Fixed somethings! *Camera/date/ lock up interface warning*

[Cavcraft]

Well, it had to happen one day I suppose. Not exactly thread of the year contents soz but I'm pretty chuffed with todays results of tinkearge.

 

First off was the lad's 106. As mentioned previously the red light of death would flicker even on five mile journeys, the fan would kick in and the heater never got hot. The other day whilst waiting for junior outside work I decided to remove the expansion cap to see what would happen. Result was a nice brown coloured geyser all over the engine bay then curiously the thermostat decided to work again. Anyhow cue Halfords, an off the shelf 'stat and the need to fit it asap. CBA yesterday for various reasons and forced myself into having a go this afters with junior, despite a large selection of dubious lagers and vodka last night. But that's enough about him arf, arf.

 

Thermostat came out without too much agro, the housing was a little fiddly due to having to remove the plastic pipe 'thing' nearby...

 

Old one looked a bit used so was worth replacing even though the heating had started working again...

 

Three bleed points located and about twenty minutes or so of mini-eruptions from said points and all looked well. Tomorrow I'll try and give it a good test drive to ensure all is o.k.

My hands are like bleeding shovels and as there's no point in having a dog and barking yourself I got the young mechanical genius to do most of the work. Happy to report we finally got the steering column shroud on too, it was pissing me off driving the car without it as it just looks wrong. Transpires there must be two different types for the 106 as we'd struggled like hell to get it on and then realised the main (bottom) part of the shroud had a sort of plastic lug which needed cutting off to make it fit. All done now so quite happy with that. We had a look at the blowing exhaust and it looks to have gone on the centre pipe just where it joins the backbox. This is a bit of a pisser because the cntre pipe is the longest bit and contains the cat so much dry bummage expected when sourcing a replacement, unless we can have it welded.

Next up (as well as the exhaust) is a parcel shelf (tenner from my favourite new scrappy) and one tyre is nearly done for so I'll get a part worn and fit it myself.

 

Next job and which should have been done a while ago was to try and fix the erratic spluttering on the Cortina. Whanged the carb off (it's a Ford one unfortunately, not a Weber) to look at/clean out the jets. The carb was quite dirty so I got busy cleaning bits up with choke and carb cleaner and my mechanical wizard neighbour, his son and mine got stripping down...

 

Hard to say whether it's worked or not as sometimes it would run fine, others it wouldn't and the car was cold when we did it. Adjusted the idle screw slightly to up the revs at idle a smidge and it certainly seems ok and revs nice and cleanly. Again a test drive should ascertain whether it's worked alright or not. Hoping it will have obviously, though I may try and source a twin choke Weber and manifold anyhow if one comes up at a sensible price. Previous owner said the carb came from a Capri (don't know what model mind you) and that he'd rebuilt is with a Weber kit but not touched the jets. Had planned to get an in-line filter but found out before it has one anyway so there's a small job saved if nothing else.

 

Sorry it's not the greatest thread ever and probably belongs in 'News 24' but I'm pretty crap with mechanics and I'm chuffed with the work done today even if I only played a small part in it.

[Pete-M]

Good man, is your 'Tina a 1.6 or 2.0 (It'll say on the o/s of the cylinder block.

 

The Weber will be off a Capri or Cortina probably. Make sure it isn't a V6 one by operating the throttle and peering into the carb. If both butterflies (ignore the ones on the top of the carb, they're chokes) open together it'll be a V6 carb - which is a bad idea as it'll just use loads of fuel and not produce any more power. If one opens and then the other, you've got the right carb.

 

They're pretty reliable carbs normally. Bit fiddly to rebuild but not that hard to do.

 

More often than not running problems, flat spots etc are dizzy related on these. The dwell angle is dead important on 'em but people still think that guessing etc is good enough. It isn't. Not if you want it running right.

[Cavcraft]

Cheers Pete, it's a 16 Xflow.

[CreepingJesus]

Forgot that engine bays could be that accessible! Beats needing 3 elbows and Jedi mind powers on our more modern stuff.

Just out of interest (and it's probly been asked before), what tune do those magnificent horns play?

[trigger]

Those airhorns are brilliant!, I had a set of those on a old Mondeo i once had, I loved scaring the shit out of old grannies as i drove the road with those bad boys!

[Cavcraft]

Bridge Over the River Kwai (I think), more commonly known as the old 'Hitler has only got one ball' tune. They do work very well as some of the Chodmingerly Castle posse will no dount confirm.

[Albert Ross]

Surely it's known as "Colonel Bogey"?

[Cavcraft]

Ah yes, that's the one sorry.

 

My missus hates them too so a bit of a Brucie Bonus there.

[KruJoe]

That's it! They were well funny. We raised some eyebrows that day between us!

 

Good work Billy, fingers crossed for the test runs tomorrow. Looks like you didn't bugger things up as much as you predicted this morning!

[Pete-M]

Just spotted your pic of the carb. I IZ RETARD. That's a single choke jobbie.

 

Get shut of it - they're pretty disastrous - and find a 1.6 x/flow twin choke Weber and manifold. It's worth it.

