get you home bodges
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- Minor Legend
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Re: get you home bodges
Never thought of contributing to this thread.
This bodge isn't mine. It was a lecturer at tech college many years ago when I was an apprentice mechanic. He asked us to diagnose a misfire on his Minor 1000, which sounded terrible, had steam coming out of the tailpipe and was barely running. IIRC compressions ranged between 75 and 0. Having diagnosed head gasket failure or other cylinder head issue, the head was removed... to reveal three pistons and one slice of oak table-leg jammed about an inch down one cylinder bore! With the sump, which was leaking like a sieve, removed, we also found only three con-rods. The slice of oak table-leg was about an inch thick and had been beautifully turned on a lathe to fit the bore!
I wonder if the car survived... a Rose Taupe 4-door. KLM456D...?
This bodge isn't mine. It was a lecturer at tech college many years ago when I was an apprentice mechanic. He asked us to diagnose a misfire on his Minor 1000, which sounded terrible, had steam coming out of the tailpipe and was barely running. IIRC compressions ranged between 75 and 0. Having diagnosed head gasket failure or other cylinder head issue, the head was removed... to reveal three pistons and one slice of oak table-leg jammed about an inch down one cylinder bore! With the sump, which was leaking like a sieve, removed, we also found only three con-rods. The slice of oak table-leg was about an inch thick and had been beautifully turned on a lathe to fit the bore!
I wonder if the car survived... a Rose Taupe 4-door. KLM456D...?
1956 4-door called Max
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- Minor Fan
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Re: get you home bodges
Once drove a mini 50 miles with no throttle cable.
Tied the SU open with the highest revs I dared in neutral (about 4,000) and did the rest with the clutch.
Tied the SU open with the highest revs I dared in neutral (about 4,000) and did the rest with the clutch.
Brian
"Jodie". '67 Traveller, 1275, discs, suspension mods etc.
"Jodie". '67 Traveller, 1275, discs, suspension mods etc.
- ndevans
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Re: get you home bodges
Spare throttle cable and spring, two essentials worth carrying. You'll only need them once every blue moon, but when you do, you'll be grateful!
A bike brake cable will do for the throttle if it's long enough and has the cylindrical metal endclamp on it, but they are not as thick as throttle cables, so I wouldn't leave it on forever.
A bike brake cable will do for the throttle if it's long enough and has the cylindrical metal endclamp on it, but they are not as thick as throttle cables, so I wouldn't leave it on forever.
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- Minor Friendly
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Re: get you home bodges
Those interested in this topic should check out a TV series called Bush Mechanics . You can find it on YouTube and demonstrates such useful skills as converting a screen washer into a fuel pump, and hand carving a clutch throwout bearing out of hardwood, to name just 2 of many.
Cheers John G
Cheers John G
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- Minor Addict
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Re: get you home bodges
I used to run a 1976 875cc VW Polo which tookme and my family on many trips around the UK four up.
One day enroute to work it began to overheat,I realised the head gasket had blown,so I topped up the water using the washer bottle and the contents of my mates flask of tea.
We managed to get to work and home again and I managed to replace the gasket in time for the following morning trip to work.
How easy were cars to work on then!!
One day enroute to work it began to overheat,I realised the head gasket had blown,so I topped up the water using the washer bottle and the contents of my mates flask of tea.
We managed to get to work and home again and I managed to replace the gasket in time for the following morning trip to work.
How easy were cars to work on then!!
Proud owner of my first Morris Minor
- ndevans
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Re: get you home bodges
I hope you flushed the block!
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- Minor Fan
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Re: get you home bodges
Or added milk and two sugars
Brian
"Jodie". '67 Traveller, 1275, discs, suspension mods etc.
"Jodie". '67 Traveller, 1275, discs, suspension mods etc.
Re: get you home bodges
I had a clutch operating rod snap. Used a wire coat hanger to get home. On another occasion, a fractured brake pipe meant gentle driving, anticipation, and careful use of gears and handbrake. This technique used to be taught on some advanced driving courses, don't know if they still do.
- ndevans
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Re: get you home bodges
I had to do that once, when a brake union split. Bloody scary it was, and I only went about 400m before I stopped and rang for help.simmitc wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2019 2:04 pm I had a clutch operating rod snap. Used a wire coat hanger to get home. On another occasion, a fractured brake pipe meant gentle driving, anticipation, and careful use of gears and hand brakebrake. This technique used ot be taught on some advanced driving courses, don't know if they atill do.
Re: get you home bodges
You could have flattened the steel brake pipe just before the union, you may have retained at least some braking power.
I was given a demo ride in a Mini that had this treatment, I was told after the event !
I was given a demo ride in a Mini that had this treatment, I was told after the event !
- ndevans
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Re: get you home bodges
It lost all the fluid very quickly, the split was at the rear 3 way union on the back axle. Went from spongy brakes to no pedal in about 3 miles
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- Minor Friendly
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Re: get you home bodges
Moggie bodges over the past 20 years:
a) Throttle cable snapped so refitted choke cable to pull throttle arm to get me home. Thankfully, engine was warm so no need for choke to start.
b) Fuel pipe developed a leak but managed to patch up with chewing gum to get home.
c) Sump developed an oil leak and also patched up with chewing gum; theme developing here.
d) Window wiper motor broke so disengaged mechanism and used bailer band/string so passenger could pull wiper arms back and forwards in the rain with windows open. Didn't work very well.
e) Dip switch broke so no lights so drove down back lanes to avoid Police using indicators to see way ahead. Also didn't work very well.
f) Gear stick snapped off selecting reverse too aggressively so used a pair of mole grips to change gear; fab quick shifter!
g) Fuel pump packed up so filled washer bottle with syphoned petrol and gravity fed in into SU. Couple of refills got us home.
