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Badwolf

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Posts posted by Badwolf

  1. ** ON TO THE NEXT BIT ** Nose to Tail - 1972 Spitfire MkIV restoration upgrades!!

    in My Triumph Restoration Project

    Posted

    Just sorted the wiper motor out. I have left the previous posting just in case anyone else has similar problems.  The frayed wire that I couldn't find the other end of is the main earth which goes to a connector under the body of the wiper, held in place by one of the wiper motor bolts which passes through the thick rubber mounting pad (which is why I missed it).  The circuit diagram happily shows a wire going to earth but doesn't say where the earth connector is!!  I have no idea why it was showing +12v unless there was some sort of back feed somewhere.  Anyway, I have re-connected it, nothing has gone bang, no smell of burning and no fuses have blown so, all is well... for the moment.

  2. ** ON TO THE NEXT BIT ** Nose to Tail - 1972 Spitfire MkIV restoration upgrades!!

    in My Triumph Restoration Project

    Posted

    Pete. Ok... calm down.. dash pots cleaned out and refilled with 20w50.. not tried out yet.

    Now got further problems... windscreen wipers have stopped for no apparent reason.  Could be I've pulled out a connection messing with radio. Switch appears ok, getting 12v at the block connector into the wiper motor. I have found a black wire which looks like it has broken off from somewhere (insulation broken and wires sticking out are frayed), but cannot see where it could have gone to. It's not long enough to reach the block connector. It goes into the wiring loom right at the point where the loom goes through into the bulkhead, about 4 inches away from the block connector. According to the meter it has +12volt on it and sparked when I caught it to earth!!!  Cannot find it on the wiring diagram.  Any thoughts anyone?

  3. ** ON TO THE NEXT BIT ** Nose to Tail - 1972 Spitfire MkIV restoration upgrades!!

    in My Triumph Restoration Project

    Posted

    I think things are progressing fairly well considering my lack of mechanical experience.  Just need to sort out the sooty plug bit, I think mixture, then rotor/condenser. Swapped the dubious looking distributor cap for an old one which looks in better condition and adjusted the mixture one full turn leaner and will try when it stops raining (if ever).  I do have another rotor and a brand new condenser so will put those in as needed. By the way, is the type of oil in the dash pots significant. Read in one article to use 3 in one (that's what is in at the moment), another says 20w50 engine oil.  Which is correct if either?

     

  4. Manual Washer Jets and Non-return Valves

    in Bodywork & Fittings

    Posted

    When the car was on the road before I had an electric pump with a separate push button to operate. I always forgot to mention it to the MOT tester who promptly failed it. That's why I started on the conversion of the original push pump to electric.  Appears to be working well at the moment, but the wiper switch has given up. Probably a loose connection but will investigate later. If the whole unit fails... back to the drawing board.

  7. Manual Washer Jets and Non-return Valves

    in Bodywork & Fittings

    Posted

    Karl. I converted my pump action wash/wipe switch to an electric pump using the original unit which had a broken pipe connector. Got through the mot with it and I am just in the process of literally road testing it before I post the instructions on my forum page. When I do, I will flag the heading so you can spot it and see if you can adapt it to yours

  8. ** ON TO THE NEXT BIT ** Nose to Tail - 1972 Spitfire MkIV restoration upgrades!!

    in My Triumph Restoration Project

    Posted

    Ok. Leaving the question of the 'kangaroo juice' engine aside for the moment, can anyone help on the fitting of a radio. It came out easily but will it go back...!!!??? I can't remember the easiest way to do it. Its one of those that pulls out of its housing for security, but it won't because of the gear stick and all the angles are wrong to get it in with the 'H' console support and fitting plate. Any help as ever, greatly appreciated.

  9. ** ON TO THE NEXT BIT ** Nose to Tail - 1972 Spitfire MkIV restoration upgrades!!

    in My Triumph Restoration Project

    Posted

    It is a delco, it says it on the side of the distributor on the side next to the engine. I notice that P*dd*cks do a red delco version. As you say, its probably just red instead of black. By the way, it might be a stupid bit of reasoning but if a condenser has the required amount of waxed foil inside, should it not weigh heavier than the rubbish version with little inside? Only question is what is the optimum weight?

  10. ** ON TO THE NEXT BIT ** Nose to Tail - 1972 Spitfire MkIV restoration upgrades!!

    in My Triumph Restoration Project

    Posted

    Colin. The Apollo looks in good condition. Not tried it yet. It has previously been used for emulsion paint but looks fairly clean.  I will strip it down in due course and get any residual paint out.  Had a word with someone a Frost's about POR15. Looks interesting but appears to set like concrete!!  Thought it might spray but not so sure if it wouldn't set solid in the gun.  Their Red top coat look a nice colour, very similar to Signal Red and the blurb gives the impression that the finished paint is bullet proof!!

    Pete. Took her out for a quick run, mainly to check the choke and warm up prior to changing the oil.  Running much better but still lacks power and plugs still sooty. I have backed off the mixture and is now set at one full turn down instead of two. Not that trial and error is a good way of doing this. I have found my old Gunson''s Colourtune so may give that a try. Unfortunately the sealing washer is missing, but salvaged one off an old spark plug.  I was never very good with these things so I'm not convinced it will work. I tended to leave the tuning of the carbs to the professionals but these days if it doesn't plug into a computer they don't want to know.  I have also put the old distributor cap on as it has considerably more carbon in the the center than the one that was off. Little by little it get better. By the way, what is the difference between a standard rotor arm and a red one?

