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My Spitfire 1500.


Richeee

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Thanks guys. My intention is to tune the carbs and sort out float levels etc.  

Just slowly working through doing bits and pieces.    Hoping that after tomorrow the noise from the front has gone, should be with a new chain and the tensioner actually tensioning,  and that there is adequate cooling no matter how the heats caused. 

 

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Well cleared one noise but created another.    

Started the day putting things back together after changing the chain and putting thebtensioner in the correct position.  

First off was to make a water pump gasket as the ordered one had not arrived.20230711_113548.thumb.jpg.f4ca0a40e7859ad4f4c055915f8c6354.jpg

The pump i put on was weeping a bit around the  gasket that came with it  so i took it off and this time added some instant gasket as well.   Dont really want to use to much of the stuff but in the right places. 

Then fitted a 9 inch fan to the rad and then wired in a thermostat.   A capillary type one in the top hose. 

 I might duck again now as the position of the stat in the top or bottom hose can be discussed.

But as its an auxilliary to only come on when the needle is half way creeping to 3/4's thought that the water coming off the head is the temp i want to know about.

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And fired her up.   The noide from the timing chain has gone.    Only to be replaced by the fan.   Got to play with the setting a bit to find the right bit.   Im sure the printed numbers on it are totally off.   Only thing is think the fan bearings are going.   It was an old one and when i bench tested it was fine. But as playing with it for a few minutes its beginning to grate.  Oh well. Hopefully it should only be emergency.

Also fitted yesterday new oil switch as it was tempermental.  Now on or off.   And a new temp sender. Just to confuse things.  

Got to fit the overflow pipes back on. Noticed that the rubber was perishing and hopefully a drive to see how the fan operates.

 

 

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  • Richeee changed the title to My Spitfire 1500. Too much brute force and lots of ignorance.

Hmmm.

Was just going to top up with water.  Put a nw rubber connector on su overflow and noticed this.

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I had completely cut through my new top hose by over tightening.

Thats my plans for the day down the swanny.   2 new ones ordered from James Paddock.    Totally my own fault. Never done that before.    The thermostat cover was new as the old was pitted.   And it was shiny and i thought the hose was slipping a bit so i tightened with a 7 mm socket.

I am an idiot.

 

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I wouldnt blame yourself as you shouldnt be able to cut through a hose with the jubilee clip. The replacements these days seem to coming made just of a very soft rubber with no reinforcing - the originals were like elephant hide...

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On inspection this morning did wonder on the quality of it.   But put it down to my ham fisted,ness.

It came with a hose set from one of our major suppliers.  TBH we are very lucky with the suppliers we have . Very quick delivery on a vast range of parts and panels.   But this time probably not up to the job.

Just wondering where others have obtained decent hoses from recently.

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20 minutes ago, johny said:

According to Rimmers the hose comes in two sizes GRH533 and GRH533L with the second one recommended for use on full width rads...

That's exactly what I need as I fitted an aftermarket full width rad.

Danny

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  • Richeee changed the title to My Spitfire 1500. Fuel Sender.

Managed to find a few minutes to change my feul sender today.   When you filled up the gauge would only go to 3/4.    The idea was to short out the gauge see where it got to and hopefully just replace the sender.

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first off get to it.   The previous owner was a carpenter and had lined the boot in ply and stuck on carper material.     All seems good but actually restricts the boot space and the board over the spare to make a floor means packing spares and tools has to be a game of tetris.

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Unfortunately my feul can i was carrying had sprang a leak and had started to attack the boot floor carpet.

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Shoered out the gauge  and it went straight to full.    So sender it would appear to be. Knocked round the old ring and removed the old sender.   Tried to put in the new sender with the top pointing upwards . But unfortunately the new sender had a tang on the rear internally which corresponded with a tang on the tank.     So the sender could only be fitted at 11 oclock or 1 oclock.      I chose 1 oclock.    In reality it only moves the sender float vertically by 15mm or so. 

