new to buggies

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daz

New member
First off "hi All"
as im new to the forum i'd like to say Hi!! , my 998 cc a+ had some serios issues ie top speed of 65-70 & cutting out when it wanted (normally at juctions or round abouts) i bought a "1300 (1275) " metro engine that appears to have water damage, so have fitted the carb hif 1.3/4 inch  +  alternator  + coil + Elec distributer from 1300 A+ to the 998cc.
i suspect i need to rejet the carb & set the timeing correctly ,help would be appeciated! + also where can i get a new throttle cable as it appears to be at least 3 meters long?

Thanks

Daz
 
Mini Mad Max

Mini Mad Max

Active member
Hi and welcome! :D
Yeah you definitely need to get it set up on a rolling road so it runs healthy and happily :) That's to get the right fuel mixture, to get the timing set up properly, and to get the distributor set up right for your engine, eg: change the weights and spring.
Throttle cable, find a long one from halfords?? If not search for a company called: Speedy Cables.
They do alsorts of cables and piping to order of size.
Hope that was the help your after, this forum is great for help, ask anyone and they will same!
Max  ;D
 
Radar

Radar

Member
Throttle cable ?? try cable off a tandem bicycle (yes really not kidding ) does the job nicely for the throttle :)
 
Phaeton

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Hi there Daz, welcome to the forum, you may like to put yourself on the members map so we can see where you hail from.

The HIF44 will probably overfuel a 998 but it maybe able to be rejetted down as you say. To really set them you you do need to have them rolling roaded by an old skool type tuner, some of these modern guys will never have seen a carb like that, however it should run with it however poorly. Alternator are identical so you shuold not have any problems there. Coils could be the same unless either the existing coil or the replacement coil is a 'ballasted' one, you need to make sure they are both either 9volts or 12volts. Distributor again will work & will be better than one with points, but the retard advance/curve might not be ideal for a 998.

When you say the 1275 is water damaged in what way?

As to throttle cable Pete is correct a tandem gear change cable has been used in the past, Car Builder Solutions also do long cables, also whilst i was thinking of something else suitable I thought of VW camper vans, GSF do one for an aircooled T3 (Part No 71207) for £2.95 no idea if it is of any use, but if there is a local GSF it might be worth a call.


Alan...
 
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esdebe

New member
I too use a rear brake cable from a tandem bike, they do various lengths but I bought one of these from ebay....
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0301055818
This is just the inner so you will need some outer covers, I just used two standard bike ones and then made some brakets so that for the lengeth of the side top rails the cable runs with no cover on it (hidden under the plastic tubing)

Simon
 
iank

iank

New member
esdebe":f7pwvywf said:
I too use a rear brake cable from a tandem bike, they do various lengths but I bought one of these from ebay....
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0301055818
This is just the inner so you will need some outer covers, I just used two standard bike ones and then made some brakets so that for the lengeth of the side top rails the cable runs with no cover on it (hidden under the plastic tubing)

Simon
Click to expand...

Don't know how it compares for value, but you can buy the inners, outers by the meter and whatever nipples you need from VWP
Here -> http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.co.uk  (currently off the web for some reason, but sure they'll be back soon - it's in the motorbike control cable section)

Dave told me he used the petrol cap release cables from the scrapyard - pretty much free as no-one wants them.
 
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daz

New member
Thanks all for the replys,
1.reason for the throttle cable request was because when i changed the carb over the cable was a mess, outer ok so i tried the bike shop as suggested they recommended the local motorcycle shop!!
as luck would have it they had a coil of the inner cable & said use what you want & return whats left !.
2.i live in weston-super-mare so not sure if we have any of the old school tuners local but i'll ask around.
3. the water damage !! bought a "was running, 1 carefull old lady owner, low milage (36000)" engine that after del (took nearly 10 weeks!!) turned out to be seized (oil/stuff in a can & large spanner got released).have a mate who's more used to working on jap performance stuff have a look & he got me to remove the head & just shook his head saying its had water in the barrels & he doesn't even want to think whats in the sump!! i didn't think it was too bad, no scoreing of the bores just abit of a lip on one barrel & abit of rust in the inlet manifold.

