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DFD702K.
Dec 5, 2018 17:02:09 GMT
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Post by rosieuk on Dec 5, 2018 17:02:09 GMT
It's either Moss or New Racing Green - I know it's not limeflower. Trouble is I'm red/green colourblind, so I could look at mine and another and not tell them apart even if they were different colours. The green paint is down to the canvas - there's a white coating underneath - I'm assuming that's the original undercoat. The non return valve works well, started up from cold this morning - about a third the effort it usually takes, this time it was about one full rotation and it went - usually 3-4 times that. Oil pressure is also up (and it seems to stay up better) - some of the oil was definitely running through the bypass. Still got a problem trying to get above 60mph. I've a feeling that when I was fighting with the filter can I might have knocked the needle out of true. The decent shell fuel has improved things no end - but it still runs out of puff just under/above 60mph. Did try & contact RH regarding replacement engines but no reply. You might be interested in a YouTube channel called project farm - latest video is a NOx kit for motorised bikes.
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DFD702K.
Dec 5, 2018 17:06:15 GMT
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Post by rosieuk on Dec 5, 2018 17:06:15 GMT
Incidentally I've a copy of the manuals - orange folder & the green knock off version & both say use 99 octane fuel - but then I don't know how 99 octane ***** relates to the modern RON numbers. I might try a tank of the cheaper stuff but I'm not putting that Momentum in there again.
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Post by dave1800 on Dec 6, 2018 0:06:46 GMT
It was British Racing Green when new and had a very thin and brittle coat. The white primer was often revealed by cats sliding down from the roof onto the bonnet.
David
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DFD702K.
Dec 7, 2018 11:43:01 GMT
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Post by rosieuk on Dec 7, 2018 11:43:01 GMT
It was British Racing Green when new and had a very thin and brittle coat. The white primer was often revealed by cats sliding down from the roof onto the bonnet. David Looking at the swatches that was the colour I thought it was. It's definitely showing the white through in places but not so much where the cats are - it's more edges like the front wheel arches and little patches on the front edges of the doors. The paint on the roof was bad but has been rubbed down and has had about 9 coats of Ivory rustoleum which is bearing up quite well although it needs sanding & polishing although it looks OK from a distance. Non return valve a massive improvement - starts within one full turn every time even after sitting a couple of days. Thanks for the paint info.
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DFD702K.
Feb 13, 2019 14:04:18 GMT
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Post by rosieuk on Feb 13, 2019 14:04:18 GMT
Well, it's been fun since Christmas. I had Novovirus and then bronchopneumonia from a cold - collapsed in the pharmacy and ended up in hospital 4 times. Lost a stone in weight and I am now in constant agony from my back, to the extent I'm taking 1000/120mg of paracetamol/codeine, multiple times daily, just to be able to move. Car still acting up - engine now seems to hold a 25psi oil pressure constantly even when warm & idling (of course it does, after I've finally found someone who can do a bottom end rebuild) . Contacted su specialists - they want £300 just to look at it despite the fact I'm 95% sure I know the problem. I don't need a rolling road I just need them to reset the jet. I know what it needs I'm just in no fit state to do it, either mentally or physically. The rustoleum seems to be holding up well. Does anyone know the socket size for the spark plugs?
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Post by Penguin45 on Feb 13, 2019 19:08:48 GMT
Hi Rosie. Sorry to hear of the ailments. Must be the time of year, as I had a nasty little set-back in January as well.
Any reasonably competent mechanic should be able to set the jet if you're not up to it. Air filter off improves the access.
21mm socket for the spark plugs, 0.025" for the gap.
Chris.
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DFD702K.
Feb 14, 2019 3:32:05 GMT
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Post by rosieuk on Feb 14, 2019 3:32:05 GMT
Hi Rosie. Sorry to hear of the ailments. Must be the time of year, as I had a nasty little set-back in January as well. Any reasonably competent mechanic should be able to set the jet if you're not up to it. Air filter off improves the access. 21mm socket for the spark plugs, 0.025" for the gap. Chris. Hi Chris, Thanks for the info - I'll have to buy a socket. God alone knows how long they've been in there. I've got to have mri scans done of my head, neck & spine. I had an appointment with a neuro consultant @ Ipswich and there is a problem with my legs. In some movements they should communicate and co operate and they're not unfortunately. Along with the other symptoms it could be a serious issue. Hope you are recovering well.
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Post by dave1800 on Feb 15, 2019 2:59:53 GMT
Sorry to hear about your health problems, I hope you recover soon. Do you know if there are any classic mini clubs or similar locally that can help with the SU carb. The HS types are basically the same just differ in size. Checking that the piston isn't sticking only takes a few minutes at most. Do remember that most SU problems are nothing to do with the carb, but relate to the ignition. regards David Contacted su specialists - they want £300 just to look at it despite the fact I'm 95% sure I know the problem. I don't need a rolling road I just need them to reset the jet. I know what it needs I'm just in no fit state to do it, either mentally or physically.
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DFD702K.
Feb 19, 2019 15:23:59 GMT
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Post by rosieuk on Feb 19, 2019 15:23:59 GMT
Not feeling any better - but the mystery deepens.