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Why would a new sender have tangs on the back that wont fit with the tank. Bad construction or wrong sender.     Just annoys me. 

The old sender float has a bit of petrol in it but not enough to really alter things to much.    

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The gauge is now reading higher as it would do with the sender in its current position.  Ran out of time to pop down the garage to fill up and see if the gauge reads full. 

So will have to be continued.

 

 

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That is something i did not test. I was very wary of testing the electrics with fumes from the petrol.   Yes i would have turned off before and after but still wary.

I am now tempted to remove the sender again. Remove the offending tang & refit vertically.

Anybody else had this problem with a new sender?

    

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yes you do need to cover the hole in the tank once the sender is removed and of course have good ventilation....

Im guessing the risk with the 1 oclock position you have used is the float touches the bottom of the tank before it reaches its maximum resistance reading so might show fuel when there is isnt. Is it possible the alternative position would be safer?

Edited by johny
ooops, empty = max resistance not min...
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Ref the old sender had fuel in the float I’ve replaced these plastic floats twice because of this I found a very small hole cut in the float from the cut sharp end of the float mounting arm where it wraps around the float. The cut end has a very sharp edge to it, fix is to file the barb off and round the wire end a little.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Been a while but finally got round to addressing the sender problem.   A weekend travelling to and from Goodwood Revival coming up and did not want to embarras myself.

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The problem was the tang on the sender clashing with a tab on the tank so would not go verically at 12 o clock.

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Managed to quite easily bend the tang back and forward and break it off.   Tbh more simply than i feared.

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Now inserted correct allignment.

Whilst at it removed the large speaker box from behind the rear seat. 

Tbh it was very well done but prevented my self from sitting correctly as i could not put the rear seat back properly.     The previous owner was vertically challenged but im 6ft 3.

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No radio now but at some point will connect the original single speaker.   Can i just connnect the left and right conectors together and then connect the original speaker or is it a bit more awkward than that.?

Filled up took for a spin.   

After an hour or so checked. No leak from sender.     But a miss fire did materialise and my lemonade catch bottle for the carb overflows had some petrol.in it.

Ripped the float covers off to reveal more of a chunk than a slither of tube.

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Surprised any fuel was getting to 1 and 2.

 

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On 04/09/2023 at 21:23, Richeee said:

No radio now but at some point will connect the original single speaker.   Can i just connnect the left and right conectors together and then connect the original speaker or is it a bit more awkward than that.?

I think you can, but are at risk of damaging either the stereo or speakers depending on the exact properties of both. Try searching up how to wire a mono switch for an amplifier for some ideas (this is something I could probably figure out if I was doing it myself, fraid I might not be much use giving more advice on it from afar though!)

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  • Richeee changed the title to My Spitfire 1500. Speedo Cable and center Tunnel.

Coming back from Goodwood lost my Speedo.   It will be the fact that i broke the plastic clip on the cable last time i was under there.   So will need to replace.   Doing searches and reading it apprars the best way is to remove the tunnel for the over drive end and whilst there cut an access for oil level plug.  Replacing the tunnel with a plastic version and sticky sound mat.  

Any advice?

Is it possible to replace speedo cable on overdrive with out removing the tunnel.?

 

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1 hour ago, Richeee said:

Sticky sound deadening that seems to be applied to the underside of tunnel in replacement for the original mateial. Does it remain stuck.?    Long term longevity? 

I filled the underside of the tray part of my fibreglass cover with polyurethane foam and then stuck the insulation round the top side as smoother and less oily so better adhesion. The sound deadening is just as good but obviously no heat reflection if using the silver foil stuff...

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  • Richeee changed the title to My Spitfire 1500. Bonnet catches.

Hi.   Meant to ask previously but keep forgetting.     Notice my bonnet catches are popping open sometimes.    Is this because i have the cones too tight or loose, or is there some other reason.  Happens when driving along.

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