iana

Spent a few hours at the weekend cleaning around the engine, I’ve cleaned the sump up, and then tightened all the bolts that I could reach. The area is now relatively clean so any fresh oil will be apparent. I also fixed the failed gasket on the gearbox (the selector gasket) but I’ve noticed I still have a drip from the box somewhere - any ideas - I’ll pop the car on some axle stands tomorrow and have a look - any pointers where to start looking - I have recently topped up the oil so it could be spilt oil that I haven’t cleared up properly

Thanks, I’ll keep my eye on the leak but use it in the meantime, it hasn’t used any noticeable oil in the 6 months I’ve had the car. I’ll sort the rocker cover this week. Pete I’ll try the talc trick, and maybe I will sort the leak over winter if it’s an easy fix.

Ive been cleaning a dirty engine ready to give it a coat of engine paint and noticed 2-3 areas of oil so Im guessing a leaking gasket - main suspects are timing chain gasket or sump gasket and rocker gasket - Ive got the rocker gasket ready to fix that leak - the others are alot more time consuming, I guess they will get worse with time but as I dont have an engine hoist it will be a swap insitu (which Ive noted from other posts on here can be done with the engine insitu) As I only get a very occasional drip on the cardboard under the car, I guessing the leak isnt major (it was picked up by the garage when they did some work on the car) so do I ignore the problem, buy a plastic drip tray and wait till it gets more significant? I'll buy the gaskets ready. Do oil leaks cause issues on the MOT?

Johny I checked that earlier and they're all tight (may not be torqued to correct setting) but were tight - the front 2 nuts and threaded stud were coated in oil so I'd hoped thats was all that was wrong - would a drop of thread lock stop them coming loose?

Last time I topped the gearbox up I had intended to replace the tunnel with a modern grp one but couldnt get one in time, I am now getting the seats repaired so decided to replace the tunnel why the car has less in it - Im fitting a grp with a side access panel so filling / checking will be more straight forward from now on. I removed the tunnel today and it appears theres still an oil leak, I think its either the top gasket or where the gear change comes out of the box. I was also checking for breather vents - where are they located. Is there a guide to fitting the rebush kit or is it fairly obvious once you start? Is this the breather?

Just a quick update, I found several faults in the end, several loose and broken earths, the fuse box was definitely past its best, there was a very poor connection on one of the terminals. also the intermitent fault became permanent and to solve the issue I have rewired the left hand indicator circuit completely. All now appears to be working. Still got to connect the radio but it can wait. Took the car for a test drive today, a blast down the old A roads, it reminded me why I brought the car!

I'm in the process of sorting out the replacement fuel lines, I sourced the fuel pipe from Moss as I needed 2m and theyre were doing a post free offer. The pipe is 1/4" what size clips are recommended? I've got a couple of fuel filter as there isnt one on the car - I was going to fit just before petrol pump, is it worth fitting one anywhere else?

Colin thanks, just spent a couple of hours checking again, I stripped the switches off the column and found a damaged live wire on the overdrive switch cable, now repaired. So I’m going to check the indicator one next, but I’m guessing if that live wire was touching either the column or switch that would certainly cause a problem. Whilst it’s frustrating in a way, at least it’s forced me to redo some of the poor wiring that I’ve found, earths are now tightly fixed. I also found the radio had bees wired in with a cloth covered cable (that must be really old) which I’ve removed, I’ll put the radio back once the car is running properly

Apologies in advance for the long post. After spending most of yesterday trying to resolve the indicator issue on the vitesse, I've not really found a fault in the wiring (a loose earth on the hazard circuit and a bullet connector not fully connected) so Im at a loss of what to do next so looking for suggestions. The problem started with a burning smell from the flasher relay when indicating left. I replaced the flasher and it started to get very hot so I removed it. I then directly fused the live feed to the indicator wire on the column and it all worked fine, so I installed a new flasher but installed a inline 10A fuse on the live feed and the indicators worked fine, so we used the car for club night and all good. However the next day whilst using the car the indicators stopped, the fuse was blown so I replaced the fuse as I needed to use the car all worked fine for about 20 mile. The indicator then stopped working again so back into the garage and start investigating. Direct fuse live to indicator wire, fuse blows when activating near side indicator, so I'm thinking the issue is passenger side wiring so start checking under the dash etc. At this point I tried the hazard warning lights, they illuminated but it was more a glimmer than a flash and the oil pressure and ignition light on the speedo were flickering. I start checking the connectors by the hazard light circuit where the column indicator wire joins main loom and merely by moving the connectors the hazards work again – so re-check the nearside indicator with a direct fuse link and it all works. All I've found so far is a couple of bullet connectors that were correctly pushed home and a couple of loose earth wires (connected but not tight) but I'm not convinced that's the problem. Any ideas of what the issue could be or suggestions of what to do next – I'm thinking to rewire the left hand side indicator circuit from front light of car, to under dash (or would I be better going all the way to the column) and to the rear maybe the most straight forward.

