RedRooster Posted September 27, 2021 Share Posted September 27, 2021 That's an impact wrench Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted September 27, 2021 Share Posted September 27, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted September 27, 2021 Share Posted September 27, 2021 (edited) Ah! Special tools section! It's a cut-down 9/16" for the front lower exhaust manifold nut. No room for a full length spanner to swing, even as much as one flat at a time. The copper pipe is to make it comfortable to tighten to the prescribed 20lbs-ft (AKA as tight as ^%$&* possible, in that confined space) The tape is to cover safety wire, that goes through a hole in the spanner and in the pipe, to stop the pipe falling off. The tape protects my fingers from the twisted wire ends. Similar, the home made C-spanners, bound with tape - I could have just chamfered the edges, but tape was easier! John Edited September 27, 2021 by JohnD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted September 27, 2021 Share Posted September 27, 2021 Ahhh... Yes those b##### manifold nuts! Good idea that though. I hadn't notice the home made C spanners. Very good! My contribution is a home made flat hex spanner that fits the pulley nut on the small bearing 4's so I can turn the engine over in the Spitfire when adjusting the tappets. I have a socket to actually undo the nut but that won't fit without dismantling the radiator, etc. I hadn't thought of the tape for the edges though. So going to copy that idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted September 27, 2021 Share Posted September 27, 2021 (edited) Ah! I have a special tool for that too! The threaded rod in the other end of the tube in the socket is beacuse the offcut of tube wasn't long enough! Once again, bound with tape to save the fingers. Edited September 27, 2021 by JohnD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted September 27, 2021 Share Posted September 27, 2021 45 minutes ago, JohnD said: Oh I do like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiTurbo228 Posted October 1, 2021 Share Posted October 1, 2021 Wish I'd bought a Spit6 project rather than a regular Spitfire way back when! Would have saved a lot of time! I think I'm of the age and temperament that I rather like brown mainly because it's decidedly unfashionable now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted October 1, 2021 Share Posted October 1, 2021 2 hours ago, BiTurbo228 said: I rather like brown mainly because it's decidedly unfashionable now... Beware….. fashion is circular. After years of abuse about my grey car, it’s suddenly come back into fashion and people keep telling me how cool it is. Most discombobulating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiTurbo228 Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 I know it's infuriating! how am I supposed to be deliberately unfashionable when fashion keeps changing. It's cultural appropriation I say 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStupps Posted November 20, 2022 Author Share Posted November 20, 2022 Time for an update on this old banger. It hasn't been entirely neglected but is always behind work, family and at least two other cars in the priority pecking order. The first thing I started doing was try to make sense of the rats nest homemade wiring loom. Here's a reminder of how that looks: I made sense of the important bits but think a new loom is on the cards. This setup might just about work but is a bit bonkers and messy. Next I changed oil and filter, got a gallon of fresh fuel in the tank, put a new battery on it, and turned the key. After much coaxing and use of Easy-Start, she fired up albeit briefly and erratically. And with much smoke...! Think I'd poured some oil into the bores previously which would have explained the initial smoke, but it kept coming thick and fast. And the engine kept dying abruptly. I removed the brake servo, in case that was letting fluid by into the inlet. Brake master cylinder was almost empty so that seemed plausible. Still she smoked and ran erratically. Long story short: there was a blockage in the fuel line at the tank end, and also the carbs were both sooted up and needed a thorough clean. After rectifying these problems, hey presto, she runs fairly evenly without dying and I was able to drive it round the garages for a while. Still smokes like a damp bonfire though, so might take the head off and have a look inside. Compression test didn't point to anything remarkable: cylinder 1 - 165psi 2 - 165psi 3 - 170 4 - 160 5 - 165 6 - 160 Next job when I'm back in the garage is to clean and rebuild the calipers, maybe get the discs skimmed if not too expensive, and generally get it some effective brakes. Here are some artefacts recovered from the depths: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 10 hours ago, PeteStupps said: I removed the brake servo, in case that was letting fluid by into the inlet. Brake master cylinder was almost empty so that seemed plausible. Still she smoked and ran erratically. This all sounds a bit familiar….. though in my case the engine was freshly built (albeit with the bores just honed). Possibly you have some stuck oil control rings and even some other rings too. Enough oil getting past the oil control rings makes every compression test a wet one. What do the plugs look like? Oil soaking/compression test oil takes a surprisingly long time to burn off, especially if you can’t put the engine under load and get it properly hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 Agree with Nick. Oil down the bores takes an unbelievably long time to burn off, especially on idle, even with occasional reving. Experienced this on the Vitesse after a wet compression test, started to think I had damaged a ring, it was that bad, but after a few miles drive it finally cleared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStupps Posted November 21, 2022 Author Share Posted November 21, 2022 7 hours ago, Mark said: Agree with Nick. Oil down the bores takes an unbelievably long time to burn off, especially on idle, even with occasional reving. Experienced this on the Vitesse after a wet compression test, started to think I had damaged a ring, it was that bad, but after a few miles drive it finally cleared. That's interesting, and reassuring. I'll reserve judgement until I've taken it for a proper spin then - which will be a while of course. 