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Re: Saskia fails her MOT!

To: "John Hobson" <goalie_john@yahoo.co.uk>,
Subject: Re: Saskia fails her MOT!
From: "Scott A. Roberts" <herald1200@home.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 13:11:53 -0400
 I also got a colortune kit, so I am going to tune the
> carbs tomorrow, btw is it engine oil that the dashpots should be filled
> with and should they be filled up to where the neck of the body begins?

With SU HS2's, you fill a little at a time, and test the depth by putting
the damper rod in. You should meet resistance when the cap is roughly 1/4"
above its thread in point. Also, the manual refers to several different
weights of oil, but ATF has been suggested as being best. Just remember not
to overfill the oil in the carbs! Over damping will not help at all.


> When balancing the carbs whereabouts should I listen for the hiss of air?

What I do is take about a 3 foot piece of vacuum tubing, and place it into
the intake side of the carb,(Not too far- just about 1/2 an inch or so) with
the air cleaners off.  I just hold it in place with one hand, and hold the
other end to my ear, then move it to the other carb. By adjusting the
throttle stops on each carb, you will change the sound of the hiss for that
carb. Just go back and forth till you get them where you want them, and the
idle.

>  In a number of places I have heard 'listen to the air hiss with a tube',
> but nowhere does it mention exactly where is the best place to listen and
> pick out the hiss from the rest of the engine noise.
>
> Before tuning the carbs I am going to check the timing.  I have heard
> that this can be done using just a bulb on a couple of crocodile clips,
> presumably I could also use my multimeter?  In the abscence of a timing
> light, does this method work ok?

Physically look at it, and forget the gadgetry!- two clips hold the cap on,
and a shop lamp provides plenty of light. Not like my 69 Plymouth, with a V8
and the dizzy in the rear where I can't get to it easily... :)

With a 1200 Spitfire(And I imagine any adjustable VA distributor Spitfire is
similar) Just go ahead and dry set the ignition- turn the engine to #1
cylinder TDC(on compression stroke!), then make sure the dizzy is turned to
where the points are just about to open. The rotor should point to the 9
o'clock position. Tighten everything down, and put the cap back on. Then the
following is done: Turn the vacuum advance knob the set number of clicks for
a static adjust(1 click = 1 degree)-  (Be sure to have it at 0 clicks before
setting dizzy to the points opening position!) For Spitfire 4, it is13deg.
Before TDC, or 13 clicks. For Mk2 it is 17BTDC, for Mk3 6BTDC, and emmisions
controlled Mk3 is 2BTDC. For a Spitfire 1500,  I imagine it is similar.

>
> Hopefully once all that has been sorted she should pass on the emissions.
>
> I moved the off side wiper blade up a couple of notches so that now there
> is only roughly a 2mm area in the middle of the screen that is not swept,
> they would have to be really picky to fail that!

Put the next size longer blades on the car. It should pick up the
difference!

>
> Now I think that all I need to get sorted for Saskia to pass the MOT is
> the steering gaitor (to be ordered next week) and the seats.

The gaiter shouldn't present too much difficulty to install- I just
disassembled an upright from a car without removing the tie rod end- I just
kept turning the tie rod, and it unscrewed!


Be sure to go over that article in Practical Classics- It might give you a
few other ideas to persue...

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