N19's fleet - squeak squeak squeak

[Wibble]

10 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

There are a few different ones. 
Did your car come with a centre console @N19? The gaiter is part of the console on cars that did have them. Only low spec cars didn’t have the console. Early cars had chrome sticks and the little round trim finisher around the top of the gaiter was chrome too. Sports and later cars were black or grey. 
Some of the sticks themselves seem shorter or longer too.

Here’s my stick (😆)

Mines an early basic car so no console but has the chrome sticks & trim with black gaiter.

But the same gear knob that I posted the picture of. The only thing I was questioning was what was the correct knob for a 1980 L.

[N19]

No centre console. The gaiter is fine I think. 

[danthecapriman]

9 minutes ago, Wibble said:

But the same gear knob that I posted the picture of. The only thing I was questioning was what was the correct knob for a 1980 L.

Pretty sure the knob (haha!) is the same. 
I think the stick itself differs sometimes depending on the exact gearbox fitted. I’m sure there a few slightly different versions of the 4 speeds. But the knob is always the same. 
 

I did get a black short centre console for mine years ago and fitted it. But the gaiter had the black top ring trim (mine should be chrome). I had intended to swap the gaiter & chrome ring from my original onto the console one but they’re stapled pretty firmly onto the console so I never bothered in the end. I’m glad I didn’t actually, as now I’ve done the resto I’ve got it back as it should be in an L without the console. There’s a chance I’d have ruined the original by trying to swap them over.

[adw1977]

1 hour ago, danthecapriman said:

I did get a black short centre console for mine years ago and fitted it. But the gaiter had the black top ring trim (mine should be chrome).

Are you sure it should be chrome?

Nov/Dec 1979 brochure 

Jan 1980 brochure

[danthecapriman]

16 minutes ago, adw1977 said:

Are you sure it should be chrome?

Nov/Dec 1979 brochure 

Jan 1980 brochure

Mines a 74 so had chrome. L spec cars like mine had no centre console and had the gearstick gaiter directly mounted to the top of the transmission tunnel with a plastic trim around the base. 
Im not sure if all mk2’s were the same as quite a bit changed later in mk2 production and was carried over to the mk3.

[N19]

1 hour ago, adw1977 said:

Are you sure it should be chrome?

Nov/Dec 1979 brochure 

Jan 1980 brochure

I'm not sure if I've seen that before! Will have to keep my eyes open at, err, knobs...

[Wibble]

I knew I was right! Someone mentioned the 5 speed but they didn’t arrive until the revised 2.8 injection Special and 1.6 & 2.0 Laser models, around 1984/5 I think.

Sadly it looks like the correct knob is quite expensive now. Annoying as I had one rolling around in my desk drawer for years.

Must add that I don’t even like the correct knob, I replaced it with a Ghia one on my Mk5 Cortina. Just think the Mk3 escort one looks so wrong on such a gorgeous car.

[danthecapriman]

9 hours ago, Wibble said:

I knew I was right! Someone mentioned the 5 speed but they didn’t arrive until the revised 2.8 injection Special and 1.6 & 2.0 Laser models, around 1984/5 I think.

Sadly it looks like the correct knob is quite expensive now. Annoying as I had one rolling around in my desk drawer for years.

Must add that I don’t even like the correct knob, I replaced it with a Ghia one on my Mk5 Cortina. Just think the Mk3 escort one looks so wrong on such a gorgeous car.

5 speed was later in the mk3 production run. As you say, 2.8 first I think, then the Laser slightly after.

The 4 speed knob was carried over right through from the mk1 so you’d think there’d be loads out there. I actually like the 4 speed knob and box. The 5 speed always felt very loose and nowhere near as nice to me. Although that extra gear does make a difference.

Thinking about that short console I’ve got, I think there’s a few different types of the clocks that fit in them too. Istr the one I got for mine not fitting the console very well with gaps around the corners. I know the clocks faces changed over the years too.

