Enough enough - lets get back to the oily bits
My diagnosis with the overdrive was correct, I peeled back the gearstick gaiter and could see the wire was pulled very tight against the housing and pulling it loose revealed bare copper wire[V] A generous wrapping of insulating tape on the wire and the edge of the housing, along with another new fuse had the OD working again[^]
Although the engine mods have transformed the performance I've not bee totally happy, on choke the engine would run superbly but when everything was nice and hot strange things began to happen. Accelerating was fine but when cruising at any speed above 40 mph the engine seemed to be holding back and the exhaust note had a fluttering sound about it and lost power, but floor the throttle and it was fine. I reckoned that the new inlet manifold was so efficient at drawing air/fuel in the SU carb was having trouble keeping up and the slide was bouncing and causing the 'fluttering'. The carb came off and I doubled up the dash pot spring and found another needle(ex Mini), compared with the old needle it was a lot finer so would allow more fuel through for a given throttle opening. I started the engine up and it burst into life without any choke and was racing a bit too much on idle, even with the idle screw wound out so running a bit rich me thinks. The test run showed a definite improvement - not a sign of flutter or flat spot so I floored it down the by-pass[}] It just kept going[:0], I went off the speedo and bottled out - it was still edging up steadily and seemed to get into its stride as the howl from the K&N took on an even higher note, lord knows what it will top out at - and still only 75% throttle movement[:0]. I eased off and at 65/70 the cab seemed remarkably quiet(for a Commer), no mechanical fan causing a din and the exhaust note nicely deep but subdued[^]
Tomorrow I'll tinker and get the carb set up properly but It looks like Harvey is a little flyer - but I won't be using it too often, just on those long killer hills.
And relax
My diagnosis with the overdrive was correct, I peeled back the gearstick gaiter and could see the wire was pulled very tight against the housing and pulling it loose revealed bare copper wire[V] A generous wrapping of insulating tape on the wire and the edge of the housing, along with another new fuse had the OD working again[^]
Although the engine mods have transformed the performance I've not bee totally happy, on choke the engine would run superbly but when everything was nice and hot strange things began to happen. Accelerating was fine but when cruising at any speed above 40 mph the engine seemed to be holding back and the exhaust note had a fluttering sound about it and lost power, but floor the throttle and it was fine. I reckoned that the new inlet manifold was so efficient at drawing air/fuel in the SU carb was having trouble keeping up and the slide was bouncing and causing the 'fluttering'. The carb came off and I doubled up the dash pot spring and found another needle(ex Mini), compared with the old needle it was a lot finer so would allow more fuel through for a given throttle opening. I started the engine up and it burst into life without any choke and was racing a bit too much on idle, even with the idle screw wound out so running a bit rich me thinks. The test run showed a definite improvement - not a sign of flutter or flat spot so I floored it down the by-pass[}
] It just kept going[:0], I went off the speedo and bottled out - it was still edging up steadily and seemed to get into its stride as the howl from the K&N took on an even higher note, lord knows what it will top out at - and still only 75% throttle movement[:0]. I eased off and at 65/70 the cab seemed remarkably quiet(for a Commer), no mechanical fan causing a din and the exhaust note nicely deep but subdued[^]Tomorrow I'll tinker and get the carb set up properly but It looks like Harvey is a little flyer - but I won't be using it too often, just on those long killer hills.
And relax
