool oil ( nice and thin) and work the lever.  If in a hurry, blow down the tube to help things along .

Back in the days of the original Austin and Morris Mimis the engine earthing wasn’t too good and the choke cables tended to warm up and get sticky when the starter was engaged.  . In extreme cases they did a full met down , glowing red hot.  Just might be worth checking the Black Horse’s engine earthing. An earth bond from the engine side of any mounts back to where the battery is earthed to the chassis can sometimes work wonders for cranking rpms.

[Stormin 4,458]

Always spins over quickly, Angus. No sign of burning due to shorting out. I think it has been damaged at sometime and decided enough.

 

[Triumph66 1,256]

That looks like a very useful bit of kit. I regularly lubricate my mower cables when I service them. Makes all the difference.

[Stormin 4,458]

  I was unable to get a new cable and after a bit of thought, I decided to see I could repair the broken outer. I think I've been more or less successful. Temporarily anyway.

  I cut away the broken pieces of the plastic cover and gave the steel sheath a good wire brush. Then pushing the broken ends together, I slipped a piece of shrink wrap over the joint and shrank it in place. Next I wrapped some insulation tape on top of that. Finally refitted the cable and all works as it should.

  Be interesting to see how long the repair lasts. I'll still see about a replacement though.

[slf-uk 914]

20 hours ago, the showman said:

That's a good little tool, just looked on line and still available for £17

 

Sure is, just ordered one