[DanClarke]

Really, really pleased for you.
I am pleased that the climbing the hill in a high gear was useful.
So are you going to stick with the BDL needle?
I'm not sure what caused the crack-backfire. Maybe it is still a tad advanced. Perhaps there is wear in the timing chain or summat.
But still very relieved that at last you really are getting there!
I'll raise a glass or two to your success, this evening!

Yes, I think it is still a tad advanced. I went out again on normal flattish roads and it kind of "bogged down" a bit and did the crack-back thru the intake. I turned it round and went home and pulled the plugs. 123 were rather "sooty" but 4 was much cleaner. I am going to retard the timing just a little more and have another go. I don't thinks it has had a long enough trip to really get the plugs hot enough on decent revs to get a true "mixture-picture" yet. But yes we are getting there, today's little run up the hill was very "sporty".

 

[Stanleysteamer]

Yes, I think it is still a tad advanced. I went out again on normal flattish roads and it kind of "bogged down" a bit and did the crack-back thru the intake. I turned it round and went home and pulled the plugs. 123 were rather "sooty" but 4 was much cleaner. I am going to retard the timing just a little more and have another go. I don't thinks it has had a long enough trip to really get the plugs hot enough on decent revs to get a true "mixture-picture" yet. But yes we are getting there, today's little run up the hill was very "sporty".

Well you've not said so, but I get the feeling the BDL needle seems to be the right one.
I guess it is possible that the timing chain has stretched a tad which could cause what you are getting. timing figures are just a starting point.
From now on you are feeling your way. But you are on the right track!
They go like sh!t off a shovel don't they?

 

[Stanleysteamer]

After a bit of searching it seems to be either the timing being a tad advanced or the needle leaning it a tad too much.
But then you wouldn't abuse a car normally like that you'd use less throttle or change down. So only done for test purposes and you were looking for pinking not backfiring. So it does seem you have got it very nearly right.
Check to see the dashpot still has oil in it though.

Still very chuffed you have got it so much better!

I wonder how many youngsters would even recognise pinking if they heard it?

I once had to change a timing belt on a Gfriend's Cortina 2 litre at the side of the road.
Somehow I got it into my head that I would have to retime it, dizzy-wise, once done. (Thinking about it later I realised this would not have been necessary.) So I did it by looking for and listening for the spark as I twisted the dizzy with the ignition on. timing set up for static.
The car started and ran but pinked as soon as she gave it a bit of welly. Timing light, which i had left at home, sorted it out. She at least could hear pinking even though she didn't know what it was! She drove it for a few days until I got around to sorting it. Pulling the advance pipe off the dizzy would have stopped it temporarily.

 

[DanClarke]

Having taken the boy out for a ride today and having it go pretty well with only one detonation in the intake I came home and gave the mixture screw a "tweak" towards the dark richer side. I will take the car out again and see if this has improved things. Too weak a mixture could be the culprit (as @Stanleysteamer suggested above), I believe that I do have the timing sorted.

Update:
Just took it out once more, gave it beans came on and off the throttle plenty of times..... no misfiring in the intake side.
So quite possibly it is fixed.

 

[Hicap phill]

What oil is in the dash pot?
(Forgot which is which… 1 let’s it rise/drop slower) this would mean a bit more fuel needed

 

[DanClarke]

What oil is in the dash pot?
(Forgot which is which… 1 let’s it rise/drop slower) this would mean a bit more fuel needed

Hi Phil,
ATM it is the SU official dashpot oil 20W, people do use ATF and even 3in1 Oil. Whatever works.

 

[Hicap phill]

Hi Phil,
ATM it is the SU official dashpot oil 20W, people do use ATF and even 3in1 Oil. Whatever works.

I used to run what ever was going on the engine on the v8 SU s(so 20W was been used)
Sounds like the right stuff then.

Must be the 3 in 1 is thinner so allows the piston/needle to rise quicker

Good to see your still progressing with the project.

 

[DanClarke]

In preparation for an MOT on Wednesday the rear brakes and handbrake have been adjusted.
While I was lying there doing the brake adjusting I spotted the grease nipples for the rear swing-arms so I pumped a few squirts of grease in there while I was at it. Every little helps (even if it is not MOT related).

