project 1951 Pontiac Chieftain

[320touring]

To be honest it's not overly complicated in design. Tolerances are fifties. Metallurgy is fifties. Design is thirties.

 

Plus it helps that I have a manual to work with.

 

Phil

Aye, actual engineering, without stringent cost reduction or overly complex legislation adding unnecessary tomfoolery.

 

I hope the B series in the Oxford is as easy to work on - you have shown what a methodical approach with an even temper and suitable knowledge makes things go well - been inspiring for us to watch it happen:)

[mrbenn]

Can you imagine a Morris Minor with that engine in? It'd be brilliant. There'd be no room for passengers, but still...

[PhilA]

Aye, actual engineering, without stringent cost reduction or overly complex legislation adding unnecessary tomfoolery.

I hope the B series in the Oxford is as easy to work on - you have shown what a methodical approach with an even temper and suitable knowledge makes things go well - been inspiring for us to watch it happen:)

It will, the B is a more modern engine though. The tolerances and metallurgy are better, but it'll be similar to work on. They're quite rewarding engines to get right.

 

Phil

[mercrocker]

Another vote for this thread.....And for mid-century engineering.

[The Moog]

Absolutely stonking - nothing cheers up a dreary blackburn monday than videos like that. 

[PhilA]

That sounds lubberly! Top stuff - it just seems bloody straightforward, whether due to your competency or initial good design:)

This will be such a nice thing to pilot down the street, knowing you are being propelled by your own graft!

I saw a video of one of these being driven along, quoted straight eight but it burbles down the street brap-brap-brap-brap

 

Sounds like it's misfiring on a couple cylinders, either that or it's had a different manifold fitted. You hear this one is very smooth, I'm not sure it should get much of a hit/miss harmonic like you get with a V8 from the exhaust collectors being different lengths.

 

 

Phil

[PhilA]

 

The video I referenced. To me that sounds rather unhappy...

[Junkman]

I saw a video of one of these being driven along, quoted straight eight but it burbles down the street brap-brap-brap-brap

 

Sounds like it's misfiring on a couple cylinders, either that or it's had a different manifold fitted. You hear this one is very smooth, I'm not sure it should get much of a hit/miss harmonic like you get with a V8 from the exhaust collectors being different lengths.

 

 

Phil

 

You won't get anything near a V8 burble. A straight 8 should be evenly firing.

What gives a V8 its typical sound is the odd firing order required to make it run at all.

[PhilA]

That was rather my point, adding the rest of the exhaust shouldn't greatly change what's coming out of the manifold. You can fit uneven length headers to it but what's the benefit? Smooth firing off an 8-1 manifold just doesn't seem to have a great deal of scavenge. I could see 8-4-2 pipes providing that, but it wouldn't change the exhaust note if the primaries are tuned right.

 

The whole object of the straight eight was to produce a smooth, quiet engine. I do like the noise this one makes. Reminds me of WW2 army trucks.

 

Phil

[tooSavvy]

Give it a 'comb over'.... Have the exhaust cross the head and exit drivers side. lol

[purplebargeken]

Graft

 

Different meaning in the colonies.

[PhilA]

I have to offer my thanks to Junkman.

 

Upon reading the R16 thread, I was reminded of glass jars. eBay was thusly quickly perused and the cheapest, all-parts-there Trico windscreen washer jar I have seen in a while presented itself for $30

 

[bUY IT NOW]

 

*computer crashes*

 

 

Argh! Luckily I managed to get to it on my phone and make the purchase. So, hopefully (unless it gets broken in transit) I'll be able to fit a glass jug full of luminous or otherwise colored liquid to my firewall.

 

Coming together now.

 

 

Phil

[320touring]

I saw a video of one of these being driven along, quoted straight eight but it burbles down the street brap-brap-brap-brap

 

Sounds like it's misfiring on a couple cylinders, either that or it's had a different manifold fitted. You hear this one is very smooth, I'm not sure it should get much of a hit/miss harmonic like you get with a V8 from the exhaust collectors being different lengths.

 

 

Phil

Eh? I don't say it's make V8 burbles? Haz I dun a confuse?

[Junkman]

So, hopefully (unless it gets broken in transit) a glass jug full of luminous or otherwise colored liquid fitted to my firewall is going to clog up my washer jets.

You are welcome.

 

 

Ironically, the screenwash reservoir in the R16 is made of plastic and just about big enough to hold a measure of water equivalent to a French sized beer.

It is activated by a rubber bladder in the footwell and no matter how hard you stomp on it, it delivers a mouse piss worth.

The whole setup is mercilessly shit, so I ripped out Conelrad's impeccably efficient and practically free makeshift electric setup (remember the times when this MoT tyranny was still a thing?) and installed the original comprising of hellishly expensive genuine spares.

[PhilA]

Eh? I don't say it's make V8 burbles? Haz I dun a confuse?

