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Bfitz241 Member 
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Didn't know where else this would fit, so.... I got my JH started today. It ran very badly. It has Dellorto 45Es that have allegedly been rebuilt [to be fair, the parts I inspected were clean], however, it would only run on the accelerator pump. Stop pumping the pedal, engine dies. I inspected the plugs and they were fouled, so that is a no brainer for replacement and I pulled the distributor cap. I think I found the real problem. The ignition is an MSD triggered by points. But even that won't cut it when the points are covered in oil. HOPEFULLY, after I clean them I will have a better report. Anybody think I'm on the right track? I'm hesitant to blame carburetion when the ignition is questionable. But I still have the Zeniths as an insurance policy. If I'm in the wrong forum, please let me know....I'll move.. |
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Tom Bradley Member
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Sounds like the kind of thing I went through getting mine running after several years in storage. One of the problems I had was the plugs getting repeatedly carbon fouled because I was running it cold and rich for relatively short periods. So I had to keep replacing the plugs to find the other problems. My guess is that the points are not a big deal. If you have an electronic ignition, the points are just a signal with very little current going through. They would have to be very bad for it not to work. Though cleaning them certainly will remove any doubt. While you have it out, also check the distributor cap. My experience is that they tend to break down fairly regularly with the higher voltage of electronic ignitions. Last time I replaced mine I coated the outside with clear epoxy to increase the insulation thickness. From the description, my first guess would be carburetors and/or vacuum. But I am not familiar with Dellortos, so I do not know how they behave when they have problems. Others can probably help you more there. Maybe in the fuel system forum. Good luck and let us know how it is going. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Thanks for the encouragement. Looks like previous owner tried to do the right thing, but time has not been kind. Spoke to my friend with the distributor machine, and will be into that soon. Maybe this week. In the interim, I jumped the MSD box as a test and got a weird reaction from the coil...the power was tracking from the center tower down to the positive in on the coil. Never saw that before. The output from the center lead was, in my opinion, weak...especially for an MSD driven system. Plan now includes new coil, new plug wires [I think that alone will be huge] and new plugs. If the distributor passes muster, I'll get one of the red rotors that I've been told are better with high voltages. If the distributor does not pass muster, I will either rebuild it or put serious time into a crank trigger. I inspected the Dellortos, so far all the jets are clear. I left my notes in the shop but remember they have 36mm chokes. But fuel is useless without fire, so ignition first. |
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Tom Bradley Member
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Sounds like a good plan. You might also check the connectors in the coil primary circuit. In my case I found some loose and corroded connections and frayed wires that were increasing the resistance and reducing the amount of spark energy. |
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Jim Ketcham Member
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I always go back to basics to trouble shoot an engine. It's either spark or fuel. If there is strong spark at the spark plug at the right time then it's fuel. I think you are on the right track tackling ignition first. You do not mention how long the car has been idled or if it ran well with the Dellorto carbs and MSD previously. The car's history is important before we can make good assumptions. Before tackling the carbs I would confirm the fuel is fresh, the filter is not plugged including the filters at the Dellorto carb inlets, and the fuel pressure is correct ( 2.5psi for Dellortos). I have found that properly jetted and tuned Dellortos are close to bullet proof and require minimal adjustment. If you do not know the history of the car and whether it ran well previously in its current configuration you may have to check the Dellorto jetting. Recommended jetting for the stock 907, as well as, 2.2 L stroker configurations can be found on this board. I have found the jetting recommendations listed by Greg Fletcher to work excellently and have used them on several stock and 2.2L engines with great results. Good luck, Jim |
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Bfitz241 Member
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I've never seen the car run. Probably hasn't been run in 10 yrs. The Dellortos have been rebuilt, by a carb guy not me. The fuel tank is in the back of my pickup and I'm running it on an outboard gas tank with an inline electric fuel pump. I also ran fuel through the line to carry out any crap. Fuel tank has been cleaned and sealed at a radiator shop. I won't install it until the car runs. I only need this thing to run onto and off a trailer. Then I'll get fancy. The PO has the MSD wired up like a hobbyist, in other words he didn't read the directions. I'll correct that by running the hot/ground directly to the battery. I also suspect no grounds straps to the engine from the frame. Why the Brits ground their electrics through the body tub will always be a mystery to me, such a bad system. Independent grounds to a ground stud then to the battery. I'd also like some opinions on whether those Dellortos are even worth it. I have the complete Z/S carbs and manifold and since this car won't be raced, or get an exhaust header, I wonder if ITB carburetion is even worth the tuning hassles. How much more power do they really generate? But I still need to get the oil off the points and inspect that distributor. Last edited on 02-20-2015 04:07 am by Bfitz241 |
