Jonathan Alder's Journal
Home Page: Jonathan Alder
Surrey, UK
| Total Posts: 17 | Latest Post: 2008-10-08 |
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Well quite a lot has happened since my last journal.
Some time ago I replaced the front wiring loom, no real issues, just some very tender finger tips! At the same time I fitted a smart screen intermittent wiper system. God it's good! One click or wiper switch, pause up to 2 mins, another click and it carries on wiping at that interval - just right for drizzle!
I thought I'd upgrade the suspension, after lots of umming and ahhing I decided to go for gas shocks all round. The rear were gas shocks but non-adjustable and the brackets were homemade and a bit of bodge. I now have adjustable front and rear. I may try firming them up a bit, shortly.
It had been using alot of oil. I know it was burning it but a lot was disappearing. Whilst replacing the head gasket (oil in the rad) my friend spotted oil dripping out from a split in the underside of one oil cooler pipes, I have now replaced them with braided ones. These look mighty fine!
There's been quite a bit of fumes in the cockpit so I decided to do something about it. I spoke to people on here and decided to fit new rings and at the same time replace the valve stem seals.
When I removed the pistons 3 out of 4 of the top rings were broken - one of which had smashed the piston and caused quite a bit of damage. Looking at the cylinder there was some damage but not too much. I made the executive decision to risk not having a rebore, since i'm not doing a full rebuild and I don't do that many miles if I get 2 years use I'll be happy. Anyway piston 2 was f**ked, and since they were standard pistons I decided to try and replace just one (since I'm trying to do this on a budget) this wasted about 4 days on wasted leads. Gave up on that and decided to go for a set. My local motor factor said they could get them next day, no worries, and said they'd balance them f.o.c. Fantastic. A week came and went with promises and being fobbed off. I threw my toys out the pram and threatened to go somewhere else and the next day they turn up and guess what? Inspite of giving him the piston as a template, inspite of telling him repeatedly that they were the circlip type he turns up with the wrong ones. So I had to source them elsewhere and put them in unbalanced (it had been dragging on long enough by this point). This I did and it all went together nicely. I noticed that the big end bearings were a bit worn too, so decided to replace those while I was at it. I did it all insitu and had been worried about getting the front sump bolts back in, but as it happened, some patience and jacking the engine up and i managed it.
Started it up and it runs fine. After reading lots of opinions on running in I opted for driving normally but not thrashing it for 500 miles, with a couple of oil changes on the way. Good news is exhaust is no longer smokey, although you can smell a little bit of fumes when you give it some. I think I may purchase an oil catch tank and route the crankcase breather (and make a rocker cover breather) to it.
Once the engine was done it was time for the MOT. It failed on a split steering gaiter, he also failed it on too much play between the kingpin and the bottom wishbone, but said it was borderline. I thought it best to sort it out so tried replacing trunion bolt and bush but as soon as the kingpin was off it was obvious that the wear was to the kingpins themselves. I replaced these and everything is hunkydory. Although I have a horrible feeling that on removing the trackrod ends I might have got the tracking wrong.
The MOT guy said that the front pads were getting a bit low and there was a bit of a burr on the off-side disc and also the bottom rad hose was perished.
Gave the braking some thought and have just purchased slotted discs and greenstuff pads which i will fit tomorrow (as well as the rad hose). Then I plan to get the tracking adjusted by the guy that MOT'd it. I may decide to go for a servo, i'm not sure at the moment.
Then this weekend the Memsab and I are going for a driving weekend, which should be great as we haven't done that in ages.
Vroom-ba!
Some time ago I replaced the front wiring loom, no real issues, just some very tender finger tips! At the same time I fitted a smart screen intermittent wiper system. God it's good! One click or wiper switch, pause up to 2 mins, another click and it carries on wiping at that interval - just right for drizzle!
I thought I'd upgrade the suspension, after lots of umming and ahhing I decided to go for gas shocks all round. The rear were gas shocks but non-adjustable and the brackets were homemade and a bit of bodge. I now have adjustable front and rear. I may try firming them up a bit, shortly.
It had been using alot of oil. I know it was burning it but a lot was disappearing. Whilst replacing the head gasket (oil in the rad) my friend spotted oil dripping out from a split in the underside of one oil cooler pipes, I have now replaced them with braided ones. These look mighty fine!
There's been quite a bit of fumes in the cockpit so I decided to do something about it. I spoke to people on here and decided to fit new rings and at the same time replace the valve stem seals.
When I removed the pistons 3 out of 4 of the top rings were broken - one of which had smashed the piston and caused quite a bit of damage. Looking at the cylinder there was some damage but not too much. I made the executive decision to risk not having a rebore, since i'm not doing a full rebuild and I don't do that many miles if I get 2 years use I'll be happy. Anyway piston 2 was f**ked, and since they were standard pistons I decided to try and replace just one (since I'm trying to do this on a budget) this wasted about 4 days on wasted leads. Gave up on that and decided to go for a set. My local motor factor said they could get them next day, no worries, and said they'd balance them f.o.c. Fantastic. A week came and went with promises and being fobbed off. I threw my toys out the pram and threatened to go somewhere else and the next day they turn up and guess what? Inspite of giving him the piston as a template, inspite of telling him repeatedly that they were the circlip type he turns up with the wrong ones. So I had to source them elsewhere and put them in unbalanced (it had been dragging on long enough by this point). This I did and it all went together nicely. I noticed that the big end bearings were a bit worn too, so decided to replace those while I was at it. I did it all insitu and had been worried about getting the front sump bolts back in, but as it happened, some patience and jacking the engine up and i managed it.
Started it up and it runs fine. After reading lots of opinions on running in I opted for driving normally but not thrashing it for 500 miles, with a couple of oil changes on the way. Good news is exhaust is no longer smokey, although you can smell a little bit of fumes when you give it some. I think I may purchase an oil catch tank and route the crankcase breather (and make a rocker cover breather) to it.
Once the engine was done it was time for the MOT. It failed on a split steering gaiter, he also failed it on too much play between the kingpin and the bottom wishbone, but said it was borderline. I thought it best to sort it out so tried replacing trunion bolt and bush but as soon as the kingpin was off it was obvious that the wear was to the kingpins themselves. I replaced these and everything is hunkydory. Although I have a horrible feeling that on removing the trackrod ends I might have got the tracking wrong.
The MOT guy said that the front pads were getting a bit low and there was a bit of a burr on the off-side disc and also the bottom rad hose was perished.
Gave the braking some thought and have just purchased slotted discs and greenstuff pads which i will fit tomorrow (as well as the rad hose). Then I plan to get the tracking adjusted by the guy that MOT'd it. I may decide to go for a servo, i'm not sure at the moment.
Then this weekend the Memsab and I are going for a driving weekend, which should be great as we haven't done that in ages.
Vroom-ba!
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