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daverclasper

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Posts posted by daverclasper

  1. colour of spark plugs

    in Engine

    Posted

    Hi everyone

     

    I have a Vitesse Mk1 2 Litre

     

    My spark plugs are all a sooty (with bit of brown on the centre electrode) colour after town driving which I understand is not uncommon.

     

    I did a couple of plug chops while cruising at around 3000rpm to try and get a more general picture.

     

    Plug 1 - A very pale grey all over

    Plug 2 - A darker grey

    Plug 3 - Some where inbetween the first two

    Plugs 4,5,6 not too bad a brown colour with some soot (all varied slightly, Is this normal due to different valve wear?).

     

    I was a bit concerned about the first 3 plugs looking weak running and opened up the jet 1/4 of a turn

     

    I did another plug chop and looked at no 1 plug (as this was the one that looked worse origanaly)

     

    It was sooty all over, apart from the tip of the earth electrode, which was very pale grey

     

    Is this running rich or weak?.

     

    Is this something to be concerned about. I don't drive the car hard.

     

    Also if it was running a bit rich on the second carb is this much of a problem (the car does the MPG it should).

     

    I think the carbs may be difficult to set up in the usual way (if at all) as have wear in both throttle spindles at present.

     

    As always any advice, very much appriciated.

     

    Cheers

     

    Dave 

     

     

     

     

  2. play in choke spindle

    in Fuel System

    Posted

    Cheers again Pete and for info.

     

    I will get new needles for carbs, as they are wrong size and prob worn

    .

    The jet orifice itself. Are these standard across cd 150's as no history with rebuild carbs, and also can they be subject to wear.

     

    Thanks Dave 

  3. play in choke spindle

    in Fuel System

    Posted

    Cheers for getting back Pete.

    Its the same carb as fitted to my 67 vitesse. The throttle spindles are worn and have play, but not the corresponding bores of the body, so straight forward to replace spindles.

     

    It is the choke I'm wondering about, on one side of one carb, which has the play due to heavy scoring in the bore of the the body for the spindle. Don't know how that happened.

     

    It has the flat section in centre of spindle to lift the needle piston when choking (I think this is how it works). Is this the Thames Barrier carb and if so, not much an issue ?.

     

    Cheers

     

    Dave 

  4. play in choke spindle

    in Fuel System

    Posted

    Hi everyone.

    I bought a set of twin Stromberg 150 cd carbs cheap, with the idea of rebuilding, or if not using for spares.

    There is some scoring of the carb body of one of them where the choke spindle rotates. This is causing play, above what would be acceptable on a throttle spindle I think.

    Would this also cause the same problems with mixture and difficulty in tuning/setting them up.

    Any advice as always greatly appriciated.

    Cheers

    Dave

  7. excessive starter motor noise

    in Engine

    Posted

    Hi everyone

     

    I have a Vitesse Mk1 2litre.

     

    My starter has recently started to make, a lounder, crunching noise when engaging (happens about 1 in 6 times). bit worried it is damaging the fly wheel ring gear and less importantly the starter pinion. Had gearbox out a month or so back. and both had very good teeth IMO, though not an expert.

     

    Starter securing bolts are not loose.

     

    Any advice as always, very much appriciated.

     

    Cheers

     

    Dave 

  8. Engine Tuning

    in Engine

    Posted

    Hi Clare

    I live in Bristol, though tend to do all my own stuff, so no first hand experience of others.

    If it was running ok before lay up, then I would have thought it would not be so much a tuning issue (as settings of carbs/Igniton would not change). It could be something like dirty fuel filter/ carb/s, deteriated carb diaphram etc.

    There was an older guy working on classic cars at a quirky little garage in Frenchay villiage who I chatted to a bit back, he works part time now (haven't got his no to hand, though may be able to finf it if you want).

    Also EH Motors, near Redland, apparantly work on classics.

    Cheers

    Dave

  11. Vitesse Mk1 2Litre seat rails

    in Bodywork & Fittings

    Posted

    Hi everyone.

     

    Looked on net and manuals and can't find much on this.

     

    My seat rails are bolted down over the carpet and underlay. Is this normal. The factory manual mentiones packing under bolts at front and rear.

     

    Both seats were pretty unslidable.

     

    I removed drivers side and bottom rail was bent a bit at front end. Have straightened out and now much better.

     

    Is it easy to seperate bottom rail from top main body rail. All I can see in there is a quite chunky spring positioned sideways that moves along when sliding.

     

    I would like to clean out and lube (anything cleaner than grease?).

     

    Also I am wondering if bottom rail with the securing notches is back to front as there is about 3" of travel at rear where the sprung locating lever goes past the notches and therefore won't lock and 4 notches at front that are out of range of lever.

