Exhausting foreplay...

Ever since we took delivery of 32 it has had the unfortunate problem of it blowing exhaust gases out of the manifold, meaning that it's not running efficiently and also it's bloomin' noisy in the small cab as the manifold sits just under one side of the engine cover.

Many RLs 'blow' to a certain extent but this one was something else! When Tony removed the exhaust manifold during the rebuild, he found that it was a later three-piece version designed later in the RL's life to combat cracking of the cast metal on the one-piece version. Over time, the joints wear down so once back together, it just blew most of the gunk out of all the joints, leaving it as noisy as before.

But on rebuilding another RL for someone else, he came across a scrap engine from a 4x2 green goddess. The more reliable one-piece exhaust manifold was removed (the inlet was beyond saving sadly) and cleaned up, ready for fitting today. So far, so good...............

Once the manifolds were removed, the situation looked like this - you can see the remains of much of the exhaust putty....:

Great - here's the three-piece manifold off....:

Here's the one piece manifold ready to go on.....:

But - a problem....! Here are the inlet manifold studs on the old three-piece exhaust manifold. Note they're in a rectangle:

Here are the inlet studs for the one piece version. Note they're in a diamond shape.....:

Anyway, that's now a job to be completed on another day once we either have a new inlet manifold which fits or a new exhausat manifold which matches the current inlet....

Strange - why did Bedford change them when they moved to a three-piece unit?? Must have made sense to someone, somewhere!!

Whilst I removed the old manifold, Tony also rebuilt the carburettor with new gaskets etc.

Derby Emergency Services Show

Well, after all the months of spending and hard work (the latter mainly by Tony....), 32 made it's official first outing at the Derby Emergency Services Show in mid-June.

The aim was to get a large gathering of ex-AFS vehicles for static showing and later the ring display. This we achieved as we had many varieties of AFS vehicles from many parts of the midlands and north, my own 326 included.

As you can see, 32 has been fully repainted and sign written. The tilt frame we had to have made from scratch using an original from another RL as a copy. The indicators are back where the delivery pics provided by John Thompson (author of the ‘Green machine’) from 1965 show them to be (very few RLs had them on the cheek panels, only tankers and fuel vehicles it seems, for some reason now lost in the mists of time). We’ve also popped it onto larger tyres which improves the economy and road holding no end. The larger truck mirrors fitted by Clywd Fire Brigade have gone as have the two tones on the roof, leaving quite a few holes which needed filling. The exhaust is longer so it doesn’t feed into the cab through the floor – quite useful, that…. The flashing yellows work and we now have two vintage fire extinguishers to use to help construct the extinguisher holders that were on the front bumper. The canvas tilt will follow when funds allow….!!

 

We think it looks good! It goes like stink although it’s a trifle noisy as it’s blowing at the manifold so we’re replacing the troublesome three-piece exhaust manifold with a one piece item later this week….  

Further progress updates as and when, the next planned outing is the Nene Valley Railway transport festival in late July. 

More Derby photos can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mj_100/sets/72157634141372659/

32 in action in the ring:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mj_100/9063241218/in/set-72157634141372659