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Caroline's Project-series 1

ladybeamer

Donation Time
carb throat.jpg

JB weld on carb.jpg

She's running well. :D
However as you can see in the picture the PO removed the butterfly's from the carb and used JB weld (still leaks)
Does anyone know where to find a rebuild kit-new needles, etc.?
starter selinoid needs replacing as well, right now it's the screwdriver to start.:p
Goes on the lift next to check out the brakes.
 

ladybeamer

Donation Time
up in the air

Exhaust is whole again, it is quiet, even with hole in resonator, wheels and drums are off, rear shoes look good, wheel cyl. stuck, front pads are near worn out. Very dirty and greasy, lots of grease fittings to play with.:D
 

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ladybeamer

Donation Time
life goes on

Well, it's been a long time. Almost a year. Much has happened in my life. I've lost my best friend and crawled into a hole for most of the year. I stayed away from working on the car because it was a bone of contention between us and I couldn't face enjoying something he disliked so much. Time does heal and good friends and family have to push us sometimes so that's where I am. My daughter got me back working on Abby the Alpine.
She's running, new brake booster, new brake lines, working on suspension now. Also had to redo little oil line-couldn't find a new one so made do with what is there. Can't find a replacement radiator cap though and this one is very holey and not in a saintly way. Anyone have a source for a radiator cap for a series 2 engine?
Thanks,
Caroline
 

RootesRacer

Donation Time
Well, it's been a long time. Almost a year. Much has happened in my life. I've lost my best friend and crawled into a hole for most of the year. I stayed away from working on the car because it was a bone of contention between us and I couldn't face enjoying something he disliked so much. Time does heal and good friends and family have to push us sometimes so that's where I am. My daughter got me back working on Abby the Alpine.
She's running, new brake booster, new brake lines, working on suspension now. Also had to redo little oil line-couldn't find a new one so made do with what is there. Can't find a replacement radiator cap though and this one is very holey and not in a saintly way. Anyone have a source for a radiator cap for a series 2 engine?
Thanks,
Caroline

There are two types used on the SII.
Does your header tank have the filler "cap" as well as a separate relief valve off to the side, OR just the filler cap?

Unfortunately they are different.

Last time I bought one it was from Sunbeam Specialties but make sure Rick knows EXACTLY what header tank you have.
 

mikephillips

Donation Time
You have my sympathy as well. Glad you found the support and strength to keep living. Even if it was a "bone of contention", there had to be times you both laughed or shook your heads over the car, remember those good times rather than the disagrements. Welcome back.
 

ladybeamer

Donation Time
Thank you for the kind words, it's nice to be doing something again. She's running, JB welded the radiator cap until I get one-thank you for the advice on where to find one and what to ask for.
I put new tires on her but not sure if they are the correct ones. It had 185/14's- I think but wouldn't swear to it. All I could find were 175/13's. Won't these make the engine RPM's higher? What were the original size tires? Is there any place to order them? I see adds in Hemmings but don't know what ones I need.
 

socorob

Donation Time
I may have some rims with tires you can have come up in the next few weeks, depends on how things go the next week or so. what part of alabama are you in?
edit, just saw daphne, east of the bay right?
 

sunbby

Past SAOCA President
Donation Time
Thank you for the kind words, it's nice to be doing something again. She's running, JB welded the radiator cap until I get one-thank you for the advice on where to find one and what to ask for.
I put new tires on her but not sure if they are the correct ones. It had 185/14's- I think but wouldn't swear to it. All I could find were 175/13's. Won't these make the engine RPM's higher? What were the original size tires? Is there any place to order them? I see adds in Hemmings but don't know what ones I need.

I have 175/80-13 on my Series V. The stock tires (tyres) were 600x13 bias ply which are probably not available, but I think correspond to roughly 155/75-13 or 165/75-13.

The 13 or 14 number should be the rim size, if you have 13" tires now there is no way you had 14" tires before unless you changes rims as well. The 185's would be slightly wider, and maybe a little taller depending on the sidewall ratio. I think the 175's will actually be a little taller than what was stock back in the day.

