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Oct 14, 2017 14:17:57 GMT
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I feel your pain! Sorry can't help but I can see similarities to plumbing jobs I've done in the past. If I had something similar in a central heating system, I'd look at cutting the pipe several inches to the right of the problem so your schraeder valve is on a small manageable piece of pipe. Then you can easily take it off the car and get it remade/resoldered etc  You would need to find and fit a high pressure straight coupling (same as the one to the left of your leak) to rejoin your pipes. The difficult bit would be getting the coupling to fit the cut ends of the pipe properly (I suspect the pipes have end pieces soldered in place) Advice when cutting pipes - try to flush the pipe if you use a hacksaw so you don't get metal filings inside the pipe. On the plus side, the carpets are looking smart  |
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,271
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Oct 14, 2017 16:13:34 GMT
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Quite happy with the carpets, must be said.
Today on checking to see how bad the leak is it's just as bad as ever with the extra bonus of the top of the schrader valve leaking too! It's not that the schrader valve is leaking from the thread at the bottom where it screws into the block, it's leaking at the top where you put the fluid in. I guess that valve's screwed then.
I'm going to try and price up these individualising adaptors in the week and compare that against the cost and hassle of getting this pipe repaired yet again.
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melle
South West
It'll come out in the wash.
Posts: 2,006
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Oct 14, 2017 16:26:37 GMT
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You can unscrew the actual valve from the "tube" and replace it, new valves and tools cost next to nothing.
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Last Edit: Oct 14, 2017 16:28:14 GMT by melle
www.saabv4.com'70 Saab 96 V4 "The Devil's Own V4" '77 Saab 95 V4 van conversion project '88 Saab 900i 8V
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,271
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Oct 14, 2017 18:05:57 GMT
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I know that from having to unscrew it to fit. I've got spare valves too but that doesn't cure the other leak. Just annoying as a thing really.
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Oct 14, 2017 21:37:55 GMT
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I was wondering if you can make up your own pipe? Have a search for 'high pressure fittings' and you'll find companies that sell stainless pipe, T blocks and fittings. Guess that's still going to be a problem if the bouncy bits have odd sized nipples. Sorry, don't know what came over me there...  But could you use the 'individualiser doofers' to convert to a modern fitting size? Watching with interest - keep it up! James |
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,271
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Easier than that. The individualiser is a hex shaped block with a hole through the middle. One end is tapped with a thread to match the schrader valve, the other end tapped to match the displacer. The ones I've got are for an MGF which, I now know, has a much smaller threaded fitting on the displacer than the Princess. If I can get a machine shop to make me four little blocks with relevant threaded holes in I'm set and should in theory never need to worry about the pipe ever again. I expect the car will corner slightly better but won't ride as smoothly, but sometimes a compromise has to be had.
Other option presently is getting a connector to graft in one of my spare schrader blocks. It's annoying, but wouldn't be too expensive. At this point I'd rather just ditch the pipes.
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glenanderson
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,331
Club RR Member Number: 64
Member is Online
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Oct 15, 2017 11:52:01 GMT
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I think it’s definitely time to ditch the pipes.
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My worst worry about dying is my wife selling my stuff for what I told her it cost...
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CaptainSlog
Part of things
Posts: 510
Club RR Member Number: 180
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Oct 15, 2017 15:05:24 GMT
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I thought that there had to be a front / rear connection between displacers to make hydrolastic suspension work, surely the machine shop that can make the ends of the individulisers fit can make fittings for you to connect flexible hydraulic tubing to so that you can keep the factory design.
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CaptainSlog
Part of things
Posts: 510
Club RR Member Number: 180
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Oct 15, 2017 15:11:43 GMT
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Not sure that hydro Minis had the displacers connected. I will have a wee look.  Looks like I was wrong again they seem to be connected. |
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,271
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Oct 15, 2017 15:23:48 GMT
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The only real reason for the interconnection seems to be to smooth out the ride at the expense of handling. There should be no reason removing the pipe will provide a problem so far as I can find out.
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melle
South West
It'll come out in the wash.
Posts: 2,006
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Oct 15, 2017 15:31:24 GMT
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Can't you make the adaptors yourself? How about a block of steel, a pillar drill and a few taps? You need an 8V1 tap for Schrader valves (assuming they're the same size as found on wheels), not sure what you need to connect the other side to. |
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Last Edit: Oct 15, 2017 15:32:35 GMT by melle
www.saabv4.com'70 Saab 96 V4 "The Devil's Own V4" '77 Saab 95 V4 van conversion project '88 Saab 900i 8V
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,271
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Oct 15, 2017 15:48:23 GMT
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If the pillar drill I've got access to was actually any good and could drill in a straight line any more then yes, I could make them myself. It isn't, so I'll just pay someone else to make what should be a very simple set of blocks, which should be considerably cheaper than acquiring a pillar drill for this one job.
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melle
South West
It'll come out in the wash.
Posts: 2,006
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Oct 15, 2017 16:04:58 GMT
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Aren't you perhaps overthinking this? Not sure what the problem with your pillar drill is, but if a drill bit is ground correctly it will self centre on the punch mark, even if there is lot of play in the spindle. Use a centre drill for an easier start. Drilling a 7mm hole in mild steel isn't very hard even with a hand held drill.
An engineering company will very likely have to buy the tap especially for this job and charge you for it.
