Marina Roadster

[stevejgreen]

Re: Marina Roadster

Just did Compression test - shows all cylinders at 150psi A squirt of oil brings it up to 170. Im guessing thats good for the 1.8 B series?

More than enough.
does that put to bed your sticky valve theory, it's still possible but seems unlikely.
As for timing/fuel issues, starting by the book is always a good idea but i have found that modern fuels are remarkably different from 1970's and a good play with settings eventually leads to a result. I did several runs once with the bonnet off driving quiet roads with a steepish hill setting the timing to the point just before pinking, then setting jets etc, and then repeating the process. I have to say that even the cheapest electronic ignitions make a world of difference at both low revs and at maximum beans.

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Marina Roadster

yes, it seems the electroinc ignition unit was not at fault so that will go back on in due course. Am now going to check for manifold issues.

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Marina Roadster

I think I have solved it! The over rich running the lumpy idle etc. I took the carb off (again) and as I did so noticed the choke was in the out position. hmmm. trying the linkage a few times confirmed it was sticking in the On position. Of course, you wouldnt notice this unless it was on the bench. Now to find the reason (possible non-centred jet?) and start again. Who knows I may yet get the thing drivable before teh snow comes. (depression becomes elation so quickly!).

[stevejgreen]

Re: Marina Roadster

Sounds good and simple too!

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Marina Roadster

Spent some time tweaking today and feel I am nearly ready to take it out for a thrash around. Meanwhile I was thinking about that rad...I have a honda civic rad sitting there waiting to go in but that will need some fabrication to make it fit. I had taken the nose cone off to repair some damage and whilst off I wondered if there was anything else I could do to improve cooling but not go through the faff of swapping the rad (saving that one for a nice cold winters night). I had a Kenlowe kicking around in the back of the garage so made that fit - much bigger than the original so it cant do any harm...can it? We shall see.

radB.jpg before...

after...radA.jpg

[stevejgreen]

Re: Marina Roadster

That stands a chance of working but that looks like a standard Chevette radiator, and in my experience, and that of others, the investment in a extra core, is well worth the hassle of dismantling and then reconstruction, as you only do the job once.

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Marina Roadster

As the well-seasoned marliner would have worked out already that fan was never going to fit...in fact it made the whole thing 1/4" too deep for the grille to fit back in, diamater wise its ok... So its back to the drawing board. That civic rad/fan will go in over the winter but meanwhile the original is back in and I will make some sort of filler to direct more air through the core.
I did see a nifty set up at Stoneleigh (Gareth from Chester I think iirc) where he had a header tank installed. Has anyone else done this and is it worth it?

[stevejgreen]

Re: Marina Roadster

As the well-seasoned marliner would have worked out already that fan was never going to fit...in fact it made the whole thing 1/4" too deep for the grille to fit back in, diamater wise its ok... So its back to the drawing board. That civic rad/fan will go in over the winter but meanwhile the original is back in and I will make some sort of filler to direct more air through the core.
I did see a nifty set up at Stoneleigh (Gareth from Chester I think iirc) where he had a header tank installed. Has anyone else done this and is it worth it?

By a header tank, do you mean an expansion tank. Personally, not worth the bother once you are running at reasonable temps and not overheating. Worth looking at the radiator cap to check that its a double seal type.

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Marina Roadster

iirc an expansion tank merely collects expanded water then allows it back through the cap when the engine cools. A header tank is part of a pressurised system and so the rad cap is replaced either with a blank or a low pressure item. I think, but am not sure that a header tank has the advantage of being put anywhere?

[Gareth]

Re: Marina Roadster

Wasn't me! Mine's just a bog standard Viva radiator. It may have been the washer bottle you saw, Cameron.

[Mike]

Re: Marina Roadster

A header tank has to be above the engine and radiator, and acts as an expansion chamber for the coolant as it heats and expands.

Due to bonnet height constraints I fitted my first header tank top flush with the radiator. When the coolant expanded it simply pushed the excess out of the pressurised cap in the header tank. Then as it cooled down it sucked air back in and I ended up with air locks in my system which were very difficult to remove.

The solution was to find a location for a header tank that would have sufficient volume above the engine/radiator, to hold the expanded coolant - around 4% by volume (water at 99 degrees is 4% less dense than water at 4 degrees. Thus a 10 litre coolant system needs a header tank capacity in excess of 400mls. (Around a pint in old money).

Having made one to fit on my front bulkhead, being the highest point under the bonnet, it now works a treat.

There was a very nice White Triumph engined Roadster with a polished brass header tank at Stoneleigh -is that the one you were thinking of Cameron?

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Marina Roadster

Could be Mike, I will dig out the photos and see if i can find it. My memory tells me it was a red one but I am usually wrong - just ask the missus. Your notes on the header tank are valuable Mike and mean I can see no real justification in fitting one as I wont be able to get it sufficiently high enough, the only advantage would be remote filling of the cooling system. Looks like the original builder did a good job and considered most of the angles, even though I have now fettled almost every single part of the car bar the back axle.

[stevejgreen]

Re: Marina Roadster

My experience is that an expansion tank is only suitable once you have sorted out the radiator 'undersized' problem.

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Marina Roadster

Started on tidying up the interior yesterday. the old door finish was a bit of black carpet stuffed into the recess and a bit of tightandfast furry edging nodged on to keep it in place. I made up a new card from 3mm MDF and gave it a layer of fluffy stuff before covering it with some vinyl. I found some patterned vinyl which looked quite nice and was a bit more interesting than just plain and tried that. I'm pleased with it so will keep it and do the other side the same. Hopefully I will have enough material to do the top of teh centre tunnel and then replace the handbrake and gearknob gaiters.

doorcardO.jpg

doorcardN.jpg

[WendyEJ]

Re: Marina Roadster

The new door card looks good. One day I hope to improve the interior of my Marlin but it's finding enough hours in the day which is the problem.