The Rally Maestro project

[Simon]

There seems nothing wrong with the radiator, but its been standing for many years, so the feeling in the team is that we should uprate it with either a standard two litre EFi or, if we can find one, a turbo rad...bigger capacity will cope with severe heat of Africa better - but, nothing is on ebay or Rimmers at the mo - any leads on where we can find a new one?

Try Kempston Radiators, based in Kempston, Beds.

http://www.kempstonradiators.com/Mer...ct_Code=60516c

[Guest]

Thanks for that! (goodness, isnt the new-look bright - great effort tho guys), back to the electronic box of tricks. The team in the workshop met up with Peter Banham from Derby today, who bolted on the Peter Burgess modded cylinder head, and who now has to fit the new "old" SU HS6. Everyone seems to wonder if the ECU is going to work ok with no wires going to the carb...is there an electronics wizard out there who will know the answer to this one?

[countrydude]

I have an unused 1.6 rad of aluminum construction, yours for £20? I has just sat around for a while as I was going to use it. I would ask in town but I'm guessing Dan's rad source is similar to mine I'll finally have those calipers for you within the next 2 weeks they will be with you.

[countrydude]

Btw, this is an epic thread! I'm jealous of everything but the bhp that you'll be running

[Guest]

Now here is a mystery that will test your knowledge, Countrydude!

Q; Your starter for ten, (and no conferring with E_T_V). Are there two types of exhaust downpipe, from mainfold to the floor of the car?

Reason: We bought a new downpipe through this forum, and, today, after the reground head went on, we offered up the new pipe...and guess what, it doesn't fit anything like as snugly as the rusted original. It will bang against the steering rack, it turns under the floor too much too the right so the run of the rest of the exhaust wont be right. This is odd. It seems to be a slightly bigger bore. This might be an illusion. Were there two different types of downpipe? Is the pipe for the automactic different? There are several on ebay at the moment, and looking closely, they dont all look identical.

Odd indeed. Eh?

Finally, is there an electronics boffin out there that can give some peace of mind...can the ECU work ok if not wired up to the carb (because the carb is an older type).

PY

[daveyboy]

Auto downpipe is different i know from experiance
sounds like you may have an auto one from your description

[Guest]

Does anyone by any chance have a brand-new unused lower gearbox mount for a 1.6 (1986 is year of the car), please?

email: Mail@endurorally.com

[E_T_V]

Thanks for that! (goodness, isnt the new-look bright - great effort tho guys), back to the electronic box of tricks. The team in the workshop met up with Peter Banham from Derby today, who bolted on the Peter Burgess modded cylinder head, and who now has to fit the new "old" SU HS6. Everyone seems to wonder if the ECU is going to work ok with no wires going to the carb...is there an electronics wizard out there who will know the answer to this one?

ECU will be fine. There are actually two ECU's. One that controls the carb stepper motor (automatic choke), and ORFCO valve (over-run fuel cut off valve) and the other that controls the igntion which is in the engine bay.

Tape up the spare wires and fit a manual choke and it'll work fine.
Don't remove the auto-choke ECU as this also drives the temperature gauge on the dash unless you intend to alter the wiring to match.

[Guest]

Im pretty sure the old style HS6 with seperate float chamber to one side (not underneath as with the standard 1.75ins carb) doesnt have any auto-choke connection, so that will mean making a temperature guage up also in an old-fashioned way, an MGB one or similar. Alas, this is not as simple as it first seemed. The bottom of the float chamber touches the top of the manifold underneath, so, cant be bolted on. The answer to this is to extend it up and out more, with a thicker spacer, and this is having to be made out of a lump of alloy.

Fuel lines and brake lines being made up to run across the top of the floor at the moment, and then its back into the spray-oven for a start on painting the outside, hopefully. Sourced two exhaust downpipes on ebay so hopefully one will now be the right one!

... While scouring flea-bay round found a Bork-and-Beck clutch kit, but without centre bearing, (anyone got one spare?), and a spare new coil to mount alongside the existing one. Also got an electric fuel-pump, to run in series with the existing manual one. Still looking for a gearbox lower mounting.

