project 1980 Austin Princess

[vulgalour]

Bit more of an update on this, I feel like I'm getting somewhere with diagnosis.  Degreased and re-greased the mechanism and now the throttle is lovely and smooth but it's still sometimes sticking a little higher than it ought at idle, a carb strip down, clean up, and rebuild looks likely which isn't a huge problem apart from struggling to find a choke cable (I may be able to repurpose a Mini one, not sure yet).  The other thing I found while degreasing the mech is that I had an air leak right where the carb joins the heatshield and/or spacer block which certainly won't be helping matters.

 

I've got it to stop dieseling 95% of the time now, happily, by just cleaning and regreasing the mech.  I reckon I can resolve that 5% by performing a full strip down and clean and fitting new gaskets or gasket goo to the spacer block.  I may even replace the spacer block with a metal one since it's the same as used on the Mini.  I suspect this carburettor is actually just worn out so I'll probably rebuild my spare one since I can live with the one on the car at the moment.

 

This is happily fairly easy tinkering work that's little more than maintenance rather than the rather more annoying problems I was dealing with last year, so I don't mind it so much.

[vulgalour]

Before stripping the carb down I wanted to replace the choke cable, the one on the car is badly frayed and deformed at the carb end and I knew it wasn't going to go back in the tiny little hole again.  Trouble is, finding a Princess specific choke cable is something I've never managed to do, so after discovering a few bits are shared with the good old Mini, I took a chance and bought what looked like the same cable for one of those since it was very cheap and not too risky a gamble.

 

Here's how you do it.  First, you need to purchase a  classic Mini choke cable OR a generic one.  I bought a 60" cable because I wasn't sure how long it needed to be but I knew that would be more than enough, there are generic ones available that are shorter.  I also got the one Minimine stock because the handle is as close to identical as you're likely to get to the one that was in the Princess originally.  First job is to undo the tiny nut on the choke cable mechanism at the curburettor.  I used a screwdriver socket drive with a relevant tiny socket on for this since that's easier to get in with than a ratchet.

20180526-01 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

Then, pull the choke cable through from the inside of the car, leaving the outer sheath in place.  This is important as the outer sheath isn't interchangable with the Mini/generic cable and generally they aren't damaged anyway.  You may find it easier to disconnect one half of the column shroud for rethreading the cable, you may be okay doing it with it in place.  I elected to remove the shroud as it's only two screws, one being next to the choke pull and the other at the bottom of the shroud at about 7 o'clock position as you look at the steering column from the steering wheel end.

20180526-02 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

This is the mess that is my old cable.  That's never going to go back in its place and having already been trimmed in the past, there isn't enough cable left to trim it shorter to get back to anything good again.

20180526-03 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

This is the outer sheath of the Mini cable, designed this way so it can be screwed to the dash panel.  This doesn't easily go into the Princess so it's best just to bin this bit, you don't need it (unless you have another car that does, of course).

20180526-04 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

Here are the cable inners side by side.  The shinier one is the new one.  They have a slightly different shape towards the choke pull end but they are otherwise identical.  The new cable is ever so slightly thicker too.  This is why I suspected this would work.

20180526-05 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

Then, you thread the new cable from the column shroud end.  I found this easier with the shroud unscrewed from the column so I could line the cable up easier.  Rethreading it is really easy providing your sheath is in good condition and requires no effort at all, which is nice.  Once rethreaded, reattach the column shroud then rethread the cable through the weird nut in the choke mechanism and adjust accordingly.  The only problem with the 60" cable is that it's much too long and does need trimming down.  I haven't got a suitable tool to do this at the moment that will cut the cable without crushing and fraying the end so for now the excess is threaded out of the way down the back of the engine and I'll deal with it later.  A 50-55" cable would be a better fit.

20180526-06 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

Then time to test.  Pull out the cable and see if it locks properly... and it does!

20180526-07 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

Unlock the cable and push it back in to make sure it does so smoothly and the light goes out... and it does!

20180526-08 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

Operation is much smoother and now I know I can safely disconnect throttle and choke cable to rebuild the carb without fear of the cables fraying and being impossible to reinstall.  Less than a tenner to sort and the choke pull looks nicer inside the car since the insert in the old one had broken and come out.  It's nice when a job goes smoothly like that.

[Eddie Honda]

I haven't got a suitable tool to do this at the moment that will cut the cable without crushing and fraying the end

[vulgalour]

They look like bicycle brake cable cutters, which is what I was going to use.

[Eddie Honda]

They'll do any Bowden cable up to a certain size. Plus you can crimp the end of the cable with one of those cable end ferrules.

[SiC]

^^ this.

 

Choke and throttle cable is essentially bike cable. Tbh you can get away with side cutters as long as you crimp an end piece on the end to stop it fraying. You can get end ferrules from any bike shop.