 

[DanClarke]

OK, just to update this thread, there was no MOT on Weds because the initial precursory look at it from a pit and the ability to turn the steering wheel 10-15° in either direction (with no actual roadwheel movement) and then a loud "Clunk" followed by roadwheel movement suggested the splined interface from column to rack was FUBAR. Advice was to drive carefully home.
Column is out splined cup isn't (splined anymore). 2nd hand one en-route from e-bay (£49). Brand New one £103 + P&P.
Hopefully it will be back in by next Wednesday and we can try again.

 

[landowner]

In preparation for an MOT on Wednesday the rear brakes and handbrake have been adjusted.
While I was lying there doing the brake adjusting I spotted the grease nipples for the rear swing-arms so I pumped a few squirts of grease in there while I was at it. Every little helps (even if it is not MOT related).

Best to keep plenty of grease in those swinging arms to preserve the bushes, big job sorting worn bushes

 

[DanClarke]

The MOT was bailed on because of a serious steering linkage issue.
A repair is ongoing (awaiting new "2nd-hand" inner column), this one is sp(l)ineless.

Concern was expressed that there might be a fuel leak, but I cannot find one.
I suspect that "spray lube" that was applied to the carb linkages was mistaken for a leak.
Everything will be washed down/cleaned off dried up before our next visit.

 

[Firebobby1]

OK, just to update this thread, there was no MOT on Weds because the initial precursory look at it from a pit and the ability to turn the steering wheel 10-15° in either direction (with no actual roadwheel movement) and then a loud "Clunk" followed by roadwheel movement suggested the splined interface from column to rack was FUBAR. Advice was to drive carefully home.
Column is out splined cup isn't (splined anymore). 2nd hand one en-route from e-bay (£49). Brand New one £103 + P&P.
Hopefully it will be back in by next Wednesday and we can try again.

When I got my Mini, the steering wheel just spun, no movement at the wheels. I fitted a second hand one.

 

[DanClarke]

Received the "Used Good" steering column inner shaft just before lunch.

I think "used good" is Swahili for "rusted to feck but might be OK".

Anyway, I spent an hour or more removing the worst of the corrosion and as the splines on both ends were fine went ahead with the install.

I slackened the rack U-Bolts and began the dance of despair working at arms length with a thing that's about as easy to aim as an angry cat.

More by luck than judgement I am sure, I managed to get the alignment right first go and the nip-up bolt slid in place easily.

Don't you just love doing up that bolt 1/16th of a turn at a time in the that little panel recess?

Column all fully re-secured and then the rack U-Bolts done up again.

Amazingly.... now when you move the wheel by just a smidge the wheels begin to turn. Not the 10-15 degrees required before.

 

[landowner]

Received the "Used Good" steering column inner shaft just before lunch.

I think "used good" is Swahili for "rusted to feck but might be OK".

Anyway, I spent an hour or more removing the worst of the corrosion and as the splines on both ends were fine went ahead with the install.

I slackened the rack U-Bolts and began the dance of despair working at arms length with a thing that's about as easy to aim as an angry cat.

More by luck than judgement I am sure, I managed to get the alignment right first go and the nip-up bolt slid in place easily.

Don't you just love doing up that bolt 1/16th of a turn at a time in the that little panel recess?

Column all fully re-secured and then the rack U-Bolts done up again.

Amazingly.... now when you move the wheel by just a smidge the wheels begin to turn. Not the 10-15 degrees required before.

Easier with the seat out lol
Did you centraise the rack with a drill bit in the hole
Should be good for life now, I never had one with worn splines and done loads.
On to the next job eh

 

[DanClarke]

Easier with the seat out lol
Did you centraise the rack with a drill bit in the hole
Should be good for life now, I never had one with worn splines and done loads.
On to the next job eh

I did think about doing that, BUT... however it had been set up already had it driving without wandering etc. and the tracking seems fine. There was just 10-15 degrees of free play in that socket. So, I decided to let sleeping dogs lie and concentrated on NOT disturbing anything but just pulling the column off and putting the new one on with everything else staying as it was. I will take it out for a run after rush hour tomorrow to see how it goes and if the 2 other faults I spotted and fixed are still fixed I will be really pleased.

