Project Dollywobbler's Invacar - Ongoing

[dollywobbler]

Great isn't it? That's not even the company name now either...

 

Had one heck of a game getting her going again. Oil filter fitted with new seals, and that's all good, but I just couldn't get her to run. I think I have flooded the engine, so I took advice from Stanky's Geep thread, pulled the plugs out, fixed them with fire, put them back in and away she went! So cheers for that advice whoever gave it.

 

She then proceeded to blow all sorts of shit out of the exhaust. I ran her for a good 10-15 minutes, keeping an eye out for oil and petrol leaks (none thankfully). Sadly, she's now stopped charging. Sigh. Guess I'll be pulling the Dynastart apart then.

[PhilA]

You need to put one of the lamps in a sun tan bed for a couple hours to fade the orange down to a pale yellow for the correct "gets parked in the same spot every day" period look.

 

Phil

[Talbot]

Sadly, she's now stopped charging. Sigh. Guess I'll be pulling the Dynastart apart then.

Do these have a similar charge warning lamp that *must* work to ensure charge output as a conventional alternator?

[dollywobbler]

You need to put one of the lamps in a sun tan bed for a couple hours to fade the orange down to a pale yellow for the correct "gets parked in the same spot every day" period look.

 

Phil

 

I can swap the orange lenses from the old lamps if I feel the need to tone down the newness a bit.

 

 

Do these have a similar charge warning lamp that *must* work to ensure charge output as a conventional alternator?

 

Don't know, but the charge light won't go out on the dashboard, and battery voltage remains resolutely at 12v, so I'm guessing the Dynastart is only performing half of its duties. It's had a hard time today. Hope I haven't broken it... *starts eyeing up the spares car again*

[DodgeRover]

Nope. It's been on there at least as long as I've known about the car, always with a 9999cc engine... (which seems to be a standard Invacar thing. I've no idea why).

It's the default value when they went to a system where that field could no longer be left blank, I've had a 10l series II landrover and Suzuki GS.

[Kiltox]

Does that mean insurers import that field automatically too?

[DodgeRover]

Just thank your lucky stars that the Lucas bits in these things are relatively simple. Be glad you're not trying to restore this thing...

 

screenshot.png

 

Then all the bits that make it go would be Lucas too...wonder if any survive.

 

Video freeze frame circa 1981, location: our driveway when the place was first built.

Oooo are you trying to restore it? At least a couple have survived.

[Zelandeth]

Oooo are you trying to restore it? At least a couple have survived.

 

Sadly not...Though I'd be lying if I wouldn't love to own one.  Especially with the matching green velour interior of green-ness that so obviously came from Vauxhall's trim shop...

 

Thinking about the Dynastart, most likely to be a rectifier or regulator issue (is the regulator external?) as if there was a problem with the commutator or field coils themselves I'd assume it wouldn't work for starting either...

[SiC]

I know nothing about the carbs on here (or really in carbs in general...) but could the carb be leaking from the jets/seals/float/somewhere internally into the manifold when left, that causes it to flood?

[PhilA]

If it's anything like the Dynastart on the golf cart we had at work, the relay points would arc and need cleaning periodically. Likely the same type of regulation/switching system. Once the dynamo voltage exceeds that of the battery there was a trembler breaker that must make contact for it to charge but not to start.

 

Phil

[dollywobbler]

Well, because I don't believe in reading the manual, I've pulled the Dynastart off the engine completely (piece of cake) and got as far as pulling one brush out. I think it's got plenty of meat left on it, though I'm not sure how much carbon should be on it originally. I probably should have checked something else, but it's been educational!

[beko1987]

If its anything like hoover carbons, as long as there's meat on them and their not about to wear down to the metal spring their fine. Removing and cleaning the commutator with fine wire wool helps too, as does oiling/replacing the bearings and cleaning the oily shit off the field coil

[Zelandeth]

Have to admit that I'd be mighty curious to see the manual myself - never seen a Dynastart before so somewhat curious how they actually work.  I have a theoretical idea in my head, but there's no substitute for a nice diagram.

 

I'd tend to think that if it's working to start the engine that the brushes should be fine.  Likewise the fact that you've got a working no-charge light (duff brushes in my experience usually results in no charge and a *dead* no charge light) tends to shift suspicions elsewhere.

 

If the voltage regulator is a mechanical rather than semiconductor type it could probably do with a good clean as it's probably as oxidised as everything else from sitting for so long.

