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Hi, Bree... More specific information would be required in each case for accurate answers, Bree. With respect to the brakes... are you making an assumption, here? Air just does not get into the brake system "automatically" or "overnight"...unless you've suddenly developed a hydraulic leak wherein air displaces fluid which has leaked out or you have suddenly developed a master cylinder or other mechanical problem(s) within the system. Otherwise, besides low brake fluid (when was the last time this was topped off?), worn brake pads are most likely the first place I'd look with a suddenly "soft" pedal (when was... MORE
Okay, ED - Here's the story: Grades 5, 8, etc are American designations which were never used in England. I don't know, and you don't either, what strength bolts and in which applications were used in cars of long ago. Maybe some of them were not very strong, but I can assure you that some were very strong. They were often not marked since their use was controlled by part number, and one would have to refer to the parts drawings and the old British Standards to find out exactly what they were. That said, bolts in critical safety-related... MORE
I made my statement...and I usually never reply a second time... but regardless of what 'tach' manuals say... I'll stick to 'real life' experience and training anytime. And as someone else just mentioned... the 'grade 8' most mention these days did not exist 'way back when' Oh..and to whom ever mentioned grade 8 and something about crank main and rod bolts. I will blatantly say you're WAY off. Head bolts/studs, crank and rod bolts are not 8. they are usually SDF and CHQ grade as even grade 8 is below aircraft quality and by spec is allowed to contain... MORE
Hello all, Well, I fired her back up today. Put my hand over the oil filler hole, and let it idle. There was no significant vaccuum and no significant air pressure. The valve cover filled about an inch and a half full of oil, with oil coming up the push rod tubes. I'm sure it would have kept going , but I shut it down. As I mentioned earlier, it sounds fine once it gets warmed up. It isn't missing and has good oil pressure. (although the oil gauge doesn't work (Problem #312 of 1067...get to that one later...)... MORE
Well Don May.... The crankcase takes incoming air from the charcoal cannister through a "graduated orifice" feed tube mounted on the valve cover, assuming the valve cover has a non-vented oil filler cap. The "exhaust" side would be the hose coming from the cannister on the timing case cover which vents into the intake system via individual hoses which feed a "graduated orifice" within each carburator. In this instance, while the engine is running, Kevin removed the oil filler cap and noticed no vacuum or pressure. So even though Kevin states the individual hoses to each carb appear pinched,... MORE
Kevin... You engine looks nothing like the engine in the Haynes manual? Hmmm.... Well...a picture is worth a thousand words, Kev. Those hoses to the carburators from the cannister on the timing chain cover should definitely be clear and open.... no doubt about this. If the valve cover was on the engine when you were running it, then with every respect, Kevin, there is no way you could tell where the oil was coming from... the oil filler hole is too small to provide a decent view and through this small hole, not enough light in there...to dark in... MORE
Just checked my Haynes which is what I'd have followed during my rebuild. No specific order to retightening but what it does day is do the bolts up finger tight then rotate the crankshaft a few revolutions before torqueing down. The other thing to check is that you don't have any grit under the shells. However as all is fine with the old TWs then it sounds like the only problem is the new TWs are a bit thick. When I rebuilt my 1275 I didn't replace the TWs, how do the old ones look? Running the car like... MORE
Jim, A feeler gauge won't do for this operation. If you can get a feeler gauge in, you clearance is probably double what you are reading. There are pressures you need to simulate and feeler gauge won't do. You can buy the tools I suggested from Harbor Freight for about $30. Get a dial caliper while you are at it. About another $20. This may require more than a kiss...'-) Gerard "gerardchateau" 25461... MORE
Here is a "we tight" replacement for when the coloured celluloid used in the metal dashboard arrow-shaped cut outs goes awol. The screw caps from plastic cartons of milk sold in UK supermarkets is just the right degree of translucency to cut to fit as replacements. You can even go for a choice of colours depending on full cream, semi-skimmed, skimmed or fruit juices. Not sure about you lot over t'pond. I know you have different dashboards and other habits. Hope you have been enjoying a good wekend. Guy "Guy Weller" 25435... MORE
Bradsky... Milling the head slightly will have no ill effect upon anything, considering how little you are removing, assuming it had stock 21cc chambers to begin with. As a matter of fact, milling the head rather than going to flattops is the preferred way of raising the compression ratio moderately according to Dave Vizard, this having a more salutory effect on combustion/flow characteristics than a piston configuration change. For racing, the factory goes to 16.4cc chambers before they start raising compression by changing piston configuration so I guess this is the safe limit before head strength is compromised. What... MORE
I did the same thing with the seat backs in my bugeye. The "horns" were eaten back and rough and the lip across the inside was the same way. I couldn't find any replacements localy and the upholsterer was waiting for the seat backs so he could finish the seats and the car show was a week away. A seam came loose in the seat back a couple of months later so I took them back to the upholsterer. He took the material off and repaired the seam. When I picked them up, he told me that he would... MORE
Don No doubt in my mind, you should have cut out the rotten metal and replaced it with new. Wheres the cost? You've got the welder - how much are a couple of sheets of sheet steel? No more than the fibreglass. The metal repairs don't have to be aesthetically pleasing - just solid, you can sort the cosmetics out with filler. I did all the metalwork on my car, with no specialist tools at all apart from perhaps a cheap panel beating set, that cost about 20 bucks and a pair of tin snips. The key I found... MORE
