Project The Mighty Dacia - 1310 estate - Cat's tales

[Guest Hooli]

 

What does the AS massive think of these?

 

Are those the generic replacements everyone suggested to start with & got shot down?

[catsinthewelder]

Quite possibly but when they were suggested we didn't have a way to mount them.  I've stayed out of the headlight discussion up till now as I couldn't work out what to do from a photo.  With the rusty lump in front of me I could see if the Ford part would fit,  it won't but I can chop it up to provide bits to make the generic lamps fit.

[dollywobbler]

Indeed. The shooting down was mostly because people kept on, in several places, recommending lamps that did not fit easily. At that time, I was still hoping to find a set that would plumb straight in. Cats has more skills, so more options. I suspect relays might be an idea given what we already know about quality* electrics...

[SiC]

I'd want to make sure these fitted.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F172501878302

 

And not remove the motif either.

[Mally]

I'll chuck £50 in if you buy the pair and fit them!

[catsinthewelder]

The mighty Dacia has generally been better at starting lately but has been a right sod today. At 7am it started first time but it took a few goes to restart at the garage after stopping to post out AS tat and took about 20 goes after sitting in the sun all day at work. Helpfully I needed to stop at the supermarket where it had company.

 

 

After a few goes it restarted and I drove most of the way home until my path was blocked by the same H van with a flat tyre. I could have squeezed past but stopped to help for a bit and was rewarded with a can of beer and a promise of a ride in his Volvo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P1800 ☺

[dollywobbler]

The mighty Dacia has generally been better at starting lately but has been a right sod today. At 7am it started first time but it took a few goes to restart at the garage after stopping to post out AS tat and took about 20 goes after sitting in the sun all day at work. Helpfully I needed to stop at the supermarket where it had company.

 

IMG_20180723_174154608.jpg

 

After a few goes it restarted and I drove most of the way home until my path was blocked by the same H van with a flat tyre. I could have squeezed past but stopped to help for a bit and was rewarded with a can of beer and a promise of a ride in his Volvo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P1800 ☺

 

There are times I definitely had to resort to the fuel pump primer. I wonder if a new pump would help matters? Or a decent bloody carburettor perhaps! I bet the plugs are black again.

[catsinthewelder]

I need to look at the fuel breather lines, it stinks of pez if you leave the windows shut on a hot day.

 

Forgot to say, the country stickers on the back of the H have all been visited. The heroic owner drove it to Latvia and back

[dollywobbler]

I need to look at the fuel breather lines, it stinks of pez if you leave the windows shut on a hot day.

 

Forgot to say, the country stickers on the back of the H have all been visited. The heroic owner drove it to Latvia and back

 

Ah yes. Having cleared the back out, I meant to have a nose at the top of the tank. My suspicion was a leaky sender, as it honks much worse when the tank is full...

[SiC]

I wonder if it would get it going with a quick sniff of easy start? Helped captain70s dolomite and if the pump is a bit weak on the Dacia the extra speed of a running engine may help?

[Junkman]

I've just also remembered that Claudiu recommended retorquing the cylinder head bolts and redoing the valve clearances. No idea what the settings should be!

 

Valve clearances are 0.2 mm inlet, 0.25 mm eggsorst. That's the same for all Cleon engines, Fonte or Alu.

Not sure about the head bolt torque, but don't forget that you need to retorque the manifold bolts as well, every 15,000km or so.

If it's the Cleon Alu, I bet the 1470cc specs of the 16 aren't too far off.

 

Since Dacias were quite popular in the DDR, German repair manuals do exist. Would that be of any help?

I mean, a lot of the stuff can be dictionaried considering both of you aren't dolts and if need be I can help,

but I seriously doubt you'll need that. English is a form of German after all. Let me know if you'd like me to commence activity.

 

I suggest to toss the fuel pump and install a Chinese rattler in conjunction with an intertia switch.

I'll do the same with the 16, which also fails to start when sat a few days.

You then have to give it a jigger of pez directly down the throat to get it going.

Conelrad and I are totes e-pump savvy because P6.

 

I have a suitable Solex and a suitable Weber - both twin throats - to try out. I wouldn't mind this being done at the Junktowers.

You can then drive off with whatever carby works best free of charge.

[dollywobbler]

It's a single choke carb sadly. Already have one twin choke carb which doesn't fit it. Valve clearences are probably worth checking again after retorquing.

[SiC]

Google Translate app on most modern phones can translate German on the fly with the camera. Hover over the text and it'll convert. Pretty close nowadays too.

 

If you want something a bit more quality to pump fuel, the German Hardi pumps are pretty good quality. The Morris Minor fittings version is likely the most suitable for the Dacia.

