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jiggawhat2k

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Posts posted by jiggawhat2k

  1. Spitfire mk4 1300 starting issues (in Herald)

    in Engine

    Posted

    1 minute ago, Badwolf said:

    In my case the bent linkage was putting a sideways force on the jet which meant that it could not simply pop back out, due to the friction involved. Only a little, but enough to hold it in. I think that it was Pete that gave me the idea. Must check the postings in my restoration thread.

    Interesting, the tolerances for the whole linkage seem pretty tight, not something I'm used to. Just a bit of old grime had stopped one of my jets popping out. Lots of wd40 and a clean and it's right as rain. 

  4. Spitfire mk4 1300 starting issues (in Herald)

    in Engine

    Posted

    1 hour ago, KevinR said:

    Not exactly sure, but a friend who shall remain anonymous, drove up from London to the Duxford Triumph show in his MKIII Spitfire - and when he came to drive home the car was suddenly running like an absolute pig.  So bad in fact that he abandoned the car in my garage and borrowed my turd brown Acclaim to get home (the shame of it !).

    A couple of days later I started looking at the engine to try and find the problem and found that the bolt on one of the pancake filters had come out and the filter rotated to block the hole.  I rotated the filter, refitted the bolt and the car ran perfectly again. 

    OK sounds similar to what happened to me. Have swapped over and will try again, cheers!! 

  6. Spitfire mk4 1300 starting issues (in Herald)

    in Engine

    Posted

    Gave the choke linkage a clean up today, they seem less sticky. 

    While doing it, I noticed that I had the trumpets on what I think is upside down, covering the 2 holes at the face of the carb. 

    Probably a very noob question, but what are these holes? Would it alter carb performance? Pic of what I mean below:

    20200412_163656.thumb.jpg.18a9193de457ea7be6e87b6cf8a5eb3b.jpg

    I took it for a longer drive yesterday, drive there was OK once warmed up, drive back it wasn't happy at all and seemed to not be firing on 4 cylinders, or intermittently. 

    Thanks all! 

  7. Spitfire mk4 1300 starting issues (in Herald)

    in Engine

    Posted

    On 11/04/2020 at 10:08, Badwolf said:

    I had a problem with the choke sticking on my front su carb (set up by a profesional mechanic) so disconnected the linkage and ran it with the choke only on the back carb for about 30 years. Only last year did I investigate the problem and found that one section of the linkage tk the jet was slightly bent. This meant that the jet would not release. Vice, mole wrench and 5 minutes later all put back together working perfectly. I nearly replaced the carbs..  'for the want of a nail'.. etc

    Interesting, it's amazing how sensitive these things are. Decided to take carbs off and give them a clean up, job for tomorrow! 

  8. Spitfire mk4 1300 starting issues (in Herald)

    in Engine

    Posted

    It's running! Did a few of your suggestions:

    - Swapped the plugs out for the ones that came with the donor engine (it was running before I got it so worth a go). Plugs in there were soaked again

    - Re-gapped old plugs to 0.6mm (25 thou-ish), seem to be a lot of different opinions on gaps (I had them at 0.35mm). A mistake on my part

    - Choke was sticking on left carb, red bit underneath carb was slow to return upwards when choke put in. Gave a good spray/clean with wd40 and left to soak. Defo improved, needs taking apart for a refresh tho 

    - Set the mix as per @yorkshire_spam suggestion

    - Did the choke method as described by a few of you 

    Fired up first time! Amazing! 

    Thanks for the help everyone, appreciated, looks like it was probably a combination of things.

    If I had to guess, I reckon the sticky carb was the main culprit but could be wrong. 

    Thanks again! 

     

    • Like 2

  9. Spitfire mk4 1300 starting issues (in Herald)

    in Engine

    Posted

    46 minutes ago, Nigel Clark said:

    This is the one. Of course you have SU carbs not Stromberg, but could be the same problem causing very rich mixture.

    Nigel

    Interesting thread, not heard of this problem before. Will see if I can get in to look at the float needle valve and clear them. Thanks for sharing 

  10. Spitfire mk4 1300 starting issues (in Herald)

    in Engine

    Posted

    13 minutes ago, yorkshire_spam said:

    I don't think float level is adjustable on HS4, but a low level would suggest blocked fuel feed or a bad fuel pump. High level would indicate that the valves in the float chambers aren't closing or the pump is supplying at too high a pressure.

    I just switched out the fuel hoses from the fuel pump to the filter and then hose from filter to carb. I used non standard hoses, might be worth me switching back to see if that makes any difference (assuming the fuel pressure could be jacked up or down based on the piping used). Added to the list! 

    Thanks again

  11. Spitfire mk4 1300 starting issues (in Herald)

    in Engine

    Posted

    33 minutes ago, yorkshire_spam said:

    Probably easier to show you than to explain it.... this shows the jet level with the bridge. (The rise across the base of the carb - referred to as the bridge)

    676903953_2014-03-0214_29_10.jpg.452eeaef5f903783c53bcba9190dff09.jpg

    Usual stating point for tuning is 2 turns or 12 flats DOWN from that point.

    After it's been turned over a bit if you take the tops/pistons off the carbs and pull the choke right out, you should see the fuel level - about 3/8" to 1/2" below the bridge. (That would indicate the float levels are right)

    Cheers, Sam

    Thanks Sam, really helpful. 

