Had a big day in the war on LUCAS. Well, a big day that
started after midnight so call it a big night. But that's
when i can free quiet time to turn screwdrivers on the
car. (75 Midget)
I first fixed the headlight switch that had sidelined
me for night drives for a while. Last week I pushed it
to get lights and it just exploded under the dash, that
sound of little parts flying everywhere that you are
going to have to find without knowing what they look
like or how many their are
Basically the main problem is that it snaps together
at the top and bottom. One of them is worn, so when you
push on the switch, you almost push the switch apart. Last
week when it died, that's what happened, I pushed the back
right off the switch from the front.
So, I cleaned it out as best as possible, then sealed it
in glue gun glue. It feels really firm and nice now, see
if this lasts. It's a $28US part to replace, ouch. I'd hate
to have to replace it, it's such a simple thing to be costing
so much cash..
Next up, I replaced the choke cable. If I had known it was
going to be this complex, I wouldn't have done it. All that
was wrong with mine was a cracked knob, but I already had
the parts owned and paid for so what the hell. So I get
the old one out, and slide the new one in, in the old
upside down in the drivers seat under that dash position. I
install the cable end loosely into the carb, then stop.
This cable is much shorter than the one I took out, even
though I bought it from Moss. The ramification being that
it ran practically over the top of the battery. Very bad
thing for a metal cable to be doing, I figured.
So I had to reroute it along the dash and entering the
engine bay in front of the passenger (LHD). Just long enough, but
the corners make the cable stiff. Oh well.
It's a real pain to get it installed right as well, since
the ends are old rusty bolts and stripped screws. I kept getting
it to work, but it wouldn't release fully. Around this time
I am mumbling to myself why I bothered to fix what wasn't
really broken.
Eventually, the method appeared to me. Set the choke slightly
open, and install it. Then when it's REALLY off, there is
actually compression in the cable forcing and holding the choke
off. There's your Midas tip of the week.
(while I was under the dash, I also found out why I never
had driver's side heat. There is a little flap you are supposed
to open to get heat, I never knew that, in my entire ownership. Neato,
wonder how the girlfriend will enjoy sharing the heat now.)
Next up was my ballast situation. I didn't think much of it
before, but I realized afterwards that I was running a non-ballasted
coil through a ballast. In other words, I wasn't getting even
full stock spark voltage. (my car has had a few ignition funnies
over the last year, you might remember my other posts)
So I rewired the low tension circuit to get voltage from
another location, and fired it up. Weirdly enough, the idle
dropped instantly to 500rpm, from 800. It ran very smooth,
but I am still not entirely sure why better sparks makes
the idle drop.
My best guess is a worse spark doesn't produce as strong of
flame front, so it burns slower. This gives the effect of a
retarded timing, which... well... somehow makes it run differently
at idle. Can somebody elaborate on this? I tested in between
and although I did work on the carb and the choke cable, the
idle change happened here. Ideas?
Fixed my wiper blades so they won't fly off any more, oh
the power of the glue gun. Then I checked that licence
plate bulb that was burned out. Turns out there isn't even
a bulb installed. Weird, I guess it's been like that since
I bought the car.
Another day in the war on LUCAS.
--
Trevor Boicey
Ottawa, Canada
tboicey@brit.ca
http://www.brit.ca/~tboicey/
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