Tim There's good news and bad news here. The good news is, I have seen a quarterlight mounted mirror, which I think is what you're looking for (see page 86 Terry Horlers excellent book - Original Sprite and Midget). The bad news is, I don't know where you get them from! The only thing I can suggest is to trawl ebay for one, or start getting out to some autojumbles. Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 25373... MORE
Those who have checked out my bugeye bonnet restoration photos may have noticed that I chose to form the missing sections of end flange and sheet metal with fiberglass. I realize that many have advised me to cut back and replace with new formed metal pieces . . . that is not within my expertise nor budget, lots of time I have. I might as well buy a new fiberglass bonnet for the cost involved for new metal work and welding so I sought the advice of some folks at TAP Plastics and went with fiberglass. My logic with... MORE
Hi Neil I had the same problem with mine but got them working in the end although I am not sure whether the same circumstances may apply. I say this as it was my brake light and indicators that were not working, everything else worked fine. It mentioned in the Haynes Manual that these two are related and when I fixed the one both sprung back to life. What it was down to was a loose and corroded connection between the brake pedal switch at the master cylinder and the wiring loom. I choped these off and repalced the... MORE
Hello there I am trying to get some information on the dash instrument back lighting circuit on my UK 1978 Midget 1500. This has never worked on the car but after overhauling the wiring system as part of a stripdown I have and taking the oportunity to look at this issue I believe I have traced the problem to a mysterious black cylindrical unit I cannot find any refernce to, possibly a fuse The offending item is a black plastic tube approximately 14mm in diameter and 34mm long. It has a female spade connector at one end (sunken indide... MORE
Don, The 3.73 diff from a late rubber bumper Midget will drop a couple hundred revs at 70 mph, and larger tires a little too. Lots easier and cheaper than a different tranny. I don't remember what year your car is, but if it's a 1275, 4000 rpm all day long won't hurt it. Now that you're older (like me), you just worry more about that stuff. Just FYI, I have read that the factory test, when they were building new Spridget engines, was 100 hours on the dyno at max HP. That's about 10,000 miles pedal-to-the-metal. "Jeffrey Holmes"... MORE
Don May!! Pilot bearings are soaked in oil overnight or even longer.....the metal absorbs the oil and the bearing becomes self-lubricating. I have also heard of roller bearing types being available but have never seen or used one... Can somebody clue me in? Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 25226... MORE
Don... "Sounds" (excuse the pun:) like you've got a glasspack (free flow) on there, maybe a Thrush or Cherry Bomb. These are "straight thru" designs (as opposed to the "baffled" stock (or Midas/Meineke/ Walker, etc.) system. It may also be the optional "GEX" straight-through type I've see advertised by MiniMania. "Straight thru" design with sound deadening packed around the "open" core allows for perfomance and/or gas economy along with allowing for a cooler running engine due to the easier trip the hot exhaust gases have outbound. allow the engine to run a little cooler as well as the exhaust... MORE
...the pursuit of excellence. Making a watermelon out of a pineapple. All you need is plenty of bondo...LOL Funny you shpuld make that analogy, I have a photograph of a cut open pineapple and the inside flesh is watermelon. I've had this since way before Photoshop was a vision Thomas Knoll's head so it either a clever photo composite or someone actually created it in real life. Anyway, the other trick to good body work is getting the metal where it is supposed to be as opposed to fabricating it from plastic. Hammer and dolly work comes first. Gerard... MORE
I am going crazy with metal glaze and compound curves. A bugeye bonnet is nothing but a mass of compound curves . . . thank you listing to my vent. only my bald head exceeds it. Do you know how hard it is to shave your head? flat razor blade . . . hard round top of head . . . well, sides of head, nature took care of the top. Don "Don May" 25139... MORE
Not correct according to my source. This information is from the Chilton's Nissan 210/1200 repair manual. 1974 B210 Sedan and Coupe- A13 1975 B210 Sedan and Coupe- A14 1976-78 B210- A14 1979-81 210, 210 MPG -A15 The book goes on to discuss A series into 1982 models, but the question was about A series engines. A-series engine were used in the 210, B210 and 1200 Nissans. beginning from 1973. These include A12, A12A, A13, A14, A15. The A12 is considerered to be very disirable because it is the least choked and detuned due to SMOG restrictions and it has... MORE
Interesting experiments, Paul. The most simple well-working PCV system I ever had came on the '67 engine 5 main bearing engine which I installed in place of the 3 main bearng which came in my PO'd '64 MGB. Factory PCV valve (rubber diaphragm) intake manifold mounted breathing through the liquid/vapor flame arrestor mounted on the front of the timing case cover with matched vented/filtered oil filler cap. Replaced the diaphragm once and filtered cap once in a while. And introducing a little water into the intake manifold once a year will help keep things clean. There are also a... MORE
I wish . . . couple of them knocking them off today. Have an idea what a large acorn falling 20 feet sounds like hitting a bare metal bugeye bonnet? It is very strange behavior for the last 15 years they usually just pick the things bring them down and bury them. This year it is like a feeding frenzy, eating parts of acorns and dropping the rest, breaking off whole ones and letting them fall to the ground and the acorns are still green and not ready to drop on their own. Koyaanisqatsi . . . Don "Don... MORE
Hi Don, Then it's similar to the catalyzed type I guess. The only problem with fiberglass to metal is the expansion contrction rate is different, so they can sometimes separate. That's onother reason you don't want to go too thick on the bondo. When you sand, you should use at least a 12 inch long "board" (I'm referring to the block sanders used for auto body work). This is especially important for the broad nearlt flat (but not really) area you are doing. Start with 80 grit and criss-cross from two dirctions to get the form right and contoured... MORE
