Portable Fire Pump

[Bullet2012]

So I have just purchased this little beauty.
A Godiva fire pump, powered by a Coventry Climax motor complete with a couple of lengths of suction hose, a filter basket and delivery hose/ nozzle

Can anyone tell me how to operate it ?

 

[pedrobedro]

Is that the one with the Hillman Imp engine ? Can't help you with the instructions sorry but they always fascinated me. It looks like black button choke and red button starter then twiddle the valves till something happens

 

[Bullet2012]

Yes it's the engine that also went in the Imp.
So far I have worked out.
Fit battery, pull out choke, push start button, all goe brm, brm. Warm up push in choke, use lever on left to adjust speed.
Connect suction hose, lower into lake, increase revs and depress lever between the two gate valves.

What next ?

 

[Seadog]

Point at fire?

 

[MCKDAVID]

were these engines not really sought after by the classic racing guys? seem to remember a Hillman imp at Fintray hill climb running one, amazing off the line, just squatted down, and disappeared. Mind you they classed it as an imp, with a glass body and full space frame, I think the only relationship to the original was the silhouette.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

were these engines not really sought after by the classic racing guys? seem to remember a Hillman imp at Fintray hill climb running one, amazing off the line, just squatted down, and disappeared. Mind you they classed it as an imp, with a glass body and full space frame, I think the only relationship to the original was the silhouette.

Wasn't a Davrian,was it? I remember a nephew of mine 'doing one up' and I actually drove it [not on the road]when it looked pretty much like this

I can't recall what engine was in it [might have been from a Stilleto(?) ] and was fast and loud. We lost touch years ago [family feuds etc into which I didn't get dragged ], so he might still have it for all I know. I believe he also has a Lotus Elan, but that's third party info so might be out of date.

 

[Robotstar5]

Looks like one for @ukracer ?

 

[seriesonewelder]

A mate has 6 of these! This is collecting 2, whilst parked up (Aberdovey) a chap stopped and offered us another!

 

[Dodge20]

Yes it's the engine that also went in the Imp.
So far I have worked out.
Fit battery, pull out choke, push start button, all goe brm, brm. Warm up push in choke, use lever on left to adjust speed.
Connect suction hose, lower into lake, increase revs and depress lever between the two gate valves.

What next ?

If it's anything like the lpp's we have on the appliances at work, depressing the lever will cause a venturi effect using the exhaust gas flow. This in turn causes a vacuum in the hard pipe ( water pick up) so it will draw the water up. To do this you need high engine revs and all seals in the hard pipe need to be spot on, the slightest leak and you won't get the vacuum required to draw the water up. Once the pump is primed return the lever to the start position. It also helps if you just crack one of the outlet valves.
Hth

 

[normspanners]

Bet that was slow and very hard work.

Looks to me like the cam timing needs a tweak

think the hole where con rod have found sunlight is the real problem ?

 

[Stueeee]

were these engines not really sought after by the classic racing guys?

The FWP (Feather Weight Pump) 1020cc engine is sought after by a lot of classic racers because it was the basis of the 1100cc FWA engine which was used in lotus 11s, Elites (the original) etc. Sounds like the OP has the later pump which had a more Imp like motor (I think the later pump was 750cc though).

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Bet that was slow and very hard work.

Looks to me like the cam timing needs a tweak

think the hole where con rod have found sunlight is the real problem ?

think the hole where con rod have found sunlight is the real problem ?

Well, I DID say I didn't know what engine was in it, but it def worked.....

 

[pedrobedro]

Wasn't a Davrian,was it? I remember a nephew of mine 'doing one up' and I actually drove it [not on the road]when it looked pretty much like this

I can't recall what engine was in it [might have been from a Stilleto(?) ] and was fast and loud. We lost touch years ago [family feuds etc into which I didn't get dragged ], so he might still have it for all I know. I believe he also has a Lotus Elan, but that's third party info so might be out of date.

That looks a bit big for an imp engine and not sloping enough Brother in law used to drive an imp and had a spare engine to swap over when the cylinder head gasket went.

 

[ukracer]

Looks like one for @ukracer ?

Why do you say that mate?

Edit...just read thread from the start.

Well the big coventry climax we had used to have a big lever that used the exhaust to prime the pump. You then opened the outlet for water to flow......but this had to be a balancing act or you would loose vaccum if you dropped revs too quick or opened valve too slow...biggest problem is the leather seals in the suction hose not sealing.

 

[MCKDAVID]

@slim_boy_fat

no these were definitely imp based, this was mid 80's early 90's at Fintray hill climb. There were quite a few of them, think they even had their own class, but that's me going on memory. I know the Davrian, there was a local Garage, Hopeman, the guy had a few, I think he had one of the later Darrians as well. Well made, just too little for the more generously proportioned...like me.... Nothing to do with this thread, but the most amazing thing I ever saw off the line at Fintray was David Gillanders 6R4, you blinked and it was gone... unbelievably quick for a stage rally car, not much difference between that and the single seaters...

stueeee, I didn't realise there were different models of the engine, just thought they were all Coventry climax, thanks for that.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@slim_boy_fat.....the most amazing thing I ever saw off the line at Fintray was David Gillanders 6R4, you blinked and it was gone... unbelievably quick for a stage rally car, not much difference between that and the single seaters...

I remember that car there too, used to travel through from the Broch to spectate - ah, what memories.......

Happy Days!!

 

[Shox Dr]

Clan kit cars ran Imp motors before moving to Ford CVH. Really really wanted one in the 80s

 

[Bullet2012]

@ukracer
Thank you , that makes sense as I start to get the water drawing through the exhaust as you mention. Then if I own a delivery valve I start to get a small flow that then peters out.
It must be a fine balance to keep the water flowing as you suggested. Back to the lake to play again.

 

[Bullet2012]

Ok , had another play with this today, getting frustrated as I must be doing something wrong as it just will not prime correctly.
Any one got some more detailed ideas on the correct method of operation ?

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Internal Fire
http://www.internalfire.com/index.php?loadf=93&sid=99056d3f8bf93256bc258c77c74b76dd
Have a huge collection of manuals to download, it might be worth searching on there.
You have to be a member, which I am, to download but I haven't used the site for about 12 years so I'm not sure if I can still log on.