Morgana

I know austenitic stainless steel as used in standing rigging on yachts has a nasty way of failing without any visible signs.

I can't find a reference to what this height ought to be. The gasket kits have a variety of metal washers in to go under the needle valve, but the manual diagrams only list a 'fibre washer' as going beneath it. I have read on here about the different specific gravity of modern fuels, requiring more spacers since the float sits lower for a given fuel level in the bowl. The spacer height is a total of 3mm at the moment.

The Burlen site has changed, indeed. The Canley people have different needle valves for early and late as you say - the Herald is a '66, and the carburettor corresponds with the 'late' version they show there, so the needle valve is 509956 rather than 510744 they show in the 'early' drawing. I've got one on order. The exhaust manifold downpipe gasket has gone again, as well... That's not helping.

Thanks all. I wasn't able to find a hose of the right diameter or a filter before a few days of several hundred miles, so it's just been venting from the spigot with no ill effects. I'm on the lookout for a plug or washable filter, as routing a pipe down past all the exhaust bits might easily end up with a melted hose. Saying that, I've just noticed in the workshop manual that the picture of the original rocker cover has the filler cap at the front of the engine. My filler is at the back. Is there anything preventing me from flipping the rocker cover end for end so the filler is at the front, and then the spigot will point out to the left, leaving plenty of room for a filter, hose or what have you.

Over several hundred miles in the last few days it's been OK - I cleaned the slow running jet and redid the idling and mixture, which may have sorted it. Certainly it was idling more smoothly than it ever has before. However, after the first trip up to Bristol it wouldn't restart. It turned out there was no fuel in the float chamber, and the needle valve was stuck. No gunk or bits of rubber in the bowl, and clearing the valve by blowing and fiddling with it meant it started on reassembly. This happened half a dozen more times over the next few days until I'd got the repair down to under five minutes, whipping off the carburettor top and clearing the valve. It was fine when running, but would not restart after a stop. I can't work out why sitting with the engine off would cause the valve to stick closed. Is it just worn out? Do they get worn out? It's marked "1.3", but I've seen 1.5 mentioned elsewhere. I can't find a reference to the normal size in any of the literature I have.

This has never worked in my ownership. In fact, on the test drive I pulled the air direction knob out of the dashboard as it wasn't hooked up to anything... Having had the gearbox tunnel cover off I decided to do something about it, and thought putting my findings here for reference may help someone else. The flap that approximately directs the air is formed of two plates riveted together with felt seals clamped between them. The flap couldn't move as the felt seal had come partly out and was binding against the box. My box looks rather less fancy than the one in the manual, which is perhaps a later cost-cutting measure. I drilled out the rivets, cleaned and repainted the plates and cut new seals from some 3mm felt offcuts I had around. I tacked them in place with some contact adhesive before pop-riveting the plates back together. The self-tapping screws that held the plates to the spindle that connects to the operating cable were either non-original or very worn, as the whole thing was slopping about. As the spindle has a hole all the way through, and the plates are symmetrical, I used some 4BA machine screws and nuts as a more secure option. I would have used some #8 or #10 UNFs had I got any to hand, but at least this is still a bit 'period'. After a small amount of trimming, the flap can be pushed over to each position easily by hand. The screw that clamps the operating cable to the trunnion was patently wrong as it didn't clamp and the threads were stripped. I ascertained the correct thread was #6-32 UNC. The workshop diagram looks like it could be a slotted hex head, but as I didn't have one I used a slotted pan, which ought to be workable to adjust the cable even when upside-down under the dashboard... I got it in, then discovered I hadn't trimmed the top of the upper felt seal enough, as it binds on something in the heater box when trying to flip the plate. However, with a trip to go on it'll do for now and I'll investigate it on getting back.

I'd add that it looks like you have a bubble seal in your initial pictures. Once you've adjusted the frame to avoid the rubbing of the panels, I think you'll still have a big slam. My Herald is the same - the doors need a real yank, sometimes several, and I read on here that the original 'flippper' seal is often replaced with a bubble that's too thick. Guess what, mine's got a bubble on it. A new seal is high on the list, if the windows don't break first with all the slamming...

It sounds a real pain. I'd suggest putting some copper ease on the screw threads when you put it all back together! I'm also covering the outside of fasteners in lanolin grease when I put it back together now...

If they are, it would be worth making a complaint. Perhaps they were attempting the next size up; sending a small parcel as a medium for example, or adding tracking and signatures. I know there are a lot of possible sending methods now beyond the expected 1st and 2nd class! It's about a mile to our local one, so unless I'm walking over for the shop they share premises with, I usually buy through RM's website, print out the label and the postman collects when he delivers.

