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Stanky's Geep - fire sale


Stanky

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More work was undertaken today as the sun was shining and it was dry.

 

To begin with, I drained the sump of oil. It was actually less grotty than i thought, but was still very old so thats a job off the list. The filter was another story though, it had fused to the ally of the block and no mattery how much force I applied with bare hands, rubberised gloves, or a chain wrench would free it. The chain wrench left some dents in it though. The nuclear option is to hammer a screwdriver through the bugger and twist it off, but since I'm only about 40% sure the new filter I got will actually fit, I held off on this.

 

I slung the new oil in and it took forever to get down to the sump, a combo of cold day, cold engine and 20w50 oil. Anyway, with 3 litres or so onboard we tried turning it over. It wasn't having any of it, chugging over but not firing. blasted thing!

 

Eventually we got it to run, but it would only run on choke, even when warmed up. The carb seems to be overfilling which won't be helping too.

 

While it warmed up we had a look at brakes. The handbrake only worked on one wheel, but more pressing was the fact the front brakes were seized on. Those who helped push it - I'm now fairly sure it wasn't our imagination, it really did get a lot harder to push the further we went from the previous owner's house.

 

I whipped a wheel off to have a look at the discs and calipers.

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Crusty,

 

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Cobwebby.

 

I wasn;t sure where to begin, as I've shyed away from brake stuff in the past. I found some bolts on the back of the caliper and undid them. The caliper fell in half.

 

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Brake fluid dribbled out into the brick.

 

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fallen off bit. With this removed, I could spin the hub with a screwdriver beteen the studs, which was progress. Obviously half a caliper is pretty much useless, but it did confirm the brakes were stuck on. I set to on the disc face with a wire brush in the drill and improved it a bit. its still manky and probably wants replacing (and I know I'm only doing half the job) but it looked better

 

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Then I went around the other side

 

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Same story.

 

After my friend showed me how locking tabs work, and how to un-lock them we removed both calipers entirely. There was a tiny amount of movement after we lubracated them with brake fluid so we decided to give them a bath for a bit.

 

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With all the bits removed, including outer seals and springs and whatnot they went into a bucket with 3 litres of shell 'fuelsave' diesel. they can have a think about the consequences of their actions and we'll have another chat next weekend. This will determine if they a just a 'bit sticky' or kippered and needing replacement.

 

with the front brakes removed entirely the geep now moved. When we got it home I pushed it nose into the dividing wall between our house and next door. In retrospect it should have been a bit further back so we pushed it back a bit. This will allow me to get at the oil filter from a better angle in due course.

 

During this business, we'd also tried getting the engine to run again. Much back and forth ensued but it wasn't having any of it. Careful fault finding suggested that the points were a bit past it. We pulled the dizzy out entirely to check for play and it seems well used, but not baggy so that can go back in next weekend. I've ordered a NOS set of points so we'll fit them first and then refit the whole lot in due course, and time it up.

 

My friend also fixed the coil wiring which was a huge help - previously it was powered from the battery +ve terminal, which was easy, but meant you couldn't stop it running unless you smothered it, or pulled the battery terminal off. Its now wired to the right connector in the ignition barrel, though i need a set of crimpers and some spade connectors and eyelets to sort out the electrics properly.

 

So, engine runs, but very rich and not reliably. We'll continue to look at this, suspicion is so far on spark-side as plenty of fuel seems to be getting through, but it's not sparking under load any more.

 

Oh, handbrake wise, the terrible design and loss of bush on the weird actuating rod arrangement seems to just be how it is. I really need to sort out a bush to prevent lateral movement but I think its still just going to be a bit crap on that side.

 

Oh, we think we've found a NOS master cylinder too, we might need to re-route some brake lines a little bit but could be in business.

 

 

 

 

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Good work.

 

Fortunately, the front brakes on this are fairly easy and cheap to get still.

They're the same as my Capri ones. Calipers can still be gotten as refurbished exchange units from most motor factors.

Discs and pads, and even new fitting kits (anti squeal shims, pins and R clips) are all still available the same way.

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is the hand brake setup off a crapi better than a escote? and can it be substituted? or a modern setup off a tinaturner or sierror?

 

I might do, tbh it works right now so I'll just leave it alone for the time being. Main priority now is to sort the calipers and master cylinder out (which I have a potential lead on) to get braking on the pedal, then try the clutch to see if gears can be selected. Brakes are an absolute, non-negotiable precursor to this because if I select reverse and it cannons backwards, reverse t-boning next door's pride-and-joy Picasso then my head will be on a spike for all to see.

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I took two of the half calipers out of their bath of contemplation earlier and they seem just as stubbornly seized as when they went in, except now they are a bit more slippery! I've put them back in while I have another think. Would heat be a bad idea due to having soaked them in diesel, and they probably contain brake fluid? When I say heat I mean a brazing torch, so localised, but fairly substantial temperatures?

 

The air intake of awesomeness is finally assembled from some odds & ends from Chinese ebay

 

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And the dizzy has been fitted with a proper NOS set of points which have quite a bit more meat on the contacts, and the replacement condenser from DTCM

 

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And wants putting back in and the engine timing up. I shall need assistance with this!

 

Also, does anyone have a spare ford 12v or 9v coil that they can lend me to rule out some slightly odd behaviour with the two I have? All i need is a known working one for a weekend? I am happy to return it afterwards! Won't be needed until the dizzy is back in so no rush.

