2 door VAE 306H

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kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

Wheels have been topcoated, just waiting for the tyres to be fitted.
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The bumper valances are all repaired and being prepped for paint.

But I have noticed a pool of oil under one of the rear wheels, looks like brake fluid coming out of one of the wheel cylinders, this is my biggest bugbear with old cars the quality of pattern parts.

I'll take a closer look tomorrow, it seems to be the season for it, my range rover has also started spewing fluid out of the steering box.
kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

Took a close look af the leak today, good news is it is not brake fluid, it is oil leaking out of the weep hole from the axle and running down the back of the backplate, looks like the seal in the axle is leaking for some reason.
kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

Fitted the new wheels and tyres and this evening used it for some chores.

The 165 13s fill the arches much better.
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It is much smoother with new balanced tyres, with the new water pump the engine sounds great, looks like the £100 engine was a bargin.

New problems which became apparant

1. The supposed rhd headlights are in fact lhd probably to late to send them back. ( bought from ebay 2 years ago)
2. 1 instrument light doesent work(just the bulb)
3. When braking very hard the rear whes lock up before the front, will look at putting a servo on the front circuit only.(it has dual circuit master cylinder)

All in all it is getting there though.
kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

Been using it for work the last few days, with a few small tweaks such as adjusting the heater cable and advancing the timing it is going really well, looks like it might even get it's first drive in the rain tonight. Not sure what is going on with the headlamps, they are marked for lh driving, have the same glass pattern as my TR yet seem to dip tp the wrong side, I wonder if there could be something wrong with the bulb installation. Also after a few miles the brakes are vastly improved, I can't see a servo being needed now.
My to do list is getting very short now.
kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

Not such a good day today, it broke down, driving along everything seems fine then engine cuts out and I roll to a halt. Pretty quickly established there was no fuel at the carb, firstly thought the pump had packed up but on pulling the feed pipe off it started clattering away, clearly there was a blockage in the feedpipe, connected the pump outlet to the fuel tank line, and blew back into the tank, until i could hear plenty of bubbles at the filler. Connected all back the right way round and it has been fine for the rest of the day.

Obviously something is blocking the feed line, further investigations tomorrow.
kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

Had a look at the fueling issue yesterday, the only way to access the pick up is through the filler neck and even then you can't see anything, So Idug this out.
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The aldi endoscope I bought a few years ago, what i found inside is that the tank was pretty clean and pick up tube has something similar to one of these on it.
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This is a TR7 pick up, the problem is the one on the minor looks to have partially disolved and is all distorted.

So what to do, I seem to have 3 options

1.buy a new tank
2.get this one steam cleaned, cut it open, repair the pick up and weld it up.
3. Fit a additional pick up in the sender unit like modern cars and blank the original off.

The third looks by far he easiest and cheapest ( knock up a simple brass fitting which can be screwed in on the lathe) so that will be what I go for, it also has the advantage it is easy to remove for cleaning if required in the future.
callyspoy
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by callyspoy »

Aye up,
I havrn't seen inside a tank at the feed, but is it not possible to remove the fuel line at the tank and poke something in there to reshape/break the internal filter? Then just fit an external fuel filter? Could always fit the external filter at the rear to stop too much crud getting into the fuel line.
Again, i'm sure there is a flaw in my plan, but just a thought!
kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

The pick up comes in the tank horizontally then turns through 90degrees for the pick up to be vertical, blowing backwards has cleared it for now I managed to get a piece of wire in it and it seeems clear enough to the filter so I suspect the filter or what remains of it is the issue. The problem is it is very difficult to access anything through the filler tube and I suspect even if I managed to get something around the pick up and pull the filter off I would end up bending the tube away from the bottom of the tank.
philthehill
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by philthehill »

If it is causing problems why not remove the fuel gauge transmitter and access the fuel pick up pipe through the fuel gauge transmitter fitment hole.
To me - removing the transmitter for access is much less hassle than having to cope with intermittent fuel blockages.

kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

There is a baffle plate going from the front to back of the tank just to the left of the sender, the pick up is on the other side of it so you can't get to the pick up at all from the sender.
kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

I decided after 3 months in the lock up I should go and take a look at the minor, all seemed well, pulled the choke out, turned it over and after a few seconds it started up, drove it out everything seemed to work so went for a 5 mile drive, I have forgoten how well it drove, had no problems and put it away.
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Still a few things to do,
1.fit the bumper valances ( just need a pair of overriders first).
2. Fix the oil leak from the lh wheelend of the axle
3. fit the radio.
4. Wire in the heated seats
5. Tidy up a few areas of the paint
6. Add a new fuel tank pick up.

First though I need to fix the TR7V8, went to change the carpet and found 6" cracks where the rear suspension attaches, seems 200,000 miles and doubling the original power has some side effects!
ManyMinors
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by ManyMinors »

There is always something to do isn't there! I find that older cars are better if they are used pretty regularly. Mine seems to be more reliable when used frequently. The only times I don't drive it is when there is salt on the road. I don't mind driving it in the rain as it lives outside anyway so is used to getting wet! I really like your two-tone paint scheme - it makes the car very distinctive 8) .
kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

In the summer I use one of my 4 classics every day, in the winter I tend to use my modern company car, heated seats and screens have a certain apeal on cold damp mornings!

It certainly does pay to use them regularly, my elan starts first pull if used every week leave 2 or 3 weeks and it is a pig to start.
irmscher
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by irmscher »

Tr7 nice car :D I have had them for years. A lot of fractures occur when using the v8 suspension etc check your bulkhead lower section .
kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

Yes its the lower section of the rear bulkhead whch has cracked, looking on the bright side its a lot easier to repair than rampant rust!

Kevin
kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

Decided to start doing the one thing which stopped me driving the minor last year first. Using some scrap brass I turned up a fitting which will allow me to fit a second fuel pick up through the gauge sender unit, still need to solder it together but i've lost the nozzle off my blowlamp so will have to get a new one first. I'll trim it to length when I fit it.
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kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

Fitted the new pick up today, drilled a 12mm hole through the fuel sender and fitted it with a couple of fibre washers.
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Fitted it all back together and driled a hole through the boot floor to connect it to the fuel line with a length of rubber hose.

Temporarily blanked the original line off and took it for a drive, all works well.

Just need to turn a plug up to permanantly blank it off and it will be done.
kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

Went and got the car last weeked, started fine and drove home with no issues but noticed the brake fluid level light was on, fluid was low so I topped it up, parked it on the ramp lifted it up to see fluid dripping out of the chassis leg under the master cylinder, took the top cover off to find it dripping out of the remote reservior connection (beetle dual circuit cylinder). Seems the sesls have gone very soft (modern repro rubbish) bought some new ones from a VW specialist and all now seems well.

Also look the rear hub apparr to fix the leak, no apparant issue, so I guess all I can do is put it all back together with a new seal, also needs a new bearing as after pressing it out it now feels notchy.

Once this is done it will be painting and fitting the bumper valances plus oveririders .

I also have all the parts to fit a A+electronic distributor, just need a little bit of machining to the collar.
kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

Rear hub done, bearing pressed in easily enough. The new seal had 2 lips rather tgan the single one on the previous one hopefullly this will help.
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Fitted to axle.
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Shaft and drum back on
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Wheel on
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Trim on and all done.
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kevin s
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Re: 2 door VAE 306H

Post by kevin s »

Turned up a blanking plug for the original and now redundant fuel pick up.
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Also turned the flange off the distributor sleeve so the A+ distributor is ready to fit.
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