From talking to my local rural post office, they don't get a cut, and don't mind if it's a home-printed 'click and drop' label or bought there as it doesn't get them more money either way. I was keen to find out as it's a good local amenity to support. There can be a price difference between the Royal Mail website and the Post Office as they're now different firms (thanks a bunch...) but I don't believe there should be any difference between Post Office branches. Are you sure? I can't believe they're charging different rates when it's set centrally and is part of their charter.

eBay is pretty ghastly, but has no reasonable competition. I've attempted to use alternatives for some years, but they're not attaining anywhere near the same level of awareness. Once you've sifted out the Chinese resellers it's still possible to buy things on there, though. I check they post with RM since I still believe it's a good idea to have a national carrier with a charter, and 'couriers' are awful around here and barrel down the quiet lanes when they're not chucking things in the garden in the rain without knocking. When selling with eBay they take a fee percentage for the postage cost (very cheeky) but you won't get any fees for listing (just a percentage fee based on the final value) unless you list a great number at the same time. However, the effort of photographing, packing, correspondence and listing is far too great to bother with unless you have single items of large value or a significant number of the same item. They're really aiming at encouraging 'shops' rather than its old purpose of giving individuals somewhere to declutter. I always post with RM separately and never use the 'global shipping programme' which seems to be another way to give eBay profit without having control of how one's item's sent. Sending something heavy to the other side of the world is always going to be expensive. However, within the UK an RM Medium Parcel can be up to 20kg, and most things I send are much smaller than that and get there for less than a fiver. The postman collects parcels, too. Postage and packing is not unreasonable. Selling a cassette deck, say, on eBay as I did recently means at least an hour ensuring it's well packed and properly labelled. 'Free' postage just means that cost and effort is either not put in, or reflected in the price. I'm happy to tell sellers I'll pay what it costs as I've had some very poor experiences with things arriving smashed. Then they get made to refund it, so I don't end up with the object and they don't have the money. Far better to just value the act of packing in the first place.

You have a spare bit of insulation matting that you know will come in useful; I hope to reduce/reuse/recycle rather than buying new. I'm also a skinflint. Let's get together?

I was considering something similar, but I understand they're all sealed so on failure it's either break into the thing and solder a new component, or dump it, and I hate waste, particularly plastic Chinesium waste. Is it possible to get replaceable 'bulbs/tubes' for the fittings or are they all sealed?

I locked up the shoes on the adjuster (tried turning the hubs with the wheels on and couldn't), then backed off as usual. I think it was three clicks on one side and four on the other. Do you back it off until there's no noise at all, or the occasional rub? I gave the pedal a good shove or two in an attempt to centre everything.

Thanks, jonny. I have a photocopied workshop manual where that picture is indistinct. However, yesterday I picked up a genuine complete workshop manual in its original binder from a local chap and can now see that picture. It looks different from the one you posted, but hey ho. I put the cable back in and adjusted as per the manual. Still too much travel, so I took up the slack on the primary cable and readjusted. It now clicks fewer times and the wheels appear to lock. I'm trying to sort a footwell leak which I think is coming through where the PO didn't seal the gearbox tunnel properly, so when that's done I'll take the car out and see if the brake holds. It appears that the relay lever is still pointing backwards a bit after my intervention, so perhaps it's OK! The pull-off springs are still unable to get any tension, though they're backed off fully.

Some clarification there, thanks. That eBay cover would need the special filler cap, then. What's the purpose of filling the gauze section with oil? Currently, the angled pipe is present but the rocker cover still has the vent spigot. The filler cap has a small hole in so I think is vented. Won't having all these vents upset the original purpose of the setup with the angled pipe? The current filter is not washable. I've tried in various solvents, but it's all pressed together so I can't get in to get the stuff out, unless I'm just not trying hard enough. It's this type. Anything larger will be impossible to fit behind the carburettor, so the only option would be remote mounting with a hose.

I'm not sure what you mean, Pete. Are you suggesting to connect the hose to the angled pipe breather, or leave it dangling? Thank you, @Colin Lindsay - I'd spotted that one but didn't have the experience to know if it really were for the right engine! I thought the filler cap spout looked too tall and I imagined it punching through the bonnet...

Thanks. I can't see an original rocker cover so I guess I'll be on the lookout, and will probably plug the hole for now. Is the cover shared with any other cars so I can cast my net wider? Is there anything I can do to the angled pipe to check it's OK, apart from poking it?