[adw1977]

10 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

Mines a 74 so had chrome

Sorry, I was getting muddled between your car and N19's late 1979 car!

[N19]

37 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

5 speed was later in the mk3 production run. As you say, 2.8 first I think, then the Laser slightly after.

The 4 speed knob was carried over right through from the mk1 so you’d think there’d be loads out there. I actually like the 4 speed knob and box. The 5 speed always felt very loose and nowhere near as nice to me. Although that extra gear does make a difference.

Thinking about that short console I’ve got, I think there’s a few different types of the clocks that fit in them too. Istr the one I got for mine not fitting the console very well with gaps around the corners. I know the clocks faces changed over the years too.

I've heard it said that the 4 speed is more robust, most of the time it makes no difference although this trip is a little different - there's quite a few times that 5th would have been nice to have! 

[danthecapriman]

10 minutes ago, N19 said:

I've heard it said that the 4 speed is more robust, most of the time it makes no difference although this trip is a little different - there's quite a few times that 5th would have been nice to have! 

4 speed is definitely the stronger of the two, but obviously lacks the extra gear. It’s motorways etc when your at higher speed where you could do with the extra gear. Which I assume you’re finding on this trip? 
When I used to run my mk2 daily I did a stretch of motorway to/from work and it could get a bit loud when you got up towards 70 and you hear the engine revving a bit. I tend to stick more around 60 in mine now.

Someone I used to know had a 2.0 Laser with the 5 speed and it made a big difference. I always preferred the ‘feel’ of the 4 speed in mine though. The 5 speed just felt very loose and nowhere near as solid and positive a gear selection as the 4.

As you say though, most of the time it’s irrelevant. Around here it’s mostly A and B roads so you’re not often hitting higher speeds to matter anyway. The nearest motorway to here is probably 10 or 15 miles away and I don’t go on it much! Where I used to live the motorway was literally a mile or so away and I’d use it to get to most places so you felt it more.

[N19]

22 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

4 speed is definitely the stronger of the two, but obviously lacks the extra gear. It’s motorways etc when your at higher speed where you could do with the extra gear. Which I assume you’re finding on this trip? 
When I used to run my mk2 daily I did a stretch of motorway to/from work and it could get a bit loud when you got up towards 70 and you hear the engine revving a bit. I tend to stick more around 60 in mine now.

Someone I used to know had a 2.0 Laser with the 5 speed and it made a big difference. I always preferred the ‘feel’ of the 4 speed in mine though. The 5 speed just felt very loose and nowhere near as solid and positive a gear selection as the 4.

As you say though, most of the time it’s irrelevant. Around here it’s mostly A and B roads so you’re not often hitting higher speeds to matter anyway. The nearest motorway to here is probably 10 or 15 miles away and I don’t go on it much! Where I used to live the motorway was literally a mile or so away and I’d use it to get to most places so you felt it more.

It can get a bit loud on longer trips yes, but it's not too massive an issue to be honest - as said I only do that length of motorway driving a few times per annum. 

[N19]

Amongst the moderns. 

[N19]

I've returned!

We covered 1,293 miles since Monday.

Having been to West Yorkshire, went up the M6, A74(M), to Lockerbie, then cross-country to Gala and Edinburgh.

There are some beautiful roads in parts of Scotland and I only wish it wasn't so far away, although I am up there a few times a year.

The particular route I took was very similar to one I took the Capri on in 2021, before the restoration. Ironically I was chatting to somebody (I can't remember who you were, sorry!) who mentioned they read autoshite and had seen the Capri some years ago in Banchory. It is truly a small world.

There was some clattering and clunking from the fanbelt, so I stopped in Stonehaven to double check and adjust.

When doing so, a passer by pulled over and said "Are you having trouble with your Capri? Just pop down the road and see Laurie". Reassured him that I was doing ok just checking something, but it's good to know that the local capri-licker is well known in the area! I don't know him, but passed his house 100 yards down the road.