[G Force]

Im pretty sure the old style HS6 with seperate float chamber to one side (not underneath as with the standard 1.75ins carb) doesnt have any auto-choke connection, so that will mean making a temperature guage up also in an old-fashioned way, an MGB one or similar. Alas, this is not as simple as it first seemed..

The temp gauge will work fine if you leave the fuel ecu wired up as normal, just tape the wires that go to the carb. The ignition ecu also uses the coolant temp sensor so it is important to retain the original sensor. If you prefer to get rid of the autochoke ecu then use a post 89 1/2MY montego 1.6 thermostat housing as it contains a seperate temp gauge transducer as well as the coolant sensor. To get the gauge to work use the blue/green wire at the fuel ecu as the earth through the temp transducer.

The bottom of the float chamber touches the top of the manifold underneath, so, cant be bolted on. The answer to this is to extend it up and out more, with a thicker spacer, and this is having to be made out of a lump of alloy. .

When making the spacer up, remember to allow for the physical downward travel of the main jet when the choke is operated. If you don't race at night you could consider not running coolant through the inlet manifold for an extra power gain.

... While scouring flea-bay round found a Bork-and-Beck clutch kit, but without centre bearing, .

The thrust bearing runs in oil inside the gearbox and rarely gives any problems.

... Also got an electric fuel-pump, to run in series with the existing manual one.

You would be better to use the electric pump on its own, with a second electric pump as back-up, as you intend to do with the ignition coil. The manual pump will almost certainly pack up in the heat. Junk the manual pump rather than it spring an oil leak, & Use a post 89 1/2MY front cam cover or one from a rover 216.

[E_T_V]

Im pretty sure the old style HS6 with seperate float chamber to one side (not underneath as with the standard 1.75ins carb) doesnt have any auto-choke connection, so that will mean making a temperature guage up also in an old-fashioned way, an MGB one or similar. Alas, this is not as simple as it first seemed. The bottom of the float chamber touches the top of the manifold underneath, so, cant be bolted on. The answer to this is to extend it up and out more, with a thicker spacer, and this is having to be made out of a lump of alloy.

I suggest leaving the original carb on then. It is pretty reliable aside from the ORFCO (which can be disabled), and the auto-choke which can be made reliable using unleaded compatible seals (or even fit a manual choke to it).

Fuel lines and brake lines being made up to run across the top of the floor at the moment, and then its back into the spray-oven for a start on painting the outside, hopefully. Sourced two exhaust downpipes on ebay so hopefully one will now be the right one!

... While scouring flea-bay round found a Bork-and-Beck clutch kit, but without centre bearing, (anyone got one spare?), and a spare new coil to mount alongside the existing one. Also got an electric fuel-pump, to run in series with the existing manual one. Still looking for a gearbox lower mounting.

Fit the electric pump instead of the original. Either blank off the original or leave it attached but with a loop of pipe rather than completely disconnected. The standard pump WILL fail. (just a matter of when!)

If you fit an electric pump and an inline filter then this should keep the original carb crud free.

[Guest]

What prompted changing a 1.75 standard carbuettor, for an older SU also 1.75? The fact that the float chamber is underneath the carburettor body which looks a right bitch to get undone should African-muck get that far. Yes, its going to have a couple of filters, but going for something simpler seemed at the time a good move. In the end, the new carb proved to be expensive (apart from the Peter Burgess head work its the most expensive single component on the car so far), and now Peter Banham has to make a spacer to join carb to manifold, work that could not have been anticiapted at the time.

Our attitude to all of the mods for this car is "if its working well, leave alone" - we are merely making it stronger, more reliable, or easier to fettle in the wild. All those involved in this fascinating project are quietly confident it's going to prove itself a surprise performer...

[Guest]

Oops! Detected a hole in the glass of the near-side (left sitting in the car) front headlamp. Is there a member with a new-condition example they are willing to sell please? (email: Mail@endurorally.com ).

[E_T_V]

Common issue hence my recommended extra perspex protection!

The lenses are replaceable and usually turn up cheap on e-bay etc.

[E_T_V]

Sorry only one photo at the moment as the website isn't playing ball with me at the moment!