     

    Sorry if this goes a bit.

     

    Any advice, as always, much appriciated.

     

    Cheers, Dave

  13. GT6 Mk1 Water Return Pipe replacement

    in Cooling System

    Posted

    Hi

    Just some info on using heat for rusted fasteners.

    I've had a lot of success using heat from a gas torch. (map gas (as burns hot) on a plumbers torch (witch seems to burn well whatever the angle of torch and 5 seconds or so a will get pretty hot) ) and then douse with penetrating fluid (more expensive) or squirt water on it. This  seems to crack the joint. If it's particulary stubborn then keep repeating this (My record so far is about 10 times).

    Be carefull if component has heat damagble parts (seals etc) and also I have not used on suspension fastenings as don't know if it weakens them.

    Cheers

    Dave

  16. knocking sound from rear end

    in Drivetrain & Rear Axle

    Posted

    Thanks for that info Henry. Looks like there are 4  clamps. Have looked at factory manual. Can't see info on adjustment. I assume it would be done with car not jacked up and therefore "when driving" load on spring. Any ideas on what I should be looking for with adjustment appreciated.

    Cheers Dave 

  18. knocking sound from rear end

    in Drivetrain & Rear Axle

    Posted

    Hi. Have checked the two bolts on boot tunnel. They are tight. I assume they go into welded captive nuts on diff cross member?. Also rocked car up and down to try and simulate whats going on when driving as it makes noise at very low speeds (and up until about 20mph). Not sure what to do now. Hoping its not part of suspension and could break when driving at speed.

    Cheers

    Dave

  20. knocking sound from rear end

    in Drivetrain & Rear Axle

    Posted

    Hi everyone and thanks so much for past advice. Helped me no end.

    I have vitesse mk1 2litre. There is a knocking sound seeming to come from nearside rear or middle of car. It is from just moving to about 20 mph when road surface is a bit poor. Going over bigger pot holes etc and it does not seem to make this noise. It sounds like something is loose, the sort of sound a loose exhaust hitting body/chassis might make. I have had rear end up on ramps a couple of times and there is nothing obviously loose that I can find. Nothing regarding suspension problems has been picked up on last 2 MOT's.

    I have had car nearly 2 years. I first noticed it a couple of months after buying car, though I think it has got worse over time (2.000 miles).

    Any suggestions as always much appreciated.

    Cheers

    Dave 

  21. No coolent in top hose

    in Cooling System

    Posted

    Hi everyone

    I have a Vitesse Mk1 2litre. There is never any coolent in the top hose when I remove it from the stat housing. I have tried to make sure the system is bled by opening heater and raising the front of car and running engine with rad cap off. I have also tried filling top hose with coolent and quickly attaching to stat housing. Makes no difference. I have checked the overflow tube for leaks by sucking air out at bottle end and putting tongue over end ot tube. It holds vacuem.

    Does this issue matter. I assumed there should be no air in this system. If so any ideas on what might be causing it.

    The car runs at 1/4 hot on the gauge when cruising and will run a bit over 1/2 if idling in traffic on a hot day ( it runs badly when hot like this and is harder to start). I am aware this could be other issues.

    Any advice much appriciated.

    Cheers

    Dave 

  22. ignition timing

    in Engine

    Posted

    Hi. thanks for getting back to me. No, not fitted new kit. I will set timing to what it's supposed to be and see how it runs with the points and if ok use that as basic setting I guess.

    Cheers

    Dave 

  23. ignition timing

    in Engine

    Posted

    Hi everbody. First time Iv'e posted on forum. Thanks to everyone, it's great.

    When I bought my Vitesse Mk1 2 litre 18 months ago I checked the timing statically with a bulb. It was around 7 degrees BTDC as advised for running on modern fuels.

    I have just bought a powerspark electronic kit and thought I would check timing statically again and make a note in case of any problems and had to refit points.

    The bulb is coming on when points open at what looks around 20 degrees BTDC plug no1 on comp stroke. All I have done since first check, is re-gap points as they were qiute far open.

    The car starts and runs well and does'nt pink. I though,t unless I am not checking it correctly and it on normal setting, it would run a lot worse and if it has moved so far. Why?

    Any advice much appriciated.

    Cheers

    Dave 

  24. Tips & Tricks

    in General

    Posted

    Hi. Thanks Pete ( I was disapointed your original post was not fed back) and Roger. I feel tips and tricks are invaluable to save time and money and very interesting in themselves. I am fairly new to old car ownership so still learning a lot but will post anything useful.

    Cheers

    Dave

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