[oldford]

Be careful on the exhaust for the 106. We had one in which failed the emissions test, we put a cheap exhaust and cat on it and it didn't make any difference, then a probe and still no difference. We eventually ended up cutting the old cat open and transplanting the internals from an old Skoda Felicia cat that we had lying around. The result was that it took the emissions down from 7% to 0% CO.

[Cavcraft]

Oh dear, the smell of fail is all around. Took my lad to work in the 106 today and the heater was icy cold. Two hundred yards from the finish line and the RLOD lit up. Took the expansion cap off, bit of a hiss but no water erupting out. Topped up water (it looked quite low) ran it home and the same again. Verdict? Needs bleeding again.

 

Oldford: cheers for the heads up. We'll get it over a ramp at some point and assess the situation. Still hoping it's the backbox or the clamp itself but if the entrire centre pipe if knackered might try and find a second hand one though I suppose it's a gamble.

[Cavcraft]

Hey, bit of a touch with the Cortina at last!

Since stripping and cleaning the carb the other day I gave the car it's first run out today. It started first crack, hardly needed any choke and is very responsive now. Rev'd willingly, pulled cleanly and seems to be going very well indeed.

 

Now, here's the slightly weird bit: the throttle seems very responsive, actually a bit more than feels comfortable. I probably shouldn't complain but it's sort of harder to drive now and low speeds (40-ish in top) is a little hard to maintain as it seems to sort of surge a little. It stalled once as I was slowing down and off the throttle but rolling started no bother.

At one point it seemed almost as if the clutch was sticking, perhaps a little like the throttle had stuck about 4 miles into my 6 mile trip to work but then seemed ok.

Obv. I'll give it a better run out later and see how it goes but any idea as to why it seems almost over-responsive please and as to what that clutch slip 'thing' might have been?

Cheers.

[Pete-M]

Obv. I'll give it a better run out later and see how it goes but any idea as to why it seems almost over-responsive please and as to what that clutch slip 'thing' might have been?

Cheers.

 

Um, the response is one of the reasons Ford fans love x/flows.... with a Weber it'd be even better It's why when cars started getting fuel injection all the lads with Mk2 Escorts didn't like it as it killed the responses.

 

The 'clutch' thing was quite probably something stuck. Maybe the throttle cable is routed badly?

[Danblez]

I agree with Pete on the stuck throttle issue and would invesitagte it now.

 

I had a very brown trowser moment in a mk 2 escort years ago with a stuck throttle and a looming roundabout. Still makes my buttocks clench now!

[Cavcraft]

Thanks. I reckon I can live with the twitchy throttle and probably grow to like it. The cable idea makes lots of sense because it was disconnected when we had the carb on/off so we possibly didn't route it correctly when refitting. I think I'll try it out down the A5117 on the way home then give it a spin on the M53 if all is o.k.

 

Thanks once again.

[Rocket88]

Hasn't got a lightened flywheel, by any chance? That'll give an extremely zingy throttle response!

[Cavcraft]

I don't know to be honest, I can't recall previous onwer mentioning it but I'll try and look through the receipts as he had spent a large chunk of money on an engine rebuild and other stuff.

[Cavcraft]

WINNAH!

 

Drove it home yesterday and it pulled like a train and very cleanly. Stalled it two or three times but that's almost certainly because I hardly used the choke at all and should have left it on a bit longer.

No danger doing motorway speeds and overtaking etc so fingers crossed it's ok now and I'll worry about getting a twin choke Weber and manifold at a later date.

[Cavcraft]

Quick update here: Cortina starts first crack and sounds well. Only trouble now is the tickover is erratic and it hunts a bit even when revved. It does this when it's warmed up too so it's a pita on stop/start journeys.

 

However, Trevor, I bashed a 'wanted' notice up on RR and Sheffiled Cortina Centre had a twin choke Weber and manifold which are now on the way to mine. He thinks the carb is ok( he bought it as a spare) but I'll get a rebuild kit for it anyhow just to be on the safe side. £35 including delivery for the carb and manifold seemed a good price to me so we'll see how it is when refurb'd and fitted.

[Pete-M]

Have you set the dwell angle and timing properly yet?

[Cavcraft]

Erm, no! The problem had seemed to be carb related so sort of planned on arsing about with that first. I've not fitted the new condensor yet either so perhaps it'd be best to lob that on and check the timing etc afterwards?

[Pete-M]

Erm, no! The problem had seemed to be carb related so sort of planned on arsing about with that first. I've not fitted the new condensor yet either so perhaps it'd be best to lob that on and check the timing etc afterwards?

 

Yup, set the ignition up 100% and you'll find a lot of 'carb problems' mysteriously vanish.

[alf892]

hunting/stall on over run=too lean...........99.99% of time.

 

Could be an air leak but more likely a tweak onthe mixture screw should sort it out.......just enough for a smooth idle and a clean pick up when you hit the throttle quickly with no load.

 

Timing is best set up by advancing it till it pinks on lightish load.........and then retard until it stops pinking.ie trial and error! Point gap is key though and best set using dwell meter as this 'reduces 'the effect of any wear in the distributor