Jump to content

Polar White and Rust - a restoration epic, can it even be done?


IanMc
 Share

Recommended Posts

9 hours ago, IanMc said:

Thanks Julian, now I understand.

My wording was not very good, apologies. What I actually did was to unbolt the earth strap at the block end only (as the other end would not budge), then cleaned it thoroughly and replaced it.

As I couldn’t get the other end off I used the jump lead to take the earth to another part of the chassis.

Is what I did OK?

YEP!! That makes sense!!  Now get that compression test done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I walk to work and back (a couple of miles each way), which gives me plenty of thinking time...

So I got to thinking about things and wondered if the timing was out somehow - basically as I refuse to believe that I had messed up the valve regrinding etc etc - but didnt rule out ring wear or me putting stuff back together wrong  :)

I then thought that on the CIH engines there are basically two pairs of pistons doing there thing - 1 & 4 and 2 & 3

Thinking that upon reassembly that 1 & 4 were TDC, I got to thinking that maybe 4 was at TDC instead of 1 when I timed it up to the mark on the timing case. So... my tiny brain thought that what if I changed the firing order (as the Bosch dizzy was orientated correctly to the manual), from 1, 3, 4, 2 to 4, 2, 1, 3 - just by moving the leads around of course.

1) Turned the key, it turned over fine, but didn't fire.

2) As I still have the tank 'isolated' as a potential problem (containing gummed up fuel etc), I decided to pour a capful of fuel straight down the carb and try again.

 

And....... IT FIRED UP!!!  :)

 

So great news obviously, but what do I need to do to solve this bodge lol - is it a case of disconnecting the cam pulley wheel, turning the crank 360 degrees and pushes it back on again. Sorry if this is way off, but the current excitement has scrambled my brain :)

Edited by IanMc
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Julian said:

You got to admit it.  This club is worth every penny.  Nice Christmas present Ian.

Absolutely Julian, so glad I came back.

Tonight has inspired me to push on again, I feel as if a significant milestone has been reached.

Hopefully over the weekend I can get the car running off the original fuel tank again and see if the auto box will shift through the gears - not on the road of course, but by holding the rear in the air on stands. That would also be another milestone....

Thanks to you and the other lads for your help and support so far!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, IanMc said:

Absolutely Julian, so glad I came back.

Tonight has inspired me to push on again, I feel as if a significant milestone has been reached.

Hopefully over the weekend I can get the car running off the original fuel tank again and see if the auto box will shift through the gears - not on the road of course, but by holding the rear in the air on stands. That would also be another milestone....

Thanks to you and the other lads for your help and support so far!

Take care if you do run through the gears like that, be careful you don't put it in PARK if the wheels are still spinning or you will snap the PARKING PAWL in the gearbox, same  applies, as you very likely know, if you select "P" if the car is rolling to a stop.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Julian said:

Take care if you do run through the gears like that, be careful you don't put it in PARK if the wheels are still spinning or you will snap the PARKING PAWL in the gearbox, same  applies, as you very likely know, if you select "P" if the car is rolling to a stop.

Yes I did realise that, but sincere thanks for mentioning that anyway - much appreciated.

Still buzzing this morning, sad isn't it?lol :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like to try to do a little something every day to keep the project creeping forward. This was this evenings little job, obviously they will need a coat or two of lacquer, but they look OK really.


 

Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member.

Edited by IanMc
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just in case you thought that I had been slacking yesterday and failed in my attempt to do just at least one thing a day: I re-painted the wipers arms.

Friday night is archery night, so time at home is very limited.

Saturday however is a totally different story  :)

Edited by IanMc
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, H-400 said:

Archery? Cavalier? You are sure your location is Essex, not Nottingham? (Sorry Ian, just having fun, but yet the picture on your profile is explained)

Read your engine is running, great news! 

Ha, ha - yes indeed.

I kind of stumbled into Archery whilst on holiday about two years ago, then just found I loved it and was also half decent at it.

Today’s update:

- new set of Bosch plugs fitted, to reward the old girl for now starting lol. So now the whole ignition system is new, except the original harness wiring.

- removed the fuel pump again and pulled the distributor out.

- turned the engine to get No. 1 cylinder at TDC then refitted the dizzy and fuel pump.

- refitted the leads.

The car now fires in the correct order with everything assembled to the book :)

Next I removed my temporary fuel supply and installed an in-line fuel filter to the pump.

Put a gallon of fuel in the cars tank and prayed... the car started and ran, so another milestone has been reached - the car will start and run from its own tank.

At this point I decided to see if it would move...

Started the car, selected R gave it a few revs and it tried to move, but the rear of the car raised a bit, indicating the brakes were tight or seized.

Selected D instead and it went forward a couple of inches before stalling - again assumed the rear brakes were holding it back.

So next task is to have a quick look at the brakes to see if there is anything obviously seized or out of adjustment.

