Now that I'm driving the Tiger every day again, a couple of fun things
have come up. I'd noticed my extra overflow bottle (in addition to the
header tank) wasn't working (not pulling the coolant from and back to
the header tank and radiator). I figured the radiator cap might be bad
so replaced it with another 13 lb. cap. Sure enough, the overflow tank
system now works. The problem is that tonight I noticed that the header
tank now has slight leaks from both the small hose fitting (that small
pipe that comes out of it) that goes to the radiator and also from the
radiator cap housing base (where the cap screws into) base. It's odd
that these both appeared suddenly but I guess the new radiator cap
pressurized the system enough to find the weak spots. It's out with the
tank tommorow to the radiator shop for some welding.
You may remember my weird harmonic noise coming from my 5 speed Ford
trans with the Chevy tailhousing, only when under a load in 5th gear. I
had decided to live with this noise for now, having had the shop that
built it say it was internal, but other people who have heard it say
it's vibration from the motor, out of balance drive shaft, etc. Is there
any way anyone could come up with a way to isolate what it is I'm
hearing? It almost sounds like a change in the exhaust sound from the
pipes, rather than from the trans itself, although you do get some
vibration, at the same harmonic, from the shifter.
I noticed one weird thing about this noise today. In 4th, at around
2,000 RPM (40 MPH), the noise isn't there ( or in any other gear other
than 5th. In fifth you hear it no matter what RPM you're at). In 5th, at
2,000 RPM (as well as any other RPM in 5th with my foot on the pedal, in
other words, under a load) the noise is very noticable but the engine
RPMs seem also to vary at exactly the same speed as this noise! What the
heck is going on? Does this make any sense? The clutch throwout bearing
squeaks considerably at idle (and I assume at speed but I can't hear it
with the road noise). The clutch and bearing are both new (installed
3,000 miles ago). Could the clutch, in 5th for some reason, be slipping
slightly, or engaging slightly? Mechanically, this is beyond me but
maybe someone has an idea.
Also, what are the implications to that squeaky throwout bearing? (A
slight weight on the clutch pedal makes it go away).
Thanks!
Steve Sage
1967 MK1A
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