Escadrille Ecosse Posted January 15, 2024 Posted January 15, 2024 13 hours ago, egret said: The altenator. The pulley is smaller on the 1300 and given that the 1500 one was one I bought new and the 1300 one was unknown I decided to use the new one. Neither unit gave up their pulley without a fight. I snapped a mounting ear from the 1300 one when attempting to loosten the nut :(. The 1300 one had a keyway, the newer one does not. I manage to torque it up with an impact driver (18V diy one, not a proper one), so I've marked up the rotation with tippex and will kepp an eye to check it isn't moving. I wouldn't worry about the lack of a keyway. The replacement 70A alternator for the Scimitar didn't have one and like you I was rather surprised but 15 years on it's been absolutely fine. If that doen't slip the wee Spitfire one won't either. Alternators were never factory fitted to the small crank 1300s as far as I'm aware. I fitted one to my Mk1 The pulley was the smallest I could find off one of the many alternators I had lying around at the time. It is 2 1/4" diameter (standard Spit 1300 17 ACR is 2 1/2" diameter). Not certain but I believe it is from the 25ACR alternator as fitted to the TR7, etc. AEU1484 - £4.80 inc VAT. You'd spend more on metal, electricity and cutting fluid trying to machine one up. https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-AEU1484 As you are needing a new fuel pump get an electric one. The Facet solid state ones are extemely reliable, don't leak and don't wear out cams. Stick it in the boot with a little filter and you'll never need a replacement. And handy for priming the system before starting. too
Nick Jones Posted January 15, 2024 Posted January 15, 2024 Clearly I need to read more carefully…… alternator pulley Disregard my earlier gibberings…. 1
egret Posted January 16, 2024 Author Posted January 16, 2024 Don't worry Nick, as always, your comment was correct it just addressed a problem I'm not currently experiencing! I decided to throw money at the belt problem and have a new belt turning up which I'm hoping is the right length, if not I'll see if there is a local supplier of belts who I can talk to. I'm slightly bemused as I'm running the same belt on the same pulleys as before. It's a different water pump housing (but the pump is the same), and a different altenator. Maybe the old engine had the same tight belt problem, maybe the old altenator mounts differently putting the pulley closer to the water pump and crank. The old altenator lost one of it's mounting mounting ears as I applied the increasing levels of violence required to remove the pulley, but I can likely check this. It's all moot really as I just need a belt of the correct length. I have a replacement thermostat so the electric fan will operate properly again, and will be checking the megajolt wiring. If I make it out to the garage tonight then I need to helicoil one of the thermostat bolt holes, and do a basic strip and clean of the carburettor jets and needles. These gumming up was what caused my starting issues last summer when trying to get it to run after sitting for a few weeks. If it's still stubbournly refusing to run after this then I'll look into compression and spark. I'll be slightly disheartened if compression is the issue, as I've already checked the valves don't leak as part of the rebuild process...
Nick Jones Posted January 16, 2024 Posted January 16, 2024 5 hours ago, egret said: I'm slightly bemused as I'm running the same belt on the same pulleys as before. Never under estimate the effect of belt wear. The wedge effect means that a worn belt appears much longer than an unworn one.
Escadrille Ecosse Posted January 16, 2024 Posted January 16, 2024 23 minutes ago, Nick Jones said: Never under estimate the effect of belt wear. The wedge effect means that a worn belt appears much longer than an unworn one. This ^^^^ And the smaller pulley on the alternater compared to the dynamo compounds the issue on the early 1300s. I find the same with mine that it is very tight up to no.1 plug and requires a bit of assistance to flip it over the pulley.
egret Posted January 20, 2024 Author Posted January 20, 2024 It lives! The belt didn't turn up (royal mail claimed to have delivered it, but it's nowhere to be seen) so I'm still running it with a tight one that means I can't get to spark plug 1. Dad has a few ones suitable for vintage Volvos so I might drive the spitfire over tomorrow and see if they fit. Sadly I didn't get any interesting photos, but I'll update once I can get it out and about. Oil pressure is 75psi, there's a slight leak from the thermostat housing which I've now applied some rtv to so hopefully resolved. Finally I wired up the megajolt rev counter diode thing so the rev counter works again. No idea why it used to work with just the standard megajolt tacho out signal, no idea why it stopped. 1
mpbarrett Posted January 21, 2024 Posted January 21, 2024 On 1/4/2024 at 9:35 PM, egret said: ........ I think dad's had a busy, but fun week, and his newly styled "impington engineering services" have done a great job! have to ask is that Impington in Cambridgeshire? I am in Histon!
