1966 404 Coupé Injection Restoration

3 minute(s) of a 255 minute read

Today this arrived from Europe: an FAE Spanish-made modern oil pressure gauge sending unit, for use in my Jaeger sports instrument panel. That'll be added after the car's on the road at some point.

1-9-2023

I chopped a small bit of a finger tip off on Christmas day when peeling potatoes (!) so had to let it heal before commencing garage work. This meant the week after Xmas, which I had off as holiday, was therefore a bust for 404C work.

However, today I made the last of the new brake lines, version 2.0, and installed it. Next weekend I will attempt a bleed and hope to move onto the next stage: engine reassembly.

1-18-2023

I got the bleed done, no leaks at the new unions (under low pressure, see below), and a bubble-free bleed.... that's the good news.

The bad news is there is no pedal pressure, so the NOS master cylinder must be shot. That'll come out next weekend.

2-17-2023

Master is out, was OK other than some minor surface corrosion on the area of the second seal in its resting place. So I doubt that was the issue. Will reassemble soon with my rebuild kit.

I've ordered a pressure bleeder which should arrive soon, and with that blowing through the reservoir cap it should get all the air out. If not, well.....there should be a massive leak somewhere.

While waiting, yesterday I had a request from a 404 Injection owner in Tanzania who I know remotely thanks to the Internet to buy three Kugelfischer injectors. Since I have 14 spares, I will sell him three. They're used and tested - good pressure setting, good spray and insignificant dripping, so I offered them at 200 Euros each. New old stock injectors are worth 450 Euros - I have 6 of those, 4 of which will be on the car once it's done. I'll be keeping at least 6 in reserve for this car.

I got lucky some years ago when I traded my scrapped 405's stainless steel cat-back exhaust and some other 405 parts plus paid $100 to Robert Bruce in Winnipeg for the 6 NOS injectors! That was a long time ago - 2009 - and I didn't actually know if they were any good until they were tested after I got them.

2-18-2023

And it arrived.....and the cap fits the reservoir perfectly.