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Jensen Healey Super Moderator 
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I've read that the ZS carb cars were down about 20hp. Take that with a grain of salt. If the PO installed Dellortos and MSD, I would be looking for other performance modifications. Is it possible the pistons, cams, and possibly the crankshaft are uprated items? |
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Bfitz241 Member
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It is quite possible, but it does have the cast iron manifold and an exhaust system with 2 mufflers inline...so it should be very quiet. Not performance mufflers either. What type of cranking compression does a stock 907 generate? Maybe I can figure it out with a compression gauge. Today I took the distributor apart...overall it was in very good condition, especially the bushing and shaft. They were in very good shape. I changed the inner and outer seals, cleaned and lubed the advance mechanism, cleaned and set the points. The wires under the cap are soaked in oil. I hope this doesn't cause cross talk. The wire out from the points was cracked and brittle so I made up a new one. The interesting thing was the vacuum can. It actually worked perfectly and held vacuum. Too bad the end of the spring that attaches to the breaker plate had corroded off. The breaker plate is free to move as it chooses. SO, now I need to stabilize the breaker plate, and the easiest way is to install another advance can. May I be so bold as to ask for recommendations? They seem to be about $100 so I'd like to buy as few as possible. I also ran the dist on the machine. All RPM will be crank rpm, halve it for dist rpm. It starts advancing at 1200/1*, 1300/3*, 1600/4*, 1800/5*, 2000/6*, 2200/7*, 2400/9*, 2600/10*, 2800/12*, 3200/14*, 3600/15*, 4200/16*, 4600/17*, 5200/18, 7000/18.5* Point bounce began to set in around 5500-5700. Red Lucas points. Very drawn out curve. It has an 18* advance limiter so that's about right, but I'm really wondering about those springs. So that's where I'm at. I need to buy some parts. I'm going to search the ignition forum for a CORRECT curve, and if anyone has an opinion on a vac can or spring set I would be very appreciative. Last edited on 02-20-2015 09:38 pm by Bfitz241 |
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Jim Ketcham Member
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You can drill a small hole and pin the braker plate so it is stationary. It is not vacuum advance but vacuum retard and only comes on federal cars to meet emissions. The European JHs with the Dellortos did not come with the vac retard distributor and only used centrifugal advance. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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I'm actually a fan of part throttle vacuum advance, so I'm going to put some effort into finding a can that works. |
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Jim Ketcham Member
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Your advance curve appears to be a bit off. Max advance for both the Stromberg or Dellorto stock engines is 17.0 degrees at 2500 rpm. for your Dellorto setup with stock engine: 1200/2.0 1400/4.4 1600/6.8 1800/9.0 2000/11.4 2400/16.0 2500/17.0 max advance Either the distributor is not original to JH (MG maybe?) or the advance springs and/or weights are messed up. I do not know if I was clear in my earlier post, but you should NOT be using VACUUM RETARD on the Dellorto configuration. Even on the Stromberg configuration it does not offer any performance benefit. The Dellorto configuration came with the Lucas 23D distributor that does not have a vacuum module on it. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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I saw those figures in the manual...unfortunately I left it with the car....is that crank degrees or distributor degrees? I was able to get a vacuum advance can for the 25D, so I reassembled the distributor with the new seals, o rings and springs I got, and put it back together. I had the usual teething pains getting the dist drive lined up, but succeeded on the second attempt. The timing however, was so out of spec I had to loosen the timing belt to adjust it from the pulley. Set it to about 12* to 14* initial [using a test light] tightened everything back up, checked the pulleys and hit the key. It actually runs. Not too badly either. Carbs need to be synced and tuned but it idles on its own. 60psi cold oil pressure. I think it'll be OK. Even charges the battery. Last edited on 02-28-2015 05:27 am by Bfitz241 |
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Jensen Healey Super Moderator
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There are many vacuum advance and vacuum retard diaphragms available for the 25D. The JH used vacuum retard for pollution control, exactly the opposite of what is needed for performance. Adapting an actual vacuum advance seems like a great idea to me. |
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Frank Schwartz Member
