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Have I made a mistake? Car is dying :[

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Now you're faced with a decision, kiddo. *IF* you're willing to put time into it, you can expect to have what you want in the end. If the car is structurally sound, you're MILES ahead of some already. Viewing the car in "systems" is a good approach: power system, electrical system, suspension, etc. It helps manage the task as opposed to making it a CAR and an overwhelming project.

Best first step in my opinion is to have a Bentley manual, a glass of wine (or beverage of choice) and sit quietly to read. It's a study exercise in learning the terms as well as the various systems involved. Hands-on jobs and some exploratory work will give you a "feel" for what's happening in there.

As stated above (by our friend Drew), it's a relatively simple car as cars go. If you want to journey down the road to driving these cars, you have plenty of support here. If you feel overwhelmed by the prospect of doing the task of rebuilding the one you have, you may decide to cut your losses and find another. Local car clubs can be an amazing source of information and cars as well. Seek them out and get input from them too.
 
Oh I def. am not giving up, don't get me wrong! I cannot do that, I like this car way too much already and I have to follow through. I am just frustrated at the fact that I was really looking forward to getting out on those sunny days and driving! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif This car is worth fixing up, it really is, in my experience with classics it is very rare to find a car of this age without rust eating up every crevice, at least in this area.

So starting at the basics again I will be looking at the car and seeing if there is anything obvious to me now that wasn't last night and see if I can figure it out. I would love to get this car running for the season and then come winter really tear into it and get it the way I want color, engine wise everything. But until then I want to go driving!

I also think the step at a time and system at a time approach is an excellant suggestion as well as getting a cold one to think things through and read. Sam Adams for me!

I am going to the club meet next wednesday here in Cinci for the greater cincinnati british car club.

I will get some photos up of the car tonight or tomorrow so you can see that it is deserving of the repairs and not a hunk of junk or anything /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/blush.gif

And I googled Team Sprite, very impressive. I took automechanics in high school, rebuilt my first motor there and then painted my first car with my Dad. It is such an empowering experience to be able to do those things and I am always so tickled when I see girls getting dirty, thanks for the reference, certainly cheered me up.
 
Fellas this gal is a keeper. Your hubby is a very lucky man H82WRK


mark
 
SilentUnicorn said:
Fellas this gal is a keeper. Your hubby is a very lucky man H82WRK
Click to expand...

Well said, Mark. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

The advantage of having to do this work now is that you will know (once you've been through all the systems that Doc mentioned) exactly what is up with your car. So when you do get to the point where you can be driving as much as you want, you will be confident in the reliability of your little car.

I recently decided to take the Tunebug off the road until a whole lot of little things are solved. Difficult not to be driving, but the end result, when it comes, will be worth it. I'm definitely more of a drive-it than restore-it guy, but you really can't have one without the other. Unless, of course, you are blessed with unlimited financial resources. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
My suggestion? See how much the "ready" engine is, swap that in to use it for the summer. Save, research, and plan - you mentioned eventually getting the car "perfect" - get your battle plan, and over the winter when you can't drive it, get the existing engine rebuilt.
 
One thing I have found in starting with a "bad" car is that everything you do makes it one step better. That to me is a great feeling of accomplishment.It may take awhile to really get it working reliably but when that happens it is "your" car and you did it.

Bruce
 
I've said the following on other BBS' & have been lambasted for it - but I'm gonna say it again:

before you start switching engines, why not find out what's wrong with yours?

I've seen other 'neophytes' (new to the LBC hobby) buy a car with problems & jump right in to replace an engine with one that was close but not the exact same one that came in the car....one such enterprise is still sitting in a garage several years later & for sale - the young owner never got the swap ironed out & the used engine he bought was in about the same shape as his old one....had he torn into his old engine first, he could've rebuilt it in a weekend!

Were it me, now that I know the rocker assembly is good, I'd do a dry & wet compression check....that would tell me something about the rings & valves themselves....based on that info, I'd yank the engine to redo it or, if the top end checked out good, I'd drop the pan & pull a couple of bearings to check the bottom end...either way, I'd know what I had before I spent money that could go towards a rebuild on a used engine!

I just don't see jumping out & replacing an engine without knowing what's wrong with the old one!

Compression checks take minutes! Heck, just draining the oil pan & looking for metal shavings in the old oil tells you something about the lower engine (& that also takes just minutes!)

Sorry for the rambling!
 
I agree with Tony's observations, but as I recall, you did originally say that you had a 948cc engine in that car (which is not THE correct engine anyway!!!) so if the replacement available is the "correct" 1275cc one, I would not think twice about bringing your car back to the right engine size. It will offer better performance and also be a "slightly" more up-to-date powerplant!! Get the right engine, and follow the check-list that Tony suggested and then, if it needs it, put the time, effort and expense into getting THAT motor right! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]This is a 66 Sprite with a 948 CC weber carbed engine[/QUOTE]

Neither the 948 nor the 1275 is correct...I think it should be a 1098...what's the number of the rngine? should start with "10CG" or "10CC"

What makes you think its a 948?
 
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif
 
Becauase the serial number and the number on the side of the casing that says 950 /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

I am getting ready to change my clothes and am going to take a look at things this morning. At the very least I have some options on what to do if I cannot fix this motor.
I was told the motor was rebuilt on the bottom but I don't really trust that to be true, I think pulling the pan is a great idea as well as a few other checks until I make a final decision.

