Soob sorting

[edward ericson]

Like a lit corn cob.

[Paul Mossberg]

Good job Ed!

Those last two posts are creating all kinds of bad bad images.

Really Bill and Ed? A lit corn cob stuck up Bridget’s ass? 😮
To quote my mom, “Oh my Lord!”

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[edward ericson]

Yeah. Sorry. 

There ain’t gonna be no turbos or corn cobs on the B car. Not if I can help it, anyway.

edsnova2014-09-28 20:36:30

[HappyJack]

Hey Ed

….been a while since last update…
…was’ up with Bridget?

You have us hooked ….as bad as listening to Paul HRvey’s “the rest of the story”

[edward ericson]

Heads are at the machine shop. Hoping to hear something Friday. Gotta scrape and clean the block where the heads meet it.

After that it’s re-install the heads, reinstall the intake, reinstall the engine.

Need to check some things on the transmission too, before it all happens.

I have a valve to install that will divert coolant flow through or not-through the heater core. Want to put that in. 

After that I will probably tackle the front brakes–i have a disk conversion kit to install. 

[Royal]

If I can scrape up the time, I hope to be able to remove and refinish my shifting knob. 😀

[billnparts]

Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"

[Paul Mossberg]

 Roy…that was hysterical!

 

Ed certainly is our  “git ‘er done” role model!

PMOSSBERG2014-10-09 10:17:46

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[edward ericson]

HAR!

But I hope to get some things done, and soon.

Roy, you do nice wood work. Look forward to seeing the best shift knob in all of TDReplicadom.

[edward ericson]

Heads are back on the engine, as is the intake manifold.

Made a bracket to hold the heater controls.

Still need to crawl under and see about the transmission. Might be seeping gear oil from the reverse light sender. Because the whole assembly is forward an inch and some, that thing is real hard to get to now…so I might have to unbolt it entirely as well.

[Dale Schumacher]

Ed,

One step forward – two back. I would really like to hear your take on the whole subject a couple of months after you complete everything. I still have not decided what engine to use in my speedster project. I have a new 2007 VW type 1 sitting there ready to go in but have been thinking Subbie. Your experiences may make me just stay with my original plan ( VW ). I also have a 914 5 speed and that may be used for either engine. Many Subbies going in old 914’s now days I understand?

Anyway – I am pulling for you – hopefully very soon.

 

[edward ericson]

OK Dale.

Meantime, here’s the long-overdue blog post on the sorting process, so far.

[edward ericson]

OK, engine back in car.

I started the day tackling the trans oil leak through the reverse switch. To get the switch out I had to loosen the shift coupler, jack up the car front and back, remove my front trans mounts and back out the rear giant mounting bolts pretty much all the way. That let me slide the transmission back about 3/4 of an inch so i could get a wrench on the switch (from underneath, of course, where I did not have room to bring my right arm over my body to help…). 

I put in a newly modified (by me) switch which uses some red Permatex over the hole I made in it trying to shorten it. So it’ll probably leak too, But it might just be usable as a backup light switch at least.

Anyway, got the trans back in nice and tight and then had a late breakfast and went to the store and mowed the lawn and did a bunch of other nonsense that really did no one any good at all. Then I put the spark plugs back in the engine, screwed the front covers on, lifted her up and lowered her back in. 

Took an hour from the time I thought “hey, maybe I should drop this sucker back in and screw it to the tranny” to the time I thought, “hey that was way too easy and it’s time to start making dinner so if I keep at it right now my luck’s gonna run out for sure.”

[Dave B.]

Ed,
What sort of pipe are you using to run coolant between the radiator in the front and the engine in the rear, and how do you have it connected to the heater core?
-Dave

[edward ericson]

The main pipe is aluminized 1.5 inch exhaust pipe I had a muffler shop bend. I also have several bits of 1.5 rubber radiator hose and some stainless “flex” pipe I got from one of the on-line hotrod outlets. The connections to the radiator reduce from 1.5 to 1.25 ID.

Here’s some detail on the install.