egret Posted January 21, 2024 Author Posted January 21, 2024 First outing had no Speedo, rev counter above 2500 rpm, or overdrive. Speedo cable got removed and refitted and now works. I think it under reads more than I remember, but can't be certain. An overdrive wire has come loose, but replacing that hasn't fixed it. I changed the switch from a dash mount to the correct gear lever switch, and changed the gearbox oil, but neither of those things should have made a difference. I'll check the wiring again at some point. I think I have a big wiring trask ahead of me anyway, so this will get picked up with that. Rev counter is a mystery, I've wired in the megajolt supplied rev counter box of tricks for classic car gauges, but it's still not happy. Dad looked at the rev counter checked it's function and made it move with his scope in the past, so I'm sure it's the input signal that's the issue. Next step is to check the spade connection on the dial. I'm very open to advice on supply things I might have done with the overdrive or rev counter!
egret Posted January 21, 2024 Author Posted January 21, 2024 Quick Tesco carpark photo. Fueling isn't right, not 100% on timing being perfect either. It pulls ok at lower revs, but is a bit soft at the higher rpm. I've basically just set the valve clearance and left everything else as it was from the 1500 setup, so not surprising it's a little way off perfect. Hot oil idle is just over 50psi and rises up again as the revs go up. Today has been a couple of little drives with a small whack a mole of little gremlins appearing and being beaten down again. I'm sure I'll be back to check you're knowledge with the with the consistent ones. 1
Nick Jones Posted January 21, 2024 Posted January 21, 2024 Sounds like a win. Just a bit of snagging and development now
JohnD Posted January 21, 2024 Posted January 21, 2024 Excellent, egret! Have you checked the o/d solenoid operation? Hot wire it and listen for a click, or even a clunk! Then if OK, take off the side panel from the O/d and look for 'black bits' in the filter, indicative of a worn out conical clutch. More on your Megajolt , please - as said, I'm interested! John
egret Posted January 21, 2024 Author Posted January 21, 2024 I'm considering attempting a trip to Bedford tomorrow in the spitfire (a track day, no not in the spit), I'm take some photos. Megajolt is great. There are a number of gremlins, stemming from all my kit being second hand and cobbled together. Makeing a proper loom and sorting the installation properly is high on the list of things to do. So my setup has a rats nest of cabling that's all mounted and held together with cable ties as it was only installed shortly before the old engine started to show issues. I also haven't managed to get my computer to talk to it because of software/hardware issues so I'm running on a map someone else put together for a lightly breathed on 1500. That's a long winded way of saying that my current setup is rather slapdash and not optimised, and it's great. The 1500 went from an unmanageable idle, and very little useful power below 2500rpm to rock solid idle and great torque from not much over 1000rpm. This might just have been a reflection of how badly worn my distributor was, but megajolt is probably not much more than a properly refurbished distributor. I'm very happy with it, but simultaneously upset I can't get a commodity to talk to it to do what I really want (which is mess with advance on a rolling road to optimise power). It'll also do soft and hard rev limits as well as shift lights, which are both things on my wish list for the car. When I get to properly mounting it and sorting the wiring loom I'm do a dedicated thread. I'm not sure I'm the best person to do this as I'm very much feeling my way, but I'm very happy to publish my mistakes for others to learn from! 2
JohnD Posted January 21, 2024 Posted January 21, 2024 Hmmmmm! Sounds rather like my experience, but I found mine was because the laptop I had, had a faulty USB interface (Dell sells cheap for a reason!). I have another now where it does work, soni should try again! John
Nick Jones Posted January 21, 2024 Posted January 21, 2024 USB/RS232 adapter cables vary. No direct MJL experience but certainly MS was fairly picky about them. There are two different families of chips used and one was more likely to work than the other. I’ve forgotten the names…..
zetecspit Posted January 21, 2024 Posted January 21, 2024 48 minutes ago, Nick Jones said: USB/RS232 adapter cables vary. No direct MJL experience but certainly MS was fairly picky about them. There are two different families of chips used and one was more likely to work than the other. I’ve forgotten the names….. FTDI rings a bell. My ECU uses a cable that was about £25 and works. Stupidly I managed to mangle the USB end when I shut a door, but a careful bit of straightening and some epoxy seems to have worked. What I need to find is a cable to plug into a microsquirt. Seems to be hard to find.
