classic car forum header
Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 
Register     Posting Photographs     Privacy     F/book OCC Facebook     OCC on Patreon

1926 Rover 9 Roadster
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9  Next
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration. Forum Index -> All our old cars, vans, lorries etc
Author Message
jp928



Joined: 07 Jun 2016
Posts: 249
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 1:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No, havent done a compression test... will try that. Engine was completely rebuilt before it came to me, and since there was no wiring on the car before me, I dont believe it was run before I got it. Also, I have done a full tappet reset without any signs of valves sticking, but its probably worth revisiting . It does idle pretty well, and mostly backfires when opening the throttle, less so at a steady elevated throttle. Will try the compression test, and tappets to see if they have moved.
thanks
jp
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
jp928



Joined: 07 Jun 2016
Posts: 249
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

After trying a few things I decided to go for an SU conversion - parts available, easy to check mixture. Picked up a 1-1/4" off a Mini for $20. Put in a kit from Burlen - spindle (well worn), butterfly, needle&seat, jet, AN needle (as used by the Austin7 crew), new screws etc, gaskets. Made up a 10mm alloy plate adapter, only to find the throttle lever wouldnt clear the block - made up a spacer out of dense ply, varnished it. Couple of 1/4-20 bolts holds it on the block, 2 3/8"-BSW bolts with heads sunk in the back of the plate hold the carb on. Painted the whole assembly black to match the engine.
Set the jet at recommended starting point - level with bridge, then down 2 turns. Damn thing actually started at that setting, but needed another turn down on the jet to look like correct mixture. Initially it would spit some on opening throttle, but that was without any oil in the damper. Got some very light oil in there, and its excellent now- answers throttle smoothly and cleanly, starts fine, only needs choking for a few minutes(20C here now), runs as smooth as you could wish. Small exhaust leak to tackle next.
Also have some good news on the hood irons issue - one of the Vintage club guys has found somebody with some spare hood parts, and I hope to be able to see if they will fit the Rover. Upholstery guy says he can do new wood parts as needed.
jp
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
jp928



Joined: 07 Jun 2016
Posts: 249
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 12:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

SU continues to perform well, easy to start, idles and responds well. Got a set of hood irons as recommended - mostly light flat steel, with a couple of bows in oval section tubing. Arrived completely rusted up and frozen, but over the last 8 weeks have loosened it all up, using heat and penetrating oil(ATF+Acetone). took me a while to work out how the action functioned, but I think I know now. Its going to need some professional work to get all the links straight and cleaned up - one attachment point has rusted off altogether. Not sure how to test its fit to body and avoid any paint or panel damage.
Am running some descaling stuff(citric acid mostly) through the radiator fir several runs, and will then remove and back flush - bottom half of the radiator doesnt get as hot as it should , the hot coolant is running down the side tanks and into the water pump.
Making progress, but still a long way to go.
jp
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
alanb



Joined: 10 Sep 2012
Posts: 516
Location: Berkshire.

PostPosted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 10:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I very much enjoy reading your posts, keep nibbling away at all those jobs and keep posting , there's hours of happy motoring on the horizon.
_________________
old tourer


Morris 8 two seater
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
jp928



Joined: 07 Jun 2016
Posts: 249
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 12:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Alan, need all the encouragement I can get.
As noted elsewhere I removed a leaking welch plug with some difficulty - chipping out fragments of metal from the threads. Currently the hole is sealed with a composite (nylon?) 3/4 BSPT plug, which has survived several engine runs without leaking now.
jp
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
jp928



Joined: 07 Jun 2016
Posts: 249
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Wed Nov 15, 2017 7:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have just done a couple of runs with a descaler (mostly citric acid), and today I pulled the rad and back flushed it with a hose, laid flat on the ground. For a bit I got lots of small thin black scaly bits, and after a bit of shaking with the water running, got some bigger (some cherry size) soft lumps of something dark - like a cup full! After drying a bit these things feel mostly like congealed grease - soft and pliable. Putting the rad back in was a bit of a pain, but its done now. After the first descale run, I had a couple of slow leaks (none before). After the second run , the leaks stopped...??
If it comes up with an even temp across the core and doesnt get too hot now, I hope it doesnt leak again, but if it does, it shouldnt be too hard to get that fixed.
jp
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Rick
Site Admin


Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22429
Location: UK

PostPosted: Wed Nov 15, 2017 8:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As Alan says, thanks for the regular updates, interesting to read.

