New Owner-some questions
Posted By : Colin Wake, 12-Jan-2007, 06:27pm
Ron
some answers
[The oil light keeps coming on when the revs fall, there is plenty of oil in the engine so that's not the problem. Any ideas?]
Not good news, the engine is worn out I suspect. Too much clearance on the bearings resulting in low pressure. Probably accompanied by a loud knocking at startup. It could be a faulty switch, maybe.
[The left indicator works fine, the right indicator is illuminated all the time (as in it doesnt flash) and the back doesn't work at all.]
This is probably either a faulty earth in one of teh indicators, a poor connection where the stalk wires connect under the column, a poor connection at the flasher unit. The lack of flash is designed to tell you there is a fault. Knowing Mk4 rear light clusters, that is where I would start.
[I'm getting a nasty jolt (of electricity) off the steering wheel when driving for a few miles, is this normal?]
No. I will await other comments as to cause.
[I'm trying to find someone fairly local to me to service and maintain (restore) the car. Am I better to go to a dedicated vintage car garage, or do most of you get someone who just 'knows old cars' etc?]
A fair majority of us do some self maintenance. There is always lots of advise available here on teh messageboard, and the archives are full of useful stuff. Attend your local meeting, they will be very helpful, yours is just south of Norwich. My meet is at the Magpie at Stonham Aspal on the A140 if you fancy venturing slightly further afield. You also have a Triumph specialist at Ditchingham nr Bungay.
[I will try to do some of the work myself but quite frankly have no history of car maintenance (perhaps it's time I learnt) and being a pro musician have always had to take car of my hands (yes I know. what a wuss!)]
Everyone has to start somewhere. Great picture on the profile, I think I need to update mine!
Cheers
Colin
TSSC Suffolk AO
some answers
[The oil light keeps coming on when the revs fall, there is plenty of oil in the engine so that's not the problem. Any ideas?]
Not good news, the engine is worn out I suspect. Too much clearance on the bearings resulting in low pressure. Probably accompanied by a loud knocking at startup. It could be a faulty switch, maybe.
[The left indicator works fine, the right indicator is illuminated all the time (as in it doesnt flash) and the back doesn't work at all.]
This is probably either a faulty earth in one of teh indicators, a poor connection where the stalk wires connect under the column, a poor connection at the flasher unit. The lack of flash is designed to tell you there is a fault. Knowing Mk4 rear light clusters, that is where I would start.
[I'm getting a nasty jolt (of electricity) off the steering wheel when driving for a few miles, is this normal?]
No. I will await other comments as to cause.
[I'm trying to find someone fairly local to me to service and maintain (restore) the car. Am I better to go to a dedicated vintage car garage, or do most of you get someone who just 'knows old cars' etc?]
A fair majority of us do some self maintenance. There is always lots of advise available here on teh messageboard, and the archives are full of useful stuff. Attend your local meeting, they will be very helpful, yours is just south of Norwich. My meet is at the Magpie at Stonham Aspal on the A140 if you fancy venturing slightly further afield. You also have a Triumph specialist at Ditchingham nr Bungay.
[I will try to do some of the work myself but quite frankly have no history of car maintenance (perhaps it's time I learnt) and being a pro musician have always had to take car of my hands (yes I know. what a wuss!)]
Everyone has to start somewhere. Great picture on the profile, I think I need to update mine!
Cheers
Colin
TSSC Suffolk AO
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New Owner-some questions
Posted By : Chris Taylor, 13-Jan-2007, 00:02am
Re electric shocks, I suggest you look carefully at the routing and condition of the HT ignition leads. 12V "leakage" is unlikely to be felt unless you are very sensitive, but can still set the car on fire if there is a short. Only other suggestion would be static electricity. Try different clothes or shoes and see if the problem persists.-
New Owner-some questions
Posted By : Ron Sayer, 23-Jan-2007, 03:58pm
Hi again
Thanks to Colin and Chris for their suggestions/help. After a seriously needed oil change (the filter had 2004 scrawled on it and the oil was gritty as you like) with Castrol classic mineral 20/50 and Slick 50 the engine's running wonderfully with no oil light coming on while idling.
The indicator problem was just a bad connection so 2 minutes was all it took to sort that out.
A good mechanic friend of mine has given it a thorough going over and it has been blessed with the comment "it's a lovely little old bus". The chassis is apparently in great condition supposedly having been repaired very nicely, it's been converted to an electronic ignition, has an unleaded conversion and has undergone a complete engine change (being a MKIV but it has a 1500 engine) and is generally in great nick all round apart from a few bodywork issues.
it needs a new front spring and after having to whack the starter motor yesterday morning I now think it needs one of those too but in short the car is running very nicely and I love the colour so the imminent respray (before the rust sets in) will keep the car damson maroon.
The electric shock hasn't returned since the first drive so I'll forget about that one for now.
Any opinions on number plates, I seem to sense there's a keenness within the club to keep original plates on the car but I do like my private plates, plus it's a bit of an oddity (LEG), any thoughts?
Thanks again so far!
Ron-
New Owner-some questions
Posted By : Stephen Abbott, 23-Jan-2007, 06:57pm
Ron, keep the original plate and save personalised ones for euro boxes (they need some added interest)
I think LEG would have been originally registered in the Peterborough area, I had a late 70's Datsun that was UEG, registered in P'boro.-
New Owner-some questions
Posted By : Ron Sayer, 23-Jan-2007, 07:25pm
Stephen, you're dead on with that. it was registered in the P'boro area. Obviously hasn't been to far in it's life, it's had seven PO (so the seller said). Does anyone want to explain the 'keep the original plate stance'? I noticed some discussion about the four door herald and the importance of it not losing its plate, just a historic thing I guess?
I'm not sure I like 'LEG' but there you go, it looks very cool in black and silver though (though I understand this is not strictly legal, but they look original (read: knackered) to me.
Ron
New Owner-some questions-
New Owner-some questions
Posted By : Colin Wake, 23-Jan-2007, 08:04pm
Nothing wrong with your number plate.
Pressed black / silver is fine on an L-plate, even if the car isn't tax-exempt.
Cheers
Colin -
New Owner-some questions
Posted By : Stephen Abbott, 23-Jan-2007, 08:13pm
Ron, its not really an important historical thing about the plates, at least on cars such as ours. I suppose it is a personal preferance with the personalised plates.
The way I look at it, the car has gone 34 years with that plate, why change it now.
My GT has the prefix letters BTM, not sure if I like that very much (BotToM!) but I wouldn't change it.
Personally I think the only really good personal plates are the ones that spell names, if you have RON 1 , then go for it!!
My wife did find KAZ 21E (Ithink that was the reg) as she wanted to make KAZZIE out of it, we would have had to sell all of our cars to buy it though!!
Cheers, Steve.
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