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Nigel- Raised the back end up about four inches! And I confirmed that I did in fact have the 1275 springs and NOT the 1500. The car looked really stupid. Everyone that saw it laughed! Paul "dfwip" 28771... MORE
Duncan I'm not that familiar with the term 'lacquer' as far as I'm aware it covers pretty much all car paints, as they're all a form of lacquer. What I think you mean is Nitro-celullose Laqcuer, commonly referred to as just 'cellulose' and if you do mean this then yes, thats pretty much your only option for spraying at home. (some bright spark trying to be clever will probably come up with alternatives, but in practical terms 'cellulose' is your only option for spraying at home). The other commonly used paint in the auto industry, in fact its the... MORE
From: amukdigiphoto [mailto: amukdigiphoto@... ] Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2004 5:50 PM To: midgetsprite@yahoogroups.com Subject: [midgetsprite] Re: Paint Advice Duncan I'm not that familiar with the term 'lacquer' as far as I'm aware it covers pretty much all car paints, as they're all a form of lacquer. What I think you mean is Nitro-celullose Laqcuer, commonly referred to as just 'cellulose' and if you do mean this then yes, thats pretty much your only option for spraying at home. (some bright spark trying to be clever will probably come up with alternatives, but in practical terms 'cellulose' is your... MORE
G'day Steve No, moving the slave cylinder will make no difference, just like shortening the pushrod will make no difference. (See disclaimer below.) You are dealing with hydraulics here. A push of X" at the pedal will result in movement of Y" at the slave cylinder. Moving the slave cylinder will result in the internal piston being at rest in a different position down the bore of the cylinder, but the distance the piston travels when you hit the pedal will not change. Disclaimer: UNLESS you move the cylinder (or shorten the pushrod) to the point where the piston... MORE
I am assuming that this is the low compression version. I am reading between 105 and 120 which is not very encouraging. Mark "Mark Howard" 28712... MORE
Mark, Haynes puts the spec for Federal cars at 125 psi. They all should be close to that. When I first bought my 1975 the compression test was an early indicator of the kind of fun (and expense) I was in for. ROb C Webfoot Leisure.com rob@... 630-841-6077 robbiesg@... 28704... MORE
I am removing the roll up window mechanisms and 1/4 lights from a 72 Midget for a project I am working on and discovered just how heavy they are . . . a whopping 39 lbs each. Stripped except for the lock mechanism only 14 lbs each. Fifty less pounds for the engine to push around . . . and elbow room. Don "Don May" 28686... MORE
G'day guys All this discussion on crunching clutches just woke up my tired brain to something I had forgotten. The diaphram clutch as fitted to 1275cc and 1500cc cars is very sensitive to the amount of travel. They actually need LESS travel to release than the earlier spring clutch. That's one of the reasons the slave cylinder is 1" and not 7/8". Larger bore = less travel. If you have TOO MUCH travel at the clutch end, the diaphram plate will go over-centre, and crush the driven plate back onto the flywheel. I have seen this happen a few... MORE
Anyone know off hand what the compression should read for a 1976 1500? Thanks Mark "Mark Howard" 28667... MORE
Hmmmmm... Let's see. Did you assemble this thing yourself? Was the clutch disc new? The release bearing? Did you inspect the condition of the pressure plate and flywheel? Might be some sort of clue there. Even if there were a hydraulic fault which is causing incomplete release, there shouldn't be a horrible grinding sound. A partially released clutch shouldn't make any noise. I'm still betting on the foreign object. Could be a piece of clutch lining, a lining rivet, a loose bolt, almost anything. You could jack the car up, remove the rubber plug and see whether you can... MORE
Colin, I was about to throw in my two cents worth on this last night, as I am close to mating up the transmission and bellhousing on my '76. I dug out all the necessary parts, and the slave cylinder bracket appears to have some in/out adjustment capability. Can the same be accomplished by moving the slave cylinder out slightly? Steve Quandt "Steve Quandt" 28674... MORE
G'day guys. No argument - helicoil (or whatever) the holes. Two good reasons. 1.. One of the shock holes has a steel sleeve (that has already been mentioned) and the shock can be too weak to mount properly of you have 1/2" holes. 2.. A properly executed helicoiled hole is stronger than original. Firstly, the bolt now screws into a stainless steel helicoil, not a mild steel plate. And secondly, the securing thread is the helicoil, now probably 7/16" not the original 3/8", and the larger diameter thread takes more load. Next to my workshop is a guy who... MORE