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On all the JH's we have had and those I occasionally work on, I remove the vacuum advance unit altogether...and replace it with a block out unit from Jeff Schlemmer of Advanced Distributors...his web site is jeff@advanceddistributors.com and if I remember correctly it is a very well engineered unit and still retains the micro adjust to the distributor. Odd your vacuum retard works at all...most I have seen are a source of air leak in the system and best blocked out or removed. Jeff's unit, again, if I remember is about 45 dolalrs and well worth it, I think. Frank |
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Frank Schwartz Member
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Gave you the wrong email site...the web site is http://www.advanceddistributors.com and the unit is listed for the 22D and 25D distributors and is as I thought 45 dollars. Frank |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Thanks for the info. I did remove the vac retard...the end of the spring had rotted off, but the can did hold vacuum. Replaced it with an advance unit....so far, I'm happy with the results. |
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Jensen Healey Super Moderator
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The vacuum capsule was a 4-6-4R giving 4 degrees of retard at 4 to 6 inches mercury. The vacuum capsule does not change the timing under load, but during off throttle deceleration when the mixture is lean. I believe the retard capsule was used to limit certain pollutants at idle. I did find a 4-6-4 capsule listed for Lotus with 45D4 up to 1980. It would be prudent to contact the experts: http://www.britishvacuumunit.com There's an article on vacuum advance here: http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/239321/ Cheers, Kurt |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Had a productive day today. Radiator out, and it's starting to fall apart, has scale on the inside and some green corrosion at the bottom of the core. It's a 3 core, which is good. The fan clutch is leaking ever so slightly so I fear its life is probably over. Water pump out, looked ok but I took it out so it's getting rebuilt. All the hoses are garbage and the clamps have seized so the hoses were cut. Took out the master cylinder and am in the process of taking out the booster. There's rust on the body below the booster I want to attend to so even though it works, it's coming out. One question; are the front fenders bolted or welded on? Thanks |
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Art DeKneef Member
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Bolted for the most part. There should be two tack welds. One on each end on the top. Once you clean everything you should be able to see them. |
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answerman Member
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If you haven't taken the booster out yet (maybe you know this already) the easiest way is to just remove the pedal box. You can do it all from under the hood, with one minor exception. First, go under the dash and unbolt the S shaped accelerator pedal extension from the pedal box. Then, go back under the hood and remove the 6 or 8 bolts (don't remember exactly) from the pedal box and then withdraw the whole pedal box into the engine compartment. Then, all you have to do is disconnect the throttle and clutch cables from the pedals. Once that's done, it all comes out as a unit (you have to wiggle it around a little but it does come through no problem). Then you can remove the booster from the pedal box in a nice comfortable place like your workbench. I did it twice about a month ago, the whole process takes about 10 minutes and doesn't require any under the dash contortion other than unbolting the accelerator pedal. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Thought I give an update. Haven't done much to the car due to some unexpected health issues, so hopefully I'll get to it soon. BUT, I went out to the garage to visit it and the driver's side mirror had fallen off! Casting failed...I think it's mad at me. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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As I mentioned in the Brake forum, I took the booster and master out. Had them rebuilt by Apple Hydraulics in Riverhead NY. Looks like they did a good job, we'll know when I get them in. Car currently has an Autometer tach but I have the original Smiths. Anyone have any experience with Nisonger Instruments? I'm probably going to send the tach to them for updating. Also found a hole in the brake line that runs to the rear brakes. Will replace that when I replaced the rubber brake lines. Last edited on 06-22-2015 05:13 am by Bfitz241 |
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Frank Schwartz Member
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That works...but don't forget also to unplug the two wire leads to the brake switch.... |
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Bfitz241 Member
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You got me with that...Can't remember if I did or not...is that something that needs to be done to get it back together? |
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Frank Schwartz Member
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NO...but you have to remove the two wire leads to the switch to remove the pedal assembly...and remember when you put it all back together, to connect the two wires...or you won't have any brake lights.... |
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Bfitz241 Member