rogerguzzi Posted January 22, 2024 Posted January 22, 2024 2 hours ago, zetecspit said: What I need to find is a cable to plug into a microsquirt. Seems to be hard to find Hello I have one that has work from day one I will try and find what make it is ! It plugs into a 3,5mm jack(I think that is the size but there is a bit in between it and the laptop but it works every time from day one Roger ps this will make you laugh checkimg the rear brakes today as part of the full winter sevice, I removed the nearside and swopped the brakes shoes around leading to trailing for maximum wear! So came off with a fight but went back easy! then when doing the offside realised I had fitted the springs wrong(thought it was east!) Time for the care home?Bugger that Spanish trip booked and most of the Shlumph ect one done! Bugger off Grim reaper Roger and the Memsahib
egret Posted January 22, 2024 Author Posted January 22, 2024 I'm really considering buying a new one, as I think they ditch the rs232 interface, which should make the communication woes go away.
egret Posted January 22, 2024 Author Posted January 22, 2024 Well it made it to Bedford and back (about 60 miles with a mix of dual carriageway and b roads) without any real complaint. It's a bit hesitant when cold, but fine when up to temp. I don't think it's set up very well, it keeps up with traffic, but feels like my old golf. Promises a lot from about 1500-2.5k rpm, but never delivers. I think it's still quite rich, so I'll tinker with it on some more leisurely drives, then I need to decide when I take it to a rolling road. Hopefully I can wait until I'm about to talk to the megajolt (and have the rev counter working). It sat watching the other cars having fun, including the best kind of lunatic driving the wheels off a mk one mini. He'd just put a 1300 A+ in it and it was rather track focused. He had a wide band AFR sensor which looked like a good idea, apparently he was using it to prevent himself going too lean on the long straight. He was keeping up with everything, but I suspect this might have been down to the driver as much as anything! All in all a good day out, but the daylight has made it very clear just how scruffy it's become sat in the garage. 2
egret Posted February 9, 2024 Author Posted February 9, 2024 I've been in a few adventures and put some more miles on it. It pulls well enough and will happily pull at motorway speeds, but it has been a little hesitant to rev. I got a timing light on it this evening and it's not advancing at all. I'll re-check the wiring, but I suspect the rather second hand megajolt box I have could have given up. The various people at the tssc meet were suitably encouraging and egging me on to put a silly cam in and get it fuel injected. They made some excellent points, but I fear I'll need to build the funds up before either of those happen - especially if I need to buy a new megajolt box!
Nick Jones Posted February 9, 2024 Posted February 9, 2024 You could buy a basic Megasquirt or Speeduino ECU instead of another MJL. That could control your ignition for now and FI in the future. Chris has just bought himself a “backup” Speeduino…… £200…. With a proper connector…. I’m even tempted
egret Posted February 10, 2024 Author Posted February 10, 2024 Seems like a speeduino world be cheaper and have better capability, but troubleshooting would be significantly more difficult. I'm pretty sure a new megajolt would just be plug and play. I suspect a speeduino would involve various headaches. (This video makes it look very easy https://youtu.be/nUWrGgjlb5g?si=UX-I_hoiHoxDIOE8) I am very tempted by it, I think I could get rid of the edis as the speeduino would drive the coil directly. This would be a neater install with less wiring and one fewer box.
mpbarrett Posted February 10, 2024 Posted February 10, 2024 (edited) On 2/9/2024 at 8:05 PM, egret said: .... The various people at the tssc meet were suitably encouraging and egging me on to put a silly cam in and get it fuel injected. They made some excellent points, but I fear I'll need to build the funds up before either of those happen - especially if I need to buy a new megajolt box! Um that might have been me (1500EFI Herald) and Toby (Ford engined spitfire Hurricane). I like the MS, once setup it works very well. Just need to be careful with the supply, earthing and wiring, worth follow the instructions on how to wire it up. happy to help if you go down that route.... mike Edited February 10, 2024 by mpbarrett
Nick Jones Posted February 10, 2024 Posted February 10, 2024 1 hour ago, egret said: I think I could get rid of the edis as the speeduino would drive the coil directly Certainly if you get one of the VAG coil packs with the built in igniters. This is what is Chris using. The advantage of sticking with EDIS is that it just works without any pratting about with sensor settings. We had a (lengthy) battle with Hall sensors. Would borderline work, but always flakey (probably shouldn’t have used a BMW/Mini part!), which caused many problems, some of which appeared to be other things, yet all were immediately cured by converting to VR! I do like the cost and compactness of Speeduino. For four cylinder they unbeatable value. Case for 6 pot not quite so strong.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now