Edd's Talbot Samba Thread

[SambaS]

At 13:45pm today I started to remove my engine in order to complete several aformentioned jobs. After talking it through with a couple of guys from the Simca-Talbot Club I decided to take the engine out from the top, initially the plan was to drop the front subframe and suspension and engine in one. But due to the weakness of the captive nuts holding the subframe on, and the nightmare I had with the rear subframes captive nuts decided against it.

[SambaS]

By 16:40 after a few breaks I had most of the gubbins disconnected. I'm following the Haynes manual. Also I'm bagging and labeling every nut and bolt, and labeling every wire I disconnect, along with taking photos along the way. This car will work when I've finished!

[SambaS]

I've skipped draining the oil for now as I'm waiting on a mate bringing me a sump plug socket.

 

[SambaS]

I've just had another break in order to take some advice on how to disconnect the tie rod arm ball joint. I think I know what I'm doing now so back to it. Also the sump plug keys have arrived!

 

[CYANIDE STEVE]

Seeing your photo has reminded me of my shock when I opened the bonnet of one of these for the first time and seeing the engine had fallen over! I thought it had a serious engine mount problem!. Luckily I just serviced it and didn't bother trying to stand the engine upright.

[Albert Ross]

Re: Balljoint. As it sits, just hit the side of the steering arm square on the edge, like it shows in the picture. Leave the nut on a couple of threads though, in case it drops out and stresses the inner end. Then simply undo the nut and remove.

[SambaS]

Got the ball joints done using that method. Got the nearside bottom arm off but this is where my patience ended. The offside bottom arm nut undid, but the bolt will not budge. Not even with a hammer.

 

[SambaS]

By far the worse aspects to repairing a car in my experience are suspension and steering components. Always always always.

[SambaS]

The bolt holding the bottom arm on won't budge. The nut undid. I can't proceed. What would a mechanic do?

[Craig the Princess]

Heat, or will it catch fire?

[SambaS]

I think the rubber inside is causing the problem. I don't mind putting new arms on. Gas axe? Or blow torch?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

The bolt is probably seized into the inner sleeve of the bush. Sadly the only good way to get it out is using increasingly large hammers. Some heat would probably help matters greatly however. What happens if you try and turn the bolt, does it feel like you're stretching the rubber in the bush?

[SambaS]

Yes, that exactly. Should I buy a blow torch? May be a useful tool. Can't really swing a hammer enough and I've already caught the edge of the subframe multiple times. Piss poor

[Ian Nexus]

Can you cut both ends of the bolt between the bracket and the bush with a sawzall?

 

http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-6509-22-Sawzall-11-Amp-Reciprocating/dp/B0000789HE

[SambaS]

It won't fit in, neither would a Dremmel. I think I'll try a blow torch tomorrow.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Are you lying on your back swinging the hammer in a tight space? if so try to find a big metal bar of some sort. Get out from under the car, and put the bar on the errant bolt. Then, while standing up and with a clear swing of the biggest hammer in your armoury, TWAT IT

[SambaS]

Not lying under it there isn't the room. Also not enough room to get a good swing on the hammer. I used a screwdriver as a punch on the other side, it had a different bolt though, I think a new one.

[M'coli]

Buying a blowtorch is a good thing, whether you use it or not. And use a big hammer too, if you don't have one big enough I've been known to tape 2 together for added wellie.

 

 

"Dr. Heat & The Big Club" will sort most static bolts...

[dieselnutjob]

I've had the same problem on various 604s.

 

You need a bigger hammer and a new bolt because by the time it's out it won't be much use for going back in. I think mine is a 4 lb or something.

 

If you heat it up you will need a new bush as well.

 

Generally I don't bother heating those, I just hit them really hard for as long as it takes.

[jakebullet]

Air chisel with an old broken chisel cut down? Apply to bolt and BZZZT! it out.

 

Er, not much help if you don't have air, mind. If so the aldi compressors are in the clearance corner if you fancy a new toy.