[dollywobbler]

Yes, voltage regulator seems a likely culprit. It is mechanical. I have an electronic one for a 2CV. Wonder if it'll fit?

 

Oh, I forgot to mention that TWC has moved under her own power for the first time! I forgot to mention it, because it was all of about half a metre. I needed her a bit further forward in the garage and thought she's well enough to do it herself.

 

I placed a battery in front of the wheel to act as an emergency brake (as the rear shoes are out) and stood outside the car, but she crept forward nicely. Encouraging! Angry Dicky did me a good deal on some brake parts (he works at Past Parts), so hopefully I can get the new wheel and master cylinders fitted this weekend, bleed her up and have a proper drive...

[Zelandeth]

You better have an assistant on hand so that there's video of that if (when) it happens!

[dollywobbler]

Proof of (not very much) movement.

 

Oh and I did fit the new rear lights, and they're still misbehaving all over the place. Ugh.

[dollywobbler]

More video. Contains pulleys in action and exhaust bodgery that failed.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

I just lol'd in the office at - Oooops, my drum just fell off.

Now trying to explain Invacars (and Autoshite) to the Belgians..........

[320touring]

#Bosozoku on the exhaust front!

[SiC]

It sounds just like a ride-on lawn mower! Which probably isn't too far from the truth both in capacity and horsepower! Maybe the other Invacar could have a old Briggs and Stratton engine fitted ... or to go with the Jap vibe, a Honda.

 

A quick google suggests that they only have 5bhp. Is that really true? Seems a bit too low to me.

 

When turning over, is it not turning over as quickly than it did previously? Has the battery drained down a bit after all the light fiddlings?

[Zelandeth]

5hp sounds very low, possibly some of the earlier ones though.  Issue with Google is that the Invacar name goes all the way back to the late 40s I think and essentially covers a whole slew of different models.

 

The 600cc engine as used in the Model 70 I believe is somewhere in the 15-20bhp range I think, though the exact number is currently eluding me...Know I read it somewhere but failing to remember where.

[dollywobbler]

Yup, 20bhp in these, which should be plenty!

 

Anyway, a few steps forward, and a few steps back today. Major success was fitting the new lamps and new connectors, to make this happen.

 

That's indicator and brake on at the same time on the offside, working perfectly! Because I've got no pressure in the brake system, I had to deploy the trusty paperclip. Sadly, as I removed the terminals from the brake light switch, one of them snapped off, so I'm now in the same boat as 320 Touring...

 

In the pic above, you may also notice that the strap holding the Dynastart in place is not fastened. That's because I broke the bolt, possibly because I was trying to re-install it with the pulley belts (new) attached. I think I'll actually have to take the fan off and try again, with a bolt raided from the spares car.

 

So, I've got working lights, but have a broken brake light switch and can't run the engine. Progress!

[Zelandeth]

Brake light switch in the spares car any good?

 

Just got as far as watching the video.  That sounds really good with the sorted exhaust on, a heck of a lot smoother than I expected.

 

That rattle at startup is somewhat terrifying, though I tend to think the fan may be fouling the housing (or something odd going on with the clutch?) at low RPM when everything's shaking about a bit rather than it coming from the bowels of the engine.  Any visible scrape marks or anything on the housing which might suggest that?

[dollywobbler]

Given a new switch is under a tenner, that's probably better than fighting to free the one on TWC, then fighting to free the one on the spares car, which might be just as bad.

 

The rattle is either the clutch, or the fan catching the fan housing, which has a load of ally corrosion on it. It doesn't seem to do it now.

[Asimo]

How are the belt's tensions adjusted? With shims between the pulley sheeves like a Beetle?

[Noel Tidybeard]

I can haz lamps.

 

£24 the pair. Proves that internet prices aren't always the cheapest.

 

you eejit you ordered 2 RH units!

[dollywobbler]

How are the belt's tensions adjusted? With shims between the pulley sheeves like a Beetle?

 

Yes. I've never played with such things. I have read the manual, but it didn't really sink in. 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

..... exhaust bodgery that failed.

The solution is simple: you need more duct tape.

[dollywobbler]

Got the Dynastart refitted, but she won't start again. I suspect plugs (which I forgot to replace) and possibly coil (tried another one, very slight improvement as in coughs more frequently). Wondering if I can be arsed to drive into town for a pair of plugs - it'd have be Halfords at this time of day. If they have them.

[dollywobbler]

Eesh. £4 each from Halfords, but a mere £2.88 each from my favoured 2CV emporium. Maybe I should just borrow the spark plugs from the 2CV...