Performing an advanced visual inspection

People have asked me how I come up with the different topics that appear in these memoranda and often it is from small talk with the volunteers that visit the BINDT headquarters. This source has been absent for some time, so I will have to rely on a recent personal experience.

One Saturday morning I woke up and became aware of an odour of petrol, solvent or spirits and, as my bedroom is over the garage that contains my old TVR, I assumed the worst. After breakfast I decided on an approach to the situation, with the remedial action dependent on what was found. Firstly, the garage door was opened to ventilate the area, followed by a preliminary look under the car for any telltale damp areas on the concrete floor. I need to explain that there is very little room around the car and very little ground clearance. After an assessment I was no wiser, so a more in-depth investigation was required. I have a DIY endoscopic camera, so this was prepared for duty (I put the batteries in) and then I started in the boot where the fuel tank is. The fuel tank is upright and has the boot carpet glued to it. On initial inspection there did not appear to be any fuel leakage and no significant odour, but as I had my endoscopic camera ready I inserted it where I could gain access to see if there was any evidence of moisture. I did not find anything of concern, so went to the engine bay and started to explore around the

engine, following the fuel lines as much as possible using the camera and additional lighting. Again, I did not find anything that resembled a fuel leak. I then decided I had better have a more comprehensive look underneath the car. As mentioned, there is very limited ground clearance and I am also much less agile than I used to be. With a combination of good lighting, inspection mirrors and the endoscopic camera, I was able to trace the fuel line to the fuel pump and on towards the engine bay, yet still did not find anything of concern. By this point, I had ripped my t-shirt and picked up a few minor cuts and abrasions but, strangely, I was enjoying performing the enhanced visual inspection.

It was then time to reconsider the plan of action and the possible sources of the strong odour. The event occurred during the particularly hot period that was recently experienced in the UK and I have a collection of aerosol cans and other containers with paint and fluids in (I dislike throwing anything away that may come in useful). I had been thinking that the odour was not that of petrol but more of a solvent-type odour, so my next visual inspection centred on these cans. Well, as I progressed up from the workbench and into the cupboards, I noticed a volcanic lava-type flow of congealing paint cascading down from the top shelf. I had found the source of the problem. On retrieving the tin that used to contain the paint, I saw that the seam had burst open and was clearly the source of the problem.

In conclusion, I approached the task with the appropriate equipment to perform a visual inspection, which proved to be successful. I need to organise my collection of possibly useful tins and other items and dispose of any I no longer need in a responsible manner. Cheap endoscopic cameras do provide a usable image but an understanding of what is being viewed is essential. Do not automatically blame the car just because it is 27 years old. Consider the environmental conditions, especially the weather. Being a private investigation at home, the need for risk assessments and PPE was different to that of a commercial operation. The removal of the tin and cleaning of the area, along with good ventilation, removed the source of the odour.

Comments by members

This forum post has no comments, be the first to leave a comment.

<< Back