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The French Blatting Company
DAILY BLOG AT LA FOIE
MARCH 2017
Usual routine, watch TV. Lynne slept most of the day but is getting better.
I've changed the appointment for the mirror until next week. I'm also trying to change the appointment for my hospital visit tomorrow but there is no answer on the number they have given me.
For the past few days I've had a headache which I recognise as the result of high blood pressure. Lynne had taken my BP yesterday and it was 180 over 99, very high. So this morning I went to the doctor at 0900. As I didn't have an appointment I sat outside the waiting room and waited for him to come out when he sees the patient off. When he saw me he asked what was wrong and then made a face as he was already behind (he's always behind because he allows half hour per patient but takes three quarters. He said to wait until he'd seen a few more patients. At 1030 I went in andd he took my BP, 180 over 80, still high. WE then discussed the changes the hospital had made to my medication and he put me back on the regime he'd originally prescribed. I told him I'd already done that but only started the day before. He said that was OK but it could take a week for the BP tablet I'd restarted yesterday to take affect. I was headach free the rest of the day.
BP is still high but I do feel better. In fact I've began to regain strength the last few days. I'm so bored not being able to do anything especially as I have so much to do. OK, may as well make a start. I go to the workshop and measure the distance of the badge bar on the TC (between the spot lamp and fog lamp). I've decided to fit some badges. I have period AA and RAC badges. I took them of a Hillman MInx that came in as a PX in 1965 and have kept them ever since. I will add to these a MG Car Club and MG Octogan Car Club badges and a British Racing & Sports Car Club badge Renaud gave me.
After measuring badges I fitted the piston rings to the new pistons for Alexandre's engine. At least that's a start.
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The four badges I have. I won't use the AM badge, don't want to degrade the car :) The AA badge will be opened up and the back plate given a new coat of yellow paint.
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Piston with rings fitted.
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The list of work to do on the MG. That's after building a TC engine, finishing the MIni but before taking the ebgine out of the 7 to fit a new clutch bleed pipe.
Not sure if I've mentioned the flies. Every year we get thousands of tiny flies in the bathroom and bedroom and one of the gite bedroom's. They seem to get in somewhere, fly around for a few minutes then drop to the floor, wriggle around and die. Well this year we've had them since autumn. Here's some pictures from last night and this is not too bad, Friday's invasion was twice this.
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Bathroom floor under the Velox window.
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Bedroom, again under one of the Velux windows. The other three windows are clear.
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Dressing room under the window. It's a lot worse than the picture shows (I needed the flash).
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The dressing table.
I wish someone could tell me how to stop them. I suspect they are coming through the roof or walls.
Started work on a new2 project and spent all day doing research on the computer and telephoning. Can't say yet what it is.
Carried on with the new project. I want to get it all settled by Friday as, if all is well with the x-ray I'm having on Thursday I will start working again. First job is to rebuild Alexandre's XPAG engine. I'll take lots of pictures and turn the work into a mini workshop manual.
Went to the hospital.
Two weeks ago the x-ray showed an infection about the size of a large coin, yesterday it was pin head size. The doctor at the hospital showed me the x-ray taken when I was admitted to the intensive care an Angers hospital after a high speed ambulance from our local hospital transferred me there.
Frightened me. I now know why they told Lynne I would be dead by the morning. The right lung was 95% infected. It was just a huge white area with a tiny strip of un-infected lung at the top. I’ve began to feel “normal” for the past 5 days so was expecting the x-ray to show it was at last clear. So exactly 2 months after the rush to hospital on 9th January, I’m given the thumbs up on 9th March.
Went to the doctor and he confirmed the all clear so, Saturday, I start rebuilding Alexandre's engine. In the evening we took Wayne and Angela out for a meal to say thank you for all they did for Lynne when I was taken in to hospital.
Had bits and pieces to do plus my secret project is working out.
Started work in the workshop at 0730. Got te vales into the head and then had to sort out the rockers on the shaft as the re-borers had them on in the wrong order. Now, you may be aware that, apart from being a plonke, I can't tell right from left. It took me ages to get them on correctly. In the end I went in for lunch and after Lynne came in and read out the order of the rocker and it was done in 2 minutes. I then got the block onto the bench, not an easy job because the TC is in the way. After a bit of a struggle it's on the bench and the core plugs are out ready to clear the bypass holes. Packed up at 1530 as I was tired, firts days work since before Christmas.