[SambaS]

I almost bought one, and wish I had, although I was going to use it for painting. And the general concensus was that it wasn't big enough. Id love to BZZZT it out. It should be that easy, damn thing! Cheers for your suggestions everyone.

[SambaS]

You know, I could probably undo the ball joint end and save all this hasstle. Except for I'm not going to! The only reason I've to take it off is to make the hub move enough to pull the drive shaft out.

[SambaS]

I'm half way there. I have cut the head end off with a loose hacksaw blade. Slow progress and I have blisters. The garage I spoke to assured me that it is not an easy job. So I'm glad it's not just me.

 

[SambaS]

Done. I'm not happy. Nothing should be that difficult. After trying to cut the other side with a jigsaw, then a loose blade I had a thought. Tighten the nut up and it would drag the bolt through. I don't understand how, but it worked. Enough to get a screwdriver and hammer to it, which drove the rest out. Then it was simply to undo the nut on the anti roll bar ends and pull the driveshafts out. Should have undone the other end in the first place I think. Put that one down to experience. At least I'll be able to fit some nice new bottom arms that I probably don't need.

 

[Burnside]

Hope the rest of the work gets easier SambaS for you. Must admit i wouldn't have much clue where to start if i was going to tackle removing the engine etc myself.

So fairplay for gettting stuck in. Sunday i met up with my dad for a local classic car show that had been cancelled. On the field over the road they were holding a cycling endurence race.

Parked up was a Y reg yellow Samba LS! Sadly my phones has had it so couldn't get a picture. Was very tidy for it's age an had a set of cabrio alloys like yours fitted an painted in white.

[SambaS]

Today's progress, if you could call it that, has been thus:

Remove the 2 bolts holding on the exhaust to the exhaust manifold.
Remove the speedo cable from the gearbox.
Half remove the gear linkages.
Shout and rant a lot about the uselessness of the Haynes manual. For all it's worth it might as well say:

Talbot Samba engine removal.
Step 1/1. Remove engine.

So I've took lots of advice from the Talbot-Simca Club.

For instance the Haynes manual says verbatim: "19. Drive out the roll pin and disconnect the remote control gearchange rod. Disconnect the gearchange stabiliser rod balljoint by prising with an open-ended spanner."

and then shows a picture of a ball joint.

So I undid that, thinking as the picture showed it, it would be needed but NOOOOOOO. Thanks Haynes.

No, the 2 bits I had to remove were "gearchange stabiliser rod balljoint":



And then "Drive out the roll pin and disconnect the remote control gearchange rod" (I now know what a roll pin is)

So extremely slow progress. Tomorrow I will have to buy a punch to knock the pin out.
Then it should just be a case of undoing the engine mounts and lifting her out!

Steep learning curve???

[Mr_Bo11ox]

To be fair they are not the most beginner-friendly these things, lots of jobs on them are what I would describe as a 'right fucking bastard'. Keep at it, you're doing great!

[SambaS]

Thanks, it's been driving me mad if I'm honest. I watched a friend take an engine and gearbox out of a MK4 Astra the other day. He knocked it on it's side with a fork lift, then proceeded to cut it out with oxy-acetylene cutters, took all of about 15 minutes.

 

I really enjoyed the under the bonnet stuff, it was a sunny day and was like meditation to me. But lieing underneath the car in the rain with my face on the steering rack fucking around with ball joints that did not want to come off, was not fun. I hope the changing the clutch part isn't as bad, or I might just cry

[Mr_Bo11ox]

taking into account all the clutch changes i've ever had to get involved with, on a scale of 1-10 difficulty, i would place the samba clutch at about an 8.5 where 1 is one of those fwd vauxhalls where you just pop the shaft out and 'post' the new clutch in through the letterbox in the bellhousing, and 10 is something like an Alfa 75, where you have no idea even where the fuggin clutch is never mind changing it.

[SambaS]

Is the work I have done to date part of that? Or is there much worse to come?

 

I've to remedy the gear linkages too the gearstick feels totally loose, all the low milage hatchbacks I've owned have had nice tight feeling gearchanges. That's what I'm aiming for.