 

 

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Get yourself a large G clamp to press the calliper pistons in then you will need some sort of set up to push them back out again.

BTW that's not the way to take calipers off and would normally only be a last resort or if you were completely stripping them, look carefully for any seals between the 2 halves before reassembly.

Unless someone stuck their foot on the brake while it was being pushed there's no way they should have come on more while pushing it home.

Have you found a correctly registered chassis plate to ring rebuild this on to yet?

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There is an intruiging post on the Jago OC forum which seems to suggest that with a chassis number (I've got one of those, like a real one attached to the car from new) you can apply for a V5, then just* need an MOT - no IVA lolz.

 

Does this sound right? I don't give a toss if its a q-plate or whatever?

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There is an intruiging post on the Jago OC forum which seems to suggest that with a chassis number (I've got one of those, like a real one attached to the car from new) you can apply for a V5, then just* need an MOT - no IVA lolz.

 

Does this sound right? I don't give a toss if its a q-plate or whatever?

 

I think if built from new parts (or reconditioned so as new) then that works.

 

 

 

As for the brakes get some piston pliers (they go inside the pistons) to pull them out.

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Regards chassis number, things change all the time, but.......

Surely if it has never been registered, which seems likely, the Chassis number is of no significance, except to Jago, and the Owners Club.

I did try this many years ago on a Marcos with a chassis plate and little else, and ended up with a Q. 

There was a time you could use the original vehicle reg, depending on a points system for parts used.

This was superseded by Q reg, and again by SVA, and again by whatever they call it now.

There may well be a way, but ask owners club not DVLA.

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Depending on when it was built, it might just be exempt come May if correctly registered...

 

Again I could be wrong but I think it was 'built' when it goes for it's first MOT, and needs to comply with regulations at that time.

However if the first MOT was years ago, that would simplify things.

You can get an MOT on a chassis number, but that may be the wrong way round in this case?

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To un-sieze your siezed calipers.

 

As mentioned above..  Big Feckoff G-clamp and press the piston in a bit.  It may be reluctant to move.  It will eventually go with a bang.

 

Then clean and dry eveything and put it back on the vehicle.  Ensure any seals from the split between the two halves of the caliper are re-fitted. Then bleed the brakes.

 

Now stand on the pedal.  The piston should move back to the pad and put the brake on.  Work the piston back and forth several times using a large lever to move it back, then pedal pressure to move it forwards.  Do this for both pistons, both sides.  There is of course still two pistons on the vehilce hidden behind the discs that will need to be moved/free'd off.  If you cannot get them to move, you may have to remove the whole caliper and use a G-clamp on them too. (which you can do without dismantling the caliper and without removing it from the car.)

 

Have never had this fail on me.  Many years ago I had a siezed piston in a twin-piston caliper similar to this fitted to a Talbot Horizon.  It took a crowbar jammed in between the disc and the piston, a 6' scaffolding pole on the crowbar and me leaning on it as hard as I can to free the piston.  Went with a bloody massive bang and pulled the car off the axle stand it was on that side.

 

Worked the piston back and forth a bit, shoved the pad back in and it went straight through an MOT.

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Plan for the calipers is to use a grease gun to pump the caliper full of grease and gently force the piston out. I may have a go at it with a g-clamp first to push it in a bit to unseize it, but I'm not sure yet.

 

Updates to follow, including pictures of me covered in grease and brake fluid with a brake piston buried in my skull as the ambulance arrives...

 

I'll also get the chassis number and see what can be done with it, it'll give me something to be hopeful about as I recover in hospital

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Tried with a foot pump last night, I could get it to about 40spi but no movement on the pistons at that pressure - it was also losing air somewhere (I think the seal onto the bleed nipple was terrible) so I'm going to go and spend some of my birthday money on a grease gun in a bit. 

 

I was able to push 2 of the 4 pistons in further with a g-clamp last night, so they can and do move, just need more pressure to get them to pop back out. Then I can inspect the state of the pistons. I've already had a scan over ebay and new/refurb calipers are readily available if it turns out that these are kippered, but I'd like to see if these can be saved first.

 

This morning I went out and sorted a spade connector on the ignition to coil wire in the dash, and then crimped an eyelet onto the coil end of the same wire so thats sorted now. I fitted the air filter of power and took the chassis number down. Can anyone do a trade HPI check on it please?

 

I emailed Jago themselves yesterday, waiting on a reply now. I also asked for some clarification on the Jago OC forum on behalf of a friend* just so I know whats what.

 

So smol update really, next big thing is to sort out the master cylinder and brakes really. Thats the next big leap forward.

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Just use brake fluid in the brake calipers. Compressed air will not make anywhere near the pressure needed, and if the piston does come out it will come out like a bullet.

 

Grease in the caliper then has to be completely cleaned out, which is a ballache. Your best bet really is to just fit the master cylinder, bolt the caliper halves back together and then stand on the brake pedal. Safer, cheaper and you don't contaminate anything.

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Agreed, however the master cylinder was completely seized, then in the course of unseizing it we put a flipping massive crack down 3/4 of the length of it so its scrap - I'm in the process of finding a new (to me) one.

 

I can live with degreasing the caliper, I suspect its scrap but want to make sure.

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I see the law on kit cars could potentially change as early as July - consultation open at the moment, but DVSA are aiming to ensure that all newly registered kit cars meet the CURRENT MOT regs for emissions - which I suspect a Pinto is not going to achieve. Could be another fly in the ointment...

 

Which would be a real pisser after actual progress!

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