Ok, now I am really confused. I drove the Midget home from the train
station and immediately ran in and got a magnet. I pulled the dipstick
and it is clean - no metal, no nothing, just oil a bit low. Now this
morning when I saw the metal bits, I didn't have a magnet, nor did I
think to go get one. I had to get to work. However, I did take the time
to spin on a new oil filter. The engine does not have a bottom end rattle
of any kind. Nor any kind of loud noise that, I think, should be heard if
it was self destructing inside. Now I have noticed in the last few weeks
a tendency to shudder at releasing the clutch when pulling away from a
stop. I believe that this may be due to a thrust bearing being bad. That
may explain the metal as well. I am hoping it all got caught up in the
new filter. However, I have no idea.
Also I saw that the oil pressure that had been running about 45 -50 lbs
at cold idle was now running about 70 lbs when I left the train station.
And almost 90 at about 3500 rpm. The oil pressure has never fallen below
45 -50 even when running down the highway at about 65 mph (4000 rpm) at
hot idle it was never below 15 - 20. I would think that if a bearing was
giving up the ghost the oil pressure would not be that high. Anybody
happen to know which end of the oil flow the filter is on?? before the
bearings or after?? And why would a new one cause the pressure to go so
high. Or maybe it is now full of bits of metal and causing an increase in
resistance to the flow.
I also have an offer of an engine to swap in while I rebuild this one
from Mssr. M Graziano of the Spridgets list - Thanks Mike. Just got to
figure out how to get it.
So my plan is to
1) change the oil immediately, with new filter.
2) Order new bearings w/ thrust washer. (I have been told I can do this
with the engine in the car and I have done bearing swaps in a Waukesha
engine in the past)
3) Either swap the bearings while I figure out how to get the engine from
Mike or just swap the engine, if I can get it right away. This weekend is
absolutely no go.
Yea I get a bit nervous as the Midget is my only car. (Sticking my tongue
out at those that scoff, including myself). I do have a Bicycle ;-)
Larry
PS can you imagine a Waukesha L7490 engine in a Midget, they use 1100 cc
engines for starter motors. LMAO
><< Help!!!!!
>I was checking the oil this AM and discovered bits of metal in the oil.
>My guess - I got a bearing that is coming apart. Now I have a real
>problem. The Midget is my only car!!! So that stops parking the car,
>pulling the engine and doing a rebuild. So I have the thought that I will
>slap some bearings into it to give me a bit more time while I find an
>engine I can rebuild so I can do a swap on a weekend. Unless somebody has
>a running 1500 spare in the Eastern PA region they wanna let go cheap!!!
>;-) Or if somebody nearby has a rebuilt 1500 I can swap in, then I can
>rebuild the one I have and give that one back to them. Or a rebuildable
>short block would work too. Or, or, or ......?? >>
Larry Macy
78 Midget
Keep your top down and your chin up.
Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.
macy@bblmail.psycha.upenn.edu
System Manager/Administrator
Neuropsychiatry Section
Department of Psychiatry
University of Pennsylvania
3400 Spruce St. - 10 Gates
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Ask a question and you're a fool for three minutes; do not ask a
question and you're a fool for the rest of your life.
|