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The head ready to be rebuilt. I did say I'd take lots of pictures, but I'm dealing with another (secret) project and forgot to bring the camera to the workshop. Didn't miss much.
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This shows the rockers in the wrong order on the shaft.
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Close up.
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Took me ages to get it right, but in the end it was easy when Lynne read the order and I put them on the shaft. Half hour struggling on my own, 2 minutes with Lynne.
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The block being lowered to the bench. Took ages to get it there because the TC is in the way.
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The core plug. I need to remove the front and rear so I can clear the by-pass holes which will be silted solid.
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Both core plugs drilled ready for prising out.
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Inside the front core plug.......
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.. and the rear one.
Started at 0800 and fitted the pistons and crank. PROBLEM... the crank is seizing solid. After an hour or so I identify it's number one and 4 big ends locking the crank. I leave them loose and pack up at 1600 and come inside to sleep on it.
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Pistons in. Sorry about the quality, my Sony camera's playing up so I had to use Lynne's Vivitar.
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The other two... wonderful
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Crank in, on a very out of focus picture. I'll try and get a better one tomorrow.
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More crank and still out of focus.
Up and in the workshop for 0700. Solved the problem of the crank locking up on one and four big ends.
This picture was taken in October and no one could figure out what these shims were for. They were between con rod and cap. Well now I know what they do, but not why.
So, lucky I never throw things away and I put two each in numbers one and four big end bearing caps and the crank now turns. Next I fitted the timing chain. Then I started cleaning the sump. What a mess, looks to me like the oil hasn't been changed for years. The inside of the sump was like treacle, black gooey treacle. I stopped at 1300, after about an hour of washing with petrol. Lynne came back from shopping with a bottle of acetone. We had lunch then a visitor came so I never got back into the workshop other than to give the sump a final clean with acetone.
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The shim in place between cap and rod.
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Timing chain.
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The crank, all wired up. I prefer locking wire to split pins.
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Starting to remove the gasket on the side chest panel.
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The inside of the sump before cleaning. I should have taken a picture after removing the baffle, but take it from me, it was thick, black treacle.
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After cleaning.
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The baffle plate and pick up pipe. I'll give them a clean in acetate tomorrow.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
As you may know I was seriously ill in January. My kids and Lynne have got together and decided we must move back to the UK as they are worried that they cannot get to us quickly if anything happens in the future. I cannot argue.
So we have put La Foie up for sale and will be popping over next week to see 7 bungalows in South Yorkshire and will buy one. We will move June/July time. All those booked into the gites will be OK as friends will be living in our house and will look after the guests.
I've been asked to publish the details of the move. If you can wait until Friday I'll give you all the sordid details....
I started at 0800 and realised this plonker had put the timing chain on without fitting the front plate. Timing chain and gear off , clean the front plate and timing cover in the sand blast cabinet, sort out the front cover and timing chain cover bolts and refit the timing gears and chain and the cover. Then fit the sump. This tok all day because the Brit agent rings at 1330 to say he's bringing a family around at 1600 to view. We start tidying the house for a viewing and he turns up at 1430! Took until 1700. Then a local lad we'd asked to do some clearing up comes around so I have to t6ake some time to explain what I want. If anyone disturbs me tomorrow they may well get a hammer around their lugholes. Remind me to tell a saga about a Sony compact camera, well two actually. The pictures are a bit iffy but I have a new Canon compact coming tomorrow.
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The sump pick up pipe and cannister, looks good.
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Even though I ordered all the gaskets for the engine I couldn't find the gasket for the oil pick up pipe. This is what Corn Flake packets are made for.
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The cleaned timing cover. I was getting interupted by phone calls and emails all day so forgot to take a before. Trust me it was black.
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1515
This object is the dried black silicone which came out of the dispenser. Nice isn't it.
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And this is the front plate after a session in the sand blast cabinet.
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These are the numbers stamped on the block, anyone got any idea whet they mean?
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Timing cover on with new lip seal in place.
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Sump on, but still needs the bolts tightening.
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And from the other side.
Tomorrow I will get the sump and front cover tightened, the head and clutch on, the water pump and manifolds on. That'll be that for a week as I have another eye injection on Thursday and musn't go in tha workshop in case I get an infection. Then Sunday we're off to the UK to buy a house and return mid-morning on Thursday.
