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Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2019 8:20 pm
by captain_70s
Junkman wrote: Sat Aug 10, 2019 2:26 pm Lucky you if it's only facilities/tools, which can be acquired.
I'm completely void of talent when it comes to these things and there is no remedy for that.
I have no talent either, one of the patches I welded on to the Acclaim last year has already started peeling off (one of the ones I did last, there was certainly a point around 10 hours in where I stopped giving a shit and started hastily adding pigeon shit MOT patches so I didn't have to come back the following day...)

The main difference is that I don't charge money for it, its my car so I know how shit it is and I like to think every time I redo a job I've previously done it gets marginally less crap.

Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2019 12:53 am
by Scruffy Bodger
[/quote]I have no talent either, one of the patches I welded on to the Acclaim last year has already started peeling off (one of the ones I did last, there was certainly a point around 10 hours in where I stopped giving a shit and started hastily adding pigeon shit MOT patches so I didn't have to come back the following day...)

The main difference is that I don't charge money for it, its my car so I know how shit it is and I like to think every time I redo a job I've previously done it gets marginally less crap.
[/quote]

Patch on top of the festering shite or patch into the festering shite?

Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:38 am
by SiC
Rain has been stopping play over the weekend on any bodywork. Really rather frustrating. :(

Yesterday I replaced the battery isolator. Seemed a simple job, but as usual it ends up being a bit more involved.

Disconnecting the terminal led to the earth wire breaking. To be fair it only had a couple of strands left connected.
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I recrimped a new piece on. I'd rather this be a ring crimp but I couldn't find one with a hole big enough.
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I also took the time to fit an additional and heavier duty earth connection to the body.
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That location was previously occupied by the relay that I think drove a rear fog light. Not needed now as it doesn't have one and nor did it need one at this age.

The reason why I removed the isolator is that the knob was getting rather stiff to remove. Once removing the isolator it became clear why and why I don't like this style much.
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You can see the plastic has melted from getting very hot. This is likely because it hasn't been making good electrical conduct and leading it to act as a resistor. A resistor passing energy through it will heat up and hence melting that knob. I don't really like the design of these as their contact surface area is pretty small - especially for the amount of current they need to pass when starting. Longer term I'll use a different type of isolator.

I also started feeding the wiring in to put an electrical oil pressure gauge before the weather turned in again. I bought a NOS Smiths job a while back, so will be nice to see how the engine is running. Should remove (or add...) any fears the banging is definitely not engine internal related. As a side note, the oil pressure switch connector crimp is pretty loose. Makes me wonder if the pressure switch was even working when vibrating through running. Will be able to see clearer once I've got it off.

Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 12:53 pm
by fried onions
What do you need an isolator for? It is just adding another potential failure point, as you have found, increased resistance. Just disconnect the battery when you want to isolate it. Turning a knurled knob with fingers does not save anything over turning a 1/2" AF nut with a spanner.

Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:06 pm
by Eddie Honda
fried onions wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 12:53 pm Turning a knurled knob with fingers does not save anything over turning a 1/2" AF nut with a spanner.
You must walk around with a 1/2" AF spanner in your pocket. I have to hunt for mine first...

Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:12 pm
by SiC
Not easy thing to find when the magic smoke is coming out due to dodgy wiring mods somewhere behind the dash! Having one on there right now also makes it quick to disconnect and reconnect during the forthcoming welding works. Afterwards I'll seek a better solution.

It's also handy to disconnect the battery when in storage and reduce any power drain to zero. Especially as there is no defined time from parking in storage to being used next.

Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:22 pm
by mercrocker
Probably wrong (I usually am) but I just leave my earth terminal loosely wound up in storage. If I need to start the car or use any 12v power it is a push-on job rather than a spanner twirl to remove and replace it. Haven't had any issues starting it up like that although it is dry and fairly warm - a really cold start would call for the spanner.

Have to add, I do normally leave an open-ender in the car for that purpose although more than once have arrived home with it still in my back pocket...

Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:28 pm
by captain_70s
My battery terminals are also of the "quick release" variety. Tight enough they don't fall off, loose enough they can be yanked off.

Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:29 pm
by SiC
I was thinking something like this longer term:
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https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-QUICK-REL ... 2163872109

A similar idea is used to keep my bike wheels attached to the frame.

Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 12:36 am
by SiC
Weather half decent tonight, so made some small progress.

Firstly I tried some paint I had mixed out to see the colour match. It is shit. Should be good enough to do the wheel arches though.
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Next was chopping more metal out of this wheel arch. I eventually got to solid metal that isn't pitted.
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After
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This all looks complicated, but it's not that bad. Just many bits that make up this and will require quite a lot of sections to complete it. Will be fiddly for sure.

Next step on this area is to get the card out and start making templates. Then I can get the steel cut up and shaped. Welding on should be a relatively painless exercise - providing I don't catch the car alight.

Took some time to remove underseal off the drivers floor. There are a few holes in it, but I'm pretty sure I can get away without using a panel and fabricating it out of sheet steel. Won't be perfectly accurate but this isn't visible most of the time and it's quite a simple, flat area. At the moment it's in need of doing. If I did give a good stamp in this area, I'd have a Flintstones car for sure.
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Also this is going to be the first time I'm welding with interior, engine and other flammable things still in the car. On the Austin 1100 I had stripped anything remotely flammable out (apart from underseal), so could weld freely without fear of setting all the things alight. My plan is to stuff some fire blankets down in the wheel arch behind the holes to catch any splatter, sparks and flames.

Finally tonight I thought I'd have a look at the drivers front caliper to see the state of the pistons. The inside pad definitely has more material on than the outside. Pulled the pads out. This was quite a fight as the retaining pins were rusty and the pads were corroded enough on the side that it needed a pair of pliers to persuade it to come out.

Dust seals on the pistons appear intact
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Reasonable amount of meat still on these pads
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However they're pretty scruffy
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Retaining pins aren't much cleverer either
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While I was at it, I stuck my piston retract tool in and wound till it clamped the disc. This allowed me to pump the pedal and check that both pistons move.
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As both did and moved to a fair amount, I'm reasonably happy that they're in working order at the moment. Obviously not got a pot that seized solid. I'll do the otherside too and see how they perform. I may still need replacement calipers as the bleed nipple looks like it may give a fight. Image

I gave the edges of the pads and pins a quick sand down. Went back together really well and without an issue. Key thing is that the pads just slid in, rather than having corrosion stopping them and snagging.

I do really like these fixed calipers. So much nicer to work on than the sliding calipers that so many modern cars use.

Discs have areas of quite a lot of pitting on. I can't imagine this will be helping give a smooth brake action. This could well be a cause of the front brake fluctuation advisory on its previous MOT.

If the brakes still give trouble and before I condemn the pads, discs and calipers, I may try new pads and fitting kit at least. Mintex ones are cheap enough to be worth a punt trying to see if it resolves some of the issues for now and give a bit more of a reassuring feel. Brake fluid is in need of an urgent change too.