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Tony Fearn
United Kingdom
60 Posts |
 Posted - 02 Aug 2014 : 22:33:02
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Hello again.
I hardly ran the car last year, so it needed sorting.
My Rapier now starts and runs as it should. I swapped a 1934 Jowett rear axle and a steering box and column for a thorough extended servicing of the car. This included, as well as a full service, with oil/filter change, new plugs, points, etc. the replacement of the front discs by new ones bought through the Club, and new pads. The rear silencer was also renewed, and the car was MOT'd and it passed with flying colours. There's 11 months to go before the next one. In the end, it seemed that the main problem I was having was down to the twin Zenith set-up. This was sorted and now I'm not worried about going out in the car.
Thanks to all of you who replied to my 'Help' query,
Tony. |
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Tony Fearn
United Kingdom
60 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2013 : 22:33:11
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Thanks for the link Daniel.
Tony |
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HunterGLS
Ireland
95 Posts |
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pruyter
Netherlands
323 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2013 : 12:11:03
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Hi Tony,
thanks for your reply. I know what it is when you are bothered by a technical problem and sometimes have lost all hope. Your friend is right: it is an engine and that can be mended. I myself experience most of the fun by finding out what is wrong, the mending part I do not like. Using your brain by detecting what is the culprit of a fault pleases me very much.
Now about the electronic igniton: I have a Lumenition electronic ignition on my Sunbeam Tiger and I am very pleased with it. No fiddling any longer with contract breaker points and the ignition timing is now allways spot on. Installing an electronic ignition is quite easy and certainly when you just follow the instructions that go with it.
It is recommendable to install at the same time a suitable coil which can cope with the electronic ignition.
Regarding a Sunbeam Rapier I am still in the hunt for a splendid Series 5 or a splendid Series 4a. Here in the Netherlands there is only one LHD Series 4 a, the other one on the continent in Europe is also a LHD Series 4 a which is in Norway. So it seems that I have to be in England for buying one! I have not given up any hope, I am sure that one day I will find what I am looking for.
I hope you are able to cure your Rapier and I will follow this thread in order to hear more about it.
Best regards,
Peter |
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Tony Fearn
United Kingdom
60 Posts |
Posted - 21 Feb 2013 : 21:36:34
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Hello Peter,
I haven't been in the garage to work on the car yet as the weather hasn't been too good here, and my garage is not attached to the house. It is a wooden one some way away.
Nevertheless, I have made up an aluminium heat shield for the carburettors, and a couple of tufnol spacers for the inlet manifold at night school where I can make parts and panels etc. between 19.00 and 21.oo hrs during term time.
I shall fit these soon I hope, but I'm also going to ring the 'Distributor Doctor' (http://distributordoctor.com/) as perhaps the main problem is the distributor. That company does red rotors and lots of other useful parts I'm told.
There's also the petrol pump which might just need an overhaul. I saw a gasket on eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281066302236?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649) for the pump, but it looks rather thick, so I don't know what effect it will have on the pump lever if the pump is taken 4 or 5 mm from the engine casing.
So we'll just have to watch this space, but I'm determined to make her run as she should without any fear of long journeys. After all I used to do them in the very recent past.
A good friend of mine in the Jowett Car Club once said to me when I was a bit low after having trouble with one of my pre-war Jowett cars:-
Tony lad, it's a machine, it can be mended!!
Regards,
Tony.
P.S. Should I consider electronic ignition, and is it easy to fit? |
Edited by - Tony Fearn on 21 Feb 2013 21:38:44 |
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pruyter
Netherlands
323 Posts |
Posted - 20 Feb 2013 : 06:28:24
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Hi Tony,
Did you solve your hot starting problem? If so what did it cure? |
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Jon
United Kingdom
221 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2013 : 10:39:58
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quote:
Originally posted by JPSH120
I still think heat is the likely candidate, the other suggestions would surely show themselves all the time, whereas you seem to be suffering when the engine is hot.