RJ
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
jp928



Joined: 07 Jun 2016
Posts: 249
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well the radiator is leaking, although very little ends up on the floor - quite a few tubes in the middle have water just sitting there, but the level has dropped visibly, so I will have to do something about it. The temperature in the lower core is better now - 10-12C below the top, so I think its getting water flow. I guess the descaler exposed some damaged tubes.
The car came with pretty much everything overhauled,including the engine - honed bores, newly metalled rods and mains, new pistons, cam cleaned up etc etc. It had a sump full of oil when I got it, so I assumed it would be usable oil, and I have now run it for at least a couple of hours, maybe 3-4. I decided maybe I should change the oil to something known (Penrite Shelsley light 20W-60 mineral). So I drained it. Not a pretty sight - very black - never seems to look that bad on the dipstick - a bit of a fine sheen to it - metallic? Tried to pull the oil pump inlet filter out, but it wouldnt budge, so I just made a new cork gasket for the cover plug, and sealed it. To try to remove any residual black oil I poured some old oil waiting for disposal (1 year old, 2000km 5-40 from the Subaru gt)in the top and let it drain. Filled it up, spun it a bit with no petrol until I saw some oil pressure, and then started it. MUCH quieter than before, smoother, better! Mostly belt noise, very little from the chains or tappets. Oil pressure at slow idle ~17psi, very quickly rising to 40psi with a tiny bit of throttle. After 10mins, temperature well up, stopped it and checked the dipstick - still like honey. Much happier. Now to research sealing the radiator - find somebody who know how to handle honeycomb cores.....There is a company in UK (of course) - http://www.vintagecarradiatorcompany.co.uk/, and also one in NZ - http://www.replicore.co.nz/. Will enquire of the NZ mob if I need a core. The spare rad I have has many visible damaged tubes, so its not useful as it is.
jp
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
jp928



Joined: 07 Jun 2016
Posts: 249
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 6:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Finally back at work again. Got some rad sealer as recommended by local radiator man, seems to have done the job. Had a look inside the diff oil filler cover - nice new looking bronze wheel, but not much oil visible. The cast alloy cap here is also cracked on one side - not right through but close. It has a narrow piece of gasket paper around the relevant area, but not all over the mating face - looks like its been over tightened at some stage. I have drained the oil out and replaced it with Penrite Mild EP, recommended for worm drives. Will make a gasket for the whole face of the cap, and see if that will allow me to pull the cap down evenly and close the crack. Need to keep an eye on this for leaks when it gets on the road.
jp
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Rick
Site Admin


Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22429
Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 8:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I thought if there were bronze parts present in a back axle, then EP gear oil wasn't recommended - just the straight 90 or whatever? I had the same conversation with an acquaintance last year and he'd not heard of this, so maybe I dreamt it!??

RJ
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
jp928



Joined: 07 Jun 2016
Posts: 249
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 12:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have heard the same stuff about EP oils, because they have (had?) chlorine in them, which attacked the bronze. I did some research in this area, and found that the Mild EP seems to be an alternative used by worm drive Peugeot owners, so I felt pretty safe using it. Pugs used worm drives much later than almost any other maker I know of.
jp
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
alanb



Joined: 10 Sep 2012
Posts: 516
Location: Berkshire.

PostPosted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 1:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I believe EP oils are ok with bronze as long as they are less than gl5 rated, I use EP90 gl4 in my Morris 8.
_________________
old tourer


Morris 8 two seater
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
jp928



Joined: 07 Jun 2016
Posts: 249
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Mon Feb 05, 2018 6:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

More work done! Has nothing at all at the back in the way of bumpers or places to put lights, so....
Where the body rear metallwork is attached to the wood framing, the main wood that is laid on top of the chassis rails is accessable underneath, so I got a piece of wood 140x19mm the same length as the body width, and attached it with angle brackets, hard up against the bottom edge of the bodywork. Laid out some centres and fitted blinkers at the outer ends , and ST51 style taillights just inside the blinkers - there are rules here about how far taillights can be in from the outside line of the car. I have previously run a cable down the left side carrying leads for the left blinker, and sidelight, into a waterproof connector box within a foot of the rear edge, and on the right side leads for the right blinker and the stop lights to a box. Made up some fly leads from the lights to to the connection boxes, and everything now works as designed. The connection boxes are attached to the chassis rails with magnets, and the cables secured with cable ties along the chassis. I started with 4 biggish connection boxes, which worked fine up the front, but they were too big to fit in the tapered down rear chassis, so I had to get some smaller units to fit there.
First real progress for a while now, enthusiasm building a bit!
jp
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
jp928



Joined: 07 Jun 2016
Posts: 249
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 7:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Now that I have taillights etc, decided to have another look at engine temp, while I wait for trimmer to become available.
Last time I was seeing it get up to 80C if left running long enough, which IMO is too high - original book says should hold around 65C at cruising speed. I gave the rad a lot of descaling before, got a leak, sealed that, try again. I fitted a temporary 9" electric fan on the front of the rad, at the top. Started, let it run to 70C, turned on the fan.....temp kept climbing. Radiator still shows very little temp in the bottom half, but the sides get as hot as the top, so I think there is still scale blocking the coolant from going down through the tubes properly. I am going to give descaling another try, and if that fails, will have to look seriously at a new core from UK. I think I know a radiator place who could install a new core.
I put an SU carb off a Mini on it a while ago, but unsure of the state of the mixture, so I got out the Innovate wide band O2 unit to check. These use an O2 sensor stuffed up the exhaust, and give a digital mixture readout. At idle it shows very lean, and moving around, but a bit above idle, I got it in the 13-14 range , slightly rich (14.7 is perfect ). The carb is in very good shape - new jet, new needle, new needle&seat, new shaft and butterfly, and the shaft fit is good, so I dont think there is much of an air leak. Might try moving the needle a tiny bit deeper into the piston , in case the lean idle is causing the temperature increase.
jp
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7113
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 10:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does your carb mounting allow the float chamber to be vertical?

Peter
_________________
http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration. Forum Index -> All our old cars, vans, lorries etc All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9  Next
Page 7 of 9

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
OCC Merch link
Forum T&C


php BB powered © php BB Grp.