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AH! I see. Will do |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Latest update, transmission out. Clutch and flywheel out. Throwout bearing was growling. Going to check the trans for sychroes and overall condition. Trans has a leak at the rear, could be the driveshaft seal. There is an oil leak at the back of the engine, however, there is no oil running down the back of the block. It's all below the centerline of the crank. Could be the rear seal but that looks new. Could be a leak from the oil pan itself. I wonder if that stud goes into the inside of the pan and oil is wicking out the stud. I plan on pulling the engine so I'll check it when it's on the stand. |
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Esprit2 Member
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I know, I'm very late, but I just ran across this thread. Maybe this will be of use to the next guy.Bfitz241 wrote:The fuel tank is in the back of my pickup and I'm running it on an outboard gas tank with an inline electric fuel pump. Which inline fuel pump are you using. More to the point, what is the fuel pressure at the carb inlets? It should be 1.5 to 2.5 psi. More will over-power the float/ inlet valve and result in a high fuel level and flooding. If the pressure is high, install an inline fuel pressure regulator, and set it to 2.0 psi. The Dellortos are great all by themselves, once set they require minimal maintenance/ tuning, but they will only be as good as the guy who installed them. They should be installed with soft mounts and Thackeray washers (coil springs) or rubber grommets. Do not tighten the mounting nuts down hard. There should be a 0.040-0.050" gap all around both sides of the soft mount. They should never be hard mounted. The carbs must be balanced after installation. If they're not balanced, then the engine will run like crap. That's not the carb's fault, that's the installer's fault. All multi-carb set-ups are subject to balance, not just Dellortos. It's basic Carbs 101. There should be no oil on the points, or in the distributor. Presence of oil indicates the distributor's seal is bad. Either replace it, or pay to have the distributor rebuilt. Advanced Distributors is good (they're about a half hour from me), and Jeff can make a decrepit old piece of crap distributor better than new for about $115. Jeff is a little stubborn, and has his own ideas about how to set up a distributor. Just tell him you want stock J-H spec, and be diplomatic in your conversations. Cop an attitude, and you'll lose him in the first sentence. He has zero tolerance for bull or attitude, despite his own attitude. He's really a nice guy, just go easy until you know him. Bfitz241 wrote: What type of cranking compression does a stock 907 generate? Maybe I can figure it out with a compression gauge.7.58 - 8.96 bar (110 - 130 psi) COLD = Jensen-Healey spec 10.2 - 11.6 bar (150 - 170 psi) HOT = Lotus spec Lotus specifies that the compression is to be tested HOT with the engine up to full operating temperature, throttle held fully open, and engine cranking at least 200 rpm (ie, battery fully charged). That's a little tough if you can't get the engine running in the first place. If you have the option, check the compression pressure hot. Failing that, a cold test is better than nothing. Bfitz241 wrote: It starts advancing at 1200/1*, 1300/3*, 1600/4*, 1800/5*, 2000/6*, 2200/7*, 2400/9*, 2600/10*, 2800/12*, 3200/14*, 3600/15*, 4200/16*, 4600/17*, 5200/18, 7000/18.5* Point bounce began to set in around 5500-5700.Spec is 17 crank degrees all in by 2500 rpm. However, 16 to 18 is good, and a little bit more by redline is okay... well, good. Jim Ketcham wrote: I do not know if I was clear in my earlier post, but you should NOT be using VACUUM RETARD on the Dellorto configuration. Even on the Stromberg configuration it does not offer any performance benefit. The Dellorto configuration came with the Lucas 23D distributor that does not have a vacuum module on it.True, the vacuum retard is an emissions setting incorporated into the Zenith-Stromberg emissions set-up, and not fully consistent with the Dellorto performance set-up. But the vacuum retard only comes into play at closed throttle idle, and has no real detrimental affect when used with Dellortos. Once the throttle is cracked open enough to break the vacuum, the retard goes away (it's all or nothing). For all driving above idle, vacuum retard is a non-issue. Don't bust a hump over it either way. The one downside is that the initial off-idle throttle response can be a little sluggish while the vacuum capsule responds (a split second), but once you're launched, it's not a factor. For autocross or motorsports, delete the vacuum retard for optimal throttle response. For street driving it's not much of a factor, and the upside is that the retard produces a more benign idle. Bfitz241 wrote: Water pump out, looked ok but I took it out so it's getting rebuilt.The J-H water pump has forward curved vanes on the impellor, and the vanes are small and few in number. The forward curved vanes result in cavitation at higher rpm, resulting loss of pumping efficiency, and a tendancy to run hot or over-heat. Later 'Lotus' 907 impellers have backward curved vanes that cure the cavitation problem, but are still small and few in number The 910 Turbo impellor has a full compliment of long, backward curved vanes, and it's a huge improvement in coolant flow. The problem is that the 910 impellor's snout is longer, so it won't fit in a J-H pump housing. But take the new and old impellors to a machine shop, and have them shorten the 910's snout so the overall length matches the short J-H impellor. Once that's done, the new impellor assembles into the pump as before (follow the book). If you live in a hot climate, or if the engine tends to run hot, this is a good mod. Somewhere along the way, Lotus 'metricated'. The early impellor has a 1/2" bore, and later ones have a 12mm bore. And there's a matching bearing/shaft for each. Either will fit in any pump housing, just buy a bearing that matches the impellor you have. 910 impellors came both ways, so either specify one with a 1/2" bore to match a standard J-H bearing, or get the 12mm if that's all that's available, and order the right bearing to match. Regards, Tim Engel Last edited on 02-23-2016 03:57 am by Esprit2 |
