A40 - Bloody fuck and snot!

[SiC]

1 hour ago, Matty said:

Do you have a link or owt?

Sorry, I waffled on and forgot to put links 🤣

Rotor arm: https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/rotor-arm-25d4-high-quality-gra2101hq.html

Condenser: https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/condenser-lead-25d-high-quality-gsc111hq.html

Both above are must haves.

I've got on fine with these caps and point sets:

Cap: https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/distributor-cap-25d4-top-entry-gdc103.html

Points: https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/points-set-contact-breakers-gcs2101.html

Those one piece points are the cheapest type of all you can buy, but I've found them to work fine. I actually prefer the one piece as I've found many of the standard points types have a habit of riding up on the distributor cam if that has worn unevenly.

There are other sellers of the above, but I have a Moss branch local to me and I also know they don't sell knock off stuff.

Alternatively you can get all decent distributor parts (and rebuilds) from this guy: http://www.distributordoctor.com/

[SiC]

36 minutes ago, Matty said:

As above, is there any reason I couldn't relocate the filter to the incoming side of the pump from the tank, leaving me space to fit the regulator after the pump where the filter currently sits?

I'd personally prefer it on the output side as most of these fuel pumps push better than they suck. It looks like the fuel is pretty clean in the filter anyway. Is the tank relatively clean/fresh?

[Mally]

Red rotor arm used to be simple, there were only a couple selling them. Now every man and his dog uses red material.

As Si says Moss or Distributer Dr will be fine.

Try driving it with the fuel cap off, let some air in the tank.  Don't forget to put it back on.

Some regulators have a filter combined.

I like one piece points, I've known the others to short across the spring.

[Matty]

Beautiful car though @SiC. Something about them, especially as a gt that just looks so right. We might be getting one in the family this week, our Tony (who I get most of the old car disease from) has recently sold an m100 elan turbo and after pondering eclats and elites and even a return to a HB Viva Gt like in his youth is off to Solihull to look at a BGT (albeit a rubber bumper). Always wanted a go in one.

Reading the thread as like me with the A40, you'd done a lot of stuff on relatively modern cars but this was your starting point with properly old tackle. Wanted to see how you'd found it and now wished I hadn't looked 🤣. Only joking, you've done well and haven't let it beat you.

[Matty]

1 hour ago, SiC said:

I'd personally prefer it on the output side as most of these fuel pumps push better than they suck. It looks like the fuel is pretty clean in the filter anyway. Is the tank relatively clean/fresh?

Supposed been resealed. I have my doubts having used similar products on bike and scooter tanks in the past, but what's getting drawn through so far looks sound.

[Matty]

41 minutes ago, Mally said:

Red rotor arm used to be simple, there were only a couple selling them. Now every man and his dog uses red material.

As Si says Moss or Distributer Dr will be fine.

Try driving it with the fuel cap off, let some air in the tank.  Don't forget to put it back on.

Some regulators have a filter combined.

I like one piece points, I've known the others to short across the spring.

Thanks bud. I'd already took the cap off when testing the pump as it looked to be taking a while to fill the (quite large) filter. Fuel starvation due to a blocked breather Once stranded me on windy hill on the 62 in my first car till I worked out what the crack is. Do think my problems tank vacuum here but fair shout.

Edit, I'm taking it over Burnley on Friday to do a job for my dad, I'll try cap off on the way over to be sure 👍

[Matty]

Hive mind, any suggestions as to settings for setting the ignition timing on a 1098cc a series using a timing lamp? I'm assuming it will be different to the workshop manual due to unleaded fuel (only use 99 octane e5).

[tooSavvy]

On 14/02/2022 at 20:05, Mally said:

Red rotor arm used to be simple, there were only a couple selling them. Now every man and his dog uses red material.

As Si says Moss or Distributer Dr will be fine.

#Try driving it with the fuel cap off, let some air in the tank.  Don't forget to put it back on#

Some regulators have a filter combined.

I like one piece points, I've known the others to short across the spring.

Ahh#.... Tank Venting 😱

I replaced the fuel cap on my IMP (stand in petrol station with bonnet* up!)... I had misplaced the 'jamjar lid' factory one when doing something on the car 🤔... so I nicked a nice chrome one off something @breakers. Cue bad misfire and cutting out.... I took the filler cap off to check in tank and "fummppp" of suction 😵.