[Slowsilver]

 

The only problem with the 60" cable is that it's much too long and does need trimming down.  I haven't got a suitable tool to do this at the moment that will cut the cable without crushing and fraying the end so for now the excess is threaded out of the way down the back of the engine and I'll deal with it later.  A 50-55" cable would be a better fit.

 

You could try soldering the cable inner at the appropriate point before cutting it.

This will hold the individual strands together but, unlike crimping on a ferrule, will still allow you to thread it in and out of the solderless nipple in future if required.

 

[vulgalour]

That is a very good idea, I shall do that when I trim the cable.

 

I had a moment of inspiration today when thinking about what to use to retrim the faded parcel shelf and remembered the leather I salvaged from a broken sofa we threw out recently.  The back panel was just the right size to do the job and had the added benefit of nice straight seams to add some visual interest rather than being a single flat piece.  Works really well in the car and the grain isn't too far off the factory vinyl so it looks right at home.  It should hold up a bit better against UV than the velvet did.  I didn't cut the speaker holes in the leather as I can do that easily at a later date and the rear speakers aren't wired in yet.  I don't even have a radio in the car at the moment, tunes are low priority for me.
20180526-09 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

I also put the waist trim back on the boot lid since it wanted to play ball this time.
20180526-10 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

[MikeKnight]

Was going to put this in the antidote to grumpy thread but I'm putting it here instead, because it fits vulg's driving perfectly. Especially the last one.

 

[vulgalour]

Alarmingly accurate.

[Felly Magic]

That parcel shelf repair is top banana, and I bet you are seriously chuffed with the outcome, result with the choke cable too

[vulgalour]

FTP!  HELPFUL STRANGERS!  POTATOCAM!

 

[Eddie Honda]

Re: Twitter post

 

Only difference between reference FZX 1322 and FZX 1285 is the damper.

 

 

 

I'm willing to concede that the old Burlen catalogue may/may not be correct.

 

I looked at this, http://sucarb.co.uk/rebuild-kit-for-hif6-carburettors-suitable-for-morris-marina-ital-princess-applications.html but given the price, I reckon it's a single carb kit. (The price of CRK 144 & CRK 145 kits are up around £90.)

 

Ringing them will give the definitive answer.

[Rod/b]

MG Metros had an anti-run-on device fitted to the SU carb to stop this. I wonder if you could retrofit one to this.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Sorry to hear about the FTP.  At least it was something simple.  Worst place for it to happen though.

 

My Dad once had an FTP like that at a roundabout.  Pulled out, then the accelerator died.  Turned out it was the fly-by-wire sender unit under the pedal (it was a modern) that had gone to shit at precisely that moment.  Absolutely horrible feeling to be on a roundabout with limited control.

 

I love the interior of the Princess.  Those seats just look so much more comfortable than most others.

[vulgalour]

The running on has pretty much stopped now, it's only an issue when the throttle sticks a little at idle, hence wanting to do the rebuild.

 

Eddie:  That's the same kit everyone is suggesting.

 

The one oddity on the spare carb is the pipe inlets and outlets.  On the original, there's a fuel in, a fuel overflow, and an oil breather.  On the spare the fuel in is present, the oil breather is present but the fuel overflow is just blank. The overflow location isn't plugged or capped, it's just not there, it's solid casting.  I don't know if this is because the other half of the pair has the overflow or because what looks like the oil breather is actually the overflow.  I'll find out when I dismantle and clean it all.

[plasticvandan]

the "OH FFS" was brilliant,wish i had a helmet cam because ive had so many of those riding East Germanys finest lol

[richardthestag]

kudos for not going all Basil Fawlty on it

 

and good news about running on.

 

no longer Uncle Buck

 

[vulgalour]

Uncle Buck is my hero.

[Eddie Honda]

The overflow location isn't plugged or capped, it's just not there, it's solid casting.  I don't know if this is because the other half of the pair has the overflow or because what looks like the oil breather is actually the overflow.

It's blank NOT because it's "the other half of of pair" (it IS single), it's not there because they never used to put them on everything.

[vulgalour]

Fair enough.  I get confused easily.

 

Right, so, other things.  BRAND NEW windscreen seal arrived courtesy of the club, it really does look very nice indeed and I look forward to paying someone else to fit it for me, especially since my spare windscreen DISAPPEARED like an old oak table.

 

I have a strange brake problem.  I've been trying to replicate it and it only happens within the first five miles of driving.  You brake and it feels like there's a bump on one of the front discs making the pedal bobble ever so slightly.  It's so slight that you can't feel it wearing boots but can wearing shoes and after the first five miles it doesn't do it at all.  No loss of fluid, no visible leaks, no damaged pipes, no sign of brakes dragging or sticking, no heat build up, no problems with the handbrake not releasing, and no pulling to one side or the other under braking.  Just this peculiar, minor, bobble, for want of a better description.  Passengers are unaware of it when it happens.  The only thing I can think is one caliper is possibly sticking very slightly until the car has been driven and after a few pumps of the pedal it's freed off so it may be worth my while rebuilding the spare calipers I have with the new rebuild kit I bought a while ago.

