Hi Guest!
Hey - did you know if you click on the title of a thread it will take you to the first unread post since you last visited that thread?
but were afraid to ask: 
STOP!! Never post your email address in open forums. Bots can "harvest" your email! If you must share your email use a Private Message or use the 
smilie in place of the real @
Pretty Please - add it to our Events forum(s) and add to the calendar! >> 
Nunyas
Yoda
Offline
And found a few things of interest:
1) The quality of an OEM turn signal switch puts the reproductions from Asia to shame. I found a N.O.S. Lucas turn signal for my '76 B, and moving the lever ~feels~ the way I expect a turn signal stalk to feel. The repro had a ~hard~ tick when I locked it into position, and didn't like left turns too much (had to hold the lever down depending on the wheel position). The repro ALSO didn't last a year before the low beam position stopped providing me with head lights. So, I've been driving with only high-beams for the past couple of nights. Anyways, I have an original Lucas turn signal/headlight dimmer in the car again, and it's made making turns the way it should be.
2) I installed my alloy valve cover today. I also ventilated it to meet emissions requirements. 1/2" barbed fitting with a 90 deg elbow into the back of the cover (closest the firewall), and a dab of Permatex blue RTV to make sure it doesn't leak around the fittings. You barely even notice it's ventilated. Aesthetics aside, there's definitely less tappet noise under the bonnet now.
3) I installed a firewall plug that's been missing from my car since I got it. It's the really BIG plug that goes behind the pedal box. This plug combined with the new valve cover and a minor muffling job I performed on my air pump (smog pump) and the interior of my car no longer sounds like I'm riding inside the valve cover, or driving farm equipment. I only hear exhaust notes now! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif
4) Attempted to dry fit a used after market rear anti-sway bar. I discovered it clamps to the ~top~ of the axle, and needed to do more than I was prepared to do to get it mounted today. However, I did get all the grade 8 nuts, bolts, and washers that I'll need to fix it to the body. So, once I fully figure out where it attaches to the body, it should go in relatively easily.
5) Re-adjusted my fuel mixture. Seems I over corrected a rich condition the last time I messed with the carb, and I was running too lean for a while (plugs were white). So, I gave it 2 flats in the rich direction, and its purring a bit more steadily now, and seat of the pants says I have more power 'off the line'.
6) I backed the 2 speedo cables (gear box to service counter, and service counter to speedo) out 1/2 turn from finger tight. This resulted in the service counter ticks to stop, and the speedo stopped jumping. Previously, I had all the cables finger tight to the back of the speedo, and to the bottom of the service counter. Now, I have no ticks, and the speedo is stabilized. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif
So far, I think the 4 best things I've done to improve my driving experience (non-performance wise) has to be that firewall plug, the alloy cover, muffling that smog pump, and the OEM turn signal switch. In that order. I say it's in that order, because the amount of under bonnet noise that was invading the cock pit was at a very annoying level. With my hard top on and sitting in the driver's seat, it literally sounded like you were standing next to the car with the engine running with the bonnet up. And that smog pump made an unsightly gurgling sound that echoed around under the bonnet and sounded like the bottom end bearings were about to let loose by the time the sound made it into the cock pit.
That turn signal switch made it onto the list because every time I use it, it ~feels~ like I'm using a ~real~ switch. The repros always felt like they were going to break before I could get the stalk to lock into position, and when they would lock into position that made a loud ~snapping~ sound which closely matches the sound of breaking plastic.
Viva Lucas Electrics!
1) The quality of an OEM turn signal switch puts the reproductions from Asia to shame. I found a N.O.S. Lucas turn signal for my '76 B, and moving the lever ~feels~ the way I expect a turn signal stalk to feel. The repro had a ~hard~ tick when I locked it into position, and didn't like left turns too much (had to hold the lever down depending on the wheel position). The repro ALSO didn't last a year before the low beam position stopped providing me with head lights. So, I've been driving with only high-beams for the past couple of nights. Anyways, I have an original Lucas turn signal/headlight dimmer in the car again, and it's made making turns the way it should be.
2) I installed my alloy valve cover today. I also ventilated it to meet emissions requirements. 1/2" barbed fitting with a 90 deg elbow into the back of the cover (closest the firewall), and a dab of Permatex blue RTV to make sure it doesn't leak around the fittings. You barely even notice it's ventilated. Aesthetics aside, there's definitely less tappet noise under the bonnet now.
3) I installed a firewall plug that's been missing from my car since I got it. It's the really BIG plug that goes behind the pedal box. This plug combined with the new valve cover and a minor muffling job I performed on my air pump (smog pump) and the interior of my car no longer sounds like I'm riding inside the valve cover, or driving farm equipment. I only hear exhaust notes now! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif
4) Attempted to dry fit a used after market rear anti-sway bar. I discovered it clamps to the ~top~ of the axle, and needed to do more than I was prepared to do to get it mounted today. However, I did get all the grade 8 nuts, bolts, and washers that I'll need to fix it to the body. So, once I fully figure out where it attaches to the body, it should go in relatively easily.
5) Re-adjusted my fuel mixture. Seems I over corrected a rich condition the last time I messed with the carb, and I was running too lean for a while (plugs were white). So, I gave it 2 flats in the rich direction, and its purring a bit more steadily now, and seat of the pants says I have more power 'off the line'.
6) I backed the 2 speedo cables (gear box to service counter, and service counter to speedo) out 1/2 turn from finger tight. This resulted in the service counter ticks to stop, and the speedo stopped jumping. Previously, I had all the cables finger tight to the back of the speedo, and to the bottom of the service counter. Now, I have no ticks, and the speedo is stabilized. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif
So far, I think the 4 best things I've done to improve my driving experience (non-performance wise) has to be that firewall plug, the alloy cover, muffling that smog pump, and the OEM turn signal switch. In that order. I say it's in that order, because the amount of under bonnet noise that was invading the cock pit was at a very annoying level. With my hard top on and sitting in the driver's seat, it literally sounded like you were standing next to the car with the engine running with the bonnet up. And that smog pump made an unsightly gurgling sound that echoed around under the bonnet and sounded like the bottom end bearings were about to let loose by the time the sound made it into the cock pit.
That turn signal switch made it onto the list because every time I use it, it ~feels~ like I'm using a ~real~ switch. The repros always felt like they were going to break before I could get the stalk to lock into position, and when they would lock into position that made a loud ~snapping~ sound which closely matches the sound of breaking plastic.
Viva Lucas Electrics!