    If the float levels are wrong eg above or below, what would you do next to fix? Cheers!! 

  12. Spitfire mk4 1300 starting issues (in Herald)

    in Engine

    Posted

    36 minutes ago, Nigel Clark said:

    If it's very rich and fouling the plugs soon after starting, could the jets be staying down in the full choke position after you start to push the choke knob back in?

    I've had that problem on SU carbs and the plugs soon soot up. The engine only needs maximum enrichment for the first few moments of cold starting.

    Nigel

    Hmm maybe, the carbs haven't been cleaned up for a while. Also noticed that the left carb (cylinders 3 and 4) the lower red part attached to the choke takes longer to return to position than the other one, maybe a bit sticky. Will check, thanks 

  14. Spitfire mk4 1300 starting issues (in Herald)

    in Engine

    Posted

    1 hour ago, clive said:

    Jets are the same size, but I think 1500 needles are a bit weaker at higher rpm. 

    Moot point, as all needles are pretty similar at the base (idle and low rpm)

    Did you set the carbs to the Base setting? Wind the jets up so they are level with the bridge, then down 12 flats (2 turns).

    But it sounds like too much fuel. Could be the flat chambers over filling.

    Thanks Clive, because of it looking rich and thought it was over sized so I wound up the rich/lean nut (assume is same as 'winding up jet'?) to the top then undid a couple of flats. 

    Where is level with the bridge? 

    How would I check the flat Chambers? SU carbs are quite new to me sorry!! 

    Thanks for the help! Jim

  15. Spitfire mk4 1300 starting issues (in Herald)

    in Engine

    Posted

    Hi all, wonder if you could help... 

    Fitted a 1300 spitfire engine into my Herald, got it running but unfortunately it now won't fire. 

    It has twin carbs (hs4) that I took off my previous spitfire 1500, apparently has bigger jets too although I've not confirmed. 

    I have fuel. 

    I've done timing too, was at 8 degrees. 

    It will occasionally fire first time if left over night but struggles to run and dies by the time I've tog the bonnet closed. Then it will turn over but not fire at all. 

    I have an uprated starter so plenty of cranking power. 

    I turned it over a couple of times then took out plugs, they were wet and sooty. Cleaned them up, fires once then dies.

    Could it be that it is running way too rich, as the carbs are big and jets are for a different bigger engine? Would explain why the plugs are wet so fast? 

    All help appreciated! Thanks, Jim 

  21. Best place for head work? Spitfire engine

    in Engine

    Posted

    6 hours ago, Iain T said:

    Just had my Vitesse head and intake manifold refurbished by CTM Performance at Dagenham tel:- 020 8592 1180. Really good work, the valves are now level, unlike the valves Jigsaw put in for me 2 years ago! He has been doing performance head (and full engine) work for 35 years and knows his job and the black art of head modification.

    He, Charlie, has different levels of head development, I had a "Terry" level which is:- strip clean and crack test, port and polish 3 angle, supply and fit bronze guides, supply gas flowed s/steel valves, fit Terry spec duplex springs, skim to give 10.5 : 1 compression (for me with +20 pistons that's approx 30.5cc in head), match and modify/match inlet manifold to give more even flow and reface rocker arms.

    He does a "Mark" level which I believe is more race orientated but give him a call and discuss what you want to achieve. I know he is there today as I spoke to him about an hour ago.

    Hope this helps

    Iain

    Great thanks Iain good suggestion, will give him a shout! 

  23. Best place for head work? Spitfire engine

    in Engine

    Posted

    Hi there, I've seen some great guides (some by you guys I think!) on getting work done on the head, porting/polishing, skimming and matching to the exhaust manifold and so on. 

    I saw moss sell ready built heads that are ported etc. Anyone know if they're good? 

    Anyone got suggestions of companies or individuals who can do head work if I sent a head (or buy one off them with work done)?

    Plan is to combine with mk3 spit cam and twin SUs plus 421 manifold, so nothing too extreme, fast road. 

    Thanks very much! 

  24. What are these panels??

    in Bodywork & Fittings

    Posted

    23 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

    Top (red) ones are repair sections only, not full panels, and they go around the rear wheel arch. Hold one against the side of the car and you'll see the profile.

    As Rob says the other is the outer part of the wheelarch in behind the rear wing; if you look at that area you'll see the seam running right up and around the wheelarch. That's the outer part closest to the wing.

    Cheers Colin! I'll stash them away for when the rot returns (hopefully never...) 

  25. What are these panels??

    in Bodywork & Fittings

    Posted

    2 hours ago, PeteH said:

    HI

    Wish Mine had come with a pair!. I fabricated out of sheet steel, Using a "home made" wooden former, a couple of lengths of Angle iron in a vice and a Small "anvil". The weld leaves much to be desired though!, strong but ugly, I think best describes the end result. Thank the lord (and Aldi) for Angle grinders and 40 grit flap discs!. Now I need some front wing corner repair patches, that is going to be a "challenge". The wheel arch section(s) will be the easier

    P.S.That is where they Fit!.

    image.thumb.png.b7d76fdf97bc08aa4c2096d6525090e9.png

    Pete.

    I'm impressed by anyone doing their own welding, however rough it might be! Looks tidy to me

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