Willys Hotchkiss M201 Jeep Update; engine ignition and fuel check over...

Had a few wee checks to do on the Jeep after it started to not fire up easily when been sitting a while despite priming the carb with the pump, it was something getting worse each weekend I started then on the last run it cut out with  fuel starvation and would only re start and run a short time before the plastic fuel filter would be dry, obviously it was a blockage an/or drawing air and so a quick check was made starting with the ignition. Sooty carbs and a petrol leak from the carb revealed the carb was in fact loose, as well as fuel leaking that would prob draw air changing the mixture, and prob the reason for the sooty plugs...

Cleaned with a brass brush and the gap set the plugs were refitted. The pug HT Caps and leads and Distributor Can were all ok with no splits or cracks though there was a slightly loose HT lead on the Distributor cap, the Jeep in 3rd gear can be rocked until the Points are full open and these were checked and reset to the Manual setting of 015"  

The carb was tightened and fuel leak problem you can see was sorted...

I had to use a stubby 15mm spanner to get into the back nut, need to get a purpose made spanner for this ... 

Fan belt was also tensioned a bit while at it...

Fuel...

With a new tank and fuel lines fitted and pump and carb serviced having sat 5 years everything should be fine but I went through what I could see. the clear plastic secondary filter looked fine so I undid the sump plug in the metal primary fuel filter and brown sludge came out!,  here's the main problem! so I undid the top centre bolt and dropped the filter body and emptied it, look at the rust in there, this would need cleaned with metal wool before refitting and the the metal filter inside washed in petrol and cleaned up with a brass brush

Good this filter is re usable for `in the field` servicing...

I scraped the rust in the filter bowl with a flat blade screwdriver before using wire wool, look how much!...

The top gasket looked shot on the filter main body - this would draw air affecting carb mixture and running so need replaced...

Using my phone on selfie mode I took a picture underneath and the old fashioned body filter would also need replaced, there is a gasket kit with part number in the manual which also showed a gasket for the centre for the brass inner filter was missing...

So I removed the filter body to get the old gasket removed and brushed clean ready...

With the Jeep pushed back into the garage I ordered the gasket set from Dallas Auto`s here in the UK, along with a Carburettor  gasket and service kit just in case these need replaced or at a later date I want to remove the carb to service it. the gaskets arrived a few days later...

This same Fuel filter system sets to go back to WW2 Jeeps, as many parts do on the Hotchkiss Jeep...

I also bought a new Jerry can rather than use the old can I have and a bottle of Redex petrol engine fuel cleaner to run through the system once restarted...

The filter body was refitted with it's two bolts and the in and out fuel lines refitted - they are arrow marked as so many thing are on the Jeep I am discovering...

The medium size rubber gasket was fitted where the manual showed it goes - this one was previously missing...

Then the large gasket sat up inside the filter body and with he bowl filled with fresh petrol the center bolt with the new smaller gasket and the centre bolt tightened and hopefully that was going to be all done...

The new fuel tank has a neat pull out filler tube that makes filling from a 20 litre Gerry can easy with a large funnel...

With a half tank I added half the bottle of Redex, the other half to the 19 litres in the new Gerry can... 

I primed the carb with only a few pumps and it started  up like never before and  ran sweeter than ever!.  once warmed a bit I added the rest of the fuel and left it running for a good 15 minutes checking the clear filter and all was fine. Wee film of it running...

Running the Redex through it has done it a lot of good and since it starts on the button, probably better than my previous Ford car!,  All the wee adjustments and filter bowl clean has it running well now!...

Got the parking brake to adjust as I stupidly left it on - that's twice now I have done that!, muscle memory and all that!, and I will probably refit the hood as I want to fold the rails and leave the hood rolled up at the back. Also got some fire extinguishers to fit as cannot take any chances with the old girl...

More soon...