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Wonderful trip through the Cotswolds today, MOT time in Dorset
Then see what additional modern enhancement might be worth doing, also option of “repairs” to smarten her up
Another year on, another MOT pass today. Car going very well, even the screen wash works
Got its voluntary MOT last week. Hope to use the car more this year
Well done David, must get mine tested. Tend to do it every 18 months or when I remember!
Famous last words “must use it more”. Started the car today for the first time in a year, gone to a local specialist for a new fuel pump and nose to tail checkover. MOT of course deferred till November
Out of interest, what were the modern enhancements you mentioned back in 2017? I’m considering LED side lights, indicators and brake lights. Anything else?
p.s. which car is it that you are testing?
Hi Rich, it’s LR/117/R the ex works demonstrator and DB taxi. It’s now fitted with modern brakes from Fosseway Engineering although we’re replacing the green stuff pads as they’re not very effective. The old fuel pump had basically gummed up so the replacement will be solid state, and the fuel tank solenoid is being rebuilt to get the reserve capacity to work for the first time! We’re looking to get the car ready to go to Silverstone on Saturday 22 August for the Bentley DC race meeting if spectators are allowed
Sadly the BDC was behind closed doors, and anyway the car was not ready. Got it back last Friday, really happy with the result but 60 hours of labour and ?2k of parts were needed
Got its deferred MOT yesterday, but now we find there’s about an inch of water in the fuel tanks and supposedly clean petrol looks like orange juice with bits in. So tanks out, clean and refit, with a new balance pipe. Waste of about 6 gallons of optimax put in last Sunday
Sorry to hear that, David. From where did the water come? Was it in the fuel?
The most likely source was rainwater accumulating under the fuel filler flap, which is horizontal at the left side by the rear screen, and getting into the tank through a poor seal on the filler neck. Sadly I had to drive it in quite heavy rain to be prep’d for the MOT. The tanks and balance pipe have cleaned up very well so new ones are not needed. Interesting, I’d thought the balance pipe was all rubber, but it’s steel with rubber hoses about 6 inches long at each end to join to the tanks. These were very perished and there was a lot of rubber residue in the tank bottoms. Fortunately they were still petrol-proof but only just
The balance pipe also has a tank drain tap in it, but this turned out to be bunged up with rubber residue, so the tanks had to be drained via the pump
We’ve had to buy quite a lot of this particular rubber petrol-proof pipe, as it’s not got an AML part number of course, so if any othe Rapide owners read this and want some as a spare, please get in touch. And I recommend you check yours
We’re also changing the rubber hose from filler neck to left tank, but fortunately this larger diameter is available by the centimetre
With the tanks out, the whole area will be cleaned and represerved, and we’ll try to make the fuel filler flap more water resistant. I suspect when built there was a rubber gasket of some sort but long gone as part of the bare metal respray in 2001 if not before
Another 38 hours to rectify the fuel system after getting water in it, plus all new perishables like fuel hoses and tank fixing straps, plus some re-engineering for better safety. Plus complete reworking of the under bonnet vacuum arrangements to prevent the engine stalling under heavy braking. It was an interesting experience to lose power with the car in motion in Drive, gearbox lock up! MOT passed with no advisories, having spent some time resolving headlight gremlins and defective wiring under the dash
Started the car today for the first time in 4 months, fresh petrol and air in tyres, then spent 3 hours driving round in the glorious weather. Took some pictures but can’t upload them!
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