Will keep you updated!!!!
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Becauase the serial number and the number on the side of the casing that says 950 [/QUOTE]

Out of curiosity, what is the complete serial number of the engine.
 
As always, Tony comes through with the sage advice. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

I had a friend who paid way too much for a run down 70's era Olds land yacht. But it was a convertable /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rolleyes.gif

After driving the car for a few days, she came to me in tears because the engine was knocking dreadfully. I said, "well, let's just take a look before we get too upset." I crawled under the car, and found a big dent in the oil pan. This was in Dallas, US capitol of crappy roads, and that coupled with the cars blown supension had put a dent in the oil pan that was interferring with the crank. I pulled the oil pan, banged it out with a hammer, and put her back on the road... for a few more weeks until the jalopy finaly craterd completely. But those few weeks of fun went a long way when she spent the next year saving up to repair the car.

Sorry for being negative earlier. My wife is going to have a baby at any minute, and I am riding a kinda emotional roller coster. Or maybe I am driving an emotional spridget with a worn out front end... every bump sends me in a different direction.
 
Well of course we want to hear all about the baby when the event happens.

Take your time, good things happen to those who wait.
 
Okay, back from a little break and I see that there appears to me more to this story.

Firstly, to the forum members, I had the pleasure of meeting Rachael and her sidekick, a.k.a. husband, Joe. Let me share with you my first impressions; Rachael is the most intense, focused car enthusiast I have met in a long time. Trust me - she WILL get this Sprite on the road!!! Her energy level and desire to learn is overwhelming. Joe is clearly the motorhead type with a calming influence. And hey LBC gang, I am please to report that Rachael and Joe are from the younger generation, so there is hope that the passion for these cars will carry on. In fact, their combined age may be close to the single age of some of our members. Rest assured, I am old enough to be their, er, very older brother?

Rachael, have you been able to diagnose the problem any further? We discussed the 948-1098-1275 year ranges and preferred options, but I still have those 948s in the shop if you want to just get on the road and sort out the details later. Jack Laird says it only takes 27 bolts. I have not counted them, but I just did the swap in my '59 by myself and it was not all that bad. Heck, 27 bolts is only nine apiece between Joe, me and you. Maybe we can organize an engine swapping party.

Let me know if I can offer any further assistance.

P.S. Let me know if you need any other bits and pieces off the '68 basket case I just hauled in.
 
Well hi there John! Glad that you joined in on the thread some more. I really appreciate your advice (as well as everyone else's).

I also want to say that I had the pleasure of meeting John in person and what a great guy, I still can't get over how he went out of his way to help get me the rocker assembly I needed, thanks so much John!!! I had a great time meeting you and talking cars, I can wait until I can drive my own little car up to visit your other cars in person maybe then it will straighten itself out once it realizes the heavy competition that is out there /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

As for my age, I could never tell, naw just kidding, I am 28 my hubby is getting near the 30 figure. There is hope with me for the future of little british cars, I think for the hubby too as long as he doesn't have to work on this car too much. I have tried to get him to step away and let me do somethings but he gets focused and there is not enough room under the bonnet. But with all the new ignition parts I bought I have already told him that I am going to put them in so back off! haha! Joe did love your big healey John, I told him to start working a lot of overtime before he even thinks about it.

OK, so I will get the engine number for you Tony so you can take a look at it, I did the decode on the Victoria catalog thing and think I have it but you never know. I will also post up the other numbers I can find, it is a hodge podge of things.

I bought the following to replace on the car to see if it helps, if not then I am probably going to need to work out a deal with you John /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

Ignition coil
Cap and rotor
Distributor
Spark plugs and wires

I also have a part that I need identified, I will take a pic when I get home, it was grounding out on the heater box and almost caught fire! We fixed that though with no bad aftereffects.

Thanks again everyone, I appreciate all the advice and opinions. I really do.
 
I didn't think you were negative just wanted to say that. And congrats on the baby! I hope things go smoothly for the both of you and that baby gets here soon. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
Okay, I'm heartened to read about your "coming on board" to the ownership of British Cars. Nothing like a British car or early Italian or Porsche....

the Brits are a lot less expensive than the others though. And my legs were too long for an Alfa.

You've found a source for lots of info, references, data and recommendations here on the BCF, so I'm glad that you're using it. One nice thing about most LBC's is that they were made using basic automotive construction principles. Sometimes they just were about 30 years behind the curve, but still BASIC.

I strongly recommend that you do a little parts sourcing research. Do not tie yourself into just one outfit. Do a google for you make, model of car(parts) and explore some of the sources. There used to be a "Monster List" of British car parts people that was very helpful.

Reason why I say don't tie yourself into just one supplier. Is that the supplier usually buys parts as cheap as they can, in batches. So if you get a bad part(from a batch) they MAY send you a replacement, but it may bad also, when you ask for a replacement of a replacement they usually decline.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Reason why I say don't tie yourself into just one supplier. Is that the supplier usually buys parts as cheap as they can, in batches. So if you get a bad part(from a batch) they MAY send you a replacement, but it may bad also, when you ask for a replacement of a replacement they usually decline.[/QUOTE]

Not all of us!! I try to get the best quality possible & if anybody has a problem with any of my parts - new or used - all they have to do is notify me & another is on the way! If I can't satisfy somebody for whatever reason, I just send their money back! & lots of time I just tell them to throw the offending part in the trash - I don't even need to see it, I trust MG owners!
 
Oooh , oooh, Tony you set yourself up for this one:

Do you trust Triumph owners?

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
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