I started early and tried to turn the engine. It's far too tight. I emailed my friend, the owner suggesting we, well he, buys new con rods. He agreed so I rang Linda at NTG. They show a set of second hand rods but she says the bin is empty. I got a new set from Carl at Moss Bradford. Later in the day I rang him to send some copper washers for the oil pipe banjo's then later for two head studs and a set of head nuts. I got the oil pump on but.... cannot put the head on as I need a new stud, can't do the oil pipes up as I need the copper washers (I have stock of copper washers but not that size). The sump is still loose but I did tighten the timing cover. I'll finish the build on my return from the UK next week.
I must tell you a story about some cameras. I was a keen 35mm photographer in my youth, still have several Nikons and Olympus 35mm cameras. 3 Years ago I bought a compact. Top spec Sony with 720mm lens. After two years the screen went "fuzzy". They wanted about 200€ and 6 weeks to repair. So, I bought another, the later model which is the same spec but smaller. That was August last year. In October the catch on the battery flap broke. I took it back and all they could say was that the body wasn't under warranty. Then in November the outside lens shutter jammed open. I was in conversation with Sony and when I threatened legal action they asked for me to return it. This was in December. The link they sent me to register the repair and get the address label told me to return it to the dealer. They said it was a fault with their system and they'd get it fixed and to try after Christmas. I did and it was still the same. Then I was in hospital but when I got out their syetm worked and I sent it back to their repair agent. They responded, when they got the camera back, that it wasn't under warranty because it was physically damaged. I sent them the pictures of the camera, that I took in November to send to Sony, which showed no physical damage. However they still insist I damaged it. I have now had a solicitor write to the dealer demanding they pay for the repair but they haven't answered and, it seems, he thinks it not worth chasing them. In the meantime I've been using the first camera but that has now died so I had to buy another, this time a Canon. I will never buy Sony goods again. I will wait another month in case the dealer responds to the solicitor and, if not, ask for it back and close the battery lid with soem gaffer tape.
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Oil pump cleaned and bolted up. I have new bolts coming to fill those holes as well as new copper washers for the pipes.
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Engine on the floor ready for the head to go on. I then found two studs and 4 nuts with damaged threads so that was that until I get back next week. Tomorrow I am having an injection in my eye with a huge bloody needle.
Up bright and early to have a large needle stuck in my eye. Got back at 1030. Spent the rest of the day organising the move back to the UK
Spent the morning doing stuff for the move and in the afternoon the local estate agent brough a prospective client to see the farm. Well, a 6'4" chap doesn't fit into an old country cottage type of plase with low doors and beams. That'll be no then.
Left at 0715 to get the car washed and then onto the bodyshop. eab-Luc rang to ask when was I going to bring the car back for the minor paint rectification. Got there at 0800, told Jean-Luc and Maurice about my "troubles" and arranged to take the car back 25th April. Got home at 0900 and cleaned the onterior of lynnes car, checked the tyres, oil, water, screen wash etc. We are having to use the Honda Jazz because the Mini is still in bits.
We then measured the MG and Caterham so I can judge if the garages at the houses we're viewing in the UK will be OK. Then we measured all the rooms and I added them to the page with details of La Foie/Frenchblatting Company ( www.frenchblatting.com/la-foie.htm ). At 1930 sat down and searched the net for decent headphones and other stuff.
Got up at 0500 after a really bad night. At 0200 my sleep apnea mask came off waking me up. I couldn't go back to sleep as the mask was blowing air all over the place. In my half asleep state I hadn't realised the one of the straps had come undone. We'll be leaving before lunch, have lunch somewhere on the way to St malo and then get there and have a walk about before getting on the ferry at 2000.
Boat docks at 0815 but we don't get off until 0845. Had to hunt for petrol as this plonker forgot to fill up in St. Malo. Fast drive up to Sheffield, didn't worry about speed cameras with French plates... Got to Cuyrry's in Crystal Peaks (South of Sheffileld) and bought a new TV. Then lunch and our first viewing. We thought it too small plus the workshop (for making kitchens) was very difficult to get a car in. It wasn't as big as the picture implied. Then off to the next and we didn't like that either. As we were early we went to see what was one of the top two and phoned the agent to see if we could see it then instead of 0900 tomorrow. She came back and said it wasn't convenient. We then went to the hotel, got showered and changed and went to my son's house. At 0740 we left to go to freinds for dinner. Great evening.
