But your assuming I knew what I was saying!

Also, very important to remember to put the spacer/insulation block back in on reassembly.

I have spent half an hour on the 2CV this afternoon. I disconnected the fuel pipe and filled a jar with petrol. I removed the air filter to carburettor pipe from the carb and topped up the chamber. I jumped behind the wheel and tried to start the car but apart from a few false starts it just won't run. The petrol appears to run straight out onto the manifold below. I've also noticed the brake warning light is constantly lit with the ignition on. Not had that issue before. I will be getting another pump, probably order it this coming week, but I was kinda hoping if I could get the engine running it might jolt the pump into working again. Well, it was worth a try.

It won't start with to much fuel either. Sound like your float needle valve is not closing. Otherwise it wouldn't leak under the manifold.

Oops,
that's not putting petrol into the float chamber, it's pouring it directly into the intake tract and the manifold...

It also sounds as though you need to check the brake fluid level.
If it's very low, the next step would be looking for where it's leaking.

Brake fluid level is fine and the pedal is normal in feel and travel. I thought there needs to be a certain level of petrol in the bottom of the carburettor?There should be 'some' fuel in the unit, surely? I'm certain there has been whenever I took a peek in the past.

Seeing as its the end of the pantomime season.
No float level on a solex!
OH YES THERE IS .....

D'oh! Very true. It's been many a year since I've had the thing apart and I'd forgotten. We can all make mistakes, you know.

OH NO WE CAN'T ...
I must spend less time at the theatre

I've finally managed to get around to working on the 2CV, which has been sat in the garage since the end of November. Shetland winters are seriously unforgiving. And very, very dark.

I removed the fuel pump and dismantled it. I found one of the internal valves had dislodged, so I refitted it, reassembled the pump, refitted pump to the engine and now have a running 2CV. Just been out for a drive around the island.

So.... fuel pump valves. Would you expect them to become dislodged? The one was well unseated from the recess it fits into. Should I expect it to happen again? Would it be a good idea to just buy a new pump?