Jennings restoration
- Thread starter colinthefox
- Start date
I don't see it as the "right" or the "wrong" lubricant. There's endless debate about these things on other forums too. It's more about using one which is technically suitable firstly, and secondly which gives the characteristics you want under the operating conditions you encounter. As I remember it, Volvos originally specified engine oil for their gearboxes with J type overdrives, then they improved shifting in the gearbox,and engagement in the ovedrive by changing the spec to ATF. ATF is a perfectly technically suitable lub for standard gearboxes and J type O/Ds, which is what I've got, so I'm not the slightest bit worried about damage, and I wanted to give it a good flush out after a rebuild, including all the little valves and drillings. But it does tend to leak a bit. Now I will try 20/50 to see if it makes any difference and gives me the characteristics I want. I think that the problem I have is due to a slightly sticky control valve, as it semed just a bit stiff when I put the new o rings on.
We'll see.
We'll see.
Right..............
Overdrive problem solved. The solenoid wasn't returning due to a weak shuttle return spring. Presumably the new O rings were fatter than the old worn ones making it just a little bit stiffer. So as they're not available I stretched the spring a bit. Now it clicks in and out like a good'un every time.
Changed the ATF for 20/50 while I had it drained down. It's proper clean inside now! the 20/50 makes engagement/disengagement a bit more sudden as expected, and a little more thought required when stationary and looking for 1st gear. But shifting is still generally very satisfactory. Remains to be seen how much less it will leak now.
Took Beryl onto the M5. She will do 56MPH OK. That magic figure means that (on the level at least) I'll be able to keep up with the trucks, which is a relief, but as soon as we get to an incline the trucks will be bothering us again. I guess there's nothing I can do about that.
Fitted curtain tracks too. Sally has the sewing machine out, and we found an end of roll of some wonderful blue and gold fabric. So we'll have new curtains soon.
Surely I must be getting to the end now. Surely? Karrier MOT Tuesday, Beryl MOT Wednesday.
Overdrive problem solved. The solenoid wasn't returning due to a weak shuttle return spring. Presumably the new O rings were fatter than the old worn ones making it just a little bit stiffer. So as they're not available I stretched the spring a bit. Now it clicks in and out like a good'un every time.
Changed the ATF for 20/50 while I had it drained down. It's proper clean inside now! the 20/50 makes engagement/disengagement a bit more sudden as expected, and a little more thought required when stationary and looking for 1st gear. But shifting is still generally very satisfactory. Remains to be seen how much less it will leak now.
Took Beryl onto the M5. She will do 56MPH OK. That magic figure means that (on the level at least) I'll be able to keep up with the trucks, which is a relief, but as soon as we get to an incline the trucks will be bothering us again. I guess there's nothing I can do about that.
Fitted curtain tracks too. Sally has the sewing machine out, and we found an end of roll of some wonderful blue and gold fabric. So we'll have new curtains soon.
Surely I must be getting to the end now. Surely? Karrier MOT Tuesday, Beryl MOT Wednesday.
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...switching to a petrol engine will see you romping up the hills
I don't do petrol.
Just climbing into my T25 will see me romping up the hills. But thanks anywway.
Thanks Andrew. One MOT down, one to go.
..............and relax. Advisories, nearside kingpin slight play. Engine slight oil leak. Well, who'd have thought it!
Panky: Thanks, it was MOTed till 4th August, so would have been OK for Commerfest pass or fail.
But I will feel more relaxed about it now. Thanks to all on here for positive messages at those times when I wanted to throw it away.
Changing the subject, on the first real trip out, in a very narrow Zummerzet lane we met an articulated tipper truck, and in squeezing past I had to fold in the mirrors. They were so stiff that it took a major effort to fold them in without damaging the doors, while the trucker waited..........and waited. So if you have mirror arms like this..........
I can thoroughly recommend freeing them up so when you're in a tight spot you can fold them in. Or alternatively not bend your door when you catch one on the gate post. Didn't want to touch them until after the MOT in case I broke them.
I tried to dismantle the arms but they appear to be swaged together. The problem was that the original grease had caked hard and combined with rust and water to lock up the coils of the internal spring and prevent them folding. So I sloshed a load of oil inside, stirred it all about, then blew it out with compressed air. Here's an "after" photo, looking much better.
Reassembled and now they are easily folded from inside, even when I'm penned in the cab by an artic one side and an earth bank on the other.
The other job today was to make a towing eye.
It's weak enough to bend in case of a serious snatch or impact. Also turned out a length of polypropylene mooring rope that I found on a beach, and spliced a couple of eyes in it to make a tow rope with enough stretch so it won't rip the front out of my van. Just in case.
But I will feel more relaxed about it now. Thanks to all on here for positive messages at those times when I wanted to throw it away.
Changing the subject, on the first real trip out, in a very narrow Zummerzet lane we met an articulated tipper truck, and in squeezing past I had to fold in the mirrors. They were so stiff that it took a major effort to fold them in without damaging the doors, while the trucker waited..........and waited. So if you have mirror arms like this..........
I can thoroughly recommend freeing them up so when you're in a tight spot you can fold them in. Or alternatively not bend your door when you catch one on the gate post. Didn't want to touch them until after the MOT in case I broke them.
I tried to dismantle the arms but they appear to be swaged together. The problem was that the original grease had caked hard and combined with rust and water to lock up the coils of the internal spring and prevent them folding. So I sloshed a load of oil inside, stirred it all about, then blew it out with compressed air. Here's an "after" photo, looking much better.
Reassembled and now they are easily folded from inside, even when I'm penned in the cab by an artic one side and an earth bank on the other.
The other job today was to make a towing eye.
It's weak enough to bend in case of a serious snatch or impact. Also turned out a length of polypropylene mooring rope that I found on a beach, and spliced a couple of eyes in it to make a tow rope with enough stretch so it won't rip the front out of my van. Just in case.
Nice touch with the towing bracket, I've seen steering arms bet by careless recovery drivers who couldn't find anywhere easy to attach the rope
Has a bit of an incident with Harvey's door mirror the other day while backing him out of the gates, not much room and caught the drives mirror on the gate (too bust watching the other side) It's not a standard comer mirror so a trip to the local glazers resulted in a new one - with a spare just in case
Has a bit of an incident with Harvey's door mirror the other day while backing him out of the gates, not much room and caught the drives mirror on the gate (too bust watching the other side
) It's not a standard comer mirror so a trip to the local glazers resulted in a new one - with a spare just in caseMy front bumper was bent by the transport company delivering the van. Couldn't start the engine so they winched it onto the truck with a rope around the bumper.
I have to have convex mirror glasses, else it's like looking down a drainpipe!
They are easily available still from Ashtree via Big Wheels Services. Other stockists are available.
Actually I've painted the mirror arms 3 times. 1st time the hanger string broke chucking them on the floor, so I stripped/painted them again and hung them on stepladders outside................ and they blew over. Stripped/Painted them again and took no chances. Luckily I had taken the mirrors off.
They are easily available still from Ashtree via Big Wheels Services. Other stockists are available.
Actually I've painted the mirror arms 3 times. 1st time the hanger string broke chucking them on the floor,
so I stripped/painted them again and hung them on stepladders outside................ and they blew over. Stripped/Painted them again and took no chances. Luckily I had taken the mirrors off.