Up ealry and set off to the first viewing. This was the one we tried to see last night. It was OK and was, at this point, top of the list. We then went to see 4 others. One we looked at the garage, saw it couldn't be extended (due to windows of that house and next door) so phoned the agent and cancelled. The next was heaven for me and hell for Lynne. It had two huge garages each with 1940's Rovers in them (not restored but partly dismantled). The house was the biggest mess you've ever seen. Lynne didn't like the house and I think it was 90% due to the boxes, bedding, dirty washing and drying washing lying in every room. One room was so full of boxes I coudn't get in. That was a no then. We cancelled the next as it seemed too expensive for what it was and didn't have a double garage. The last bungalow we visited was it. Nice house and a fairly large garage with a car port in front which the owner had put a garage door on. It won't take much to "seal" it from the elements and put the lathe and grinding wheel and two tool boxes along the side of the house and still have room to get a car past. The MG can stay in the garage, which will now be the workshop, and the Caterham in the car port. I will buy a large garden shed for the compressor, a table with the sand blasting cabinet and a piller drill on and the large cupboard full of parts.
After looking around I asked the 83 year old owner what he wanted. He said a figure, I asked if he'd take a lower figure, he said yes and I shook his hand and said "sold". He was a bit taken aback and asked if we could deal with the agent. So I rang the agent told them we'd made an offer which the owner had accepted. It was in the solicitors next morning. I've got an architect friend to get in touch with a sensible builder (is there such a thing) and have listed the work I want done. It's in hand. The bungalow (with bedrooms upstairs... but it's called a dormer or chalet bungalow) is in Royston South Yorkshire. This is between Barnsley and Wakefield. It's at the end of a small, quiet cul-de-sac.
We took the Honda into Halfords workshop for a new front exhaust. Then, in my daughters car, we set off to our new house so I could do some measuring and she, daughter, could see it. All want well. We came back to Meadowhall (a large shopping centre) to meet Simon (son) for lunch and had a surprise when we found our friend Jo-Anne and Ian with son Sam there. Tanya had arranged for them to be there as a surprise for us. We got back, got the car out of the workshop and set off for Portsmouth. It was raining hard most of the way and took an hour longer than normal. We got on the boat, got a cabin, had a meal and went to bed exhausted.
Got off the boat at 0830 and home by 1030. Got changed and started fitting the new con-rods to Alexandre's engine. I fitted the new bolts and copper washers to the oil pump and pipes. Then started rmoving the crank to fit the new con-rods. Was going great until I went to refit the new big end bearing caps and found they are all binding on the side of the crank journal. Will phone Carl at Moss tomorrow to see what he thinks.
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The crank with flywheel hanging on the crane.
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The block with new con-rods fitted awaiting the crank.
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The crank refitted. At this stage I found the bearing caps were locking the crank. It would appear they are not "square" and the side of the cap is binding on the side of the carnk journal.
Went to physio then to doctor to ask for a resume of our medical conditions for UK doctor. Lunch at the Chinese at Attol and after, collected running in oil and normal oil for Alexandre and 2 normal oils for myself. Got back and spent the afternoon planning the move and, early evening took the amplifier apart to fix the headphone socket. Couldn't as it's a sealed unit and soldered in. Alexandre has a technician who can do it....
I sorted the problem with con rod caps. I had them the wrong way around. I thought the numbers stamped on the rod were on the same side as the numbers stamped on the cap but they aren't. So crank and rods torqued and wired. timing gear on, sump and timing cover on then head on and, just before lunch, the side chest on. However I do have a problem with the oil filter. The Moss supplied filter will not fit so I'm going to ask the TABC group what it is.
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The Moss filter will not fit the cannister fitted to this engine.
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Bottom half built, now for the head.
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Head on. After lunch I'll fit and time the distributor, the manifolds, starter and dynamo.
After lunch I fitted the distributor and made a new pinch bolt for it as the origibal was stripped. I was going to fit the manifolds but couldn't find a manifold gasket. Also this plonker had fitted the cylinder head blanking plate to the front of the head instead of the rear. I will order a new blanking plate gasket and manifold gasket in the morning. Not being able to do much more I painted the engine.
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Very shiny paintwork.............
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Same on the other side and...................
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.................... the front.