The heater circuit runs through regular hose and then some aluminum Sched 40, .375-inch–which is actually about half inch ID and .675-inches OD. I also cut some bends from the A/C hard lines I scavenged from the donor Subaru. That is basically the same stuff. They are insulated and run very tight under the pan and through holes in the floor next to the tunnel up on the passenger side. Then its regular 5/8 heater hose and a bunch of bend adaptors and two of these, one which (using two other adaptors) holds the temp sender for the gauge and one, at the top of the system, which holds the bleeder valve.

edsnova2014-10-19 19:40:36

[Dave B.]

Thanks for the link and for taking the time to provide the detail.  It looks very intimidating but your attention to detail will no doubt yield something that should hold up for a long time.  Nice work!

[edward ericson]

Wires, hoses, intake and exhaust are back on the motor. Mobil 1 10w30 full synthetic in the crank case and the new filter. 

[john barry]

Ed I have lost  tract  what else needs to be done with Bridgette?  

[edward ericson]

Not much, John. I still need to put the alternator back on. And actually I’m going to take it in for testing because I think it’s NG even though it’s basically new.

I’ve got to wire in my new heater diverter valve, then open it so the heater core can fill when I refill the cooling system. While I’m at that I think I’ll put a cigarette lighter under the dash somewhere so I’ll have something to plug the iphone and stuff into.

And I’ll probably have to, yet again, unscrew the cap tube from the back of the oil pressure gauge so I can bleed new oil into it on startup so it reads right.

I’ll probably start her up first though. 

Then it’s on to the front disc brake conversion. I might do the ball joints while I’m at it. But one mess at a time, boys.

[edward ericson]

Well, Bridget runs again. I finished assembling the engine and was pleased to find I had no pieces left over. I torqued the exhaust manifold bolts to about 26 ft-lbs, replaced the rear oxygen sensor with a new Denso unit, put a gallon of antifreeze in and almost a gallon of water, and she started right up.

I was surprised the oil pressure gauge went right up to 80 lbs within a few seconds of starting. I thought I’d have to bleed the cap tube since it was disconnected at the engine. Maybe not.

The valves were a little noisy though. Could be ‘cuz they went through the parts washer at the machine shop and the lifters need a minute or five in the engine oil to pump up to normal. Or it could be because the car is in the deep part of the garage and just sounds noisier than I am used to. 

I still have to wire up my new heater bypass valve, which appears to have come out of the box in the “closed” position, cutting off my heater core from my attempts to fill the system with coolant. That will not do.

So I’ll get after that next, and hope for some good weather on the weekend for a proper test drive.

Of course, I will not know for sure that I fixed the overheat problem until sometime next June or July. 

Fingers crossed anyway. 

[john barry]

[Paul Mossberg]

Great news Ed!

Kudos on the continued progress!

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[edward ericson]

Filled her up and then got my heater core valve working so I filled a little more. I had the nose elevated a foot or so as well. Got liquid at all the bleeders.

So put the engine covers back on and started it up out of the garage today. Still noisy. I’m guessing the lifters will need some time to pump back up. Could be I screwed up the exhaust manifold gasket though. They sometimes leak and sound valve-clattery. 

Could not get the temp gauge to move in 10 minutes of idling so I shut her down. Will check the coolant levels and bleeders again after dinner. Hoping to get a ride tomorrow.

edsnova2014-10-26 09:51:32

[edward ericson]

Valve noise is quieting down. Opened the bleeders and got air, then liquid. Did that a couple times and left the car running (after putting a little more water in). Eventually the temp gauge started climbing.

It stopped around 185. Could not get the fan to turn on for a while. Heater works great. Heater shutoff works OK (doesn’t make the heater core cold, but it does cool it off a lot).

Finally revved her up some and got her to cross 190. By then noticed steam up at the rad. Fan clicked on and blew it all out in a big cloud.

Yup. Radiator leaks. 

Very slightly. Maybe get some stopleak for now and then decide whether it goes to a rad shop (probably) or I get another one (They’re too cheap, so the next one will likely have a little weld flaw too…).

Man, nothing is easy, huh.

[Melvin Collins]

Glad to see the progress sorry about the problems (x that challenges) I think you used the Honda radiator. I’m using the Honda replacement by Mishimoto from SUmmit, very good quality, of course not in service yet.

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