  11. ** ON TO THE NEXT BIT ** Nose to Tail - 1972 Spitfire MkIV restoration upgrades!!

    in My Triumph Restoration Project

    Posted

    Pete. The answers to the questions in your list are as follows:

    ....... very likely to be small rubber sliver syndrome small bits of rubber  hose get cut off when you insert fittings into the fuel hoses, these float back and forth and end up jammed in the back of the float needle valve , and starvation under power - Not tried yet

    do check after using choke that the nasty linkage has returned the dropped jet back to its adjusting nut , a prod with a finger cures this - give the base of the jet assy a poke - Were/are the plugs all sooty ??? - Yes jet returned when poked, choke cable was set too short and not pushing linkage all the way back in... now adjusted. All the plugs were sooty , they were cleaned before taking her out for the 'kangaroo petrol trip', so it looks like the choke cable setting could be the problem.

    any rota with a rivet in the sweep blade is probably useless - Yes, the rotor has a rivet in it

    check the rotor cap brush is actually contacting the rotor - The carbon brush in the centre top of the distributor cap is worn flush with the surround and may not be making very good contact

    make sure the top of the coil ht socket is clean ...not green - Nice and bright, not green

    dont use spark plugs with an R in the suffix - The plugs don't have an 'R' in the suffix (NGK BP6ES)

    some condensers can have little inside the canister and fail , you cant tell without cutting it up - if it  misses/ back fires a bit expect condense - Not replaced yet as I don't want to put to many changes into the mix and not know what was causing the problems

    I will clean up the plugs and try over the weekend and report back. This may help somebody else who has similar problems.

    Thanks

     

  12. ** ON TO THE NEXT BIT ** Nose to Tail - 1972 Spitfire MkIV restoration upgrades!!

    in My Triumph Restoration Project

    Posted

    Pete. Just had a chance to have a quick look at some of the items listed. The carbon centre of the distributor cap appears to be smooth compered with the surround. I found an old one in the bits box which has a lot more carbon sticking out. No green on the HT coil socket, no Rs in the plugs. I have also found various condensers, one I think is new, so if swapping the cap doesn't work I will try that.  Working my way through the rest.  As ever.... thanks for taking the trouble.

     

    Addition... just found choke is also sticking... what is the best way to stop sticking?

    Addition 2.. I think that the choke cable was too tight. I have slackened it off, pulled through some more cable and tightenned up again. I doesn't appear to be sticking open now. Will try it tomorrow if I get a chance.

  14. ** ON TO THE NEXT BIT ** Nose to Tail - 1972 Spitfire MkIV restoration upgrades!!

    in My Triumph Restoration Project

    Posted

    Took the car out for its first run yesterday. Very exciting as about 4 miles from home it developed a misfire, running very rough. She runs fine on tick over but no power on acceleration (if you can call it that). Could be electrical or possibly fuel line blockage. I have not replaced the plug leads or distributor cap yet, but did clean the petrol pump gauze, carbs, and fit new paper filter. Does anyone have any experience on this. I'm sure this is simple but don't want to start replacing thing un-neccesarily.

  18. ** ON TO THE NEXT BIT ** Nose to Tail - 1972 Spitfire MkIV restoration upgrades!!

    in My Triumph Restoration Project

    Posted

    Adrian. Thanks for the advice. I intend to start underneath. The chassis and underside were hammerited 30 years ago when it was a decent product. Time has taken its toll and now needs doing again so it will need degreasing, de-waxoylinv, in fact de-everything. I forgot to ask in my post for advice on cleaning products as many products leave a greasy residue. POR do a very expensive marine grade degreaser but if it works first time, it nay be worth it over the cheaper versions which need several applications. The shopping list has started.

  19. ** ON TO THE NEXT BIT ** Nose to Tail - 1972 Spitfire MkIV restoration upgrades!!

    in My Triumph Restoration Project

    Posted

    I have bitten the bullet and bought a spraymate. Time will tell if it was a good decision, but if Colin has had good results then it's a start for me. The next thing is to ask for advice on painting. The old paint was applied by spray (not by me) many years ago and appears very thick, brittle and is blistering and flaking off so its back to metal and start again, probably on a panel by panel basis for ease. So what do you experienced forumites recommend in the way of acid etch primer, hi build and top coat...please.

  20. Considering Silicone?

    in Braking System

    Posted

    I have changed over to Silicone DOT 5 when I refurbished the brake rubbers, pistons etc etc. I blew the old fluid out into a can at each wheel using a foot pump with a football adapter before refitting new flexi lines, pistons, rubbers and all the other stuff. Filled up with DOT5 and bled.  There were still traces of the old DOT3 coming through as globules as I was bleeding it soon stopped and on MOT there was no trouble with the brakes and any softness in pedal travel I just put down to the difference between driving a modern with servo assist and a classic without.  I now have no worries about stripping paint having just repainted my bulkhead due to the damage done by DOT3..... but the can of worms will wiggle on forever. By the way Paul, how did you get the master cylinder boots to seat. Mine won't go into the bulkhead all the way round.

  25. ** ON TO THE NEXT BIT ** Nose to Tail - 1972 Spitfire MkIV restoration upgrades!!

    in My Triumph Restoration Project

    Posted

    Car is now back home proudly sitting on the drive.

    Now the list of other jobs starts. Going through the pages of posts I found details of an airless spraygun which at the time had good reports..an apollo spraymate. Has anyone used one recently or know of whether they work as well as the reports. I don't want to use cans or roller and don't have the space for a decent compressor to use with an hvlp gun. The apollo looks to be just what I need. Decent finish, not concourse and the usefulness of respraying any damage in the future. Hopefully work panel by panel... por15 acid etch primer, high build primer and paint from the club shop, signal red. Sadly have to wait for new seat cushions and other trim. All advice, as normal, greatfully received.

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