How many of these would work on a modern car, I wonder?
a) Throttle cable snapped so refitted choke cable to pull throttle arm to get me home. Thankfully, engine was warm so no need for choke to start.
b) Fuel pipe developed a leak but managed to patch up with chewing gum to get home.
c) Sump developed an oil leak and also patched up with chewing gum; theme developing here.
d) Window wiper motor broke so disengaged mechanism and used bailer band/string so passenger could pull wiper arms back and forwards in the rain with windows open. Didn't work very well.
e) Dip switch broke so no lights so drove down back lanes to avoid Police using indicators to see way ahead. Also didn't work very well.
f) Gear stick snapped off selecting reverse too aggressively so used a pair of mole grips to change gear; fab quick shifter!
g) Fuel pump packed up so filled washer bottle with syphoned petrol and gravity fed in into SU. Couple of refills got us home.
How many of these would work on a modern car, I wonder?
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- Minor Legend
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Re: get you home bodges
Came home in our old Viva many years ago with a terrible noise and only sort of running on three cylinders.
A pushrod had punched a hole through the pressed steel rocker and wasn't doing anything!
Bit of time with the welder and file had it fixed for the morning.
Alan
A pushrod had punched a hole through the pressed steel rocker and wasn't doing anything!
Bit of time with the welder and file had it fixed for the morning.
Alan
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- Minor Legend
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Re: get you home bodges
Ha ha - I like it! I once drove about 20 miles down country lanes in the dark to get home with no lights due to a charging problem. Fortunately there was a full moon and I could see the way clearlyacrobinson wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2019 7:20 pm e) Dip switch broke so no lights so drove down back lanes to avoid Police using indicators to see way ahead. Also didn't work very well.
By the way, has anyone on here used the legendary ladies tights as a fan belt fix?
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- Minor Legend
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Re: get you home bodges
Tights ? Stockings yes - showing my age !!!
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- Minor Legend
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Re: get you home bodges
More like showing your Street-cred...
John
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- Minor Legend
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Re: get you home bodges
Excellent, 'ShropshireMoggie'!
Now, I just now had to do a bodge myself. For a few days the ignition warning light had been showing signs of trouble in the charging circuit - sometimes took fairly high revs to go out, sometimes behaved normally. Last week it stayed on for about 8 miles but after fiddling with the dynamo wires it went out again as it should. Then last night I noticed the ignition light stayed on when the ignition was switched off. Started the engine again, revved it, turned off the ignition and the light went out. Oh dear, something obviously wrong.......
So......this morning I did the old 'does the dynamo work as a motor?' test by removing the fan belt and pressing down the cut-out switch in the control box. A twitch...and then nothing....zero. And the cut-out contacts remained closed and had to be seperated by hand. Oh well, the dynamo is cooked, I thought. But then I noticed the 'D' terminal on the dynamo seemed a bit loose. I wiggled it a bit and found the dynamo then did run well as a motor and the cut-out seperated itself! Hmmm.
Removed dynamo and saw some of the plastic surround to the terminal had broken off, making it very loose and waggling about. A couple of turns of thin wire around the terminal made it tight again, so I replaced the dynamo and found all working correctly again. A test run confirmed this must have been the problem. Not sure how long I want to trust this bodge so will be getting a new dynamo...........
But I don't know why a dodgy connection of the D terminal would make the cut-in contacts stick on??
Now, I just now had to do a bodge myself. For a few days the ignition warning light had been showing signs of trouble in the charging circuit - sometimes took fairly high revs to go out, sometimes behaved normally. Last week it stayed on for about 8 miles but after fiddling with the dynamo wires it went out again as it should. Then last night I noticed the ignition light stayed on when the ignition was switched off. Started the engine again, revved it, turned off the ignition and the light went out. Oh dear, something obviously wrong.......
So......this morning I did the old 'does the dynamo work as a motor?' test by removing the fan belt and pressing down the cut-out switch in the control box. A twitch...and then nothing....zero. And the cut-out contacts remained closed and had to be seperated by hand. Oh well, the dynamo is cooked, I thought. But then I noticed the 'D' terminal on the dynamo seemed a bit loose. I wiggled it a bit and found the dynamo then did run well as a motor and the cut-out seperated itself! Hmmm.
Removed dynamo and saw some of the plastic surround to the terminal had broken off, making it very loose and waggling about. A couple of turns of thin wire around the terminal made it tight again, so I replaced the dynamo and found all working correctly again. A test run confirmed this must have been the problem. Not sure how long I want to trust this bodge so will be getting a new dynamo...........
But I don't know why a dodgy connection of the D terminal would make the cut-in contacts stick on??
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- Minor Legend
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Re: get you home bodges
My old mini, back in the seventies was prone to blowing fuses. They all got gradually replaced by bits of silver paper out of fag packets...
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- Minor Legend
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- Minor Fan
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Re: get you home bodges
Or a bullet of the right size.
Brian
"Jodie". '67 Traveller, 1275, discs, suspension mods etc.
"Jodie". '67 Traveller, 1275, discs, suspension mods etc.