15-09-2021, 05:42 PM
(This post was last modified: 15-09-2021, 10:50 PM by David Stepney.)
In answer to the question posed by this thread, I took the RP out on road test after finishing a major (10K mile) service and doing a number of silly jobs that I could safely put off until the service, such as tightening the top hinge screws on the passenger door, which come loose with depressing regularity. I suspect that the door frame is not all that it might be, but to replace it is a major job and periodic tightening is much easier.
Another job was to sort the starter motor out. The inertia drive had been sticking off and on for a little while, and, whilst it was only occasionally and therefore only a minor annoyance, it seemed that now was the time to pull it off and clean the drive. Whilst it was off the motor, I decided to check it over, so I removed the switch and the brush cover, The brushes were in good order, so I cleaned the commutator with some thinners, dressed the switch contacts with some emery paper and put it back together. As I was tightening the brush cover, there was a ping and the cover came loose. The stirrup at the end of the band had broken off! The brass, where it had been folded had been cracked for a very long time, it seemed and my disturbing it had given it the opportunity of giving up the ghost. Fortunately, I had some suitable sheet steel that i had bought to do a job on the ancient Polo It proved to be somewhat easier to make a new cover than I had anticipated. Of course, the new cover was just untreated steel, so I repainted the whole thing (it was bright red before!) and refitted it the following day (when the paint had dried). The starter motor has responded well to its servicing, as it now spins the engine over enthusiastically, even when cold and the pinion flies into engagement reliably. I presume that cleaning the switch contacts has made a difference, given the burned state they were in.
In accordance with advice given (I think by Ruaridh in another thread), I have changed the plugs from D16s to D21s. AS result, the engine certainly feels smoother and appears to rev better. I haven't had the opportunity of taking the car up some of my test hills yet, so I can make no comment at this stage as to whether there is any gain in performance, but it seems to be running as well as it ever has.
Photos:-
S01BI001.JPG (Size: 136.35 KB / Downloads: 500)
Newly serviced Starter Motor
S01AI002.JPG (Size: 148.76 KB / Downloads: 500)
In the carpark at Llanuwchllyn station of the Bala Light Railway (with the Motoring Dog wondering what the devil is going on)
S01AI003.JPG (Size: 120.09 KB / Downloads: 495)
At the front of the station.
S01AI005.JPG (Size: 131.08 KB / Downloads: 493)
On the bridge at Llangower.
For some inexplicable reason, none of the photos seems to have loaded. They appear as attachments in the draft, Any ideas as to what has gone wrong?
Another job was to sort the starter motor out. The inertia drive had been sticking off and on for a little while, and, whilst it was only occasionally and therefore only a minor annoyance, it seemed that now was the time to pull it off and clean the drive. Whilst it was off the motor, I decided to check it over, so I removed the switch and the brush cover, The brushes were in good order, so I cleaned the commutator with some thinners, dressed the switch contacts with some emery paper and put it back together. As I was tightening the brush cover, there was a ping and the cover came loose. The stirrup at the end of the band had broken off! The brass, where it had been folded had been cracked for a very long time, it seemed and my disturbing it had given it the opportunity of giving up the ghost. Fortunately, I had some suitable sheet steel that i had bought to do a job on the ancient Polo It proved to be somewhat easier to make a new cover than I had anticipated. Of course, the new cover was just untreated steel, so I repainted the whole thing (it was bright red before!) and refitted it the following day (when the paint had dried). The starter motor has responded well to its servicing, as it now spins the engine over enthusiastically, even when cold and the pinion flies into engagement reliably. I presume that cleaning the switch contacts has made a difference, given the burned state they were in.
In accordance with advice given (I think by Ruaridh in another thread), I have changed the plugs from D16s to D21s. AS result, the engine certainly feels smoother and appears to rev better. I haven't had the opportunity of taking the car up some of my test hills yet, so I can make no comment at this stage as to whether there is any gain in performance, but it seems to be running as well as it ever has.
Photos:-
S01BI001.JPG (Size: 136.35 KB / Downloads: 500)
Newly serviced Starter Motor
S01AI002.JPG (Size: 148.76 KB / Downloads: 500)
In the carpark at Llanuwchllyn station of the Bala Light Railway (with the Motoring Dog wondering what the devil is going on)
S01AI003.JPG (Size: 120.09 KB / Downloads: 495)
At the front of the station.
S01AI005.JPG (Size: 131.08 KB / Downloads: 493)
On the bridge at Llangower.
For some inexplicable reason, none of the photos seems to have loaded. They appear as attachments in the draft, Any ideas as to what has gone wrong?