Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Penman · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4880 Location: Swindon, Wilts.

Hi
I thought there was alreeady a thread for these but I can't find it.

I have just been reminded of a tip for when you can't find your feeler gauges.

The thickness of a piece of a Wills Woodbine (other brands were available) pack can be used for the distributor points and fold it in half to make double thickness for the plug gap.
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Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7219 Location: Edinburgh

1. If you have difficulty breaking the bead of a tyre from a wheel rim then lay it flat on the ground in from of your car and with the driver's door open hang out so that you can see what you are doing and drive over the tyre so as to squash it away from the rim. It probably won't pop off first time and you will need to get out and turn the tyre around to let you take another bite at it. Continue this and it will eventually pop off.

2. When refitting a tubed tyre push the valve through the rim and secure it with a suitable sized washer and a valve cap to ensure that it doesn't drop inside whilst you are refitting the tyre.

Peter
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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22828 Location: UK

I did this with the Moggy recently....

If you suspect a blocked fuel line, find a spare tyre valve. Chop off the rubber end, this exposes the brass centre section of pipe. This can usually be fitted to the end of the fuel line under the bonnet, using a length of rubber hose and Jubilee clips as necessary. It's then really easy to connect a footpump or bicycle pump, to blow through the line. A compressor with a tyre inflator could be used for particularly blocked lines.

RJ
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Keith D · Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 1:31 pm Post subject:

When using Peter's tip to break the bead of a tyre, I find that the wheel springs up when the car climbs onto it and I cannot get the car tyre edge close enough to the bead of the tyre to be broken. I've even tried laying a plank of wood across with no success.

My A40 has a side jack. (Stevenson system) I raise the foot of the jack as high as possible and push the wheel on it's side in the required position under it and then jack up the car on it. Frequently the whole weight of the side of the car is on the tyre before the bead very reluctantly breaks. Then I turn the wheel over and break the bead on the other side.

Keith

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7269 Location: Derby

A useful tip for you, Rick. If you have ever had the sump off your Dodge Brothers car, you will have noticed how tricky it is to replace. The oil level rod needs to be pushed up through the little hole in the block and somehow held there while you fasten the sump nuts. Not having a helping third hand to hold the rod from above to prevent it from falling back down, I had the idea of placing a magnet on the block by the hole. As the rod emerges it latches onto the magnet and makes the whole business less stressful. Very Happy

(For general information, many early cars have a rod with a cork on the end that floats on the oil in the sump. The oil level is gauged by the position of the top if the rod with a line on the block. The only advantage being that it can't be removed and lost. This idea was generally dropped in favour of a dip stick.)

Peter_L · Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 4:30 pm Post subject:

Really, Really tight wheel nut, or central wheel bearing nut.

Jack up the vehicle. Use socket with longest bar available, parallel or angled down slightly. Place blocks or similar under the end of the bar and slowly lower the jack. IMPORTANT. Make sure you are getting the correct Left Hand or Right Hand rotation required to loosen the nuts.

For normal Right Handed wheel nuts. Right side of vehicle the bar faces front. Left side bar faces rear.

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7269 Location: Derby

An old tip my Dad taught me may come in handy with restoration of timber framed bodywork. The spare wheel carrier on my Austin Swallow needed to come off but it was held on with wood screws that had rusted solid. It was essential that the carrier was replaced in exactly the same position so grinding off the screw heads was not an option. To remove the rusty screws I held a soldering iron against a screw head until it became so hot it singed the wood along it's thread. Don't over cook it but just enough to enable the screw to turn.

baconsdozen · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1119 Location: Under the car.

To clean up threads on a stud or bolt,cut a nut that fits in half,clamp the two halves on the stud lightly with a self grip wrench and screw it up and down using the wrench as a handle.
Stuck for releasing fluid? Diesel fuel works well at loosening rust.
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Thirty years selling imperial hand tools for old machinery(Now happily retired).

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7269 Location: Derby

I have a question. Many vintage cars have inaccessible batteries; often the carpet and floor boards have to come up. Can you charge the battery by connecting the charger to the starter terminal and the chassis?

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7219 Location: Edinburgh

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7269 Location: Derby

Thanks Peter. Yes, I can easily get to the starter terminal from under the bonnet on the Dodge. It just occurred to me that perhaps I didn't need to have all the passenger side floor up to charge the battery but I had never heard of it before. I suppose the only risk is that I might get lazy and neglect to check the electrolyte. As I have an old style battery, the levels need to be checked and possibly topped up. If I replace it one day with a sealed unit, charging from the starter terminal could be the answer.

Penman · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4880 Location: Swindon, Wilts.

Hi
You mention old cars, but I have noticed that a lot of moderns don't have easily accessible batteries and therefore have "jump start" terminals under the bonnet. Can they be used for charging as well ?
_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

Peter_L · Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 9:00 pm Post subject:

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7219 Location: Edinburgh

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7269 Location: Derby

I had occasion to charge the battery of a 5 series BMW which had a charging\ jump start point under the bonnet. This left me pondering something which still bothers me. I was always taught that the battery should be disconnected to avoid burning out a diode somewhere. Alternator perhaps? Or would that only happen if the ignition is left on?