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www.saabv4.com'70 Saab 96 V4 "The Devil's Own V4" '77 Saab 95 V4 van conversion project '88 Saab 900i 8V
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,271
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Oct 15, 2017 16:29:30 GMT
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Nope, not overthinking anything here. I know how the blocks need to be made and I know how the pipe should be repaired but it's just easier and probably even cheaper to pay someone else than it is to get decent enough kit in to DIY. The block will be several inches long, the pillar drill can barely get through sheet steel, the hand-held drill I've got access to isn't much better, so that means getting a new drill of some variety. I don't have the relevant tap for the bigger hole so I'd have to buy that too. Then there's the hassle of making four of these things with tools that are less than ideal if I don't go out and buy new stuff.
Really, it's just easier to give the job to someone else that already has the kit and have four nice shiny matched pieces made for a nominal fee.
In better news I got the third and final coat of dye on the carpets so when they're fully cured, which will be Tuesday/Wednesday as they need 72 hours, I can set to fitting those and ditching the tatty incomplete black carpet in the car.
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Oct 15, 2017 16:31:59 GMT
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I feel your pain... Been there, done that... and you knwo what? Next try you'll just whip it in without any effort, that's just how these things go... So true! I was (many moons ago) putting an engine back in a Beetle... couldn't get it to slide in that last little bit to pop the (4!) engine mounting bolts back in. Having done the job plenty of times before without any issues, I was getting VERY frustrated at it, so went up to the house to make a coffee, giving the engine a swift kick on the way past, to be rewarded with a "thunk" noise as the engine slid home  Happy days! |
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1968 Mini MkII, 1968 VW T1, 1967 VW T1, 1974 VW T1, 1974 VW T1 1303, 1975 Mini 1000 auto, 1979 Chevette, 1981 Cortina, 1978 Mini 1000 1981 Mini City, 1981 Mini van, 1974 Mini Clubman, 1982 Metro City, 1987 Escort, 1989 Lancia Y10, 1989 Cavalier, 1990 Sierra, 1990 Renault 19, 1993 Nova, 1990 Citroen BX, 1994 Ford Scorpio, 1990 Renault Clio, 2004 Citroen C3, 2006 Citroen C2, 2004 Citroen C4, 2013 Citroen DS5. 2017 DS3 130 Plenty of other scrappers!
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Paul Y
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,950
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Oct 15, 2017 20:37:32 GMT
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Can I just throw a stupid thought in here from the side lines. Air Bags. D2500 can be had for around £250 for 4. Simple Schrader valve set up until funds allow for a more elaborate set up. The Princess deserves to be a Low Rider.... Plus imagine the style points you will be racking up as you glide through town safe in the knowledge that you will never have to deal with displacers and leaking pipes again.... You know it makes sense. P. |
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,271
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Oct 15, 2017 21:02:04 GMT
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Airbags for the Princess are beyond my skillset and I've never found anyone willing to even discuss it once they find out what the front suspension layout is.
At the back there's trailing arms in an almost conventional sense, that's the easy bit I'm told. At the front you've got double-wishbones but no turret or traditional chassis to make use of and the shocks/springs live horizontally across the width of the bulkhead. There's no room in the stock location for the airbags to expand, even if you use the skinniest out there, and airbags ideally want to be mounted as close to vertical as you can.
If I had the engineering ability I'm sure I could do it by fabricating suitable turrets in the front. There's loads of space in the boot for a decent sized compressor/tank and the underside of the car is almost completely flat making running the pipes fairly straightforward too. Unfortunately I haven't the ability and my pockets might as well be sewn shut, there's no way I can afford the many, many hours of skilled labour require to modify the car this way even if I could find someone willing to do the work.
It's a nice idea and one I like, it's just not within my grasp.
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Paul Y
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,950
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Ah, so the front suspension is sort of like an inboard cantilever type thing? Did try to google a picture but don't think Lady D is the princess I am looking for... Anyway, is it not possible to replace the shock/springs with bags in the existing position? They work quite well in the horizontal plane, look at HGV trailers. Feel you on the empty pocket! P. |
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eurogranada
Europe
To tinker or not to tinker, that is the question...
Posts: 2,556
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I know the feeling of getting back to the same job over and over again only too well. Good to see that despite frustration you keep looking to fix the problem!
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,271
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Oct 16, 2017 13:31:01 GMT
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Paul: This is the set up on a Landcrab. It uses the earlier Hydralastic cans but it's basically the same deal. ![]()  Trouble with airbags is that the pocket the displacer lives in is too narrow for the bag to expand into in operation. You can physically get a bag in the gap when inactive but there's no room for it to move into when in use. You'd also have to figure out some way of fixing the top of the bag in place which probably involves chopping into structural bits of the car since there's no access to the middle of the displacer pocket. For example, this is an Allegro engine bay. You can see the domes of the displacers in a somewhat conventional location and this, I'm told, would be much easier to modify for any number of suspension options.  This is the Princess engine bay, this with the larger straight six engine, but still the same metal work as mine. Under the brake servo to the left you can see a curved panel, that's the pocket/tunnel the displacers sit in. The only access into it in the engine bay are two small holes for the suspension pipes to go through and connect to the displacers. The displacers themselves are held in with the pressure of the suspension against a reinforced ring inside the pocket. To remove them you undo a few bits of the dry suspension components and they just slide out of the pocket.  It's a very strange set up. It's also a system that works extremely well and is an excellent compact use of space. Euro: As I've seen in your thread! That Granada has been really stubborn on some of its weird issues. |
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Last Edit: Oct 16, 2017 13:32:57 GMT by vulgalour
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Happy days!