Started at 0800 and spent an hour cleaning up, after which I started on the Mini. I rebuilt the engine (new pistons and rings and crank bearings, clened head and ground in valves as well as new clutch). Problem was that when I fitted the new timing chain I was suffering from extreme sleep deprivation. I put the chain on upside down, I knew I had done but just couldn't think clearly enough to put it on the right way. You may think that's not possible but if you'd had extreme sleep depravation you'd understand. So now I have to get the chain cover off with the engine in-situ to put the single mark to the crank and the double on the cam. It was freezing cold so I came in until it got warmer. As I was up at 0400 yesterday and 0500 today I fell asleep and woke at 1230. So, had lunch and went back to the car. I soon found I needed help to compress the drive belt and put a locking pin to hold it open. I needed Lynne's help to put the pin in whilst I, using the specail tool I've made, compressed the spring. She had gone for her afternoon nap so I got on booking ferries and hotels for the move (of the cars and workshop equipment). More of this later. At 1600 she awoke and had a cup of coffee after which we went and got this pin in. I removed all but one of the timing cover bolts, the alternator and tensioner bracket then put the pulley remover on. After four attempts I gave up and came in to watch the footie. In the morning I have to drill a depression in the distance piece I've made to stop the puller bolt from slipping off. I should, all being well have the chain turned the right way and the cover back on by tomorrow night. Spike Milligan had "I told them I was ill" on his headstone. I've told Lynne to put "It was the fucking Mini that killed me" on mine. I think the designers had a competition for who could make it hardest for the mechanics to work on the cars. They all won!
I was fuming. If you've ever seen me fume you'll know it's a teribble sight. I put "Hotels in Royston South Yorkshire and I clicked on Trip Advisor and booked one night for my friend who's bringing a 7.5 tonner over to move the workshop equipment back. I booked a hotel and then looked for a hotel for the reurn trip. Ian will be staying overnight and we'll need to stay in a hotel as we'll not have any furniture by then. It was at this point I noticed the hotels were all for Royston Hertfordshire, not South Yorkshire even though I'd put South Yorkshire in the search criteria. At this point Lynne comes in and in fits of laughter tells me to look at my email. It was a mail from Jo, Ian's wife, telling me the hotel Id booked for the outward leg was in Herts!
I can't carry on with the XPAG (TC) engine of Alexandre's as I have no manifold gasket and the oil filter canister that's fitted is so old I can't get a new elemement for it. So I carried on the Mini. It took me ages to get the crank pullry off but, after making a special distance piece, It came off. The cover didn't take long to get off but I had to ask Lynne to help with the chain. My lovely wife is a super star, she put up with me ranting a raving at this chain for two hours (problem is I can't see close up things so trying to see the marks on the pulley was nigh on impossible). After 2 hours the chain was on (after getting it on and then having to take the cam sprocket off to get the guides in). I then refitted the cover and started battle with the drive belt tensioner. I spent two hours trying to compress the bloody spring and had to give up. I waited for a friend to come round and we both tried but in the end we gave up. Tomorrow is another day. I didn't take too many pictures as I was in a bit of a state.
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This is the crankshaft after the pulley has been removed. Excuse the funny angle.
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This shows how tight it is when the engine is in-situ.
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This is the camshaft sprocket, finally all in.
I had to take Lynne to hospital for a routine check-up. Got back at lunchtime, had some soup and got changed ready to do battle with the drive belt tensioner. Got the spring on and the pin (a drill bit) in the locking hole. It didn't look right but I started fitting it to the front cover..... it was at this point that I realised why it didn't look right, the centre strip has to go through the plate that I'd already fitted. So off came the plate and i tried a couple of time to get the spring compressed to get the spine through and the pin in to hold it. I needed help with this but Lynne was just off shopping. I continued by refitting the cam cover. Next came the new vacuum pipe. Took me half hour to get this pipe between the mainifold and supercharger. It would help if I could have seen the bloody thing! Lynne returns and we get the shopping in and have a cup of tea. Then Louis turns up to clear out the barns. Lynne is directing him as to what goes to the tip and what we want. Then Wayne and Angela turn up, it's their trailer I'm using to take the stuff to the tip. I'll get a picture tomorrow, the first of several trailer loads of 10 years accumulated rubbish. After all this we start on getting this spring in. Five minutes and another friend turns up. We spend some talking to him and his daughter by which time we've had enough and call it a day. So, not much done today.
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This is the drive belt tensioner at the first attemt to get the pin in. But it had to come out as the end with the drill through has to go through the other holding plate. I told you this car would kill me!
