Fuel leak + exhaust manifold

[Kev]

It's getting chilly out there so before I venture out for an afternoon of fun in the garage I wonder if I could ask for opinions...

1) There is a terrible smell of fuel when driving my Fulvia. This is only a recent occurrence. Looking under bonnet initially gave no specific signs when car idling normally but note that on increased rpm the tray under the carbs fills with a small pool of petrol. Can anyone hazard a guess what the most likely cause of this is?

2) There also seems to be a blowing noise coming from exhaust manifold. Difficult to tell if it is coming from the joint between the manifold and exhaust pipe running under the car or if there is a very small hole in the manifold around this area (it is quite pitted and rusty). Assuming the latter does anyone have experience of a product like http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=8309 or would I be better off trying to get hold of a second hand manifold. Do decent ones exist?!

Thanks! :)

[Hamish]

Kev,
I'd rebuild the carbs first :arrow: are they 'due' for an overhaul :?: Are there any other obvious problems with fueling :?: i.e: does it 'stutter' 'cough' or otherwise 'play up' :?:

Exhaust - I know a man who might be able to help you with a secondhand manifold, but I'd be loathe to go with any proprietary 'fixes' as a long term cure although Frosts products are very good - especially the fuel tank kit.

[Kev]

The carbs were rebuilt around seven years ago and the car has not done mega miles since then.
A bit gutting is that I had the car tuned a few hundred miles ago so rebuilding the carbs will undo this work (and finding someone who can do it properly is not easy). :(

The car does stutter a bit - not badly but enough to be annoying. There is no leak from the top of the carbs so I will have to suss where the leak is coming from underneath if this is the cause. Are there gaskets at the bottom of the carb body that could produce this leak?

Assuming carbs, is rebuilding them a relatively straightforward job (e.g. change gaskets, 'accelerator pumps', thottle jets) or very involved only to be left to an expert? Does anyone have instructions and/or a diagram of the Solex carbs fitted to a Fulvia 1.3 S2?

Thanks in advance.

[omicron]

Suggest calling us (01508) 570351 and we can talk you through it.

[Hamish]

Well done Andrew :!:

Kev - I'm sure Andrew will point you in the right direction. If it turns out you need manifolds then he's in the right place to help out, but if you do need them and get stuck drop me a line :wink:

[Kev]

Thanks Andrew and Hamish.
What I'll do is have a much closer look at both the carbs and manifold this weekend and will call Andrew next week. Whilst I can put up with the manifold the fuel leak is a little more worrying :oops:

[tbalon]

note that the accelerator pumps are on the bottom of the Solex carbs, so most likley the leak culprit and hesitation source.