THE ICEMAN restoration
- Thread starter THE ICEMAN
- Start date
Decided to go for a longer shakedown run this afternoon and see how things would go. After around 5km the temp gauge went up and the engine went into overheat. This was not unexpected as the rad has crud issues. After a cooldown and a top up with fresh water i headed back. After s distance the engine became hessitant and finally conked out coming up the drive. Started again no worries. After letting things cool off over lunch i removed the radiator (a pain of a job ) Had to undo all the engine cover panals again and pull the lecky fan off. Then i noticed something strange. The glass bowl on the fuel pump was full with a dark yellow fuel and half water. This is unexpected as the tank has been refurbished and the pump and carb are brand new. So where did it come from? Only thing i can think of is i had just filled up at the local petrol station. Perhaps the fuel was bad? Anyway drained it and flushed the system and all seems ok now. Strange. I will take the opportunity of the extra space and have a go at getting the ignition timing closer to the correct setting as i think its a bit 'off'
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
While i was in there i thought it might be a good idea to snap a couple of pix of the carb and air filter setup. I know i have put up pix of the carb conversion before but this is the final version with the pancake filter. Amazing thing is it all fits without any chopping of bodywork. In fact it fits so well it could have been meant to be that way. Thanks to my local carby guy for coming up with the goods.
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
Grr still working on the radiator. After i took it out i got it recored. Turns out it wasnt blocked at all but the core was on its last legs so better to get it done $370 later...
Anyway i decided to have a go at changing things around to increase the cooling efficiency. I spaced the rad almost 20mm further forward (after checking it would still fit under the cover)using some handy spacer tubes and bolts i found in the bottom of a box of junk. The idea is to put the fan on the back of the rad to get better cooling. It fits with just a few mm to spare. After putting it all back together i realised i was only getting about half travel on the throttle. As far as i can work out the effect of moving the rad forward is to reduce the travel on the lever that goes between the throttle rod and the end of the cable. Anyone got any ideas on how i could sort this? Only solution i can think of is to change to position on the lever on which the rod acts. Effectively change the ratio of its action. I think it would work but might make the throttle too heavy or too touchy.
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
Anyway i decided to have a go at changing things around to increase the cooling efficiency. I spaced the rad almost 20mm further forward (after checking it would still fit under the cover)using some handy spacer tubes and bolts i found in the bottom of a box of junk. The idea is to put the fan on the back of the rad to get better cooling. It fits with just a few mm to spare. After putting it all back together i realised i was only getting about half travel on the throttle. As far as i can work out the effect of moving the rad forward is to reduce the travel on the lever that goes between the throttle rod and the end of the cable. Anyone got any ideas on how i could sort this? Only solution i can think of is to change to position on the lever on which the rod acts. Effectively change the ratio of its action. I think it would work but might make the throttle too heavy or too touchy.
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
Shorten the metal rod, the same amount as you moved the rad forward [?]
http://www.commervanspares.co.uk/
http://www.yorkshireclassiccampers.co.uk/
http://www.commervanspares.co.uk/
http://www.yorkshireclassiccampers.co.uk/
I moved Harvey's rad forward for a similar reason, I made an adaptor plate to pick up the original holes on the side of the rad, where the cable bracket attaches, and drilled holes in the adaptor plate in the place where the holes should be and mounted the bracket to them - if you catch my drift:I
Two's company
Two's company
I do Panky. I had come to a similar idea but was trying to avoid fabrication. I have some 4mm plate so will give it a go. Idealy i want a little more than the original travel as the SU seems to need that bit more than the old Zenith did to get full throttle. I wonder if martins idea to shorten the rod would also work? It would be a lot easier to do in situ. I will try the bracket first as cutting the rod is a bit one way! I recon a good way to go could be an adjustable section of rod or a turn buckle of some kind...
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
I've never actually managed to achieve full throttle movement on my SU conversion, I think a smaller quadrant on the carb or different ratio bell-crank on the throttle linkage will be needed, but I've never found it to be a problem (95 mph is quite enough[}
]) I call it an economy device:I
Two's company
]) I call it an economy device:I
Two's company
Well spent most of the day working on the problem. Started by fabing up a bracket to bring the throttle linkage back into position. easier said than done though[!]
This is what i ended up with
Once that was done and all working i remounted the lecky fan on the rear of the rad. Hope were high for a successful trial run.
Filled up with water and made sure there were no leaks. After quickley re fitting the engine covers i set off on a short test run. It turned out to be shorter than wished for[xx(] Only got a couple of km before the temp gauge went balistic[!][!][:0]
Next thing to try was ripping out the thermostat in case it wasnt opening enough. Once thatwas done another test run showed an definite improvement. Actually got round the block before overheat[V]
Getting quite dispondent with this now as everything seems to be A1 but still overheating. The water pump is good as you can see the water swerling through the top of the rad when the engine is revved.
I cant think of much else i can do. Maybe the lecky fan is just not man enough for the job? It is a heavy duty 12inch one and i would find it hard to believe its less effective than the old four blade driven one[?]
I think my only option now is to pull out all the cooling mods and return it to stock and see what happens. Very disheartening[xx(]
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
!]This is what i ended up with
Once that was done and all working i remounted the lecky fan on the rear of the rad. Hope were high for a successful trial run.