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Bfitz241 Member
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The pump is one of the real garbage autozone type electric black boxes...forget the name, it self regulates to 3 psi per my gauge. When it seizes I'll install a Carter with a bypass [I'm a fan of bypass fuel systems] Dell Ortos, check Balancing, just like my Honda..piece o' cake. I fixed the distributor myself with the seal info I found here, so thank you to the author of those posts. Water pump, check. New impeller, housing machined Took my shifter to a friend yesterday to make up some bushings to replace the disintegrating nylon[?] or fiber that was there. Whatever it was fell apart when we drove the pin out. Got it back today, much better. Transmission getting dropped off Monday for inspection and any repairs [it actually works, but I want the synchroes inspected and the seals and gaskets replaced] My biggest issue, besides the transmission being out, is that one valve is tapping. I'm restraining myself not to take it apart until I have it out. Then I'll do the belt, tensioner and valve adjustment all at once. I hope the cam doesn't have a flat lobe but we shall see. Thanks for the response, very helpful |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Transmission, flywheel. clutch and release bearing all being inspected and repaired as needed. I'm giving serious consideration to having the driveshaft balanced. Has anyone had an issue with driveshaft balance? I figure that since it's out..... If I can get my brother to help me remove the hood the engine will be on the stand next. My parts list is growing. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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transmission to a respected transmission shop locally. He opened it up and will be putting synchroes, and a reverse slider in it. Everything else looks usable. Going to use 75W-90 GL4 synthetic in it. Anyone have a favorite brand? I've heard some transmissions prefer a heavier lube, anyone used say 85w-140? Thanks |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Trans done. Pick it up tomorrow. He got the parts from the local BMW dealer, took about 4 business days (OK, a week) to get them. Resealed, ready to go. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Got the transmission back. Going to use 75W-90 synthetic. Either Mobil 1 or Valvoline. Hopefully will be able to use it by summer. |
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Screenplay Member
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I noticed in your previous post that the trans shop got parts from the local BMW dealer. I'm assuming this is a 5 speed - is that so? I've heard parts are near unobtanium for these transmissions. What BMW dealer is this? Clinton |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Yes, the shop got the parts from BMW. They had to order them from Germany but everything was available. I wasn't on top of the trans shop but I'd say 6 or 7 business days and he had all the parts. The dealer he dealt with was Hassel BMW in Freeport NY. He got all the part numbers from Delta and called BMW with them. He even gave me back the old synchros and reverse slider. There actually wasn't anything wrong with the synchros, so I'm keeping them as spares. And the slider is usable, I just opted to change it, and all the seals and bearings. I'll find the receipt and send you the part numbers if you like. |
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Screenplay Member
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That would be great. I'd rather deal with the transmission sooner than later if there is a good source for parts. Feel free to pm the information to me; I look forward to it. Thanks, Clinton |
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Bfitz241 Member
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sure...I'll look now...stand by |
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Bfitz241 Member
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msg sent |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Took a look under the front suspension today...the suspension bushings are crumbling like shredded wheat. All of them. I'm not emotionally prepared for this. Calling Delta Monday. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Tried to replace the rear main seal today. The seal in the holding plate was installed at inconsistent distance, between .135 and .105 from the edge...so that probably contributed to the leak. Found the oil slinger rattling around on the crank...according to the manual I thought it was to be glued to the block...I'll have to come up with a solution because this engine is NOT coming apart...unless it's in a blaze of RPM induced glory...going to change all the coolant hoses while I can reach them from below...then the transmission goes back in and the front suspension gets done. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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water pump in, bypass hose and thermostat included in that. slow progress.. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Checked all the valve clearances, thankfully within spec. Valve covers were a Bitch to clean, but finally got the silicone sealer off. Think I'll try the gaskets from the Club store. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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rear main seal pressed in and instALLed. Flywheel and clutch in. Tomorrow, hopefully, bellhousing and transmission. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Nope, I was wrong. The ape that was in here before me saw the need to strip 4 of the bellhousing attaching bolts. Although I am in no way looking forward to it, the engine will now come out along with the front subframe. Might as well kill 2 birds and what not. Can someone direct me to how to post pictures? I searched and got nothing. Thanks |