Drilled a 1/16th hole straight down through it.... Sorted!! 😎

[ProgRocker]

On 30/01/2022 at 19:30, wuvvum said:

Weird to see this photo as my current digs is in the background somewhere to the right. 

Is the white one a Chrysler K car?

[wuvvum]

9 minutes ago, ProgRocker said:

Weird to see this photo as my current digs is in the background somewhere to the right. 

My condolences.

9 minutes ago, ProgRocker said:

Is the white one a Chrysler K car?

It's slightly bigger than that - it's a Dodge 600 so based on the E platform rather than the K.  Same 2.2-litre 4-pot though.

[Matty]

UPDATE TIME

Well, it now works! I'm not exactly a person flush with time so progress has been painfully slow. Checked tappets (nowt to adjust, they were Bob on. Only the difference between my idea of a feel on the gauge and the other fellas and when your at that stage there's nowt to adjust).

Checked points. Ditto. @SiC red rotor arm present.

Checked plug gaps, again feck all.

Did a flow test on fuel pump at the carb. 3 quarters of a litre a min. Plenty.

Now I wasn't in a rush (call me a nancy) to take a precious days holiday and try to arrive at a combination of carb components and settings using the seat of my pants. So today this happened

[SiC]

Is that a rolling road? I'm very tempted to take a few of my classics down to my local classic Mini racing specialist and get them to do a proper tune.

[Matty]

It is and tbf it highlighted why trying to do it myself was a waste of time. The engines quite a way from standard. I'd timed it to the book settings (workshop manual). He had it on the CO meter and the leads on the scope throughout. He rubbished my timing settings (nowhere near advanced enough) did a run on the new timing. Pronounced it massively lean throughout.

He then put a richer needle in and ran it again. "Much better top end but could be improved". He then filed the needle and ran it again. 5 runs in total each time filing the taper on the needle a little and going again. "Right, take it round the block". Genuinely night and day different. I was oining moderns all the way home 😁

[Matty]

All this was on the screen as well so he could show me a fueling curve, where it was at and where it should be. Defiantly impressed.

 

Disclaimer that's what I took it to mean. At this point I was pacing up and down racked with nerves like when the kids were born so I might have missed bits 🤣

[N Dentressangle]

A lot of stuff runs better with more advance than factory settings, I find. I uusually just use them as a guide and then the old method of advancing it until it just started to pink then backing off a little. Strobes are more use on 70s / 80s stuff which is a bit more accurately set up.

I remember first seeing an A40 in Practical Classics in the 80's - ex-Pat Moss rally car with reg XOE, I think. Always quite fancied one, but it never happened sadly.

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26808/lot/94/

£45k!!! 'Kin ell!!! 

[Matty]

14 minutes ago, N Dentressangle said:

A lot of stuff runs better with more advance than factory settings, I find. I uusually just use them as a guide and then the old method of advancing it until it just started to pink then backing off a little. Strobes are more use on 70s / 80s stuff which is a bit more accurately set up.

I remember first seeing an A40 in Practical Classics in the 80's - ex-Pat Moss rally car with reg XOE, I think. Always quite fancied one, but it never happened sadly.

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26808/lot/94/

£45k!!! 'Kin ell!!! 

Tbf compared to a lot of stuff they're still good value. I had a short list which included an Imp. Because who doesn't want an Imp?? Problem being that decent ones fetch a lot of money. Then when you've spent all that money on a lovely standard one, you aren't going to want to mod it. Which is what I wanted to do. This is cosmetically scruffy but solid and already far from standard. The short list as it stands is 13 inch steels with a deeper dish, two period looking low back buckets to replace the grey velour metro seats and a smaller 3 alloy spoke steering wheel.

The longer list is the Frontline telescopic conversion on the front end. And a respray into old English white with a black roof. And a 1380 engine. The longer list is admitadly a day dream at this point 🙂

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, Matty said:

It is and tbf it highlighted why trying to do it myself was a waste of time. The engines quite a way from standard. I'd timed it to the book settings (workshop manual). He had it on the CO meter and the leads on the scope throughout. He rubbished my timing settings (nowhere near advanced enough) did a run on the new timing. Pronounced it massively lean throughout.