Filled up with water and made sure there were no leaks. After quickley re fitting the engine covers i set off on a short test run. It turned out to be shorter than wished for[xx(] Only got a couple of km before the temp gauge went balistic[
!][!][:0]Next thing to try was ripping out the thermostat in case it wasnt opening enough. Once thatwas done another test run showed an definite improvement. Actually got round the block before overheat[V]
Getting quite dispondent with this now as everything seems to be A1 but still overheating. The water pump is good as you can see the water swerling through the top of the rad when the engine is revved.
I cant think of much else i can do. Maybe the lecky fan is just not man enough for the job? It is a heavy duty 12inch one and i would find it hard to believe its less effective than the old four blade driven one[?]
I think my only option now is to pull out all the cooling mods and return it to stock and see what happens. Very disheartening[xx(]
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
Thanks Greg. That is a very good observation. The fan only really covers about half of the core area. I think i might revert to the old fan and re fit the shrouds and see what happens. Maybe at a later time i will go back to the electric or perhaps keep it on the front of the rad and have it only cut in at a high temp as a 'bit of extra' cooling. I will have a play with it again tomorrow.
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
havent read all the thread but have you backflushed the block?
because the engine sits alittle bit high over the years the silt builds up at the back and thats why the rear core plug that sits in the bellhousing goes.ive seen that core plug rot out and got cupfuls of muck out of it
other not so obvious is has one of the hoses collapsed internally and is stopping the waterflow?
because the engine sits alittle bit high over the years the silt builds up at the back and thats why the rear core plug that sits in the bellhousing goes.ive seen that core plug rot out and got cupfuls of muck out of it
other not so obvious is has one of the hoses collapsed internally and is stopping the waterflow?
Is it actually overheating or is the gauge lying [?]
"You,re only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"
"You,re only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"
Hi Steve its a brand new (totally rebult) engine. Everything is new. Hoses, crank, pistons, ancillarys, everything. Even the rad has been recored with the high performance core used in racing cars.
I really wish the gauge was lying commeracer. But it seems to be anoyingly accurate!
Will spend a little time today reverting the cooling setup to standard and see if that helps. If not it has to be an engine issue. I really really hope it isnt as it cost an awful lot of wedge to get it rebuilt to better than new...
It does run amazingly well though, very smooth and not to loud. One thought is that because it hasnt been run in it is still quite tight and that might be causing it to run a bit hotter, along with the head having been shaved a couple of mm?
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
I really wish the gauge was lying commeracer. But it seems to be anoyingly accurate!
Will spend a little time today reverting the cooling setup to standard and see if that helps. If not it has to be an engine issue. I really really hope it isnt as it cost an awful lot of wedge to get it rebuilt to better than new...
It does run amazingly well though, very smooth and not to loud. One thought is that because it hasnt been run in it is still quite tight and that might be causing it to run a bit hotter, along with the head having been shaved a couple of mm?
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
Skimmed 2mm off Sybhils head, so it won,t be that As you say it,s all new and tight so that will make it hot. Has the thermostat opened, as sometimes the temp goes through the roof until the stat opens up [?]
"You,re only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"
As you say it,s all new and tight so that will make it hot. Has the thermostat opened, as sometimes the temp goes through the roof until the stat opens up [?]
"You,re only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"
The block was stripped and re machined so it would have been well cleaned out if only to remove the swarf. I thought of the stat and checked that it opens ok. As a last resort i have now pulled it out altogether and that did help a little. Got a little further before the magic steam wanted out!
I have just this morning re mounted the rad back in original position and got rid of lecky fan. Bolted the original fan and shroud back on etc. Have to go out to lunch now but will give it another run later on this evening.
Thanks to everyone for the help with this. I guess it will be solved but as everything else has gone so well with the resto i just expected the engine to be sweet. Will let you know how it goes later
Cheers.
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
I have just this morning re mounted the rad back in original position and got rid of lecky fan. Bolted the original fan and shroud back on etc. Have to go out to lunch now but will give it another run later on this evening.
Thanks to everyone for the help with this. I guess it will be solved but as everything else has gone so well with the resto i just expected the engine to be sweet. Will let you know how it goes later
Cheers.
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
Ok it seems the problem has been sorted, at least for now anyway. Put the original fan and shroud back on and went for a good long drive. Cruzed at about 100kph for an hour plus with out even getting out of the 'cold' section on the gauge. I will put the thermostat back in and that should bring it up to where it should be.
Dissapointed the lecky fan didnt work out but i might go back to it later, if only as a bit of extra cooling on the hottest days in traffic etc.
I did notice one thing which if it was possible would be fantastic. The fuel gauge was saying there was quite a bit more petrol in the tank when i got back from a long drive. I think it must be working backwards if that is even possible? I will confirm it tomorrow when i can watch the gauge while filling the tank.
Other than that and a leaky windscreen rubber all went very well considering it was pouring with rain the whole way.
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...
Dissapointed the lecky fan didnt work out but i might go back to it later, if only as a bit of extra cooling on the hottest days in traffic etc.
I did notice one thing which if it was possible would be fantastic. The fuel gauge was saying there was quite a bit more petrol in the tank when i got back from a long drive. I think it must be working backwards if that is even possible? I will confirm it tomorrow when i can watch the gauge while filling the tank.
Other than that and a leaky windscreen rubber all went very well considering it was pouring with rain the whole way.
Well...alright then, maybe just a little...