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Bfitz241 Member
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I've hit a snag...let's just say it's not always easy to get the engine out by yourself. Anyway, I'm waiting for approval for the MRI on my knee so I decided to do something easy to kill time. I was able to fix my mirror. Pulled out the glass, the screw had pulled out. Tapped it for 10-24, JB welded a stainless stud in there and reinstalled the spring with loctite and flat and lock washers. Put the glass back in. piece of proverbial cake. At least that's done. I'm going to fiddle with things that aren't heavy for a while. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Upper and lower control arm bushings replaced, strut rod bushings on the bench, Waiting for: outrigger bushings, rack boots, and tie rod ends. Brake flex lines replaced. Right caliper seized solid, outer piston stuck in the extended position and visibly pitted and outer pad down to metal, inner piston stuck but pad still has material on it. Left caliper both pistons move but not well, both pads have significant amount of pad left. Anyway to tell if these are original calipers or a replacement from a Triumph or something? Both calipers have a G cast in the inner half. Both calipers full of water/brake fluid mix Upper subframe to body mounts replaced. Speedometer cable got snagged on the engine during removal and has been rendered unusable. That's what happens when you're tired and working alone. September is target date for actual use.....but based on what I've seen so far, the rear braking system will be in an equal state of disrepair. Time will tell.... |
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Bfitz241 Member
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To paraphrase Edd China, lots of faffing about. I would use other words, but this is a family friendly site. Got the outrigger bushings in. That's a good thing. This car has "Spax" shocks in it. I turned the adjustment dial and they tightened up, so I'm going to try them. If they fail, they fail. I found an Energy Suspension bushing that pressed in to the bottom of the shock perfectly. It's polyurethane, only issue is it's one piece as opposed to the 2 piece that fell out. The lower shock bolt hole spacers were both different lengths and different diameters. I ordered some Bilstein generics [5/8 OD X 7/16 ID] and will cut them to length. Any one have a suggested setting for the Spax shocks? Right now I'm going to try "4" clicks, seems pretty stiff, compresses well but rebound is very hard. Thanks |
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Bfitz241 Member
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after only what, six weeks(?), I finally got the F$%^&*(# bellhousing back on. Not in the car mind you, and the trans is still on the floor next to the engine. But the Bellhousing is ON! |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Back to the suspension...as I said, the car has Spax shocks and I'm going to give them a second chance. The issue is the P/O [whom I will affectionately refer to from here on out as "The Ape"]. When The Ape installed the shocks, he used 2 different length and diameter[!] spacers at the bottom. I mocked up the lower shock mount and it is roughly 1.190" in length from bolt hole to bolt hole. I got some generic shock spacers but they are wrong in both dimensions also, only the hole size is correct. I will turn them down and part them off to the correct outer diameter and length. The next issue is that the lower shock bushings, once again installed by The Ape, had been completely pulverized. I say due to the wrong bushing being smashed into them, but what do I know. To combat this Apishness, I got some generic polyurethane shock bushings. They pressed in beautifully but unfortunately are too long. Since I don't want to mimic THE APE, I will be facing them off in the lathe to the correct length. Looks like .125 per side will do it. No cutting will happen until I triple check all dimensions. Unfortunately I won't be able to get this done as soon as I like as I have have family commitments for the next 2 weeks. Last edited on 08-05-2016 12:50 am by Bfitz241 |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Been a while....engine, transmission and front suspension back in. Calipers rebuilt and installed with new brake pads. Power booster installed yesterday. New stainless flex lines installed front and rear. New tie rod ends and rack boots installed. Today will be the master and cooling system. If there's time the fuel tank and all that will go in. There's a British car show on US 1 @ the King's HEad Pub in St Aug I want to go to. My brother's bringing his TD, I had hoped to bring the JH but that's not happening. Had a new shifter boot made since a mouse ate the original by Delcher's Leathers in either Neptune or Atlantic Beach. Nice fellow, has a pet parrot in the shop. More as it occurs |
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redracer Member