8 hours ago, Nick Jones said: What do the plugs look like? Not particularly oily; sooted up but then I couldn't get the car to run without playing tunes on the choke. Chased around plugging possible air leaks on the inlet but it still needed a bit of choke to keep ticking over even when up to temp. But it's been off the road so long I'm not surprised by some problems of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 The others are likely right about the oil. The choke issue could be the carbs sticking. Are the pistons free and the diaphragms in good nick? Not gone hard or split. And the depending on which Strombergs are fitted the choke can either operate on both carbs (two linking rods between the carbs) or on one with a link pipe to the other (one linking rod and a plastic device on one of the carbs which has the pipe to the other one). Now I have to go for a lie down after seeing that wiring again 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 Oh and I just remembered. You should check that the gaskets between the air cleaner box and the carbs aren't blocking any of the holes on the carb flanges. And that the PCV valve is OK. Or temporarily disconnect it and block off the connection to the manifold. And maybe worth trying a new condenser in the distributor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimBancroft Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 Pete, I am sure you know this, but Autosparks looms are ok. They will add extra circuits and relays if you like. Be very wary of the fuse box though, very poor quality as the clips that hold the fuses, er don't! Maybe think about fitting a different fuse box and just ask A'sparks to fit spade terminals to the wires near where the fuse box fits? I fitted a new loom a few years go to my mk2 GT6, all very easy. I used cable ties that have tags and wrote on to the tag what a particular wire served, Essential to have a wiring diagram, imagine your car will need a mk2 GT6 diagram and loom. Happy to send you a copy of the wiring diagram if you wish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimBancroft Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 Oh, btw, you only have 10 months to RBRR 23! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStupps Posted November 24, 2022 Author Share Posted November 24, 2022 Thanks for the input @Escadrille Ecosse & @TimBancroft, i'll look into Autosparks in due course. Colin good shout with the carbs, I did have to replace a split diaphragm in one of them and clean both thoroughly because the pistons were sticking a bit. That was definitely a problem but clearly not the only one. Can't remember if I changed the condenser so will do that again to make sure. The PCV seems ok but maybe blanking it off would help so i'll give that a go when I'm able to stand up for long enough! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStupps Posted November 24, 2022 Author Share Posted November 24, 2022 On 11/21/2022 at 9:58 PM, TimBancroft said: Oh, btw, you only have 10 months to RBRR 23! Am in two minds about entering next year. Pretty sure i'll regret if I don't but am currently wavering. Reckon it would be the trusty mk3 if I did enter but perhaps with the brown hardtop. It's got a heated rear screen, luxury! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zetecspit Posted November 24, 2022 Share Posted November 24, 2022 4 hours ago, PeteStupps said: Am in two minds about entering next year. Pretty sure i'll regret if I don't but am currently wavering. Reckon it would be the trusty mk3 if I did enter but perhaps with the brown hardtop. It's got a heated rear screen, luxury! That is a fabulous spitfire, seems to go really well.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted November 25, 2022 Share Posted November 25, 2022 3 hours ago, zetecspit said: seems to go really well.... Oh yeah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStupps Posted November 25, 2022 Author Share Posted November 25, 2022 Much obliged! She's been very good to me, that car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStupps Posted January 2, 2023 Author Share Posted January 2, 2023 On 11/20/2022 at 11:16 PM, PeteStupps said: Next job when I'm back in the garage is to clean and rebuild the calipers Not rebuilt but I have stripped and cleaned up the Type 16P calipers (thanks Nick for pointing out the significance of the 'P'). Pistons were seized pretty solid so I ran a single brake line from the master cylinder on the car, to the caliper on my workbench, and managed to free them. For anyone with time on their hands, I made a video of the whole tedious process... The intended audience is people who enjoy listening to a clueless enthusiast sniff, tut, and talk to himself in a poorly-lit garage. I also stripped the master cylinder and replaced the internal rubber seals. It was actually in good condition when it came off the car but there was some congealed brake fluid in the bore. The new seal seems to be a very tight fit in the bore; am hoping that it will ease off with a bit of exercise. However, the rubber boot that came with the rebuild kit was poor quality (split under very little stress) and now I'm wondering whether I should have left it all alone - repro rubber stuff being what it is. Cheers all and happy new year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRooster Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 Get yourself a plastic tank, some washing powder, a chunk of old metal and a 12v battery. +ve to the anode (chunk of metal), - ve to the calipers in your case. Turn it on and you will see it eddy pretty quickly to the anode. Leave it a few hours then just wash the calipers down. RR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStupps Posted January 2, 2023 Author Share Posted January 2, 2023 1 hour ago, RedRooster said: Get yourself a plastic tank, some washing powder, a chunk of old metal and a 12v battery. +ve to the anode (chunk of metal), - ve to the calipers in your case. Turn it on and you will see it eddy pretty quickly to the anode. Leave it a few hours then just wash the calipers down. RR Thanks, I did that for my other Spitfire's wishbones and stuff, but decided it wasn't quite worth the effort. It also seems fairly dependent on line-of-sight between anode and workpiece, so ideally I'd want the anode dangling in the middle of the caliper. I've managed to get them pretty clean with various wire brushes to be fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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