[Rod/b]

Check its not a sticking pad before you go rebuilding the calipers, chap

[Angrydicky]

VLOG is good. MOAR VLOG needed.

[somewhatfoolish]

Sounds more like a slightly wonky disc or discs than a caliper problem; unless it's aggravating your OCD I'd leave it.

[vulgalour]

Sticky pad a potential, but that would be a side effect of a caliper not doing its job, I'd've thought.  If it were a wonky disc, wouldn't I feel it all the time?

[anonymous user]

Just caught up with this and have a question, did your choke cable kit not come with the BL special equipment clothes peg?

[vulgalour]

It did not.  Just like in the olden days, you have to provide your own.

[vulgalour]

Not a lot to report.  Ticked over to 76,000 miles recently.

20180615 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

I got fed up of the very nice looking clamp-mount mirrors recently because they kept getting knocked when parked and adjusting themselves while driving.  This would have been less of an issue if I could have got them to clamp a bit tighter and if my driver's door window actually opened.  I've lost track of how many mirror sets I've had fitted to this car in my quest to find something attractive and practical.  The black wing mirrors were best for visibility but got in the way when trying to do engine bay stuff and since I welded up the holes for those I reckon I drew a line under ever fitting them again.  I found a set on eBay for a lot less than they should have been, especially going by the prices others are selling them for.

 

Since it involved drilling holes in a door, I decided now would be a good time to trial them since the orange door on the car is only a step above scrap and I've still not finished repairing the original door because of other commitments.  You might be able to recognise them, the base mount is a bit of a giveaway and the bit I like least about them.

20180617-01 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

Sometimes I don't like them because I've been used to seeing much smaller mirrors on the car.  They are, however, much better to use.  You have to knock them quite hard to put them out of adjustment and because the mirror is that much squarer than the previous offerings, you can still see well even if the mirror is badly adjusted.  They mount much better too, with no vibration while driving or sat at idle.  They can be folded in if needed too, which none of the previous mirrors could do.

20180617-02 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

20180617-03 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

They feel like they're the right size for the car and they almost eliminate the C pillar blind spot.  From some angles they do look too big and clunky, from others you don't really notice them, so they're probably about right.  They come from a Suzuki SJ, of all things.

[vulgalour]

A little bit of an update.  I intended to do more today, instead it was lots of little errands and then getting sidetracked with some skip-diving (remember what I said about no more projects?  Oops).  First thing to report is that I didn't want to spend nearly $2 USD per special bolt/screw for the new rear light fixings, plus $20-30 postage, so I went to the local fixings place and bought a fistful of allen headed stainless bolts that will do exactly the same job for 50p each.  I also bought all the rear bulbs I need for the new light units, which was more expensive because they're weird American offset peg nonsense and coloured glass because of the clear lenses they're sitting behind.

20180619-01 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

With those got, the only thing stopping me doing the rear lights is now time, so they can be my reward for when I've got the front panels done on the Princess and the MoT on the Rover.  I didn't really have enough time to get into welding today, but I did have some time, so determined to fit the other door mirror since I'm so happy with the first.  Biggest problem is that I don't actually have a pair, I have two driver's side mirrors.  Not an issue, I've got heat, a vice, and a huge wrench, all of which were employed to bend the mirror stalk the opposite way.  This worked very well and I now have excellent rear visibility on both sides of the car, which is something of a novelty.  I like the mirrors more now there's two on the car and taking the paint off the mirror mount to reveal the cast aluminium is a big improvement in that area, I'll strip the paint off the driver's mirror when it goes on the door I'm repairing.

20180619-02 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

Trying to do at least one little job a day from now on, even if that little job is a mere inch of welding.  That way I should make progress on everything and easily hit my self imposed deadline.  You'll have to excuse blur-o-vision, the camera was clearly too excited to focus properly.

20180619-03 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

[vulgalour]

Little job, every day.  Welding not a thing I can deal with today, not in the right headspace for it, so let's see if we can get that bump stop bonded back together.  It fell off when we had the suspension apart ages ago and I hadn't found anything that would bond it back on reliably.  The pressure of the system does hold the rubber in place so it's not going to go anywhere even if it isn't glued.  Anyway, first thing is off with the wheel trim, then the wheel, then up on stands to access the schrader valve.  After several hundred miles of driving about I'm happy to report no issues. Having the Churchill pump makes this a super fast job.  Once depressurised, unclip the bottom of the rebound strap so the trailing arm can be pushed down just enough to get the bump stop rubber back in.

20180620-01 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

Flash makes it all look quite rusty under there, which it isn't.  Flash is weird like that.  Easy job at least.  Popped the wheel back on, car on the floor, suspension reinflated and all done.

20180620-02 by Angyl Roper, on Flickr

 

The ride is improved slightly and the occasional knock from the rear end is gone, which isn't really a big surprise given that the displacer is now cushioned rather than resting on metal.