Indeed so. I said I saw one that burbles in a video, since read the comments and they had changed the manifold on it.

 

Mine just makes a nice smooth note. Any variation is in valve inconsistencies.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

I am going to buy some light gray paint and redo the frame that holds said contraption. The blue is protecting the metal now it's all cleaned but it's a little bit In Your Face. Plus only the later ones were painted that color.

 

Phil

[Junkman]

My L8 Poncho was so quiet that you couldn't hear it ticking over when you sat in it.

The loudest noise when driving was the pftpftpft from the crankcase ventilation tube.

Yeah, and later also the claclaclaclac from the U joints, I admit it.

[PhilA]

My L8 Poncho was so quiet that you couldn't hear it ticking over when you sat in it.

The loudest noise when driving was the pftpftpft from the crankcase ventilation tube.

Yeah, and later also the claclaclaclac from the U joints, I admit it.

I am tempted to fit a small silencer to the crank vent tube, seeing as mine is missing.

It'll also be more quiet once it has new manifold gaskets, the exhaust is a bit crakacrakacraka from it as the old gaskets were crushed, crummy and holed.

 

That and the valves need a final adjustment. Did yours have the "regular" air cleaner or the bigger one with the silencer can like I bought for mine?

 

Phil

[320touring]

Indeed so. I said I saw one that burbles in a video, since read the comments and they had changed the manifold on it.

 

Mine just makes a nice smooth note. Any variation is in valve inconsistencies.

 

Phil

Ahh makes sense! Sorry - trying to Cooke dinner and read autoshite at the same time shows I am a "one task at a time" chap:)

[Junkman]

Mine had the air cleaner that looks like an old deep fryer. Another thing it had in common with those was the rather infrequent clean out and oil replacement.

[PhilA]

Yeah, the manual states to change it every 5000 miles or so under regular driving conditions.

 

Mine should be moderately quiet under acceleration also with that extra silencer can.

 

The muffler is straight through so it'll never be totally quiet.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

I had a rummage in the storeroom and found my little tachometer. It's got a very faded receipt from Motaman in Bedminster dated 2004. £38 even back then.

 

Spent a little while bashing and bending metal. I need a vice.

Net result is the air filter now sits correctly. I couldn't easily see where it was before, with the engine out access is very good. Still need to finish cleaning the lower section of the filter assembly.

 

Hooked the tacho up and started the engine up. It reads nicely. It'll be useful for setting the gearbox up (needs to be set up to 700RPM to adjust the bands).

 

Fuel pump needs a new gasket. That won't be a problem!

 

Also fitted the thermostat housing with a new gasket I cut out. It'll need to come off again but showed me the clearance to the air filter housing, which sits much closer to the engine than I thought originally.

 

Onward and upward.

 

Phil

[Zelandeth]

There's something just wonderful about big lazy old low compression engines like this. That really does sound incredibly smooth and quiet for an engine with naught but an exhaust manifold attached.

 

Mate of mine had a Jag XJ6 with a sports exhaust on it. I know this would sound like sacrilege to some, but it wasn't massively brash - but big in line engines are something you just don't hear these days, and hearing the straight six in that howl when you gave it some beans was a noise which really made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

 

...I was a bloody fool not to buy that car off him. Especially as the guy who bought it went and bloody scrapped it.

 

I think I'd take it over a V8 actually.

[PhilA]

It's a fair bit quieter with the air filter assembly on. A good chunk of noise is intake related. At idle it's also very hissy, which this all but removes.

 

Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the sound of a V8, particularly a high performance one being given some beans. I miss my Challenger!

 

If there's an automotive noise to define a country, the burble of a big computer controlled V8 is really modern America. It's by far the most common noise around here, for sure.

 

The UK? These days the monotonous, tuneless rattling drone of a common rail inline 4 diesel. I miss the days of hearing Fords, BMCs, Vauxhalls, Rootes and the different sounds they brought.

 

So yes, anything that has a bit of soul, a bit of character to break the humdrum is welcome to the ears.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

It was raining today so I did a little something on the car.

 

Lower section of the air filter assembly.

 

Cleaned, rust removed.

 

Primed.

 

Painted. It's so black it doesn't even look black. I like enamel.

 

Phil

[Sir Snipes]

I notice your avatar isn't representative of your current endeavours. Please correct this oversight at your earliest convenience. Thank you.

[tooSavvy]

I notice your avatar isn't representative of your current endeavours. Please correct this oversight at your earliest convenience. Thank you.

Yes... Front 4 plugs for 6month, then the back 4

[PhilA]

There you go. From here:

 

[billy_bunter]

Motoman in Bemi. blooming hell that is going back

[PhilA]

I went to South Bristol Technical College on Marksbury Road, so I would pass by through there on the way up out on the A38.

 

Phil