[Junkman]

It's a single choke carb sadly. Already have one twin choke carb which doesn't fit it. Valve clearences are probably worth checking again after retorquing.

 

Of course valve clearance checkage has to commence after retorquage.

I had no idea this needs mentionage.

 

I just tried to be helpful.

Evidently to no avail.

 

Sorry.

[Eddie Honda]

Valve clearances are 0.2 mm inlet, 0.25 mm eggsorst. That's the same for all Cleon engines, Fonte or Alu.

 

Only when HOT!

 

Cold = 0.15 mm inlet, 0.20 mm exhaust.

 

I suggest to toss the fuel pump and install a Chinese rattler in conjunction with an intertia switch.

I'll do the same with the 16, which also fails to start when sat a few days.

You then have to give it a jigger of pez directly down the throat to get it going.

I suggest you just fit a mechanical pump that is functioning correctly. Keep the pre-1986 simplicity. Electric pumps offer two things: all or nothing. Mechanical pumps usually die on their arse in a gradual manner.

 

One of my Volvo 300s with the 1.4 used to do the following:

 

Smoll in-line filter between pump and carb - would prime carb and start.

Big in-line filter between pump and carb - would start if system primed, but couldn't prime from dry (after a few days)

 

Took it to Scotland - Starting from Dublin, ran ok. After Dundalk, the car was hesitating on throttle a bit and getting worse. Pulled over and it gave up. New small filter fitted a few days previous clogged (max 100 miles). Refitted the previous larger filter and was back in business again. The small could have only done around 100 miles. Got to Belfast docks and boarded. Everything was fine up the A77/M77 to Glasgow. Engine died entering Asda Govan. Fuel low, but refuelling didn't sort it. Float bowl dry as was filter. Tried by-passing the filter, but zilch came through. Conclusion pump shagged. Nicked fuel pump from my other Volvo and it was fine thereafter. It always nearly filled the big filter and didn't drain back if left for a few days.

[pshome]

If you want something a bit more quality to pump fuel, the German Hardi pumps are pretty good quality. The Morris Minor fittings version is likely the most suitable for the Dacia.

Hardi pumps are shit, had already two of them fail.

 

Keep the mechanical pump, put a large filter and a check valve into the fuel line.

[dollywobbler]

Of course valve clearance checkage has to commence after retorquage.

I had no idea this needs mentionage.

 

I just tried to be helpful.

Evidently to no avail.

 

Sorry.

I wasn't being dismissive! Just pointing out why a twin choke is not a straightforward swap, and agreeing about valve clearances.

[Junkman]

It's a single choke carb sadly. Already have one twin choke carb which doesn't fit it. Valve clearences are probably worth checking again after retorquing.

 

In that case my recommendation is to immediately start hunting for a two throat inlet manifold and upgrade.

Those single throaters provide little else than high petrol consumption, bad emissions, meagre performance

and difficult parts obtainability.

[pshome]

would that do the job?

 

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/renault-r12-ts-ansaugbruecke-renault-r8-alpine-a110/911185231-223-1733

[HillmanImp]

Woooooo, now that CiTW is updating this thread I can actually see pictures of this fine steed. None of DWs ever show up for me in any threads, it's just boxes with X's in.

[catsinthewelder]

Plugs were black but are now clean.

 

Still won't start even when hooked up to 405 electricity.

 

 

Surely this can't be right?

[dollywobbler]

I'm struggling to see what's wrong. We really should have bought some spares in Romania shouldn't we? Or France...

[SiC]

Getting sparks from the king lead?

[catsinthewelder]

There is about 5mm of vertical play in the dizzy drive which has worn most of the cap away.

[Eddie Honda]

IMG_20180725_195058142.jpg

 

Surely this can't be right?

Wrong cap?

 

There are Ducelliers caps that look sort of right, but they aren't right. Time to measure things with a measuring stick or very nears.

[catsinthewelder]

I would be surprised if it wrong considering where it came from.

[Eddie Honda]

vertical play?

 

No reason for the shaft to move up and down much as it should be shimmed and the drive dog pinned.

[Eddie Honda]

I wouldn't be surprised if it was wrong because aftermarket catalogues are pants.

[catsinthewelder]

I imagine that the dizzy is original. It says made in Romania on the side and the car has done less than 40k. Cap won't be but that can't cause play in the dizzy can it?

[Eddie Honda]

Nope. Any ID numbers on it?

 

I'll be back in after midnight. A couple more pics of the cap for comparison might help. All my dizzy reference pics on the desktop PC.