Deposit paid on Vin..... 005127.

[Chris Williams]

Quote:Where do I find, check and replace them

All over the place! Most are in the engine bay:
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Then there are some behind the dash and clearly the one that runs to the servo. Remember the brakes wont feel like anything modern though!
Chris

[88mph]

Cheers Chris.
Had a look over it today, bloody hell its awkward, but from looking at it and going by your diagram something seems amiss here........

Solenoid Valve.


If, as it looks to me, there is a vac-pipe missing (the one in picture goes to dizzy) it goes down to the Thermal control valve. How the hell do I get to that?

[88mph]

Jobs to do.........

New seat covers................................ Best prices & quality?
Remove Cats..................................... What happens to Lamda?
Front suspension, Like the idea of boxing and adding lower arm support............ Ideas. opinions?

[88mph]

Oh and speaker up grades....... Choices?

[Chris Williams]

Quote:New seat covers................................ Best prices & quality?

If you can get them O/E ones are OK so are the ones from Ed in Holland. Lee Pattison is the man for OE ones if he still has any.

Quote:Remove Cats..................................... What happens to Lamda?

In the past I have done nothing, but it was only removing the one. Your local exhaust fitters can supply blanking plugs if required.

Quote:Front suspension, Like the idea of boxing and adding lower arm support............ Ideas. opinions?

Well worth boxing in the LCA arms makes them a lot stronger, Ed's support bars seem popular I dont have them myself but Chris M is in the process of fitting them I'm sure he will be able to report on how much of a benefit they are. But again he's also fitting the Poly bush upgrade for the sway bar this helps and is one of the best upgrades you can do. From DPNW.
Chris

[88mph]

Cheers Chris, DPNW kit ordered.

[88mph]

Started getting ready for new front lower arm bushes, balljoints and DPNW roll-bar kit.
Went well, except getting the roll-bar off. I huffed and puffed, pulling and straining and then noticed the second locking nuts! Hahaha.
Need to get some spring compressors before going any further.

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[88mph]

Awwwwwwhhhh my old back. Is there a more awkward job that fitting new front speakers?

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[Chris Williams]

Quote:Awwwwwwhhhh my old back. Is there a more awkward job that fitting new front speakers?

Probably :wink: :wink:
Do you mind me asking what speakers your using and the part numbers? And how well do they fit?
Thanks
Chris

[88mph]

Alpine SXE 10255.
4" so not a great fit. But wanted a bit better sound.

[Horsebox]

Only just seen this thread but it does look like something odd is happening with your vacuum ignition advance. It looks to me like you aren't getting any (oh er!) from your picture a while back. Did you sort it in the end? Only way to the thermal control valve is a very small child's hands and x-ray vision or more realistically the intake will have to come off. This is nothing to do with your brake servo vacuum source though. The brake servo vacuum port is on the passenger side intake manifold. It uses wider vacuum pipe and should go to a t-piece after about six inches.

Idle 'hunting' seems pretty endemic with these cars, so I wouldn't worry too much if it settles down once the engine is warmed up, unless it annoys you. At least it proves your idlespeed system is operating. I've had a play with my car and it definitely hunts more if you richen the base mixture setting with the 3mm allen screw.

My CAT was already gone when I got mine so I have no direct experience, but since it's downstream of the lambda sensor you shouldn't see any difference by removing it. I guess the main risk is that you increase the emissions to a point where it fails an MOT. On the other hand the MOT emissions limits in the UK for a 1981 car shouldn't be hard to achieve with a D.

[88mph]

Thanks for your reply Horsey!
As you say engine was just using mechanical advance. It has been suggested this was done in the US for using cheap nasty low octane yank fuel.
Reconnected and all working well now.
As mine are sport cats removing them would achieve a whooping 2 bhp. Errrrrr They'll stay then! :lol:
Cheers mate.

[88mph]

Yeehaaaa.


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Is there a job my car needs that isn't a pain in the arse? :lol:

[88mph]

Perfectly good balljoints and inner bushes out.
Balljoints came out easy with a vice but bushes needed a bit more punch.

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[88mph]

Looking good.


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