 

So yes - quite a long trip, quite tiring, but generally all good! I try to do this, or a variation, every second year - covid and then the car being in bits put a hold to it!

The Capri needs an oil change, and there's a few other jobs to be done. The alternator I need to get off and line up from first principles because although it worked remarkably well, I had the tension slightly lower and it was clattering like hell - still generating a good charging voltage and no issues. Am going to try and do it properly by measuring the offset needed and then getting spacers/washers to suit, rather than just guessing. I did top up the oil as it was getting low, about 200ml twice during the trip. I suppose the heavy sustained motorway miles does mean it burns a little bit. It'll be getting an oil change tomorrow anyway, 20W50 for the summer. 

The heater blower fan finally gave up the ghost, Martin at CapriGear does a refurb-by-post service. Looking at my diary I think I'll send it off end of May as I'll need to strip the dash out and drain the coolant etc. However, it will give me a good opportunity to sort out a couple of other niggles, like re-aligning the drivers door, and the grommet on the clutch cable which needs replaced (so the clutch cable needs to come off which realistically involves the exhaust manifold coming off for better access).

 

Reminiscing the same trip 5 years ago.

  

On 08/06/2021 at 19:55, N19 said:

Today I drove the length of the A1. Except for the couple of diversions for lunch etc.

1,250 miles in six days later... And time for the Capri to have a bit of a rest. 

It's had a quick wash, just to remove some of the grime that was sitting on the paintwork. Also left the oil draining as it'll be due a change.

Nice work! 

 

[danthecapriman]

Awesome! Glad it all went well. Good old Capri!

I think you’ve done more miles in that one trip than I’ve done in mine in the few years it’s been back in one piece😄

[N19]

Here's the Slug Road in 2017 vs 2026 - same layby, slightly different angle.

[N19]

7 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Awesome! Glad it all went well. Good old Capri!

I think you’ve done more miles in that one trip than I’ve done in mine in the few years it’s been back in one piece😄

I probably do around 3,000 per annum in it - insured for 5,000. Used to do nearer or more than 5,000, but not these days!

[danthecapriman]

32 minutes ago, N19 said:

Here's the Slug Road in 2017 vs 2026 - same layby, slightly different angle.

There’s nearly 10 years between the two. That still doesn’t compute! How was 2017 nearly a decade ago!?

[N19]

In September, I'll have owned the car for 10 years, which equally doesn't compute!

[N19]

Oil change today - last one done in September, 2,000 miles ago. OTT I know.

Going to have a look at the alternator, but it seems that the viscous fan base needs at least one of the bolts tightening which I think can only be done with it off, which I hate doing as I always think I'll break something, so will leave that for another day.

[danthecapriman]

1 hour ago, N19 said:

In September, I'll have owned the car for 10 years, which equally doesn't compute!

25 years I’ve owned mine😬

Where the hell does time go!?

[N19]

List of little jobs to be done, mostly in no order, over the next few months.

1. Strip dash, drain cooling system, remove heater box. Send away for repair/reconditioning.

2. At the same time, re-fit the speedo cable grommet (after working out how the hell to get it on the cable! both ends too big - and it was an utter pain in the arse to get it on, as the new speedo cables have too thick a head for the old gearbox so you have to grind it down which is not fun!)

3. Replace the drivers mirror, I have a new one ready to go on.

4. Replace all the drivers and passenger seat bolts, I have new ones which are standard.

6. Get the viscious fan off, tighten up the bolts on the fan hub. Reassemble it. 

7. Having done (6), line up the alternator in position and with some threaded rod or too-long bolts in the housing. Measure how far the alternator should be packed out from the bracket. Source spacers to suit. Fit. Reassemble and hope that's the last remnants of the alternator grumbling sorted.

