** ON TO THE NEXT BIT ** Nose to Tail - 1972 Spitfire MkIV restoration upgrades!!

[Anglefire]

12 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

Just not sure the ECU  brain  / canbus    will understand any additions   without thowing a wobbler 

I have added a dash cam to my BMW - well added the power controller to it so it can be left on when parked but will shut down if the voltage gets too low - but some mornings it has been complaining of additional current draw and it has shut down some circuits!

So whilst not throwing a wobbler, it knows about it and lets me know it does!

Far too clever these modern cars!

[Badwolf]

Ok. On to the next problem. I have seen this posted somewhere but can't find it now. The door linkage on the drivers door keeps coming apart. I strip off the handles, door card, plastic etc, fix it, put it back together and 3 weeks later.. twange, there it goes again. Before I take it all apart again, has anyone come up with a more permanent solution. Bent wire, zip clips, sticky tape... anything to stop the bu**er coming apart again!

[Pete Lewis]

is this the plastic rod clip thats failed  ??? so the rods wont stay put ???

https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-628012

some of these are all plastic and  fail where the rod  should open the clip to hold in place , the metal ones are a bit better

the design was evolved from the typewritter   loads of nasty bits with a maronic case of who  heck did this 

if it comes off at the latch end a hole saw to open up access can help the lack of access with fingers torch sticky tape tywraps, and ties and varifocals 

pete

 

 

[Badwolf]

Yes, that's the one. Fed up with keep putting it back together. It was also an MOT fail once, so last year when I repaired it prior to the MOT, I left the door card and plastic sheet off and told the garage that if it came adrift again, how to put it back together. Now... yes, it's come off yet again and I am looking to forum members to tell me how they have sorted it out. Mine is metal by the way.

[Pete Lewis]

the clip should have expanders that the rod push out and holds the thing in the lever , are they  intact

a sort of poor mans rawl plug make sure its assmbled right the eye in the clip with the plastic bush must be containing the lever so when the rod  tail clips in the eye is on the 'cant come off'  side of the lever 

how do you explain this stuff  !!!!!!!!!

then tread the rod add a stiff nut  or  drill a split pin hole ,,  or 3ft of  gaffer tape

Pete

 

[dougbgt6]

BW,

I bought new ones, after 45 years they get a bit slack. Canley's £1 cheaper than Rimmers, as always!

Doug

 

[Badwolf]

Pete. Pushed in the bush and clipped on.  Still comes loose. 

I have about 5 sets in the spares box, collected over the years and all of them appear to be slack. Hence the appeal for everyone's personal method of holding them together. The passenger side is fine but, of course, doesn't get the same amount of use. 3ft of gaffer tape looks the best plan!!

[Badwolf]

I have been following the thread about carpet eyelet, etc. Does anyone else have problems with the section of carpet that goes up the side of the body by the door post, especially on the drivers side. I have taped it, glued it even tried a large clothes peg and bulldog clip but, it always comes down at the worst time and fouls the accelerator pedal. These clips look like they could be the answer. Has anyone used them for this bit of carpet?

http://content.invisioncic.com/r252473/monthly_2018_06/clips.PNG.746e841898b34fdd9c9f75c2dac722cb.PNG

[dougbgt6]

Gor Blimy BW!

Been harping on about these on several other threads. These are what was on my original factory fitted carpets. Well, not the screw thread they were pop riveted (and still there) But, they are what I've got from Coverdale to do my new carpets. For 67p per set they are worth a go.

Doug

[Dick Twitchen]

9 hours ago, Badwolf said:

Has anyone used them for this bit if carpet?

BW,

No, but the glued velcro strips I fitted on mine is still doing their job after 10 years if you do not fancy drilling holes.

Dick 

[Badwolf]

Doug. Thanks (as ever). Do you prefer the screw version or the pop rivet variety, (thinking about doing the rest of the car)  especially if drilling through the floor. Ali pop rivets don't rust or stick out from underneath as much, so less chance of personal damage when working under car.

[Badwolf]

Dick. Thanks for that. May try that before getting out the drill.

[dougbgt6]

BW,

I already have original studs pop riveted in the floor, hopefully they will fit the new poppers, imperial/metric issues? ARGH!!!! However, I think I will need some extras. Uncle Pete said drill the new ones through, bang the thread over with a big persuader and seal them.

Doug

[Badwolf]

I assume that you have seen these...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8-Car-carpet-press-studs-Carpet-fasteners-Carpet-fixing-studs-Veltex-studs/292202023375?hash=item44089909cf:g:gZwAAOSwFAZTurtJ

Which are the rivet version, might be worth asking the seller what diameter they are.

