Well, I had my first "adventure" with the Midget today. I've been using it to
commute, about 20 miles or so each way. First, as I was getting near the
office I noticed a "clunk-clunk-clunk" as I was braking and almost at a stop.
Clunking seemed to be "in sync" with the wheel rotation. Didn't do it every
stop, but when it did it was definite and it was accompanied by a "grabbing"
kind of like when you have a warped drum or rotor. At speed it seems to have
a little bit of a shimmy, sort of like an out of balance wheel. I'm wondering
if I have a rotor coming loose. I have some new rotors that I haven't put on
yet - need to get new rotor bolts. (Ed, Peter, Paul? Any of you have these in
stock?) I haven't had a chance to carefully examine things yet - will do so
this weekend. But does this sound like a plausible cause?
Second problem after I left the office heading home, after about a mile and
in the middle of a busy turn lane, it sputters and dies. Yikes! Pop the hood
and take a look first look at fuel filter - full of fuel and gauge reading
1/4 tank. Try to start - fires, coughs, sputters, dies. Look under hood
again, thinking coil. Yep, lead has come loose. Nope, I don't have a wrench.
Strip the wire with my teeth, wrap it on the post as well as I can, get the
car into the parking lot of a grocery store. Buy a cheap pair of pliers and
attempt to loosen teminal nut. Whole terminal moves. Try to wrap wire on
better and start out again. Runs but poorly, have to keep engine revved high
or it dies. Limp along to a parts store for a coil. They don't have one but
sister store a couple miles off does. Limp over there, get the coil, install
it using my cheapo slip joint pliers from the grocery store. Runs like a
champ!
Finally got home. But it's grounded until I figure out that disturbing clunk.
Why does it seem that there's never only *one* problem at a time?
Eddie
1971 Midget
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