He then put a richer needle in and ran it again. "Much better top end but could be improved". He then filed the needle and ran it again. 5 runs in total each time filing the taper on the needle a little and going again. "Right, take it round the block". Genuinely night and day different. I was oining moderns all the way home 😁

You seem to have found a good 'un.

[Matty]

7 hours ago, High Jetter said:

You seem to have found a good 'un.

Fingers crossed....

[N Dentressangle]

10 hours ago, Matty said:

Tbf compared to a lot of stuff they're still good value. I had a short list which included an Imp. Because who doesn't want an Imp?? Problem being that decent ones fetch a lot of money. Then when you've spent all that money on a lovely standard one, you aren't going to want to mod it. Which is what I wanted to do. This is cosmetically scruffy but solid and already far from standard. The short list as it stands is 13 inch steels with a deeper dish, two period looking low back buckets to replace the grey velour metro seats and a smaller 3 alloy spoke steering wheel.

The longer list is the Frontline telescopic conversion on the front end. And a respray into old English white with a black roof. And a 1380 engine. The longer list is admitadly a day dream at this point 🙂

I like the rationale - makes a lot of sense.

Something like a bit of period looking XOE replica with some nice tuning goodies would be fab, and actually usable. Looking forward to seeing it 😎

[Matty]

So, flush with success after the rolling Road. Worked yesterday so only Sunday off this week. But it's dry, I've got a free day so me and the youngest are going out. But what's this?

[Matty]

Leading swiftly onto this

[Matty]

Good news is the new cylinders aren't leaking. It's not brake fluid (as I thought). So I've got a half shaft oil seal leaking. Real do. 

Tbf I need to drop the engine, gearbox and diff oils soon as part of running it in so I'll get a pair of seals and change them then.

The car however is a little flying machine (all things relative 😁). Done about 50 miles today and every one a pleasure. Really rows along well and pulls up well too thanks to the midget hubs and discs. Biblically loud though

[Rusty_Rocket]

Lovely car! 

Just make sure your axle breather is clear and the dif oil level isn't over filled. You'll probably never stop a little oil from the seals. As long as its not contaminating the shoes, it's ok. 

[Matty]

47 minutes ago, Rusty_Rocket said:

Lovely car! 

Just make sure your axle breather is clear and the dif oil level isn't over filled. You'll probably never stop a little oil from the seals. As long as its not contaminating the shoes, it's ok. 

Good idea that actually. Best checked before I start pulling things in bits. Shoes are clean, it's just dribbling down the back plate and out onto the wheel.

[Shite Ron]

You should be able to tell by the smell if it is diff oil, it has a very strong and distinctive smell.

[Matty]

On 3/14/2022 at 9:17 AM, Shite Ron said:

You should be able to tell by the smell if it is diff oil, it has a very strong and distinctive smell.

It'll have to be distinctive. 20 year of smoking has fucked my sense of smell almost entirely 😁

[Matty]

Work has slowed to a stop at the moment. I've spent all my car budget and until I sell the kawasaki I'm not dipping into our savings or earnings. So on the meantime it's little bits only. The car has an awful high level brake light fitted and a reverse light that whilst much loved by @worldofceri doesn't look right either

[Matty]

Bit of fucking about got me this

[scruff]

Love it - an a40 farina started my love affair with Austins as a schoolboy. I can't remember the last time I saw one on the road but they are ace little things. 

[Matty]

High level brake light will have to wait till tomorow night. The PO had mixed his wiring up and wired the existing reverse lamp live to earth and ground to live. I'm sure someone will correct if I'm wrong, but I'm assuming he got away with this as the lamp was plastic. I didn't spot this and after wiring up my new chrome shelled lamp, suddenly had no indicators, brake lights or reverse light. Some swift fuse replacement and a quick rewire sorted the job.

I've traced the wiring for the high level brake light so all that shite can come out tomorow night. Ultimately the car needs going through inside by someone who knows more than me. It's been rewired to a good standard under the bonnet but the interior needs sorting. Number one cause of old cars burning to the ground after all 😔