So good day, with some promising signs!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chances are it will be the rear cylinder pistons are stuck, Dismantle the rear shoes and remove the brake cylinder from the backing plate.  If you now remove the rubber boots from both ends the pistons can be pushed out. Clean everything up and reassemble, assuming the seals are good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, mantaray said:

Chances are it will be the rear cylinder pistons are stuck, Dismantle the rear shoes and remove the brake cylinder from the backing plate.  If you now remove the rubber boots from both ends the pistons can be pushed out. Clean everything up and reassemble, assuming the seals are good.

Thanks for the reply mantaray, much appreciated.

I have actually been out there this morning, very early start - couldnt sleep lol. The passenger side brakes (the ones that I could easily get to) have now both been looked at.

Front caliper:

- not one of the two types mentioned in my Haynes manual (ATE or Girling), or that I remember from any of my 3 previous Mk1 Cavaliers... It is one of the newer sliding type. This caliper is held on the original Cavalier hub assembly by two cap head (10  m hex) screws inside small housings that have round push on weather covers. I got the covers off ok, but cant shift the cap heads at the moment, so have left them to soak.

- as said, the piston is VERY difficult to move even with the bleed nipple out and flexi hose removed. I managed to move it back about 2-3 mm I guss using a long pry bar.

I will have to post a photo of it when I get back underneath to see if anyone can identify what it/they are. Thankfully I managed to get the pads out, so the wheel now rotates. However the required caliper overhaul will be done later. The flexi line is clamped so I can at least still use the rears and the handbrake.

Rear drum assembly:

- one adjuster seized solid, but managed to free the other off enough to get the drum off.

- The cylinder looks fine, no sign of leaks at all.

- the shoes are in good condition.

- handbrake mechanism is nice and free.

- stripped everything down to free of the seized adjuster - that needed attention from Billy blowtorch, but is now fine.

- everything reassembled and painted the drum outer surfaces with Hammerite (wheel to go back on once that is dry.

Then I need to try to squeeze down the drivers side somehow to do the same with the other two brakes. I fear that the front caliper will be seized solid like the passenger side as the car could not be pushed after the work described above. This certainly explains the incredible effort it took me and my Son to get the car in the garage last month...

Happy days, were still moving forward - well actually not - oh, you know what I mean.  :)

 

Cheers all, have a good day.

 

Edited by IanMc
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The later cars all have the caliper design like yours.its basically a single piston caliper that floats on sliding sleeves in the area where the mounting bolts are.basically a rubbish design in my opinion and worth changing to the earlier twin piston fixed type .if you can free up the piston and also get the sliding sleeves free it will work ok for a while.o haul kits are available that include new sleeves and caps if you so wish to keep this style on.mine are the earlier twin piston type and much better in my opinion. There are also some circa 80/81 cars with an ate sliding caliper single piston type that doesnt have the sleeves and doesnt seize up but they are rarer to find.this type is a direct swap in relation to flexi hose and pads .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, cam.in.head said:

The later cars all have the caliper design like yours.its basically a single piston caliper that floats on sliding sleeves in the area where the mounting bolts are.basically a rubbish design in my opinion and worth changing to the earlier twin piston fixed type .if you can free up the piston and also get the sliding sleeves free it will work ok for a while.o haul kits are available that include new sleeves and caps if you so wish to keep this style on.mine are the earlier twin piston type and much better in my opinion. There are also some circa 80/81 cars with an ate sliding caliper single piston type that doesnt have the sleeves and doesnt seize up but they are rarer to find.this type is a direct swap in relation to flexi hose and pads .

Hi CIH,

As always, you provide great information - sincere thanks for that.

I intend to keep the car as it is - if I can... so I will persevere for now - just need to get the damn things off lol    :) 

Thanks again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even if the rest of this project falls flat on its face, at least I will have some badges to keep and remember her by  :)

The '2000' badge was/is quite badly pitted after the surface corrosion was cleaned off, but I decided to leave it like that rather than fill it as it is part of the history of the car - plus I didn't know how to fix it lol

I think they look OK for a home bodge job really.

Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, cam.in.head said:

The later cars all have the caliper design like yours.its basically a single piston caliper that floats on sliding sleeves in the area where the mounting bolts are.basically a rubbish design in my opinion and worth changing to the earlier twin piston fixed type .if you can free up the piston and also get the sliding sleeves free it will work ok for a while.o haul kits are available that include new sleeves and caps if you so wish to keep this style on.mine are the earlier twin piston type and much better in my opinion. There are also some circa 80/81 cars with an ate sliding caliper single piston type that doesnt have the sleeves and doesnt seize up but they are rarer to find.this type is a direct swap in relation to flexi hose and pads .

CIH,

Are you able to provide me with a link to one of the overhaul kits you mentioned please?

Thanks in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...