Got some champion 9YC spark plugs to replace the ones that were in there. 3 x 5 value plugs & 1 x 6 plug (so two different values) that look black as pitch (expected as it's running rich).
Idle is a little smoother and it'll respond to the throttle a bit better but it's still not right.
I was also going to change the dynamo belt but it doesn't seem possible. There is a cowl around the radiator fan that's *extremely* tight (there's no way that a belt will fit - and the engine is running far too cold all the time. But this cowl isn't mentioned in the workshop manuals in the procedure for swapping the belt? Any ideas? The engine will run warmer without it (and even in midsummer it needed to), but it'll be a nightmare to remove, and worse to replace. I need to change the belt because it's looking pretty tired.
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DFD702K.
Feb 19, 2019 15:29:19 GMT
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Post by rosieuk on Feb 19, 2019 15:29:19 GMT
Looks like the cowling is supposed to be there. So to replace the belt have to take half the thing to pieces - since the feed the belt through method isn't going to work.
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DFD702K.
Feb 19, 2019 17:02:18 GMT
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Post by rosieuk on Feb 19, 2019 17:02:18 GMT
Even weirder. Took the lhs plug out to have a look.. Expecting to see a black fuzzy mess. What I see is almost no deposit (only did about 8 miles) but what's there looks dead on - pale chocolate colour and dry as a bone.
I'm officially confused - it's running rich at idle, doesn't like gentle throttle (lean?), doesn't like cruising at over 55mph (lean?), yet full throttle now works from 55mph upwards when all it did before was cough and splutter (normal?), yet low to mid throttle and it splutters (lean?).
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Post by Penguin45 on Feb 19, 2019 19:27:34 GMT
Can't say much about the running problems, but the fan belt....
There are 4 retaining bolts for the dynamo. There are 2 pivot bolts against the engine block and two on the tensioning bar underneath. You need to slacken the rearmost bolt and the pivot bolts and the dynamo should push down. If you look at the top radiator cowl, there is what looks like a small deformity on the edge nearest the fan. You can just, one blade at a time, feed the belt through. Definintely a patience job.
Chris.
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DFD702K.
Feb 19, 2019 20:08:44 GMT
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Post by rosieuk on Feb 19, 2019 20:08:44 GMT
Thanks for the info - will have to have a closer look at that cowl. My one seems to have been mounted at three points - and originally had power steering too I think. I'll be getting the replacement done by the garage I suspect because my back won't hold up to that. Theres a bolt top left, the pivot underneath that and one I assume underneath the other end but nothing that I saw on the top right. It looks like the cowl can be split and removed but I'm not even going to be contemplating it.
Running problem got weirder still. It seems to be confined to about 50-55mph at a certain throttle or cruising throttle - when it feels like doing it. Will have to get it properly looked at - but the *9 plugs have really helped.
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Post by dave1800 on Feb 20, 2019 2:11:39 GMT
You believe it is running rich at idle and weak at low to mid throttle opening. An air leak on the inlet side would have the greatest effect at high vacuum which would be at idle and low throttle opening tailing off to minimal effect at higher rpm and throttle opening. You could check if it is really rich at idle by letting the engine tick over for a few minutes then remove a spark plug which would be black and sooty. However you indicated the plug was clean and the right colour, was this after idling? Here is one easy check you can do that shouldn't be a problem with your back: One other effect of part open throttle is that it advances the ignition timing via the vacuum unit attached to the distributor. I suggest temporarily disconnecting the plastic pipe from the distributor, seal the end of the pipe with blu-tack or similar to prevent an air leak and drive the car. If the symptoms improve there is something wrong with the ignition timing or the plate inside the distributor that is rotated by the vacuum unit. It can sometimes cause an intermittent electrical connection as it flexes the wire connection. Yes, the car did originally have PAS with the pump driven from the rear of the dynamo. I recall you though it looked as though the pump drive had been removed. From memory the mounting for the PAS and standard dynamos were the same. David Even weirder. Took the lhs plug out to have a look.. Expecting to see a black fuzzy mess. What I see is almost no deposit (only did about 8 miles) but what's there looks dead on - pale chocolate colour and dry as a bone. I'm officially confused - it's running rich at idle, doesn't like gentle throttle (lean?), doesn't like cruising at over 55mph (lean?), yet full throttle now works from 55mph upwards when all it did before was cough and splutter (normal?), yet low to mid throttle and it splutters (lean?).
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DFD702K.
Feb 20, 2019 18:49:42 GMT
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Post by snoopy11 on Feb 20, 2019 18:49:42 GMT
You mentioned a few posts back that you changed the spark plugs because you didn’t know how long they had been in there.
When did the car last have a full service?
The issues could be ignition braking down through age. If new plugs improved things I would consider changing the whole ignition side (points, distributor cap, rotor arm condenser and plug leads). All are fairly cheap and readily available parts and at least you will know it’s not an ignition issue. If it’s not had a lot of maintenance I would also give the carb internals a clean and a new air filter. Crud in the jets and at the bottom of the float chamber could be causing fuel flow issues that would confuse things as would bad air flow
Once those are done then I would look at timing from a starting point of fuel and spark being correct.
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