Commerjules

cool stuff Jules [^] looking really good. bilge pump should easily cope :)

"you were only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off no.3"
 
your heat exchanger looks great and it will work fine, its the same thing they use to pre heat veg oil in the bio diesel world. does a bilge pump have an in line option? can't wait to see your conversion !
 
I finally got the carbs sorted out properlyish today (having not worked on the van being busy with other projects like children over the holidays) and drove the van a couple of miles for the first time today:D
Its the first time I've ever driven a comma

The steering is scary. Like a hot jelly on ice. Is there anything I can do except rebuild the box - I've not actually looked yet to see if it is pinion or ball based.
Any tried & tested mods?
Or do I just have to accept that is 30 years old on a 50 year old design?

Any thoughts appreciated

Cheers
Jules

RatSport www.ratsport.co.uk
 
Jules
on the o/s of the stearing box there is an ajusting screw (locking nut and flathead screw) which you can ajust to take a bit of play out of the stearing (but do not overtighten it)

Dora and Gloria
 
Ok thanks
I'll try that, see if it improves before I waste hours looking for the manual - which probably wont help much anyway[B)]

Cheers
Jules

RatSport www.ratsport.co.uk
 
Thanks for that Macker. I got a little out of it. A test drive will confirm if its made any difference.

But decided I wasn't happy with the carbs. I had a pair overhauled and they came back nice and shiny but just couldn't get them to run right.

So I overhauled a pair myself and these seem to be more reasonable, nothing like as pretty as the other ones previous ones as in the previous pics, but at least they seem to be mixing the air a little better.

carbsreplacedagain.jpg


I found that linking the choke to just one carb was sufficient cold start (maybe I'm running too rich?), so luckily won't be having to go down the route of a Stag twin cable set-up



Cheers
Jules

RatSport www.ratsport.co.uk
 
As you may be able to see from the pic there is little room for filters, especially the rear carb - (what have others filtered twin carb set-ups?)

In any event I think our engines run better and should certainly develop more power on cold (dense) air than the hot air likely to be in the commer "engine bay" - i imagine the engine lid/compartment acts as a little bubble with the heat rising to the top so I am working on a cold air intake from the front somewhere.

It is a pic of the air ducting box proto-type

airbox.jpg


I'll see how I get on

Cheers
Jules

RatSport www.ratsport.co.uk
 
looking good jules [^] if you can try to get a radius on the carb inlet, something like a stub stack, as air does,nt like sharp corners to go round, otherwise the cold air duct is the way forward ;)

"you were only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off no.3"
 
How about a pair of K&N cone filters but with a flexible ducting acting as a ram pipe directing cold air from in front of the radiator towards them, maybe a few holes drilled in the side of the engine bay to help move the hot air away. Seems like a simple solution if not the most scientific.

'Harvey the RV'
 
Yes John & Tim, I reckon you are both right. I am going to fit a length of air duct to a filter underneath the rad, in a suitable housing to stop mud/splashes.
I did the same thing on my Galaxie supplying a cold air intake where it gave an extra 6 horses - I'm not expecting quite the same on the Commer;) but every little helps.
I am considering going a step further and ram feeding it (forced induction) by means of a fan. If it was banned in F1, it must do something


Cheers
Jules

RatSport www.ratsport.co.uk
 
While I was at a trade motor show in Frankfurt last week (Automechanica) I picked up an air ram feeder.
Its a lovely bit of kit. So lovely in fact I am going to start selling them.
Basically its a K+N type cotton gauze filter with a in a stainless housing, with an induction fan - sucking air through the filter. Even better than ram-feed. I combined it with a sensor on the throttle bump-stop (run through a relay) so as when the pedal's on the metal it activates the sensor/switch.
Now I just need to sort the ducting, and investigate whether I need a bleed valve.

filterpositioningwithouttube.jpg


Cheers
Jules

RatSport www.ratsport.co.uk
 
Yep, looking very good !

Also, I now realise that the front of the engine cover detaches - had I known this it would have made refitting our radiator more straightforward.

Oh well, teaches me not to RTFM ;)
 
That looks like a neat set up [^] Will the carbs be OK to take the boost pressure.

'Harvey the RV'
 
Sorted out the ducting & positioning

filterpositioning.jpg


The carbs should be able to handle the "boost pressure" (I think [8)]) as the kit comes with a sensor mounted at the bottom of the throttle pedal travel so it only operates with the butterflies wide open, kinda like a kickdown switch. I hope it wont require a bleed-off anyway. We'll see when the rad comes back with a new core

Cheers
Jules

RatSport www.ratsport.co.uk
 
how much boost pressure is this kit supposed to provide jules [?]

"you were only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off no.3"
 
Jules,

With the elongated pipe and effect of the fan is it worth considering a resonance box and/or longer horn to smooth the airflow a bit? I know that this needed careful consideration with Forced Air Induction on bikes a few years ago and I think that someone did some work using the A-Series as well.

Sorry - Naval Architect by training so flow in pipes is one of my pet (boring) subjects.

James

I may not be very clever but I can lift heavy things
 
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