Ask a Shiter

[DodgeRover]

Angle grinder?

[dave21478]

My cordless angle grinder is apparently good for 8000 rpm or so.....its 18v so probably possible to make a speed controller?

Fuck knows how you would couple it to some kind of chuck though? iirc the output shaft of angle grinders is a weird thread pattern so screwing on a standard drill or lathe chuck might need some kind of adaptor made up.

You dont want to be fucking about with too much bodgery though, wobbles at that speed will rattle the bastard right off the edge of your desk.

[SiC]

Yeah I did think angle grinder but as you said the mounting could be difficult. Also it's likely to slow down quite a bit from 8k once loaded down as unlikely to have a lot of torque at those revs.

[Mally]

Sounds dangerous to me. unless you clamp it well in a lathe.

[SiC]

My plan is to fix the distributor itself into a securely fixed (to the rig) lab clamp stand or similar. So the distributor itself shouldn't go flying, only bits that could would be all the things inside the distributor.

 

I'm wondering if a drill motor would survive being over volted. Wouldn't be too much load on the motor but then the revs may kill a cheap drill gearbox.

 

Hmm.

[Dave_Q]

Looks like it to me, I've been to court with similar papers & they accepted them.

 

Bare in mind though that these days the car has to be insured to be taxed, if it's not taxed you can only drive it to/from a MOT.

This isn't quite true, yes they have this continuous insurance thing where you may get a fine if you do not insure a taxed car, but you 100% can tax any car with an MOT regardless of insurance unless you're in Northern Ireland.

 

Think about it, the system would have to check on the MID to see if you were insured, even if you had bought some there's no guarantee the insurer will update the MID within the next few weeks.

 

So either you let people buy tax without insurance, or you give everyone an excuse not to buy tax (SOZ M8 COULDN'T TAX IT NOT ON DA MID YET)

[Des]

Angle grinders with speed control, albeit crude ones, are ten a penny these days from the likes of Lidl, for all your dizzy driving needs, coupling wise, you could try finding a big nut for the grinders spindle and a short length of radiator hose and clips, should be just up to the job if both items are supported but would hopefully release when the whole ballyhoo tears off on a nom nom trashing spree chasing you round your gaf while you scrabble to pull the main fuse. Maybe sit the dizzy in the top of an axle stand, poke the grinder in through a side and keep your boot on it, carry out a risk assessment and I'm sure it will be fine.

[scaryoldcortina]

I'd be tempted to rig the dizzy up via a belt and pulley arrangement rather than direct drive tbh. More flexibility on motor choice and control over gearing for starters.

[TataBobu]

What he said. With belt and pulley you can still use the drill to power it, and have a gearbox of sorts. You just need a 5:1 ration between the big pulley (turned by the drill) and the small one (that would turn the dizz) to get from 1300 to 7500 rpm.

[SiC]

Angle grinders with speed control, albeit crude ones, are ten a penny these days from the likes of Lidl, for all your dizzy driving needs, coupling wise, you could try finding a big nut for the grinders spindle and a short length of radiator hose and clips, should be just up to the job if both items are supported but would hopefully release when the whole ballyhoo tears off on a nom nom trashing spree chasing you round your gaf while you scrabble to pull the main fuse. Maybe sit the dizzy in the top of an axle stand, poke the grinder in through a side and keep your boot on it, carry out a risk assessment and I'm sure it will be fine.

 

Speed controlling 240v with a low voltage source is a bit of a pain in the arse and can be dangerous - so rather go a lower voltage route if I can. I want to have electronic control of the distributor drive speed, so I can log the rpm vs advance and plot a distributor curve.

 

I'd be tempted to rig the dizzy up via a belt and pulley arrangement rather than direct drive tbh. More flexibility on motor choice and control over gearing for starters.

I was going for direct drive for simplicity and not needing so much fabrication. Maybe this is a perfect first project for me to learn to weld with?

[3VOM]

What do people use to clean up wheels before fitting tyres? I seem to be taking ages to do mine, but it looks like it did get liberally coated with sealant last time a tyre was put on.

[Tickman]

1957 Morris Minor,

 

With a battery connected the ignition is on, it doesn't matter it the key switch is on or off.

 

Could it be anything else other than a key switch failure?

[scaryoldcortina]

Could be a short circuit between ignition dependant and permanent live somewhere. Unplug the ignition switch and see if it's still doing it.

[Tickman]

Could be a short circuit between ignition dependant and permanent live somewhere. Unplug the ignition switch and see if it's still doing it.

 

Thanks, I'll eliminate the obvious then look for the less obvious if that doesn't work.

[Guest Hooli]

The ignition is on, or just the charge warning light is on?

 

The latter could be a diode in the rectifier.

[mercrocker]

Minor ignition switch can fail open circuit which will give the red light.   When I had a similar fault on my Austin I was getting live LT circuit but no red light - that was a fusebox short.

[Tickman]

The ignition is on, or just the charge warning light is on?

 

The latter could be a diode in the rectifier.

 

Ignition on, I can start it with no keys.

 

Minor ignition switch can fail open circuit which will give the red light.   When I had a similar fault on my Austin I was getting live LT circuit but no red light - that was a fusebox short.

