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Sept 5, 2013 17:41:38 GMT
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I'd like to go purple one day, I have this idea in my head of how I want to make the car look, but until then I'll stick to beige and satin black just for the sake of tidiness.
As for the thermostat housing, as mentioned in the update it's so firmly wedged into the car that you can actually lift the car with it. Whatever method was used to put it back in the car seems to be one that didn't want to see the thermostat housing removed any time soon. With care, I can reprofile the housing with the leak seal stuff which is I think some sort of high temperature resin and actually sands quite nicely, it'll just take a bit of time to make it perfect looking.
In other news, my new timing belt arrived as did my new Bosch silicone spark leads. I was right about the leads needing to be replaced, the car runs much smoother and is far more willing at road ends. The interference on the radio is vastly reduced too though not completely gone so I'm going to look at getting either another condenser or an electronic kit. It can wait for now, primarily because I'm putting all my pocket money to hauling this other Princess home from Plymouth and I'm trying very hard not to spend any money in the meantime.
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MK2VR6
Posted a lot
Mk2 Golf GTi 90 Spec
Posts: 3,329
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Sept 5, 2013 18:59:54 GMT
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Rear quarter definitely looking way better. A free car is always a good thing, although the transportation is always going to make it much less free. For another £160 odd, you could have bought the mega early Princess which I ebaylinked on here a few days back; I did half wonder if that was the car you'd procured, until I read the 'free' and 'plymuff' bit.
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Sept 5, 2013 19:03:42 GMT
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I've seen a few pop up that I could've gone for, but another late O series model is quite desirable to me, especially an '81 as there's such a tiny number of those left and they're probably the best of the bunch as all the problems had been ironed out by then... which is what the free one is.
An early Princess is desirable only for being early, they have a more problems than the later ones and usually a greater propensity to rot. They also have the slightly less refined B series lump in them (unless they're a big engine variant) that I'm not as keen on.
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Last Edit: Sept 5, 2013 19:04:45 GMT by Deleted
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Sept 5, 2013 19:36:44 GMT
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Might be a cool thing to have the 2.0 O-Series, apart from the extra stuff (possibly those VERY nice top-end seats) isn't it possible to swap the top of the 2.0 litre with the 1.7.
I know that guy from New Zealand with the mamouth Morris Marina collection swaps the tops (heads I think?) over to the smaller engines, could be a fun upgrade.
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Sept 5, 2013 21:07:17 GMT
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The only time this car has broken down is when I've fixed something. I should stop fixing things. This! My mini was entirely fine until i mended it and then it was so unreliable my teachers stopped believing me when i said i'd broken down. |
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Ryannn
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,421
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Sept 6, 2013 10:05:08 GMT
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My mini was entirely fine until I mended it  |
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Sept 6, 2013 12:01:56 GMT
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My mini was entirely fine until I mended it Well, within reason. It was the choice of carb i fitted, more than anything else. |
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Sept 6, 2013 12:10:35 GMT
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Did some thinking about the interference on the radio today. Before I'd get a regular ticking crackle through the speakers in time with the pulse from the degraded plug leads. Now I get a less frequent buzz-crackle, about a quarter of the regularity of the old interference. I wondered if the coil could be at fault, as that produces one spark to the distributor that becomes four at the leads. The coil fitted is of unknown age and condition and has been on the car long enough to have been given a coat of flaky black paint like so many other parts of the engine.
Really, I'm being picky. The car already runs and sounds healthier than I'd ever hoped it would and it's entirely possible I'm just looking for problems to fix rather than there being any actual problems.
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Sept 6, 2013 12:56:04 GMT
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Really, I'm being picky. The car already runs and sounds healthier than I'd ever hoped it would and it's entirely possible I'm just looking for problems to fix rather than there being any actual problems. I have this problem a lot: once I've spent a fair amount of time working on a car, I constantly imagine problems with it. Every little noise drives me mad because I'm both extremely tuned into the engine, and extremely paranoid about it. On the other hand, I'm reluctant to ignore what might be a sign of something in need of attention. Usual solution is to get Mrs Livered to drive it. If she gets to work and back without noticing anything untoward, then I'm generally happy to conclude that it's just me being picky. |