After struggling last night to get the spine through the plate and the pin (drill bit) in the hole it went in very easily this morning. I put the whole assembly back and refitted the engine mounting bracket. I then took the engine mounting bracket off so I could fit the camshaft position sensor and then refitted the mounting bracket again. By this time Lynne was up so I went in and had a cuppa after which we both went to the car to get the pin into the second hole. I was pulling the tensioner closed with my special tool whilst Lyne removed the pin. DISASTER I let go of the arm of the tool and the spine came out of the bracket. Lynne thought it was her fault and was very upset but I explained it was my fault and that I was a plonker. I thought I'll wait for Wayne to come around this evening and I'll try and close the spring and he can put the pin in. I actually think it goes in the top hole so was OK all the time. Problem I'm having is that I took this engine out last June and it's difficult to remember what goes where and how. I then did some work on the MG engine but the parts won't be here until Friday. When I got to fitting the clutch I looked for my alignment tool but couldn't find it. This morning Lynne had come over to find the thermostat housing for the MG and saw it almost straight away. I'd spent twenty minutes looking for it! I made an alignment tool from a broom stick using the lathe and then found the alignment tool. I adjusted the tappets, set the ignistion timing, cleaned the paint off the spark plugs, sand blasted them and gapped and refitted them.
I went with our lad from the village to the tip to dump a huge tralier load of rubbish. When I get back Lynne tells me Wayne isn't coming tonight so Lynne and I will have a go at the tensioner in the morning. Pictures of the next load on Friday... promise.
I was just to tired today to take many pictures.
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Nearly there.
Forgot to tell you about an amazing thing that happened yesterday. A lad in the village had loaded a large trailer with high sides full of the accumulated junk I've kept over the past 10 years, actually some of it came with us 10 years ago. As we had finished putting the stuff in the correct skips at the tip and were cleaning up I saw something shiney and thought it was a small metal bracket. It wasn't a bracket, it was the ali model bonnet from my Caterham 7 model which had been missing for well over 10 years. Result! It now has it's bonnet back but still has two broken headlights and a missing nose cone. Why do I keep it? Because it's a replica of my car as I bought it (except my bonnet was painted).
I stared work at 0700 and turned the TC distributor round one tooth and changed the plug leads to be the correct lengths. Then fitted the dynamo and found it's not the correct one. This is longer than mine and must be a later model as it has Lucar connectors. Problem is it wont close up to the engine because the tachometer drive hits the distributor. Fitted the starter and the oil feed pipe to the head (only lose as I'm waiting for new copper washers). I poured the 5 litres of running in oil in. Only thing left to do is fit the manifold, carbs and front exhaust pipe and it can be started on the floor. The parts are due tomorrow so I should have it finished over the weekend. I came in at 0820 had a shower and got changed and at 1000 rang Linda at NTG to see if they had a longer fan belt. They don't, so I measured what I needed with a piece of rope and it's 900mm, the same as the belt I have. Tomorrow I will remove the tacho drive, push the dynamo towards the block, get the belt on and see if it comes out far enough to get the tacho drive back on.
At 1030 we went off to Angers. First stop was at Julian who supplies me with all my renovation stuff and oil to collect the invoice I'd left there last week. Then on to the BMW dealer to order a new timing belt tensioner damper, looks like a short gas strut that's fitted to bonnets and boot lids. However he couldn't find it on his computer so announced my car doesn't have one. I told him it does and I'll bring it in next week to show him. I also wanted a wire clip for the injector. He couldn't find this either so I suggested he look at the injector. It comes with the injector and costs 103€... I'll make something. We got to the Chinese about 1215 and got our usual reception from the two very pretty girls, a kiss on each cheek.
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The model of the Caterham with the long lost bonnet. Now, if I could only find the nose cone. It may turn up when we pack to move.
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The dynamo, which is longer than it should be and won't go nearer to the block because the tacho drive hits the distributor.
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The manifold side with starter bolted on.
I didn't sleep at all last night so after an hour working on the MIni I had to come in a get some sleep. Awoke at 1420 and had to go to the tip with Louis with the second trailer load. I left him loading third load whilst I had a cup of tea. Decided I wouldn't do anymore but then the poarts arrived for the MG engine so I fitted the new filter and the manifolds. In the morning I'll put the radiator on and start it up.
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Nearly there.