Not necessarily as the more you drive the more of a vacume it craetes on the fuel line and as the fuel pump is mechanical the more rpm your doing the more the pump just about manages to fuel the engine. Mine used to start first time when it was cold and shunting it around the drive at home as soon as i got it on the road i had this problem. I changed the union on the tank for a bigger bore one to and fitted a larger fuel line. It was faultless after this
Hillman Avenger MK1 GT,
Commer PB Pick-Up,
Commer PB Panel Van,
Commer Auto sleeper,
Triumph Stag MK1,
Chevette HS x2,
Lancia Delta Integrale,
Fiat Mk1 Uno Turbo,
Rapier Fastback,
MGZR Xpower grey MK2,
MK6 Ford Escort LX 1.8d van,
MK5 Transit 2.5td 150,
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pruyter
Netherlands
323 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2013 : 06:01:27
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If you take a look at the website of Zircotec and go to the rubric FAQ you will see that wrapping is not such a good idea. The wrapping will detoriate in time and will have a bad influence on the stainless steel exhaust. Also the wrapping lasts for a certain period and then one has to do the job again. So ceramic coating is the answer in reducing engine heath under the bonnet.
Regards,
Peter |
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JPSH120
United Kingdom
1190 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2013 : 15:55:29
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Ceramic coating is claimed to reduce temperatures by ~30%, not sure about the wrap.
If your temp gauge is not moving sounds like you could be bunged up! The last time I used my H120 the heater packed up and when I stripped the engine the amount of gunge that came out was shocking!
I still think heat is the likely candidate, the other suggestions would surely show themselves all the time, whereas you seem to be suffering when the engine is hot.
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Tony Fearn
United Kingdom
60 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2013 : 15:43:48
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Thanks for the varied replies Peter, Jason, Derek and Jon.
The link to the MG man's problem that I posted also mentions red rotors etc from the Distributor Doctor. I must admit, I've packed the inside of the rotor with thin paper to reduce the 'waggliness'(!!) it seems to have, so a new rotor and cap seem to be a good start.
I won't mind the dad's old vest look under the bonnet if I buy some heat-shield tape, as long as it works.
A clean-out of the petrol tank and lines and having a look at the pump and the carbs won't go amiss.
So I'll work through these suggestions when it comes a little warmer, and I'll also study whether there's a way to make some sort of shield from aluminium sheet as well.
Just thought - back flushing the rad and engine block might also have an effect, although the temp gauge hardly moves off the rest even after a few miles of motoring.
Regards,
Tony.
Tony Fearn |
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Jon
United Kingdom
221 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2013 : 13:28:39
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I dont think its nothing to do with any of the above mentioned its to do with the inside of your tank coming away and ending up in the fuel line/pump from my experiance. Rootes group painted all the insides of the tank! If you have the glass bowel fuel pump take the bowl off and have a look inside the pump.
Worked great with the old four star fuel but not the new unleaded with more methanol than ever! It works like paint stripper I had a load of trouble with my rapier,my commer van,my avenger and my friend who also has lots of rootes vehicles also having the same problem. Ive now fitted a custom made ally fuel tank to my commer its now sorted Another way is remove your tank,chuck a hand full of nuts and bolts in,strap it to a cement mixer and leave it goin for a few hours! Soon strips it all off to nice shiney metal
Hillman Avenger MK1 GT,
Commer PB Pick-Up,
Commer PB Panel Van,
Commer Auto sleeper,
Triumph Stag MK1,
Chevette HS x2,
Lancia Delta Integrale,
Fiat Mk1 Uno Turbo,
Rapier Fastback,
MGZR Xpower grey MK2,
MK6 Ford Escort LX 1.8d van,
MK5 Transit 2.5td 150,
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1922
United Kingdom
549 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2013 : 12:00:27
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quote:
Yes that is true, it just looks like you've wrapped the manifold in one of your dads old vests!!
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Edited by - 1922 on 16 Jan 2013 12:00:48 |
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JPSH120
United Kingdom
1190 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2013 : 09:19:24
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quote:
Originally posted by 1922
There is also exhaust wrap - I've never tried it but maybe it would do the same job for less money.
Yes that is true, it just looks like you've wrapped the manifold in one of your dads old vests!!
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1922
United Kingdom
549 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2013 : 08:38:36
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There is also exhaust wrap - I've never tried it but maybe it would do the same job for less money.
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JPSH120
United Kingdom
1190 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2013 : 08:33:28
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Fuel Vaporisation is causing a lot of problems for classic car owners. Unleaded fuel burns hotter thus increasing under bonnet temperatures.
One solution is to have the exhaust manifold ceramic coated which reduces the temperatures considerably, have a look at this website - http://www.zircotec.com
I once inquired about having mine done and I think it was around £300.
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Poor starting when hot.
