The 1959 Jensen 541R has been up on the ramps here at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ for our technician Jon to dive into the car for its owner.
‘Carry out repairs on customers list. Check cold start. Cranked for about 6 seconds before firing. Doesn’t feel like it’s running on all 6 cylinders. Pull HT leads off but can’t tell. Tighten fuel pipes to arbs to stop weep. OK now. Get on ramp and check over and list issues. Lower and remove air filter housing. Remove suction chambers and pistons. Measure jet depths. All between 2 and 2.25mm, rather rich reckon. Adjust each one in turn to 1.25mm basic setting. Clean pistons and chambers and reassemble. Remove spark plugs, all very black. Clean and regap. Refit and secure.’
‘Remove rocker cover and check and adjust tappets. All OK except 3 a bit loose. Clean and refit rocker cover. Connect throttle and start up and test. Started much better and runs better too. Fit inline fuel filter to pipe into carbs. Check rear sidelight not working. Tighten connection OK. Check reverse lights not working. Remove lens and found earth wire very hot, suspect short. Check inside light and move plastic insulator around bulb holder and test. OK now, refit lens.’
‘Lower steering rack and remove track rod ends from hubs. Replace both ball joint rubbers and lockwire in place. Refit ends and rack and secure.’
‘Drain oil and fit new speedo angle drivewhilst draining. Unable to remove filter from engine bay, so have to remove housing from block and lift out in one piece.’
‘Remove oil filter housing from bay. Remove filter and clean out canister. Fit new seal and filter. Make new gasket for housing to block. Refit to block and secure. Refit sump bung and top up oil. Oil leaking g from rocker cover gasket at front. Remove rocker cover and clean mating surfaces and retry clean gasket and reapply wellseal and refit.’
‘Refill with new oil and check. Weeping from rear now. Search for new gasket upstairs but can’t find one. Try again with old one. Repeat and leave to aet. Still leaks, so leave for now and order new gasket.’