8. Look into tracing the vacuum leak.

9. Check that the gear stick is ok although after 1,300 miles I would think so.

10. Clean the handbrake switch, it's intermittent at the moment.

[N19]

I'm having a look at the viscous fan, and it looks like a pig of a job to get it off. When I've tried before I've got nowhere other than spinning it! (and yes i know it's a l/h thread) Is there a locking 'lug' or something? Another suggestion is to put an old fanbelt on, wrench it far tighter than it should be, and hope that'll give enough resistance.

[N19]

I started on (6) as the water pump pulley was wobbly.

Advice was to way over-tension the fanbelt and the nut would come undone. I was skeptical but it worked!

With the rad off, fan off, I was able to look at the pulley and.... oh

Water pump runs true, so that's good, so new pulley to be ordered up (Burtons want £77 plus delivery!) and fitted and then everything reassembled.

[N19]

A new pulley was ordered up and fitted. I took care to line up the alternator pulley with the water pump pulley so as it would sit in line. Measured how much it was needing packed out to, fitted washers to that width, all looked good.

Reassembled, refitted the fan, rad, filled rad, etc etc.

Ran the engine up, lovely to get it running again, took it out for a spin and >squeaksqueaksqueak< it's still bloody there when on overrun!

Looking at the line of the belt, it does look like tightening it to proper tension causes the whole unit almost to start twisting veeery slightly, and the run of the belt does seem to be ever so slightly off still.

FFS. File today definitely under "put it back in the garage and close the door before you get annoyed".

[N19]

The 'paper' diagnosis or line of thought at the moment is this.

Everything is straight until it's tensioned?

Then when you tension it, you get this mis-alignment. You can see (pink circle) that the belt is running at an angle as the alternator is slightly twisted.

Every

My theory is that there's enough give in the bolt/washer-pack-out arrangement (yellow circle) to allow this.

I plan on replacing this with just a nut & bolt, and then packing out at the bottom of the pivot arm (green circle) instead.

Why oh why did I not take pictures of this before I took it apart? answers on a postcard!!

[Andrew353w]

Some alternators have a bolt that passes through both the front and rear brackets, thereby preventing it from twisting about the remaining bolts. Yours doesn't seem to have this facility, suggesting that large washers or spacers fitted to the adjusting bracket would reduce this twisting action. 

I look forward to seeing your efforts at first hand chèz votre enfermer sometime soon! 

[N19]

4 hours ago, Andrew353w said:

Some alternators have a bolt that passes through both the front and rear brackets, thereby preventing it from twisting about the remaining bolts. Yours doesn't seem to have this facility, suggesting that large washers or spacers fitted to the adjusting bracket would reduce this twisting action. 

I look forward to seeing your efforts at first hand chèz votre enfermer sometime soon! 

Mine is currently fitted with two nut&bolts on the bottom 'ears' to the engine block, plus this along the adjusting arm. Both of the bottom ones *appear* to be tight enough.

I've today moved the spacing washers onto the bolt which fixes the pivot arm onto the block, so the pivot arm is pretty much perfectly in line with the top ear of the alternator, and can be bolted to that with (hopefully) no wiggle room to twist. It looks ok, Will test later in the week.

I had to look up "enfermer" as my 21-year-old 'C' at GCSE french didn't get that far! But yes - although you may be quite busy after next week!

[captain_70s]

9 hours ago, N19 said:

Mine is currently fitted with two nut&bolts on the bottom 'ears' to the engine block,

On the Doloshite there is free play in this area. A combination of a worn out bolt and mounting holes that have gone oval.

I'm guessing there is no wobble in it with the top tensioner undone?

[danthecapriman]

I’ve never known one be this much of a problem before😄

In your photo, the bolt with sandwiched washer in the yellow circle, have you got a bigger outer diameter washer to replace the one currently in there? Ideally a washer bigger than the alternators bracket as that would completely fill the gap currently between the alternator mount and tensioner/slider arm. At the moment the smaller washer might have a tendency to allow the alternator to move slightly once the belt becomes tensioned. A bigger washer wound spread that load out much more.