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1958 Hillman Minx
1988 Saab 900 T16
1989 Renault Trafic camper van
2003 Mazda 323F diesel
1994 Volvo 850 T5
1988 Saab 900i 4-door auto: breaking - anyone need parts?
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Rich
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,320 
Club RR Member Number: 160
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Sept 6, 2013 14:44:58 GMT
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wondered if the coil could be at fault, as that produces one spark to the distributor that becomes four at the leads. Not quite, one 'spark', one lead, for each power stroke of the engine. Doesn't make 4 'sparks' from one 'spark' at once  |
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Sept 6, 2013 15:45:11 GMT
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Did some thinking about the interference on the radio today. Before I'd get a regular ticking crackle through the speakers in time with the pulse from the degraded plug leads. Now I get a less frequent buzz-crackle, about a quarter of the regularity of the old interference. If it's a quarter of the original, you've got only one suspect path, rather than 4. You'll always get some ignition buzz but if it's razz-crak-razz-crak-razz-crak you may have a failed or failing suppressor resistor in one of the leads. Not too much to worry about unless it gets worse- it shouldn't misfire, you're just getting the static from it arcing out somewhere outside the engine. Don't forget also that the rotor arm doesn't touch the contacts, there's always an arc there too for each ignition stroke which creates interference. If the crak crak crak quietens down when you put your foot down a little off idle then check your compression. A fat spark from a single cylinder with low compression will create more of a pop than the others too. More likely though is just a mildly duff lead. If you have a high pitched whine, that's the alternator. If not, your grounding's good, and you probably won't improve on it much. Trouble with the radio et al is that the grounds aren't to a unified point, so the panel gaps and various other oddments inside the car turn it into one big capacitor that acts as various antennas for noise. If everything was brought back to one unified ground, the effect would be less pronounced. If you take the radio apart, you'll see this in action; there'll be one bit inside with a big glob of solder that everything joins back to. Radio Frequency is a funny thing --Phil |
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Sept 6, 2013 19:11:37 GMT
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Today I noticed the noise was in the background of the radio with the engine off so that leads me to think it's likely not the engine or ignition system causing the fault but perhaps something related solely to the radio. A compression test wouldn't hurt anyway, just so I know the health of the engine.
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Sept 6, 2013 19:37:27 GMT
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Hi, I'm thinking the radio fault is more to do with the aerial - it's not earthing, the coax is duff or the mast is worn/broke/dirty/old
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VW Passat GL5
VW Passat GL saloon
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Sept 6, 2013 21:10:29 GMT
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Well I am sporting a coathanger aerial after the original mast got vandalised so that too is feasible.
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Sept 7, 2013 17:22:40 GMT
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Today, I tackled a cosmetic job that's been waiting in the wings since I bought the car. The chrome inserts on the seals are pretty tatty looking now, particularly the rear one which is more orange than chrome. I removed the bottom section, then rechromed it with the aluminium flashing tape but accidentally stretched it somehow so when I came to refitting it, the whole thing was creased all over. I also panicked because I thought I'd bought a tool to refit the chrome insert but actually hadn't and couldn't figure out how to refit it... until I found a screwdriver and some WD40 at which point it popped back in fine. Now the rear screen looked a bit worse, if I'm honest, because the chrome bit on the bottom looked like a really cheap replacement, especially when compared to the ancient orangey stuff. Never mind, thought I, it'll just peel right off and I'll get on with a different way of renewing the chrome instead. I also managed to damage some of it by accident when refitting which wasn't clever of me.  It was when I tried to remove the tape I wasn't happy with when I found out just how good a method this might be, the damned stuff is almost impossible to remove and comes off in little bitty pieces, it's really stubborn which is great providing it weathers okay.  Rather than fighting to remove the tape, I applied some to the upright on the driver's side and then ran my thumbnail along each side as you would when opening a Kit Kat. Peeled off the excess tape and ran my thumbnail along again just to make sure any less-than-perfect edges tucked back under the seal. Jobs a good un, takes all of a minute maybe to do this providing you get the tape on right first time.  I'd say this'll look pretty smart for the rear screen since it's all straight-ish lines.  Not sure how I'm tackling the front screen though as that has quite tightly curved corners. I may cheat and just mitre the tightest bit of the corners and do the tape in four pieces. Really, who's going to notice other than me when it's done? This is also completely free since I still have some tape left over from doing the other interior stuff and a lot easier than trying to put new inserts in. Then it rained a lot, so I can't finish off the screen surround as I have nowhere out of the weather I can do this job. How annoying. |
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Ryannn
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,421
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Sept 7, 2013 19:35:11 GMT
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Have you looked at using mini ones? if you've got four corners on each screen then it won't matter that you'd have to trim them.
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Sept 7, 2013 21:24:32 GMT
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I had, but this is WAY cheaper and something I can do when the weather clears up. I'll have to replace them when the screens eventually come out, especially since I know the rear screen surround will need a bit of a tickle in a year or two, but I'm loathe to disturb anything until I have replacement seals and glass sourced, which are apparently made of unobtanium.
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Sept 8, 2013 10:30:43 GMT
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Have you got a filter on the power lead for the stereo? We also used to fit a capacitor on the alternator to suppress radio noise, you could try seom ferrite rings on the power leads as well.