After some struggle taking the cable out (getting the threaded ends around the cable guides is not straightforward!) and getting reasonably greasy, I discover the cable is 1600mm long, which is what it's supposed to be according to Classic Parts Trader who measured one (part 127311) for me. Boo, hiss. I guess I'll have to put it back on and take up the slack in the short cable and risk losing the 15 degrees, even though it doesn't look like it's 10 with the relay lever pushed back to the full length of the short cable! Has anyone got a photograph of their handbrake lever short cable end so I can compare how much the threaded end is through the square nut?

Thanks both. See above, Pete - the drums are locked, and the photos are taken with the clevises in the holes such that I don't have to pull on the cable to do so. I agree the main cable seems too slack (pulling it a bit more so it sits in the compensator with the same radius bend requires 'tension'), but moving the forks so that this slight tension is attained means the springs are too close to the backplate brackets. They can't be adjusted further back as the attachment point on the cable is screwed hard up to the end of the threaded portion. If it sounds as though it could be the wrong cable then I guess it's PO syndrome, which this car does seem to suffer from! It looks like the rain has stopped a bit, so I might whip the cable out and measure it... Oh, and before I forget is there any knack of a way to setting the 15 degrees? The handbrake short cable is waxoyled and the long one is shiny, so it could be that one's original and the other is wrong and long, or both are wrong if there's not enough travel in the short one to allow the relay lever to sit properly.

After two days trying to get the handbrake working properly I'm starting to think my cable(s) is/are the wrong length. I've refitted the relay lever after refurbishment and despite the short cable being at the end of its adjustment at the handbrake lever, it doesn't look like 15 degrees rearward angle on the relay lever to my Mk.I eyeball and adjustable bevel. Regardless, I've locked the drums, turned over both trailing shoes that the PO had put on upside-down, repaired the grooves in the operating levers and ensured the cylinders can slide. The car is supported on stands under the rear suspension vertical link so the hubs ought to be in the right position. With the cable clevis forks adjusted to fit the levers with no tension (and I mean no tension - the cable rigidity means it is pretty slack around the radii of the compensator and the two cable guides), the pull-off spring brackets cannot be adjusted back far enough to have any tension on them at all. With the cable attached in this position, and the shoes still locked, I can get nine clicks on the handbrake without effort (not ideal I know, but I thought a reasonable approximation of locking the shoes in use if it takes this much to take up the slack). Oughtn't it to be four or so? It's impossible to get a good picture of the relay lever position, but some others are attached. In summary: the short cable doesn't seem long enough to allow proper rearward angling of the relay lever the main cable seems to be too long to allow clevis fork adjustment and pull-off spring operation Am I doing something I can't see for the trees?

My partner had a problem like this on an MGB. The solution was to polish the horn pencil and the ring so they were nice and smooth, and grease sparingly (probably vaseline, can't remember). No noise no more.

Grease used on electrical connections is pushed out of the way by the action of the connectors mating (think male-female Lucars, bullets etc. - the joint itself is 'gas tight'). Any grease is just going to ease assembly, and afterwards limit oxidation of the joint by preventing air and water ingress. It won't have any electrical effects unless the grease is conductive. Vaseline is the easiest to clean off later and unproblematic. I used to use silicone grease, but it migrates and causes problems with some insulations, and of course paintwork... I've recently bought some of Lanocare's products which have the advantage of being OK on the skin, and rather nicer than petrochemical greases. I wouldn't personally use copper grease on electrical connections, as it's formulated to prevent galling on threaded connections for easy dissassembly rather than for its electrical properties. None of the electrical system apart from the HT circuit is a high enough voltage to be concerned about esoteric electrical properties of grease like flashover resistance, so it would likely be fine, just not my idea of a proper application.

I've found why the offside was not sliding - it had a retaining spring and two retaining plates behind it, while the sloppy nearside one only had the retaining spring. The adjuster was pretty seized too, so I've freed that off. I've put some rubber bands around the slave cylinders to check the movement without popping pistons. Are they duplex or simplex? In other words, should there be two pistons coming out or one? Both only have the forward piston moving on pressing the pedal. A quick blast with a 2.5mm rod and some filing brought the handbrake operating levers back to flat. I've decided not to weld up the backplates as it means dragging a welder round to the gravel, and finding a long enough extension lead. It would have to be arc as I haven't any MIG gas at the moment, and access for a rod isn't great. I'll attack it when I have the car in a garage, which ought to be in the next few weeks, depending on how the handbrake works after all this.

Maybe a hard nylon strip... Great diagram, @Unkel Kunkel! Interesting that the Rimmer Bros. catalogue diagram shows the notch clearly on the trailing shoe at the top. Whoops!