Frustration creeps in

Apologies for the long delay in writing this next "episode" but its been a very frustrating few weeks.
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After the visit from the auto electrician, and a few changes in the wiring, I tried to start the car but the battery just didn't have enough life in it. After an overnight charge I tried again, and voila - it roared into life. Roared was the operative word as it was VERY LOUD! I guess the turbo on the old engine had somehow reduced the noise or perhaps the tone, but the car now barked and crackled like a Morgan trike racer. Great for a while but somehow I don't think the neighbours will think much of it, and I'm sure the boys in blue would have a word to say too. Much grinning later and the engine was switched off. However, the following day the battery just wasn't up to it and it was obvious that a new one was needed. Fortunately my local Battery City had one so a swap was easily accomplished.
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Without an MOT I wouldn't risk running on the road but fortunately we have 100 yard long drive to the public road so I decided to try a few trips up and down the drive - clutch down - into first - clutch released - car stalled. I checked the cable adjustment and it seemed to be adjusted almost as far as it could. Head scratching began, followed by mild muttering and cursing. In the end it just required a bit more adjustment and it was OK. So, a few trips up the drive (which fortunately ends in a slight rise to the road so I could coast backwards and turn round) and I noticed that the temperature gauge was registering close to "Hot". Oh dear - switched the fan on and there was no noticeable difference on the gauge. I switched off and checked the engine - there was no apparent boiling. Was the gauge wrong? I needed something to check the actual temperature. Would the meat testing thermometer do the job? Would Mrs Rog find out? Oh well, in for a penny.
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In the meantime I had an MOT booked so drove the 8 miles to the Class 3 MOT station. By the time I reached the garage, the temperature had again reached a point close to "high" on the gauge, even with the fan switched on. As I had arrived early I had a short wait - some 10 minutes, but by the time I started the car to move into the inspection bay, the temperature was near the low mark. That seemed a bit odd after such a short time. Anyway, the usual casual inspection resulted in an MOT after 10 minutes, and I drove home - once again the temperature gauge needle gradually moved to hot. As I needed petrol I stopped at a local garage and filled up, expecting the fuel gauge to swing across to full. Sadly, it didn't but stayed resolutely stuck at empty. Another problem to investigate.
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Once home I snuck out to the garage with the meat thermometer and positioned it along the front of the radiator, noting as I did that the solder at one end of the radiator that attaches the nearside fixing bracket had become unsoldered - heat perhaps? After a few minutes of running with the bonnet off I had the proof I didn't want - when the temperature gauge read Hot, it was - 100 degrees C. Interestingly, when the fan was switched on the meat thermometer dropped to 80 degrees C, but the gauge stayed on high. It looks as though the gauge is not reacting as quickly as it should, but I do have a cooling problem so it looks like a supplementary radiator is needed after all.
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The fuel gauge was quickly sorted - a connector had "disconnected". The fuel gauge now registers as it should.
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As I had silencers with a removable centre, I checked one to see what baffling it had. Apart from a very thin layer of coarse fibres wrapped around the drilled through pipe, there was nothing else. All I needed was some additional baffle "wool" I thought and I could wrap that around the existing stuff and, hopefully, I would have a quieter car. EBay was the natural starting point, but nothing. I tried a general "Google" search and found three possibilities. One, a specialist exhaust company wanted £12 for a very small pack, but I eventually found another at £6.95 for twice the amount offered by the first. After going through the electronic checkout I was advised that this item was out of stock. Why do these Internet traders do this? Its so frustrating to go through adding all one's details, only to find the item isn't in stock. I shut the window and moved on, finding another company offering exhaust baffle that was supposedly in stock. 7 days later I'm still waiting for it. I know the UK post is bad, but it seems this is down to sloppy administration by the supplier.
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Back to the cooling. I've researched the availability of supplementary radiators and it seems that its either Mocal (oil cooler) of Goodridge who make an oil or fluid cooler. The annoying thing is that I'll have to get another water transfer pipe as I cut the last one I bought to reroute the water back behind the engine and into the radiator. I'll trawl EBay and see what I can find. In the meantime, I'm learning about JIC sizes so I can work out what to do to fit the additional radiator.
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Perhaps I'll get to drive the car this year - perhaps not.
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Roger

It looks finished.......

...but still awaits the auto electrician. In the meantime, some photos of the car with its newly painted bodywork.

Roger

Waiting, waiting, waiting.......

Its been a very frustrating two weeks with little I could do to the car as I waited for - the T piece for the temperature gauge sender; the painter to paint the two body panels; the auto electrician to arrive to check out the wiring.