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Sept 8, 2013 16:45:14 GMT
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The stereo is the factory job so I have no idea what suppression exactly is on it in all honesty. It's never been messed with an always been a bit fuzzy around the edges, but then my aerial has always been a bit rubbish too so it's probably just that.
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Sept 15, 2013 23:50:49 GMT
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Yesterday I had a little adventure and headed over to Malham in North Yorkshire for the Generic Rubbish Vehicle Event also known as Shitefest 2013. The Princess performed flawlessly for the 220ish mile round trip, I am pleased to report. It was an event well worth attending as I got to meet some top people and see some vehicles that I found genuinely interesting and exciting. Exotica can be shiny chrome and massive engines but I take a certain delight in the more wabi-sabi end of the aesthetic scale, if you'll allow me a little pretention in terminology. It's a bit of a trek to get over to Malham from near Chesterfield so I welcomed the opportunity of convoying with good friend and fellow chod botherer, Sam Skelton. We met up at Woolley Edge - a services that was disappointingly lacking in any sort of woolly edges - by which point the Princess had already attracted the attention of a young guy with a nice looking camera who politely asked for photographs of the car and an older guy who checked Howmanyleft.com on the spot to inform me there are only 3 1.7 HL Princesses left on the road. Sam and I set off after a quick natter and route confirmation with me taking the lead until we had to pull off somewhere so I could get a drink and clear my cold-befuddled head a bit. Sam took the opportunity to jetwash the Montego because when you're heading to an event held in a field that normally houses sheep you want your car to look its best.  Onwards we drove until we found the event field without too much drama... apart from the Mondeo that wanted my side of the road and nearly drove into me, which was fun. Parked up in the field of (abandoned/broken/discarded) dreams.  I had taken a bootload of stuff with me, including some spares from the BMW 518 that my brother had (now gone, victim of the rust and the weighbridge) and Sam suggested I turn the Princess into a Teutonic barge.  There was more chinwagging until we decided we ought to head off to the pub. Pubs are serious business. Me driving, Sam in the front passenger seat taking the picture and my other half Mike lounging in the back. They see us waftin', they hatin'.  We arrived at The Falcon which is a superb and tiny pub in a superb and tiny village. This was a really beautiful part of the UK, I have a lot of time for it. Mr Ian Seabrook was kind enough to take a rather flattering snapshot of the Princess who looked at once at home and completely out of place.  Mr Seabrook also took this picture without me knowing. It illustrates the pub you should seek out rather well should ever you be in the vicinity. It was worth the brake cooking and first-gear-hills trek over the moors/dales/mountains. I can comfortably say my new brake shoes are nicely bedded in now, especially if the smell my brakes were producing was anything to go by.  After a delicious bit of food in very pleasant surroundings, Sam, Mike, Joe and me piled into the Princess and headed back to the field a slightly flatter, less terrifying route since Joe is a local and knows the area well. We avoided the killer sheep that leaped out at the car for no good reason and stopped near a big hill I've forgotten the name of but I'd remember if you told me. Mr Skelton was once again at the helm of his DSLR to take a picture of one man and his wedge.  We made it back to the field without any real event. Bonnet up so people could marvel at the weirdness under there and I wandered around with my camera in hand thoroughly enjoying myself.   But I didn't have all the fun. I could regale you all with the stuff that went on, but this is the Princess thread so I'm sticking to Princess-only content. I made a fellow autoshiter almost wet himself with excitement by handing him the keys to my car. Top bloke, drove the car like he was a part of it and I almost felt bad having to take the keys back. Thanks again to Mr Seabrook of this picture of a very happy man in a very brown car.  There was a Soviet Princess at the meet too. It was amazing, I loved it a lot as did a lot of other people there.  Annoyingly, while the Princess was supremely well behaved for our day out, this morning she decided she wanted a break. Fair enough, I did as many miles on the Saturday as I'd normally do over a fortnight and some of those miles were pretty tough hillclimbing ones that I'd never normally willingly inflict on myself, let alone an elderly and cherished friend. By way of reward, she politely informed me today that first gear would be difficult to obtain and reverse is only available when the engine is first turned off... some advice leads me to believe at the very least my clutch hydraulics need flushing and at the worst I need to rebuild/replace the cylinders/seals if air is getting in past them. What's strange is that the Princess went from being completely fine clambering up hills and bombing down the motorway and expressed no signs of having problems, was left overnight at rest and then decided it had an issue on starting up the following day. In the meantime, I shan't be using the car until I've flushed the system at least but thanks to this horrible cold I think we could both do with a bit of a rest for a couple of days. |
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