Discussion
e21Mark said:
Meant to ask, how's the engine feeling now you've put a few miles on it?
It's all good!My posts tend to be a little lacking in words when the car is running well...
I've been commuting in the car on and off recently and the low speed niggles and idle inconsistency of an old school engine with too many (overly complex) carbs and points ignition are still there. It's much better than it used to be and maybe I'm just being unfair to it driving new cars most of the time.
Once properly warm (25 miles or so!) and out on the open road with more throttle, so detail carb balancing issues are negated, it is a joy, sweet spot is from about 3800 to 5600. It will pull from 1000 rpm if you really want to (or forget to change gear because your company cars are autos!) and spin round happily to 6500 in first and second.
It's debatable if it's making any more power, and still feels a little 'tight' at times, but other than the usual flat engine oil puff at start up it runs very well.
It has enough power for the chassis and although it could always do with more it's not a priority.
I'll be taking it back out next winter to fix the crank seal, but other than that nothing planned at present except enjoy it
It's something I've briefly looked into, unfortunately the triggering of the standard capacitive discharge (CDI) box doesn't suit most aftermarket triggers.
There is now an aftermarket replacement for the CDI box with modern internals. This does suit the electronic triggers and is more importantly capable of being mapped.
My experience with the mapped ignition system I built for the car a while back (and later took off) is that this can significantly improve things and make the most of modern fuel. The advance curve in the distributor is set around 2 star.
Let's see how the budget is feeling in a couple of months!
There is now an aftermarket replacement for the CDI box with modern internals. This does suit the electronic triggers and is more importantly capable of being mapped.
My experience with the mapped ignition system I built for the car a while back (and later took off) is that this can significantly improve things and make the most of modern fuel. The advance curve in the distributor is set around 2 star.
Let's see how the budget is feeling in a couple of months!
Edited by gary71 on Wednesday 12th April 20:29
One of the joys of owning a car for many many years is you get to replace stuff twice...
The car has been feeling a little under damped in recent months, although as with the low speed driveability it maybe just my daily spoiling me.
However after £700 and a few hours work this morning a new set of Bilstein dampers confirmed what my backside was telling me. It's back where it should be, the steering response is now symmetrical and heavy compressions are managed with style and no overshoot.
I guess I can't moan after 15 years hard service!
Rears are dead easy, just one bolt and a nut in the engine bay:
Luckily you can get the front inserts out without taking the strut off, making it a 30 minute job rather than hours:
Back out for a run tomorrow all going to plan!
The car has been feeling a little under damped in recent months, although as with the low speed driveability it maybe just my daily spoiling me.
However after £700 and a few hours work this morning a new set of Bilstein dampers confirmed what my backside was telling me. It's back where it should be, the steering response is now symmetrical and heavy compressions are managed with style and no overshoot.
I guess I can't moan after 15 years hard service!
Rears are dead easy, just one bolt and a nut in the engine bay:
Luckily you can get the front inserts out without taking the strut off, making it a 30 minute job rather than hours:
Back out for a run tomorrow all going to plan!
The dampers made a huge difference, best not to underestimate what the years can do, even if they still feel 'OK'.
150 miles around Wales followed last Sunday and it was truly impressive, perfect balance, symmetrical steering response and composure.
One thing I needed to get sorted was the occasional heavy knock from the underside so today was time for the next job.
150 miles around Wales followed last Sunday and it was truly impressive, perfect balance, symmetrical steering response and composure.
One thing I needed to get sorted was the occasional heavy knock from the underside so today was time for the next job.
So from here: Pretty much zero clearance from the ARB to the gearbox mounting:
Via:
A bent ARB mounting, both sides were the same. I guess grounding it in a snow covered car park did bend something!
So after some pulling, tweaking and bending I got back to a whole 8mm gap:
Should be fine and much like I remember it before.
I also repaired all the dents and scrapes on the floor and covered it all in a nice coat of gloopy underseal ready for the MOT sometime next week.
Via:
A bent ARB mounting, both sides were the same. I guess grounding it in a snow covered car park did bend something!
So after some pulling, tweaking and bending I got back to a whole 8mm gap:
Should be fine and much like I remember it before.
I also repaired all the dents and scrapes on the floor and covered it all in a nice coat of gloopy underseal ready for the MOT sometime next week.
Awesome thread, just read the whole lot on my lunch.
I love cars of this era and always hankered after a classic, a 911 would have been at the top of the list but budget put a stop to that! The only other car of the same era for me was (is) the Bmw 2002, which i have managed to purchase! I'm on with building it now as it was a project and i feel even more inspired after reading your thread, so thanks for that! Cant wait for those mountain drives, 'just because'!
Scott
I love cars of this era and always hankered after a classic, a 911 would have been at the top of the list but budget put a stop to that! The only other car of the same era for me was (is) the Bmw 2002, which i have managed to purchase! I'm on with building it now as it was a project and i feel even more inspired after reading your thread, so thanks for that! Cant wait for those mountain drives, 'just because'!
Scott
Evening,
The picture side of the thread is now rebuilt using (hopefully stable) links from FlickR rather than Photobucket. Any quotes still don't work so it's not perfect.
Maybe I'll even drive the car one day soon! I had to SORN it last week (for the first time!) as I ran out of time for an MOT.
Job for tomorrow is book the MOT!
The picture side of the thread is now rebuilt using (hopefully stable) links from FlickR rather than Photobucket. Any quotes still don't work so it's not perfect.
Maybe I'll even drive the car one day soon! I had to SORN it last week (for the first time!) as I ran out of time for an MOT.
Job for tomorrow is book the MOT!
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