Surely sounds like something is causing incomplete clutch release. Since it sounds like everything hydraulic is okay, and you're actually pushing the release bearing far enough, them some possibilities could be: a broken or damaged release brg. These usually last well, but it is possible to break the carbon piece. Possibly the pressure plate has some broken or bent fingers, or is not bolted up straight or tight. The pilot bush could be binding or damaged, the trans input shaft could be bent or burred up. The flywheel could be warped. There could also be a foreign object, say... MORE
Hi Ed- Yes.....stock carbon bearing........new. Thanks for the help. Paul "dfwip" 28631... MORE
Good thoughts. Clutch fork is stock, unmodified. Pushrod is new. I think I am getting maximum clutch travel. When the clutch is not depressed, there is NO PLAY at the fork. As soon as pressure is applied to the pedal, the fork begins to move. That is why I think it is set up right. It is not a matter of it taking a stiff "pop" to get it into first. It grinds, and badly. Same for reverse, but less so. Also, WAY too much force is needed to drop it into second. Sure does act like SOMETHING is... MORE
Thanks for the kind reply. Been messing with these cars for 30+ years. Am more than willing to admit most on this list have forgotten more than I'll ever know..... Some years ago I raced an old Lola in the SCCA. Did a lot of messing with brakes. Quickly learned effect of different bores, etc on pedal pressure, movement, etc. It has been ten years since I've driven a Midget, but I can tell you for certain the problem is too serious to go away with "break-in". If this is the way the cars were when new, none would... MORE
How about a short sleeve/bushing in the hole to keep the bolts in position and then nuts with appropriate washers underneath? Nelson "Nelson Wittstock" 28617... MORE
Hey Chris- Bearing was replaced. Could it still be a problem? How can I tell? Thanks.... Paul "dfwip" 28612... MORE
Hi Trevor- Yes, alignment tool was used. Have played A LOT with bleeding, including pressure bleeding. Absolutely no air. Pushrod moves almost one-half inch. I'm told this is all it should move. I've owned four of these cars. I can tell you for sure something is wrong. While I am sure some driving will help, I fear the tranny will be junk inside of a week. Doing some reading and had a thought. Early slave cylinders were 7/8 bore. Late slave was one inch. What if I switch to an early slave? Will it not give me greater pushrod... MORE
Paul... Didn't know you were experienced with LBC's. Please ignore my prior post on simply driving it to work out suspected air in the system. Go with your own experience and feelings in the matter. If you mixed parts to different systems, you may be onto something here in terms of different MC pushrod throws. I seem to remember this coming up in past list discussions but I cannot recall accurately I am afraid and I don't personally "know". Where are Frank and Chuckster when you need them???? :) If you require a more immediate answer you might try... MORE
the 1" slave, (with the 3/4" master it makes for a easy clutch), and I do have the Datsun slave cylinder with the L hydrolic line direction, but I think it is 7/8". I am going to a heavy duty oil/hydrolic line supplier in Portland tomorrow to try to get a "Street 90" for my 1" slave cylinder. If they can't do one in a short enough L, is there a Datsun or ??? that is short enough? What do the racers with a 5 speed (the 5 speed switches sides of the transmission of the slave cylinder) and... MORE
Paul, Yes it will crunch going into 1st and reverse Yes it will be harder getting into gears when stationary The "bite point" on the clutch should be further from the floor so it may still need adjustment, But.... nothing beats driving it for a few hundred miles. It will shake any remaining air bubbles out of the hydraulic fluid. It will bed down any contact surfaces, synchro hubs, clutch and release bearing and it will ease the meshing of gears Drive it! Gets some miles under those tyres!! OK, wait till the snow has gone and then drive... MORE
Agreed...I was just about to say, Guy W. Assuming correct length rods and correct parts... Spridget clutch systems are notorious for this initial behaviour after initial (and more than just initial!) bleeding. I once left the slave cylinder very slightly open overnight and while there was still more than sufficient fluid in the MC in the AM, it still needed bleeding and we still got air out of it. Real PITA! Used it for a week during which time the level in the MC required slight filling periodically and the pedal moved up off the floor and all was... MORE
The stud pattern is the same for early Metros, but I'm not sure when it changed. If you're talking 13" ones from a GTA or Advantage they might be after the change point. Early Turbo 13" ones should fit. The offset is different so you might get clearance problems unless you use spacers. Regards David "David Jacobs" 28552... MORE
G'day Alan And thank you Nigel. But this time - YOU'RE WRONG! "I'm sure Colin with all his records can give you a better estimate" Thanks Nigel, but actually I don't think I can help very much. All the 948cc and 1098cc cars brought to or built in Oz, were badged as Sprites. All the 1275cc cars were Midgets. As a consequence, it is VERY rare to see a Mk1 or Mk 11 Midget over here, or a Mk IV Sprite. They have to be private imports. And so, our Registrar has very little info on these cars. The... MORE