[Badwolf]

I have finally got around to checking my oil pressure relief valve after the warning light came on the other week

There was a small piece of metal swarf on the sealing face of the piston, not sure if it was enough to cause the light to come on, or even if it was picked up when I removed the piston.  As you can see from the photo, both the spring and the piston shaft are marked. I don't know if this would after its performance or if it is a major worry... I doubt that it has seen daylight for over 40 years.  I will put it back together and order a replacement kit when I next order spares... unless someone out there says don't wait!!

 

[Pete Lewis]

Thats just  marks from it's continual  opening closing for the last 40 yrs

If the swarf held the seat open then at low pump rpm I guess you could loose pressure quite easily

Pete

[Anglefire]

Spring looks short - but only basising that on that mine is about 1.5" long (Which is the specified free length). But if it is original, then it must be ok!

 

[Badwolf]

Mine is also 1.5" long. The piston stem (not including the head) is 1.75".

[Badwolf]

On to a different question. I have never been satisfied that the plumbing in my Spit (Herald 13/60 engine as far as I know) is correct.  Everything works, the engine doesn't overheat, but the heater doesn't work. The control valve has been checked and cleaned, but I never got around to flushing the muck out of the heater matrix so it may very well be gunged up. Not that Spitty heaters are very good at the best of times.  I have labeled the pipework in the photo which is a little confusing as it crosses over in places.  Looking at other member's cars, there does not appear to be a definitive arrangement. The return pipe from the heater matrix passes under the tee piece marked.  I feel that somewhere I may well have equal pressure into both sides of the heater matrix, so the water doesn't actually flow through it. Any ideas chaps/chapesses. (Ignore the green wire, that's a pull cord for another job).

[Pete Lewis]

cant scan the wsm but thats all wrong   whos fitted the TEE its not required 

the heater  valve feed comes from a hose adaptor in the rear side of the head  the return and manifold go to the under mani bypass pipe

but theres a whole lot of variants to this but yours has not got a Hot  input 

both are on the returns side 

pete

 

[Badwolf]

The current set-up was advised by the supplier of the engine pipework who told me the previous set-up was all wrong!! I have a wsm, which page are you looking at. Remember itls a Herald engine not a Spit. I think this is were confusion has arisen with the supplier, despite me giving them the engine number along with photos.

[NonMember]

If you look at the cylinder head, between the rear two head studs, where the lifting eye attaches, next to the rear-most visible manifold clamp, there's a flat surface. On the Mk3 Spitfire engine, there is a water take-off on that bit, which provides the hot feed to the heater. That's where the hose to the valve should be connected if you have a Mk3 engine.

If you have a later engine, such as the 1500 I've got in Toby, this water take-off isn't there. Instead, there's a T-piece on the back of the inlet manifold heater pipe. One side of that (the top, as it's a horizontal T) feeds the heater, while the bottom is the bypass to the return pipe.

I think the problem you have is, in fact, that your hoses are swapped on the return pipe (bolted to the rear corner of the head). This pipe has a vertical end, which is the main pipe, and a side-branch, which is the bypass. You have the heater return connected to the side-branch and a direct hose from the manifold T-piece to the vertical end. That's wrong. The side-entry bypass has a restrictor in it to reduce the direct flow through the manifold and back to the pump housing. The top entry main pipe is unrestricted so that the heater gets a decent flow when on.

[Colin Lindsay]

With regards to Heralds, there are only four hoses - rad top, rad bottom, heater in, heater out. Early cars had a take-off from the top of the head - yours doesn't hence 13/60. (I was typing this whilst non-member as already posting!) Two hoses go to the heater valve; one in and one out - one from the long pipe that runs from the water pump right back under the manifold, and the other from the upper pipe that goes through the manifold.

All the others are add-ons from later models that are probably causing the trouble; Heralds didn't use restrictors. You might want to try the simpler setup and see if it improves? (Manifold pipe to heater valve; long under-pipe to heater out.)

[NonMember]

But if you remove the T-piece and plumb it as Colin says, you'll end up with a spare pipe end, because you have the Spitfire return pipe with the bypass tapping. So, what you need to do is either swap as I suggested earlier or...

- remove the T-piece completely

- move the "heater control valve" hose from the T-piece to the back end of the inlet manifold

- move the "heater matrix" hose from side pipe to the top pipe of the return.

- put a short length of hose and a 1/2" plug onto the side pipe.

[Badwolf]

Thanks everyone. I will go out and have a look. At least the garage is cool at the moment. Just for interest, this is a photo of the previous engine plumbing layout. This did actually work for both engine cooling and people heating.... and no, it is not my layout, it was done by my brother-in-law of the time who was a professional mechanic on high end cars!!.