More tinkering...

[Bryan Boyle]

UPDATE 8/30:
Couple things done today:

1. Still bugged about the closeness of the shift tube to the header, especially when in 1/3/5, due to the angle of the tube coming out of the chassis. So...figured I'd disconnect the center joint, and, since the Heim is screwed all the way in (accounting for the jam nut), I thought I'd try backing it out just a turn (which would give me about 1/8" further from the pivot.)  Now, I know that the distance in the manual is 2.75" center to center; the worst is that I'd have to take it apart again and screw it back in.  Call it "fine tuning".

Well. took out the pivot bolt, loosened up the Heim jam nut, unscrewed the mount one turn (increasing, slightly, the distance center to center), put it all back together, tightened up the jam nut, and now, in the 1/3/5 plane, have about 3/8" clearance from the percussively adjusted 1/3 pipes. I can live with that for now (until I pull the header off and have the mounting flange surfaced flat and the pipes welded on the outer side of the flange to give me a little more open space.

Oh, yeah, it shifts OK, and can find all 5 forward and reverse just fine.

2. Started plumbing in the vapor recovery system; the universal charcoal canister arrived...so, that's underway...using the same nylon tubing that gets called out for the fuel delivery system. Figure it will be a couple days, since here in MA, it's been too nice to just lay on the floor of the garage when there are nice beaches to relax on.

Took the beast out for a drive after I finished the work today...nice 10 mile trip...Left side is still dry, right side needs the return hose between the head and the block replaced with new, but that's for another project...I have a few of them (OEM and pattern production)...the OEMs are more flexible and probably easier to fit in situ...the pattern parts need to be boiled in water to soften them up so you can collapse them (done it before....) to push into place. Figure with a bead of high temp RTV around the base of the ribbed male portions...should seal up nicely.  My somewhat Rube Goldberg sealing of the dipstick (heat shrink on the stick, covered by a length of 3/8" hose to slip down on over the tube) seems to be working as well as it could to keep the oil from getting pumped up and sprayed along the side of the engine.

3. Ordered a 2-input, one output air/oil separator for the crankcase venting project. Should be in next week.

S'all for today. Time to crack a grain beverage and catch some movie on streaming service.

Oh, and really really need to get the tires balanced.  IIRC, these wheels are stud-centric, not centered on the drilling for the trim cap.  Was that something I'm imagining or any thoughts about what to tell the tire mechanics about how to balance them.  Right now, whomever did it before, used hammer-on weights versus tape.  Thinking that's got to change.  Can't really get the car faster than 55 or so without tire shaking...maybe if I can find someone that does on-car dynamic?  Just wondering.  I know the car *should* be able to be driven faster than 55...lol

[Kendo]

Yes, the wheels are stud-centric. Some people find a couple of conical seat lug nuts. Snug them on by hand to center the wheel, add the other two real lug nuts, replace the two conical ones and it's as centered as possible.

[Bryan Boyle]

Yes, the wheels are stud-centric. Some people find a couple of conical seat lug nuts. Snug them on by hand to center the wheel, add the other two real lug nuts, replace the two conical ones and it's as centered as possible.

That's how I'm doing it...just thinking about the tire shop balancing the wheels off the car and doing the standard slide the wheel on the machine through the center hole and trying to balance that way if the hole in the center is not true center...hate to think we're back to using bubble levels...lol  (or, typically, am I overthinking this?)

[BDA]

I think the hole in the center is the true center of the wheel. If you tell a good tire shop when your vibration starts, they can sometimes guide you to the likely cause. If I remember, if it comes in around 50mph, that could be a bent wheel. If that's the case, a good wheel repair place should be able to get you going.

As for wheel weights, I believe the design will accommodate the usual crimped on weights one sees on steel wheels and taped on weights. I think I'd prefer the taped on inside the wheel.

Hopefully, JB will chime in. I know he's had balancing issues which were related to out of balance brake drums.

[cazman]

"Ordered a 2-input, one output air/oil separator for the crankcase venting project. Should be in next week."

Which one did you order - I need the same.

[jbcollier]

Dunno what wheels you have but have your tire shop spin up a bare rim.  You can tell right away whether it is centred properly for not.

[Bryan Boyle]

I think the hole in the center is the true center of the wheel. If you tell a good tire shop when your vibration starts, they can sometimes guide you to the likely cause. If I remember, if it comes in around 50mph, that could be a bent wheel. If that's the case, a good wheel repair place should be able to get you going.

As for wheel weights, I believe the design will accommodate the usual crimped on weights one sees on steel wheels and taped on weights. I think I'd prefer the taped on inside the wheel.

Hopefully, JB will chime in. I know he's had balancing issues which were related to out of balance brake drums.

I'd rather have the tape weights.  Cleaner installation and less damage to the exposed part of the wheel, replacements of which are getting scarce over this side of the pond.

