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Herald (Vitesse) Estate Project


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  • 4 weeks later...
2 hours ago, Martin said:

ready for filling the engine bay; waiting for some victim that helps to remove the bonnet.

Martin,

You have a "LoadLeveller" so that you can controllably tilt the engine gearbox combo.

With that, it's not necessary (despite the manuals) to remove the bonnet to get that massive load in or out of the engine bay.   You do need to be able to lift it high, though.

Here's a picture sequence that shows how I do it.    I lift the weight froma massive roof beam in my garage.

 

 

Engine out sequence.mix

Engine out sequence.jpg

Edited by JohnD
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3 hours ago, Martin said:

ready for filling the engine bay; waiting for some victim that helps to remove the bonnet.

 

 

I normally go the victim route! :yes:

Just a quick observation whilst you can get at it, I think I can see a piece of rag stuffed in around the clutch lever arm?  As I suspect like me you have found that that hole is rather like a black hole that attracts dropped nuts and bolts into the bell housing. Last time I cut a square of old inner tube rubber put a split in it and dropped it over the lever arm so it covers the hole, it moves back and forwards with the arm and isn't stuck down, but just about keeps the hole covered so that when your working on the engine after installation and just happen to drop the rear manifold nut for example it doesn't drop down an unerringly find the hole!

Alan

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  • 3 weeks later...

13/60 valance is different from Vitesse valance....... As you see! Had a similar problem on my car, which also has a 13/60 valance. 30 years ago. It got cut. Still waiting for me to fix the bracket though as the Vitesse bracket is different too - it doesn't have the step in it. You don’t have that problem though.

Nick

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Hum...... how very normal. I have three of these. One 100% fail, all snapped. One that has been through-drilled for bolts (yuck) and one with three very crusty studs still in it. I think I’m just going to weld nuts on those in the hope that the severe heat will free them off......

Good luck with the drilling.......

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Tricky job that. I had three of these laying around for years. Managed to repair two of the three manifolds. Tried soaking with pentrating oil, welded on nuts on the threads, each time the stud snapped. Last resort was to drill through as close to the centre as I could. I found it impossible to come out the other side in the centre. I got as close as I dared to the thread, then used a tap. On a couple, the tap unscrewed the remains of the stud which was very satisfying. Took my eye off the ball momentarily on the last manifold and cocked one whole up.

Mark

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...

It runs, took a bit of coughing and spitting out of the carbs, some ignition adjustment then it fired up.

managed the idle to around 2000 to run in the tappets.

It builds up the oil pressure but only towards 2 bar  and after appr 20 min it began to overheat so I shut down. Had to add a liter of water. Most hose clips pissing :(

After letting it cool down for a while I tried to move it under own power. Shit the brake was blocked. The brake booster kept the pressure even after turning the engine down. Thus all brakes locked. Took some time to find out. Removed the hose to the manifold.

Then I wanted to drive a bit around the corner for a basic testing of all functions. (there is a privat road for the school and holiday at present)

Got to the Corner and the oil pressure dropped to Zero, so drove back the 250 meters and stopped the engine. Oil is 15 w 40 Running in oil from Penrite.

So mixed emotions. Never had such a bad start of an engine.

 

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Oh..... that's not ideal..... should be at least 4 Bar cold @ 2000 rpm..... No external leaks I suppose?  Is it a mechanical gauge with capilliary or electric - do you believe it?

Do you have the spin-on conversion for the oil filter?

First check (easy) is the relief valve assembly.  After that I might try removing the distributor and timing gear and turning the oil pump with an electric drill.  I say this because I have read of people having problems with the oil pump where the drive shaft is not properly attached to the rotor and slips when under pressure, then gets worse - rather like what you describe.....

Hope it is something easy.... and cheap!

That brake servo sticking the brakes on problem is not unknown either.  Can be the mounting angle (though yours looks ok to me?) or the piston sticking inside.

 

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I will start with the pressure relief valve, then check the driving cog, turn the pump with a drill, and then see.

Yes I do have a spin on conversion with an oil cooler.

@RR unfortunately its a cheapo reproduction. Works great in Spitfire and GT6 but here it seems to be shot.

At the moment on business travel in Budapest, so has to wait maybe even to next week.

Martin

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Update: checked oil pressure relief valve. According to the book it should have fitted length of 31.75 mm. I measured and shimmed it accordingly.

Pressure after start at 60lbs at fast idle, so a happy Martin. Started to fiddle with carbs, …. . Checked the water temp, nicely in the middle, so no overheating, pressure still there, again a happy Martin,  fiddled a bit with ignition , …..

Fiddled around for some minutes and had a quick look to the dashboard: green light again on , no pressure. I stopped the engine, took an old shaft of an oil pump, made a slot in it, removed dizzy (o.k. that took some 15 minutes) took my 14.4 Volt drill and immediately could produce pressure. 

I will next remove the spin on conversion / thermostat / oil cooler and install the normal oil filter. Lets see what happens then. 

As I ran the engine now two times with no pressure, it has to come out anyway for a check of the crank.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Cause for the low pressure found.

I mounted the normal oil filter and hey, pressure cold and hot.

I read in a TR Forum something bout the Mocal oistat. It has a flow direction. This made me think. I just mounted the oilstat it in the wrong direction. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS.

I did not read them as I was using oilstats several times  in the past. Normally the "german" brand Racimex". This has no flow direction. As they looked like "clones" I just mounted it. However wrong direction.  Lesson learned.

Now healthy 75 cold and a bit below 50 idling hot.

O.K. I ran the engine at idle with veeeery low pressure , but without any rattle. No risk no fun, I will not take the engine out.

So now completing all the small remaining Things which take a lot of  time. Perhaps having it on the road September????

Cheers

Martin

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