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I'm still waiting on the auto electrician and the painter (my panels now next in queue), but I did get the T piece so fitted this today. Once this was done I mixed some water and anti-freeze and filled up. After about 2 litres of water/anti freeze had been added, a spout of water appeared from the top of the engine block. Dam - I'd missed this outlet and a corresponding small bore pipe outlet near the thermostat. I felt a bit like the boy with his finger in the dyke - no-one was around, so should I stand there like a lemon with a finger over each outlet, run for something to plug the two outlets, or shout for Mrs Rog? The latter option was tried and produced nothing so it was a dash for the garage and suitable plugs. However, as soon as I removed the fingers the "gusher" fizzled out so I was able to find something to plug them. The problem I now have is that I'm not sure if these two outlets should be directly connected - I assume they should so now need to start the hunt for information.

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In the absence of any serious work to do I resorted to cleaning the chrome wire wheels. I've never been an avid polisher before because I've never really had the time, but now I do have the time I feel I've become a rather sad individual!

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A little footnote about the engine swap and the stupid bureaucracy that now surrounds it in the UK. Apparently, DVLA now requires proof of purchase of an engine and ratification by a garage that it is genuine. This ridiculous requirement has been introduced to try and stop stolen car parts being sold and fitted as replacements. I've therefore had to email the guy I bought the engine from and ask for a proper receipt, otherwise DVLA will not update the engine details and I will not be able to tax the car - how pathetic is that?

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Roger

I hate brakes

Having cut down the mudguards I've now painted them black (Dupli-colour aerosol can) and refitted the torpedo type indicators to the top. Running the wires down the strut and back to the other electrics was very simple and quickly done, followed by a quick check that they worked correctly - which they did. Before fitting the mudguards I adjusted the offside wheel bearing as a small amount of play was evident.

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As the inside of the car was looking a little tatty still, and had suffered from a less than successful coating of Hammerite a while back, I sanded down the floorpan and gave it a coat of hammered silver. I still don't like Hammerite particularly and do feel that its not the same formulation it once was, but as I had a coating of it in the car already I didn't want to suffer the extreme frustration of a different coating reacting to the original, so used Hammerite again. Sure enough, the desired finish was not achieved - what once would have been a guaranteed, even, hammered finish, was anything but - brush strokes could be seen. Oh well, I suppose it will be covered with matting so does it really matter?

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Two other deliveries were received this week - the voltage stabiliser for the Stag fuel and temperature gauges, and the rubber matting - both courtesy of Ebay. The matting is ribbed rubber, not as thick as I had hoped but it will suffice. I really don't see the point of having carpet in a car that is likely to get wet, and the carpets I inherited with the car were very thin. So thin in fact, that every time I moved my feet, the carpet rucked up and moved backwards. I cut the matting using the old carpets as a template, and with a bit of subtle trimming, soon had them in place. I also removed the carpet that had been used on the vertical (in)sides of the car and gave them a new coating of adhesive before refitting. To complete the interior I cleaned off the seat squabs and back with a weak detergent solution. Having done this I realise that the handbrake looked very tatty, so must give this some attention soon. Not too sure what I'll do here as I cannot relocate my existing handbrake to a more forward position (as some have done) as there simply wasn't enough slack in the cable. Perhaps I'll make the handbrake lever a little longer instead - something to ponder on but hardly a necessity at the moment.

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With the arrival of the voltage stabiliser I soon had this mounted and connected to the relevant instruments.

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And so to the brakes - my Bete Noire. Whenever I attempt to bleed brakes I end up with a less than satisfactory pedal. I was already nervous about doing the brakes on the JZR because I had noticed a leak from the union on the master cylinder, and I also remembered the grief I had the last time I tried to bleed the rear brake cylinder. I tightened the union as much as I could and checked all the other unions - all seemed OK. With the help of Mrs Rog as pedal presser extraordinaire, we started, but not before I had sworn profusely at the rear cylinder and the position of the bleed nipple. I just couldn't get the bleed pipe onto the bleed nipple. Having tried for about 20 minutes I decided that I would have to just open the nipple and let the fluid pee onto the ground. (if there's one area that requires a design rethink, its the position and type of rear cylinder used) Having checked the master cylinder union I was pleased to see that it hadn't leaked so did all three wheels, and then repeated the exercise. The pedal went half way to the floor but pumped up. Blast! I checked the pipework and saw a pool of fluid under the car below the bulkhead. A quick check showed that the three way connector on the bulkhead appeared to be leaking. Nothing leaking from the inlet, nor the pipe to the front offside, and oddly not to the pipe to the nearside and back. What the ...? I then remembered that this three way connector has a fourth port - a bleed nipple pointing downwards. I have no idea why its there, but it is, and it was the guilty party - fluid was leaking from this totally unnecessary feature, although it hadn't been a problem in the past. By now it was 13.30 on Saturday and my local motor factor shuts at 13.30 so it will have to wait until Monday to get another three way WITHOUT a bleed nipple. Brakes - I hate 'em!

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I've been promised my bonnet and rear body section will be finished during the coming week,as well as the 'T' piece for the Stag temperature gauge sensor, so we're getting closer to a roadworthy car - brakes permitting.

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Roger