[Bryan Boyle]

Dunno what wheels you have but have your tire shop spin up a bare rim.  You can tell right away whether it is centred properly for not.

Have the GKN/Lotus OEMs.  All 5 of them. 

Good idea re bare rim.  I can tell that I'm going to have to work with the tire shop rather than just drop car off...especially if they want to lift it (which they will); I'll want to be there to guide them to place the jack or lift properly...or do the dismounting myself and bring the tires/rims there in pairs.

(And, yes, I know about using 2 tapered nuts on opposite sides to center on the hub, use the lotus nuts on the remaining 2, then remove the tapered nuts and put the remaining lotus nuts in...)

All in all though...just a couple drips on the right side after a spirited run this afternoon, coming from the drain back tube on the right side.  I can deal with regular application of varsol spray to clean it off until I replace it.  Additionally, that block-mounted clutch cable fitting really changes the clutch operation.  Have not had one judder since putting it in...and the actuation is a lot smoother (the run of cable has fewer 'bends' and is straighter from the pedal to the fitting, so less friction/stiction in the cable) and I get release about half pedal.  Thinking of moving the release just a little higher, but it works just fine where it is; no clashing of gears and smooth shifting.  But, might be nicer to have more of a slip zone for now.  It'll do, in either case.

The owner of the foreign car shop up the street offered to help me remove the lump this winter on a Saturday so I can address the rest of the seals and head/cam case gaskets.  He waves to me every time I drive the buggy down the street...and has been taking care of my Jags (until I sold both of them...cutting down on the British cars in the driveway...).  Stopped me today just to say 'sounds really nice...'.  I just smiled; really beginning to enjoy this car.

[Bryan Boyle]

Just for giggles...fiddled around with the oil drain hose on the right side.  Nature abhors a vacuum, right?

1. Pulled the old one out.  Waterpump pliers, grabbed hold, twisted, and popped it out...all pieces together as one...and a bunch of oil dripped out.  No kidding.
2. Soaked the OEM part in boiling water for 15 minutes.  Nice and pliable.  Cleaned off, as best I could, around both holes in the head (used a mirror to look up there while I did), and the block area with a rag soaked in varsol.
3. Bead of ultra black around the base of both ends.
4. Bent the hose as much as I could,and inserted the lower end into the block.  Took a 2" putty knife, collapsed the top fitting and used the putty knife as a shim to push the top into place.
5. While the RTV was still pliable, rocked the hose back and forth to seat the hose and even out the RTV.

Washed the left side of the engine with a spray of varsol. 

We'll see.  Necessity is the mother of invention, right?  Probably not the "approved procedure", but, figured I was on a roll this week, so took the next step to at least try and attack the second of three leak locations. 

Ordered the head gasket set, rear seal (already have the front crank seal), another valve cover gasket, stock of selocs, and that screw-on oil filler cap adapter assembly RD sells for the future when I pull the lump.  Also, will pick up a set of head bolts when I get closer to that job...and might as well do all the coolant hoses front and rear at the same time, since I'll have to drain the system anyway.  Shipwright's disease, right?  But, if I'm in the area...might as well (famous last words...)

Next project: replace the front shocks with the reduced height springs (125 lb rate), bearings, grease seals, overhaul the trunnions, ball joints, and steering rack rod ends.  Bushings seem ok, so going to leave for now, but have an O/H TC anti-sway bar with new bushings I picked up along the way, so, when I drop the front end, might as well replace with the O/H unit.

Oh, yeah, when I reassemble the brakes, replace the flex lines (in hand), new greenstuff pads, and replace the disks with new that I had picked up for 693R but never put in since the brakes in that chassis seemed to work just fine.  I think I may have some run-out on the disks in the front since I get some minor pulsing when I press on the binders. 

Update: took her around the block...5 miles (well, they're long blocks...).  No weeping at the return hose.  Now, just the head gasket (which will allow me to properly replace that item per the instructions and Wilkins' description. 

[SilverBeast]

Did you say you will be pulling the engine? If you are I would seriously consider replacing the front to rear cooling and heater pipes if they haven't been done already. My hoses had bad rust scale build up on the inside, as did the thermostat housing. Lots of rust scale came out of radiator too and the end of the pipe that goes to the thermostat housing is badly corroded. I haven't done mine yet, just lots of flushing, but it's on the list..

[Bryan Boyle]

Did you say you will be pulling the engine? If you are I would seriously consider replacing the front to rear cooling and heater pipes if they haven't been done already. My hoses had bad rust scale build up on the inside, as did the thermostat housing. Lots of rust scale came out of radiator too and the end of the pipe that goes to the thermostat housing is badly corroded. I haven't done mine yet, just lots of flushing, but it's on the list..

Thought about it; can pick up a set of stainless from the usual suspects over here...not that much more of a job (putting them in an S2 is a lesson in patience; not as bad for the TC).