The Spitfire that just needed a tidy up...

[Pete Lewis]

and those old wire coat hangers make super easy gas welding wire on old metal 

Pete

[Piglet]

What a great solution Josef!

Alex

[Josef]

Well. This was not what I was expecting to find. I’ve been trying to track down why the horn has been sounding when turning the wheel. Part of the cause at least is I’ve got a bent lower steering shaft! 

[Josef]

Yeah so what was happening was turning the wheel was resulting in the inner column pushing the outer column side to side and this caused the outer column to hit the steering wheel boss shorting the horn circuit. I’ve stolen the lower column from the Herald and the Spitfire is back in business. But another part on the list of things to hunt down for the Herald.

[Piglet]

Oh no! That's not good news, but at least you found out what the problem was. Hope you can find a replacement okay.

Alex

[Josef]

I’ve found what I think is an oil leak at the rear between the head and block. Compression test shows number three is low, but just OK. Oil in the bores raises the compression proportionally (so three is still low). But looks like the head gasket is probably OK for the cylinders at least. I’ve re torqued the head and will be keeping an eye on it. 
Realised while doing the valve lash that my engine turning over spanner might’ve been pinched from @Colin Lindsay though…

[Colin Lindsay]

If it works, yes, one of mine. The only ones I seem to have at present are the ones that break things or don't fit. All the good ones that do the job first time have been half-inched.  

[Josef]

Somewhere between the head retourque and the valve lash (forgot to check that before taking off the rocker shaft…) we’ve gone to 5psi difference between the highest and lowest cylinders, 13psi before fiddling. Three is still the lowest. It’s most certainly starting better too. Idling at 6-700 rpm cold with the choke in. 

[Peter Truman]

So how did the spanner get from Ireland to Durham? there must be a story in there!

Is it like a Library book that's incurred a horrendous fine over the years!

[Josef]

I’ve had a full day of it today. Had the Spitfire up on the lift at the NERC and done some bits of metal shaping and shot blasting for the Herald while I was there. The toughest thing was changing the clutch slave cylinder. It is possible from underneath without removing the interior, but it was a struggle cause the rubber boot was hard to get out and then hard to get in again. 

[Piglet]

Blimey that looks like a right pain to do! Anything else on the list Josef?

Alex

[Josef]

39 minutes ago, Piglet said:

Blimey that looks like a right pain to do! Anything else on the list Josef?

Alex

Unfortunately my water pump is on the way out. Got an original one that came with the car that went off to EP Services for a rebuild, there’s been a post office error though so best we can tell it’s currently having a tour of County Durham…

[GrahamB]

I see that you used an EeziBleed after fitting the clutch slave cylinder.  I found that as the reservoir is the highest point in the circuit, I only had to open the bleed valve and the fluid ran out.  After a few seconds all the air had been displaced so I closed the bleed valve and the clutch worked as intended.

When I lived in County Durham some missing post finally arrived after a tour of County Dublin!

[Peter Truman]

I'm originally from Co Durham, Stockton/Norton born there left at 6 months old mid 45, 4yrs Canada, then 13yrs in Aus, then in 62 back to Stockton, worked for a large Chemical/Heavy Engineering Contracting Co. till 73 then returned to Aus. Met and married my wife (ex Norton) whilst in UK, also for my faults got hooked on Triumphs at that time. Till mid 60's lived at Guisborough, next to Lord Gisborough's Farm, spelt differently since 1066 and all that, typo!!!

I worked overseas most of the time 64 to 73, BUT I did build a Rotary Cement Kiln plant at Eastgate around 66 went past it many years later and felt very guilty all the white dust had killed the natural vegetation for miles I understand its now returning to its natural beauty! Also worked in Jarrow for a week couldn't understand a word they said!! Only 40 miles from Stockton and a completely different dialect.

[Josef]

Met a royal blue Mk2 at the TSSC north east area meet earlier, so had to get some photos of the two together!

[Josef]

As my refurbished water pump has arrived I’ve got on to replacing the slightly leaky one on the Spitfire. There was just enough room to get the old repro pump off without removing the rad. However the replacement is an early unit with a stud/nut poking out the front, so I had to remove the radiator anyway to get that on. Oh well. 
The old pump has what looks suspiciously like bathroom sealant around the gasket…

[Peter Truman]

Joseph What’s EP claim to fame Re rebuilt water pump do they use the original brass impeller a new shaft and good mechanical water seal bearings or do they use a better profiled impeller eg Datsun profiled unit for improved efficiency

[Josef]

1 hour ago, Peter Truman said:

Joseph What’s EP claim to fame Re rebuilt water pump do they use the original brass impeller a new shaft and good mechanical water seal bearings or do they use a better profiled impeller eg Datsun profiled unit for improved efficiency

It’s the original brass impeller. I didn’t enquire much more beyond the ‘lifetime guarantee’, though I believe they use ceramic bearings. Figured whatever they offered was better than £35 for a repro one every so often. The County brand one on there was fitted by the PO, and therefore can’t be more than a few thousand miles old. Wasn’t leaking badly, but was leaking!

[Josef]

Well, the refurb pump had to come off and go back to EP Services for a re-refurb as it was leaking too. Tried something a bit different though, rather than taking photos I've made a video of the process (took flipping ages to do!)