Can anyone tell me how I get access to the switch to check the wires there?

After spending an age trying to find a fault and failing I replaced the flasher and it worked, however I went to the club meet last night and the car was fine, today not so, the indicators failed today again! Fortunately today the first time it blew the sacrificial fuse on the feed from the main fuse box, used it for a 15 mile journey and then came home, indicators stopped again. I have connected a 10 amp fuse in place of the flasher unit and it blows when the passenger side indiactor is activated. The drivers side indiactor works fine. Also this time I checked the hazard warning lights and they also didnt work ( the bulbs glimmered but didnt flash). I'm assuming from this theres a short somewhere in the system thats connected to the passender side circuit. More investigations tomorrow. However I did shake the connector on the hazard warning and the indicator wire under the dash and the hazards started working again and the indicators started working without blowing the fuse. Whilst this was happening the ignition switch was at position 1 and the ignition light and the oil light were flickering, also after shaking the wires these lights stopped flickering,

Pete that was what I’d been looking at but the bits I can’t replace are the side springs, held together short term with zip ties, insulation tape etc and even an electrical choc block (a total bodge to get by short term) I was hoping I could have bent some replacements but the steel of the originals is very hard. Thanks for the bin liner tip!

I was trying to keep the car fairly standard but the mgf seats do look more comfortable than the standard seat. Need to decide fairly quickly as the current seats are head together with zip ties and string. It’s a shame really that the metal springs are broken and unobtainable as I like the original patina etc of the current seats (albeit a small repair is needed)

Thanks for the idea of the mx5 or mgf seats, how is access to the back of the car with the alternatives fitted (we need to tip the seats forward for our dogs to get onto the back seat)

When I purchased the car I knew the drivers seat needed a repair, I also suspected that the strap kit was past its best on the drivers side. I purchased the strap kit and disassembled the seat back only to find all straps are broken and the sprung metal edge is also broken. The straps are an easy fix however the sprung metal side pieces are not listed as available. Rimmers list a conversion foam / strap kit (this replaces the sprung edges). I'm now thinking a complete seat refurb rather than a repair - any recommendations for trimmers or comments on the conversion foam (guessing its a Newton Commercial product as its on Rimmers site).

I’m off up country on Thursday so will call into Fitchetts and get a replacement flasher relay and a spare, however I started to possibly over concern myself with not finding a fault (it could have been a faulty flasher that just fried it’s self due to age) and wondered if I put a second much lower rated fuse on the live feed would that safe guard the flasher unit? Also what amperage fuse would be require 10a? Or lower?

Well, I’m completely baffled, the spare borrowed unit I tried on Thursday that started to get warm, worked absolutely fine today, only thing I can think is did I connect the wires properly. So I’m hoping the issue is a defective flasher unit. I will order a couple of spares plus the one I need.

Pete, done that with a 10a fuse and it remained intact and the wires didn’t get warm and the lights illuminated. Not tried it with the ignition running but would that make any difference?

I’m off into the garage to try and find the problem, is there anything I can do to check the indicators whilst waiting for the relay?

Struggling with enthusiasm to do anything on the car today, I put it in the garage yesterday and just shut the door. I’ll check the column area as I did fit a new radio last week so may have disturbed the wiring in that area, I think whatever the fault is it’s caused the flasher relay to burn out, it was really hot.

The indicators had been working fine, I came to turn left, indicated and there was a burning smell and the indicators stopped working.

We were on our way to an area camping weekend, the car was finally running well. we got to about 10 mile from home and there was a burning smell in the car, this smell came from the flasher unit. Tried a borrowed spare and that started getting hot so remove it pronto. Came to start the car, it started but sounded wrong (like a near flat battery) Once started it ran well enough. All ideas of where to start welcomed (I will order a new flasher unit asap) The issue happen of when indicating left so I will check for obvious earthing issues.

I couldn’t find any Castrol LM old stock locally so went with the Granville multi purpose to fill the grease gun, first impressions is that it seems runnier that the castrol lm Id got left in the old tub but I guessing that could be 25 years old but very good value at sub £4 a tub.

Paul, that could be the one the club supply, from the photo it looks similar. What make was it?

I had to source a new brake switch a couple of months ago, I got one from mill autos, it’s a plastic one like on your photo, it works, quality wise I ordered one from the club, expensive but looks better made