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Just "discovered" these threads; sorry I got here so late, as I at least could have helped you through some of the standard J-H problems. I do not have much experience with Dellortos, so I'll leave that to the other experts, but do with most of your other problems. Please call or email me if you like(although it seems like you're almost finished) bruce madden RedRacerbm@gmail.com 404-261-2552 SKYPE : RockClimber52 (I have used SKYPE to real-time help J-H owners with problems) |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Appreciate the offer. This all seems like standard car stuff to me. Most annoying issue I have now is the d___n rack leaks now that I filled it up...Any suggestions for that? Leaks out the left boot tie rod end and through the lower cover. I'm open to suggestions or I'll just go medieval on it. |
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redracer Member
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Delta sell replacement boots; I don't like the nylon fasteners that come with them so I get the longest "thin" worm clamps(just fit) or put a couple together. They are a pain to "slip" on so rubber grease will help. Be sure to count the number of turns when "unscrewing" each tie rod (usually 15-23). Use 90W and a little MoS2 (about 6 ounces into it after reinstalling. I remove the top 2-bolt cover plate, tweezer out the parts, and carefully fill it there. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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I was curious how people were saying they add oil through that top plate. So those parts just pull out and go back in? Good to know. I think I fixed my leaky rack boot, I pitched the screw clamp and actually put a zip tie on it. If that fails I'm going for the plastic ratchet clamps used on outboard motors. I also had lube leaking out one of the bolts, so I took it out and covered it with permatex thread sealant...I think I got it. Took the rear brakes apart and no suprise it needs rear shoes....fortunately nothing is leaking....drums look reusable...have to measure them Last edited on 10-24-2016 12:11 am by Bfitz241 |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Today, made some progress. Radiator and fan in. rear drums and shoes ordered and on the way. Rack still leaks. Thanks to Redracer, going to try his method to stop the leaks and fill it back up...Tomorrow's plan is to finish up the loose ends under the hood. Hopefully get the fuel system back in. It may actual run this year. And tires, need new tires. |
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Jensen Healey Super Moderator
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My leaky rack secret is to install a zerk fitting in the plate and use grease instead of oil. My JH has been running grease in the rack for 15 years and about 15,000 miles. No worries. Kurt |
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Bfitz241 Member
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do you use any specific grease? how much do you use? I like the idea.. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Today; drained the rack. Thanks to Redracer for his tip. drained it through the lower plate [the one that leaked] and refilled through the top. Used a plastic ratchet clamp [ACE hardware, available in multiple sizes] on the left rack boot and used THE RIGHT STUFF rtv on the lower cover plate. So far, no leak. Drained and refilled the rear end as the cover was seeping...The Ape had used blue rtv....well I used THE RIGHT STUFF....refilled to the plug and no leaks yet. Installed radiator hoses, temp switch for electric fan, heater hoses. Then I got tired and went inside. Will continue under the hood tomorrow provided I don't have to back track due to leaks. Also filled the transmission, greased both u joints and the driveshaft slip joint...all of these things were dry. The rack had been empty, probably for years, and the rear was about half full. |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Took a look at my carburetors yesterday. Dellorto 45s. I'll list what I found for those interested: Cold start jet 95 [that seems excessive to me] Main air corrector 230 Main emulsion tube 7772.7 Main jet 158 Idle jet holder/air corrector 7850.9 Idle Jet 58 Auxiliary venturi 8011.1 Chokes 36mm Admittedly I'm not a Dellorto guru, but based on the book and the presumed level of engine modification [not much] this setup seems to be all over the place. To me it looks like he was trying for high rpm hi flow high power but at the same time trying to keep the low speed lean for economy. I'll say this, it sooted up a new set of plugs in about 20 mins idle time and that's with an MSD 6 AL. Comments appreciated |
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Bfitz241 Member
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trying to post a picture Attachment: .phone pictures 159.jpg (Downloaded 100 times) |
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Bfitz241 Member
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put the battery in, 3 gallons of gas turned the key and it started.... |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Took the passenger seat out to change the carpet....found some change, some mouse droppings, a Fleetwood Mac eight track, and a lot of old rolling papers. Life in the seventies must've been good. |
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NigelK Member
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It certainly sounds like it! How was the seat removal process? Any of the bolts stuck solid? Any useful hints and tips? (this is the next job on my GT...) |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Nigel, No real problems....used a 6" hex key socket...all bolts broke free..took about 5 mins Good luck with that GT |
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Bfitz241 Member
