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first succesful tune up + other stuff

To: british-cars@autox.team.net
Subject: first succesful tune up + other stuff
From: tooze@vinny.cecer.army.mil (Marcus Tooze)
Date: Sat, 5 Feb 94 17:46:27 CST
WOW, I can't belive that I managed to do it...thanks Scott Fisher,
and thanks to Roger G. for an excellent SU tuning guide.

Let me recap...I got the rebuilt motor all connected up but couldn't
face the cold weather to get it started so I towed to a 'reputable'
import garage (whats netiquette on revealing a crap garage for lbcs?).
They got it going and when I went to pick it up they told me the carbs
were shot, and that it was running rich, "so pull on the choke a bit, and
she'll shoot straight off" (like a few people said
to me, why increase choke if its already flooding?). Well, the poor little
thing wouldn't idle below 2500 rpm, stuttered stalled and did 7mpg!!

Another little 'bonus' the garage mech. had done was to diconnect the
crankcase breather tube from the carbs, and connected the little btrass
tubes together!! Also the ******* mech. hadn't tightened the dizzy.
bracket up either so it was flopping all over the place!

At the advice of S.Fisher, I put the breather tube back on, and also
installed a PCV valve. This morning, I drove around to a friends to borrow
her garage to shelter from the elements so I could have my first shot
of tuning the carbs. I tried to set the timing, but it was running so rough
that I had to abandon that and move straight to the carbs. It was so sinmple
...tighten the mixture nuts to the top then turn 12 flats down...
 lower the rpm by the idle screws and balance 'em (the friend occasionally
wandered out to see how I was getting on...and couldn't work out
why I was stood with a tube stuck in my ear with the other end stuffed in the
'funny little silver jelly mouldy type things'....hmmm). Anyway I did this a few
times as per instructions....and BINGO idles at 1000rpm nice and smooth!

I rechecked the timing and zipped off for a ride.....smooth, powerful,
no stalling. In fact it sounded weird becuase the motor wasn;t roaring away!
I got back, popped the hood, and then noticed I'd left the #4 cyclinder
plug wire off!!!! (I'd removed it to get at the dizzy. clamp bolt). Well,
I  plugged it back in, went for another ride....EVEN SMOOTHER WITH EVEN MORE
POWER!!!!!!!

I can't thank Roger and Scott, and everybody else enough...I can't believe
the garage had the cheek to say that I needed new carbs after they tryed
their best to tune them!!!! Could somebody send me the address for the disk fund
a contribution is sorely needed.


Other stuff.

A) TR7 for sale in the local paper...haven't got the number handy...$1600
(central IL)

B) clutch still has a ghostly leak...the level was at 1/2 again...no juice 
anywhere. I'm going to go ahead and replace the bleed nipple and see
what happens. 

C) dripped a 6inch puddle of oil today on the garage floor. Seems to be coming
from the rear oil seal....oh bugger. The oil level is still on full on the 
dipstick so could be 1) new leak 2) overfilled the sump on reassembly 3)
everythings still settling into place (I've done around 70 miles so far)
4) all of the above. A tiny leak coming from the front oil seal too.
Oil prerssure dropped to 50 for a while after the tune up....but
on my way to work hung around 60-65 as usual (?!?)
 
D) Got a weird quietish screeching noise after I finished the tune up 
and went for a spin. Lasted around two seconds as I pulled away in first.
This reoccurred A few miles away as I waited at some stiop lights, this time
accompanied by blue smoke coming in through the clutch bleed hole in the 
firewall. However I don't think they were connected. Neither reoccurred
on my trip to work (!!??)

E) Get an occasional knocking noise which is weird. I can't figure out where 
its comoing from (not the motor God forbid). Perhaps its a fixture vibrating.
It only occurs while gently accellerating in 1st/2nd, not any other time (??!!)

Well, thanks (again) to everybody whos lent a hand etc etc. If anybodies
got any vomments on the stuff with !!??! at the end, they are more than welcome!

Marcus


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