 

[landowner]

I did think about doing that, BUT... however it had been set up already had it driving without wandering etc. and the tracking seems fine. There was just 10-15 degrees of free play in that socket. So, I decided to let sleeping dogs lie and concentrated on NOT disturbing anything but just pulling the column off and putting the new one on with everything else staying as it was. I will take it out for a run after rush hour tomorrow to see how it goes and if the 2 other faults I spotted and fixed are still fixed I will be really pleased.

Centraising really easy so you get even turns left and right.
Pull plastic plug out of the thing that sticks out of floor where left hand dive column would go, sick a drill bit in the hole and turn steering till drill bit locates the hole in the rack. Then put steering wheel on straight and bobs yer uncle fannys yer aunt and dicks yer best friend

 

[Stanleysteamer]

Received the "Used Good" steering column inner shaft just before lunch.

I think "used good" is Swahili for "rusted to feck but might be OK".

Anyway, I spent an hour or more removing the worst of the corrosion and as the splines on both ends were fine went ahead with the install.

I slackened the rack U-Bolts and began the dance of despair working at arms length with a thing that's about as easy to aim as an angry cat.

More by luck than judgement I am sure, I managed to get the alignment right first go and the nip-up bolt slid in place easily.

Don't you just love doing up that bolt 1/16th of a turn at a time in the that little panel recess?

Column all fully re-secured and then the rack U-Bolts done up again.

Amazingly.... now when you move the wheel by just a smidge the wheels begin to turn. Not the 10-15 degrees required before.

Glad your purchase seems to be OK.
Like you and prolly most on here, hate working in confined spaces like that.

While you were down there, what are the footwell/bulkhead sections like? They often rust to buggery, I had to cut out and weld in new sections in both footwells. Which was also a pain!

 

[DanClarke]

Glad your purchase seems to be OK.
Like you and prolly most on here, hate working in confined spaces like that.

While you were down there, what are the footwell/bulkhead sections like? They often rust to buggery, I had to cut out and weld in new sections in both footwells. Which was also a pain!

Whole bodyshell is like new after the rebuild.

I have an MOT scheduled for tomorrow.
Interestingly, I took it out today and in the first part of my journey I had to turn left and then up a steep hill, it lacked power and we got the pre-detonation in the inlet side. I pulled the choke out and we regained power and stormed up the hill.
This led me to think it was under-fuelling. So I have tweaked the jet down a smidge and will try the same trick tomorrow.

One other mystery is what the valve clearances should really be. One school of thought says ALL A+ engines 12 in/12 Out but the Vizard-Wizard book has a table saying the Metro engine with std rockers should be 15 in and 15 out.
Now as I cannot identify what engine this is for certain, what should I do?
Try 15/15 and if it is a clattery bucket of bolts put it back to 12/12?

 

[Beneagles]

While you were down there, what are the footwell/bulkhead sections like? They often rust to buggery, I had to cut out and weld in new sections in both footwells. Which was also a pain!

Flash back to early 80's biscuit tins!

 

[landowner]

Whole bodyshell is like new after the rebuild.
View attachment 336518
I have an MOT scheduled for tomorrow.
Interestingly, I took it out today and in the first part of my journey I had to turn left and then up a steep hill, it lacked power and we got the pre-detonation in the inlet side. I pulled the choke out and we regained power and stormed up the hill.
This led me to think it was under-fuelling. So I have tweaked the jet down a smidge and will try the same trick tomorrow.

One other mystery is what the valve clearances should really be. One school of thought says ALL A+ engines 12 in/12 Out but the Vizard-Wizard book has a table saying the Metro engine with std rockers should be 15 in and 15 out.
Now as I cannot identify what engine this is for certain, what should I do?
Try 15/15 and if it is a clattery bucket of bolts put it back to 12/12?

Any where between 12 and 16, it's not critical, inlet slightly wider if you're racing as it snaps the valve open, others may disagree but it worked for me. (who's Vizard)