What I am doing!

[JonathanT]

2/ Then finished off the rear axles by fitting the Crown locking washers and split pins greasing up and banging on the caps with a mallet.

3/ fixed the bonnet tie straps
4/ fixed the bonnet support stay. I broke the little nylon saddle clamp but then had the idea of using model aeroplane landing gear saddle straps. A little modification had a very satisfactory result.
5/ the bonnet rubber seal below the windscreen on the bulkhead was poorly fitting. Corrosion had pushed the cut ends apart preventing it sitting tight on the flange. So with a hack saw cleared the rust out of the rubber at each end then using Evo Stick glued up the mating faces allowing it to air dry before pushing together . The rubber now sits tightly at each end without rolling off. Washing pegs help keep all tight while the glue set

 

[JonathanT]

6/ then I made up an anti rattle gear shift Spring fitting. Only looking at other R4s did I find this feature. It didn't have one fitted when I bought it

7/ the alternator wiring is going together - a little forensics and a little research hopefully I will have all the connections correct

 

[JonathanT]

Lastly a STICKER TO STICK! As a little motivational reward

 

[JonathanT]

Doesn't it stick out a long way when youve not seen it for a long time!!

 

[JonathanT]

Anti rattle spring - cobblers - what am I on about ... I think its just to help with gear stick centering

 

[JonathanT]

The glue repair of the knob worked a treat. It used to rattle like crazy and no amount of tape would fix it. Reckon will reduce cab noise by 80% ! (he says hopefully)

 

[Paul Narramore]

My gear lever knob didn't rattle but did spin around. I failed to discover how it could be removed so solved it with drilling and fitting a small Pop rivet. With the car came a great pile of MoT's and bills and the car has had this spinning gear knob for all of its life apparently.

 

[JonathanT]

Yes I think it's a common complaint. I have a good cure but it does involve cutting the end of your knob off!

 

[Paul Narramore]

I feel the knob must come apart with a near invisible horizontal seam but I couldn't manage to separate them. I was advised to invert the gear lever and pour in SuperGlue but as SuperGlue only works in the absence of air, I chose to use a pop rivet (especially after the tiny self tapper I first used kept coming out, Loctited as well). Whilst the gear lever was out, I cleaned up the rusty surface with fine wet & dry then greased it for a smoother gear change. Reverse is still a bit of a bugger to find though.

 

[JonathanT]

Yes I took the plunge and have sawn the top off. I used one of my modelling tools - a razor saw. (brilliant tool!) this cut the top off neatly
The bottom is cup like and the centre has a moulded tube that goes to the top. No amount of super glue would fix this as its too brittle and would not glue well to the chrome shaft. ('Sticks like shit' silicone type glue might work though)
I then used 24hr Araldite (The best!) to glue the parts together having first bound the top of the chrome shaft with a little insulation tape to make it a very tight fit in the receiving recess on the top of the gear knob. Taped all together tightly while the glue went off and used a clamp to keep the two halves of the shell in line.

 

[JonathanT]

Exciting times!
-That calls for a cuppa and a chocolate biscuit supplied by my long suffering neighbour. Engine all assembled and set up on the Dizzy and TDC etc according to Mojobaby's recent post to Azzazello.
However as cylinder nearest the flywheel was elected as cylinder 1 (as per Haynes manual) it did afford the ability to see what the valves were up to by removing the oil filler cap. This way I avoided having to remove the rocker box cover.
My Femsa dizzy has two prongs on the bottom - although they look idendical it would only fit one way round avoiding the 180 deg out problem. (well at least I hope it has)

Right so whats next? - Wiring washed the harness in the bath this moning before work (but after I got out ) Repaired the insulation in places
Fitting tonight. (Thats fitting not Frying)

Target starting up possibly tomorrow eve or the weekend at least

 

[jjad]

Good work! I can see the cup of tea, but I'm a bit worried that the chocolate biscuit has fallen down into the engine bay and will melt when you start it

 

[petak]

Nice and tidy.....
Pleasure to look how it is growing up.....

 

[jjad]

Ah, I've spotted the biscuit now. Phew!

 

[JonathanT]

Yup biscuit survived!
This evening I managed to get nearly all the fluids in. Quite a moment refilling the engine . For the gearbox I jacked up the filler side tipping the whole car. One of the bottles I then made into an intravenous drip with a long pipe fed into the gearbox. When upside down I drilled a small air hole in the bottle. No spills it worked really well. Just as well as I hate Hypoid it stinks to hell. The remaining .80 ltr I then added to the drip feed and got it all in neatly. Antifreeze is riding too high in the expansion bottle so I must have an air lock somewhere despite opening the heater vent pipe . All quantities were measured out as per Haynes

 

[mojobaby]

Looking at your very clean engine department, there are two things that really stand out.

One is your red rocker cover, which is the same colour as mine, and the other is your silver alternator. Is it new? Or did you just clean it up?

Neither of my cars has the long inlet pipe leading from the air cleaner. I often wonder if they're really necessary?

 

[JonathanT]

Looking at your very clean engine department, there are two things that really stand out.

One is your red rocker cover, which is the same colour as mine, and the other is your silver alternator. Is it new? Or did you just clean it up?

Neither of my cars has the long inlet pipe leading from the air cleaner. I often wonder if they're really necessary?

Hi Mojo the red rocker box I had powder coated red. I'm sure it will be MUCH faster in this colour. The alternator is cleaned up and painted I need to check wiring in it not too confident it's right at the mo.

Not sure where the smaller wire to the starting solenoid goes to on a GTL the fat one goes straight to the + on the battery

 

[harbourseal]

Once you got her running the coolant level will go down when the whole system has filled itself after the thermostat has opened.
keep an eye on it.

The small wire on the starter solenoid goes to a jack in the wire harnas quite close to the bulkhead

 

[mojobaby]

The smaller wire goes from the solenoid into the wiring harness and to the ignition. The thicker wire goes to the + battery terminal, like you said

 

[JonathanT]

The smaller wire goes from the solenoid into the wiring harness and to the ignition. The thicker wire goes to the + battery terminal, like you said

Thanks Mojo and Harbour I see the wire now ...with luck I can have the harness on this eve.

Just two wires left to sus ... A small black one and a pink one joined with an eyelet. I think they go to the lower alternator terminal? (With a Thick green and a grey one to the upper terminal- see photo) oh and two more (sorry fellas) two next to the bulkhead grommet - my labels fell off !!