In short the 175's will increase the rpm's slightly over those 185's but not much and should be fine.

Check out the beginning of this thread:
http://www.sunbeamalpine.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13058
 

ladybeamer

Donation Time
oil pressure issues

Abby the Alpine is good therapy, as my daughter expected. I do enjoy working on her and keeping my mind busy. Question- could an oil pump be bad if I get 50+ pounds of pressure at 2000 RPM but only 5-8 at idle? Does anyone have an oil pump they'd like to sell? I found a place that will rebuild one but I'd like to keep mine on so I can keep working on it which means I need an extra one to send off. Of could it be something other than the oil pump? I'm going to be a different gage on and see if maybe it's the gage.
 

Nickodell

Donation Time
Abby the Alpine is good therapy, as my daughter expected. I do enjoy working on her and keeping my mind busy. Question- could an oil pump be bad if I get 50+ pounds of pressure at 2000 RPM but only 5-8 at idle? Does anyone have an oil pump they'd like to sell? I found a place that will rebuild one but I'd like to keep mine on so I can keep working on it which means I need an extra one to send off. Of could it be something other than the oil pump? I'm going to be a different gage on and see if maybe it's the gage.

Are you talking of hot oil pressures (engine running at least 20 minutes)? And what grade [NOT "WEIGHT"!] are you using?
 

RootesRacer

Donation Time
Abby the Alpine is good therapy, as my daughter expected. I do enjoy working on her and keeping my mind busy. Question- could an oil pump be bad if I get 50+ pounds of pressure at 2000 RPM but only 5-8 at idle? Does anyone have an oil pump they'd like to sell? I found a place that will rebuild one but I'd like to keep mine on so I can keep working on it which means I need an extra one to send off. Of could it be something other than the oil pump? I'm going to be a different gage on and see if maybe it's the gage.

If you have 50psi at 2000, its not the gauge.

Its possible the pump is worn, its also possible that your bearings are worn too.

Either will yield low oil pressure at idle.

When you have new oil in the engine, do you get higher pressures, and it degrades as the oil picks up more miles?
If so, you may try a heavier viscosity oil.
Straight 40, or 20W50 can help keep the pressure up, I dont like to see less than 10psi at 800 rpm idle with the engine at temp.
 

ladybeamer

Donation Time
oil issues

I've not put 200 miles on the new engine so I don't think the oil should have degraded yet.
can the bearings be replaced? As of yet I've had no luck finding a replacement oil pump.
 

RootesRacer

Donation Time
I've not put 200 miles on the new engine so I don't think the oil should have degraded yet.
can the bearings be replaced? As of yet I've had no luck finding a replacement oil pump.

Yes the bearings are replaceable, if you drop the pan and buy some plastigage, you can determine how worn the bearings are. On the rods, plastigage with them rod straight down as the journals "egg shape" and are tightest at 90 degrees.
 

V6 JOSE

Donation Time
Hi Ladybeamer,

When you built the engine, did you have the cam bearings changed at the same time? Worn cam bearings can give you low oil pressure, even if the rod and main bearings are new.

Jose


I've not put 200 miles on the new engine so I don't think the oil should have degraded yet.
can the bearings be replaced? As of yet I've had no luck finding a replacement oil pump.
 

ladybeamer

Donation Time
Hi Ladybeamer,

When you built the engine, did you have the cam bearings changed at the same time? Worn cam bearings can give you low oil pressure, even if the rod and main bearings are new.

Jose

I don't like to sound like a dumb girl but to be honest, the engine was rebuilt before my life fell apart and I think I've blocked a good part of the last year out. We were in the middle of moving and I had to keep moving and I've really not done much unpacking while avoiding life. I just did unpack the bedroom and found some of my paperwork and notes. I would hope they were replaced, the engine is as rebuilt and new as it can get and cost a pretty penny(s). As I'm writing more is coming back to me. The cam shaft had to be welded and turned (does that sound right) so surely new bearings were put in when the cam went back in. I'll double check.

On a side note, thank you guys for being my therapists. You're much easier to talk to than family. I think I might make it through the year yet.
 
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