 

Good to know, I shall have a look later hopefully

[tooSavvy]

How does the 'advance curve' manifest itself (under this test rig set up)?

 

A white spot on the input/dizzy shaft bottom (would be in the engine block) and a difference (by strobe) back to white spot through a l/t 12V on points >> into a coil.

 

Or a 360deg disc/collar [under strobe] on dizzy bottom...

 

 

TS

[SiC]

How does the 'advance curve' manifest itself (under this test rig set up)?

 

A white spot on the input/dizzy shaft bottom (would be in the engine block) and a difference (by strobe) back to white spot through a l/t 12V on points >> into a coil.

 

Or a 360deg disc/collar [under strobe] on dizzy bottom...

 

 

TS

Yes is pretty much the answer. I'm still learning about ignition theory, etc but my current plan is to have a reference point generated by something attached to the motor. In some ways the point in a cycle that an engine is statically timed at. From this reference point, time the difference between that and the distributor actuating. Thus determining the timing.

 

Probably put a reluctor or optical wheel on the shaft, with many segments. This way it shouldn't be as necessary to zero the distributor. Not sure if I can get one with sufficient accuracy (that isn't really expensive) though.

 

The reason for this is as a test rig for a electronic mappable ignition unit that I can develop against. I could use a signal generator and a scope, however I'd like the system capable of using mechanical points. These will introduce contact bounce, wear and other issues. So instead of trying to simulate that, actually build a rig that is a decent representation.

 

The rig would also be useful for testing mechanical distributors and their advance curves.

[Mally]

I have a bulb on a bit of wire that I use when I'm being technical.

[Guest Hooli]

I have a bulb on a bit of wire that I use when I'm being technical.

 

Mine's the mk2 with croc clips on the ends.

[drum]

I have the carbs from my GS650 on the bench for strip down and cleaning. In the absence of proper carb cleaner, what's the best thing to use? I have brake cleaner, degreaser, G101, turps etc.

 

I don't want to damage the diaphragms or the alloy body.

[Guest Hooli]

I use brake cleaner, seems to do the same thing.

[DeeJay]

I have a bulb on a bit of wire that I use when I'm being technical.

I can't do electrics since my bulb broke.

[Stanky]

What are the best mechanics gloves to get for under, say, £15?

 

I found a pair of fabric gloves in a car i bought once, the fabric is thin and then have a sort of rubberised/nitrile texture on the palm side so you can grip things. they are quite thin so you can feel what you are doing - and stretchy, though being the 'medium' size, and me being a fat-handed twat they are a bit snug. Large, or XL would be better I think.

 

I've managed to coat them in loads of grot and repeatedly stabbed myself through the fabric and coating and they are now falling apart.

 

I want to replace them, as especially in the winter they are a godsend for keeping your hands warm as you work on cars, and also allow you to grip things like tiny components well - whereas bare skin goes dry and things can't be gripped as easily.

 

what do people suggest? Something like these?

 

https://www.justworkgloves.co.uk/Mechanics-Gloves/AdeptAir-Assembly-Grip-Gloves

 

Are Mechanix gloves any good? They look a bit too bulky for what I want

[SiC]

I walked into the garage to finish off the carbs to suddenly have inspiration for my Distributor test setup. A quick lash-up made this perfectly safe* setup:

 

It works surprisingly well! I get 4000rpm and it draws 10.5A @ 10.69v (battery voltage sagging from the current demand) when spinning the distributor.

 

The motor is for starting RC plane glow engines and so readily available. It's designed to be pushed against a propeller spinner on the front of a model. Like this:

 

Usually the rubber bit sits inside the pulley bit and you push it on. Trying that it more often than not flicked off the distributor. I found it worked better by putting the rubber cone on the end of the distributor and pushing that into the end.

 

Got to think of a slightly more positive way of mounting it but it's a start. Might be possible to replace the pulley with a chuck of some sort maybe?

[catsinthewelder]

Last year the Disastra scraped though the emmissions by the skin of its teeth,  since then it has started using a bit of oil.  Is there any point in taking it for a test?

[cobblers]

Try it. You never know how friendly the tester will be.

[Asimo]

I walked into the garage to finish off the carbs to suddenly have inspiration for my Distributor test setup. A quick lash-up made this perfectly safe* setup:

It works surprisingly well! I get 4000rpm and it draws 10.5A @ 10.69v (battery voltage sagging from the current demand) when spinning the distributor.

The motor is for starting RC plane glow engines and so readily available. It's designed to be pushed against a propeller spinner on the front of a model. Like this:

Usually the rubber bit sits inside the pulley bit and you push it on. Trying that it more often than not flicked off the distributor. I found it worked better by putting the rubber cone on the end of the distributor and pushing that into the end.

Got to think of a slightly more positive way of mounting it but it's a start. Might be possible to replace the pulley with a chuck of some sort maybe?

Stick with the rubber drive. It is asking for trouble to solid drive because it is so difficult to get both shafts parallel and concentric. If you "solidly" mount the distributor and motor to timber with cable ties or jubilee clips, packing pieces etc that should be stable enough with the rubber drive.

[Talbot]

Last year the Disastra scraped though the emmissions by the skin of its teeth,  since then it has started using a bit of oil.  Is there any point in taking it for a test?

Take the air filter out.