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today I pulled the old carpet from the right hand side [driver side for the car's homeland]. It was bad....used a heat gun on low to relax the adhesive [that really helped] and used a putty knife to pry the carpet up from the floor...getting it out from under the center dash pod will not be fun, but it needs to be done. Also got the fuel fill and gasket installed....silicone grease, patience and a Snap On hose tool are your friend here. Replaced the broken control lever in the heater... small things that need to be done |
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Bfitz241 Member
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with any luck I'll actually get the door back on today |
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Bfitz241 Member
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OK....door on, dash wood veneered and varnished, hazard switch replaced and rewired, carpet in, seats in, radio wiring fixed and connected https://www.snapfish.com/library/share?w=snapfish_us&c=snapfish&l=en_US#NMCz3hbl_p2ILrHjKYQxIQ/AUS/27941460266070/SNAPFISH Last edited on 01-30-2017 05:52 am by Bfitz241 |
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Bfitz241 Member
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took it off the lift and drove it around today. It actually worked. Now wheel alignment |
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Bfitz241 Member
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today continued my carb experiments.. I began with a 45 jet in the cold start, way too lean took that out and put the 95 back in, way too fat broke out the pin vise and drilled the 45 to .027", don't know what that is in MM. This worked excellently. Engine starts from dead cold just by pulling the choke out and settles in to a high idle [about 1500]. If I lived where it got really cold, I'd consider going to .029 or .031", but for my purposes this is fine. Going to register it and continue |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Wheels aligned, going to wash and compound it tomorrow provided it doesn't rain. If I get motivated, I'll even put the carpet kit in the trunk |
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Bfitz241 Member
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washed, buffed, waxed...I did not get motivated to install the trunk carpet. DMV tomorrow What does everyone use on the rubber bumpers? Armor All doesn't really do it....there's always ATF though Last edited on 02-05-2017 10:44 pm by Bfitz241 |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Last edited on 06-01-2017 03:37 pm by Bfitz241 |
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Bfitz241 Member
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Took it for its first ride since 2005 today. Put about 40 miles on. Ran at the proper temp, stopped, turned, idled in traffic. 25psi oil pressure hot idle. 50 something at speed. Couple of observations: It does not like E10 gas. Had been running it on non ethanol up to today. Filled it up and before I got out of the station I felt it, and the idle degraded. Just have to adjust the tune in the carbs a little. And, the APE rears his simian head once again. The tailpipe hits the suspension stop in the rear. See, I tried to adjust the pipes so they cleared everything while the car was static, BUT the APE welded the muffler to the tailpipe and my choice was have the 2 outlet pipes on the muffler at a 30* angle[not really a good look] or, try to get it to clear and hope. As with all things in my life, hope has led to disappointment. So I'll get the sawzall, cut the muffler off, rotate it and weld it back on in the correct orientation this time. |
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redracer Member
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Glad to see you got it chugging along again. As for the exhaust, the suspension was never a "hang" it set- up where going over a small bump would make it hit the chassis/suspension/whatever. Instead, they used "compression" bushings/rubber to physically hold it down and also absorb the bump shocking. Some old shock absorber bushings with a bolt and some imagination will help since the original ones are hard to find and frankly did not work very well. Happy Healeying! |
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Bfitz241 Member
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thanks for the well wishes. Maybe I used the wrong term but the item the exhaust is hitting is mounted to the body above the rear on the left side. I assumed it was a suspension stop. Could be anything. Either way, I can get my finger between it and the pipe, so that's what, 3/8 to 7/16" clearance? Not enough to keep the pipe from hitting as the body moves around. Time to go full blacksmith on it with a BFH and welder |
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dbeliveau74 Member 
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Sounds like you're making good headway with your JH. Hope I can get mine on the road by spring. Cheers, Dan Attachment: DSC_1088 (600 x 397).jpg (Downloaded 109 times) |
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Bfitz241 Member
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I actually made 1,000 miles use without getting stuck. I call that a win. Continued my carburetor experiments...had some soot on the body of the plugs, not the electrode, the body. I don't like that. Changed accelerator pump jet to a 42. No difference in running, so the 50 that was there was too much. But hey, you gotta start somewhere. Put the carpet kit in the trunk. It starts every time, runs cool, drives straight and get about 27 mpg...what's not to like. |
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