Daz
 
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daz

New member
ended up taking your advice on the "rear brake cable from a tandem bike" as the outer was worn on the existing cable but it all now works perfectly  ;D. I've had another look at the metro engine & would like a bit of advice if possible, the bores have some very light rust (looks like water marks ) that wipe off & the one with the lip looks like a bit of wet & dry would remove it in 2 seconds, all pistons & the head are covered with carbon deposits but no rust. my concern is that one or two valves were open & let some water in through the carb-inlet manifold then into the barrels causing the "lip" that appeared to seize the engine until released.
would i need to take the valves out to check that there is no rust damage to the valve seats ? & do i have to dismantle the engine to replace the piston rings? or should i (as the guys in the pub said) just fit it & it will loosen up itself as the a+ engines are made stronger than you'd think.
 
Mini Mad Max

Mini Mad Max

Active member
hi daz,
To replace the piston rings you need to take the crank out which involves taking off the gearbox, the flywheel and clutch assembly and all that stuff. By the sounds of things your engine has minor surface corrosion in the bores, you could get it honed or bored out. Your cylinder head just needs to be decoked to get rid of all the deposits. Just use white spirit a couple of wire brushes and some small tooth brushes or other brushes.
The valve seats should be alright, but it might be worth taking the valves out to check whether it has unleaded inserts, to tell if it is, there should be a hard metal valve seat in the exhaust valve which should have a lip in ports where the bottom of the valve seat is.
hope thats helped??
Max :D
 
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daz

New member
Thanks Mini Mad Max, was really wondering if the piston rings would be ok as the bores feel smooth (except for the one that appears to have the lip) looks like the rings kept a small amout of water in that bore (the piston was at the top of its stroke) but of coarse i can't see if the rings are corroded to the piston with out removing it all & don't know if its worth the hassle  :'(
 
Phaeton

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Daz,

Have you dropped the oil out of the engine yet? If not, ight be worth draining it out just to see if there is any water in there as well. Now you've taken the head off does the engine turn?

Alan...
 
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daz

New member
Hi Alan

yep engine turns, oil already drained by breakers (that i know locally) i haven't take the sump off yet but they told me it should be ok. :-\ i'm worried that the rings might be seized & breakup when the engine is started.
am i worrying unnecessary? (i suppose i could post pic's?)

i know that to be 100% i need to strip the engine but i've never done a "a" series being mainly motorcycle biased in the past.

Daz
 
Phaeton

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
I'd be tempted just to bang it back together again & get it started, you could if you wanted to just fasten it into the subframe without suspension, then with a few wires, a couple of bit of pipe & a set of jump leads have it running before you actually put it into the buggy.

That way at least you'll know it runs, changing it later if necessary once through IVA.

Alan...
 
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daz

New member
::) had thought about doing that myself, how'd you fit the engine ? as minis drop in from the top but freestyle has that bar across the top so i'm thinkin you need to disconnect the clutch pipe/brake pipe&  electrics to remove subframe then fit engine to subframe & reinstall ??
 
Phaeton

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
daz":i9jgsfp2 said:
::) had thought about doing that myself, how'd you fit the engine ? as minis drop in from the top but freestyle has that bar across the top so i'm thinkin you need to disconnect the clutch pipe/brake pipe&  electrics to remove subframe then fit engine to subframe & reinstall ??
Click to expand...

Various ways really, best with 2 people if possible but 1 can manage. Block the subframe so that once the body is disconnected it can't tip, remove all connecting pipes brakes/clutch/wiring/handbrake etc. then undo the 4 bolts holding the frame & subframe together & lift the frame over the engine/subframe & walk it away like a wheelbarrow.

Is there an engine in at the moment & this is a replacement?

Alan...
 
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daz

New member
i have an a+ metro 998 in the car at the moment so its running & road legal but i had problems (turns out dizzy was faulty) so i put the metro 1300 parts on just to keep it going. I'm going to bite the bullet & at the beginning of july (after payday!!) have a go at fitting the 1300 (1275) not got much to loose only 1/2 days labour & skin from bruised knuckles , just wanted advice.
if it all goes bang at least i can put the 998 back in  :)

thanks for the advice
 
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daz

New member
Hi alan

i thought you needed the drive shafts to be connected so you didn't lose all your oil ???, don't know if I'm brave enough to try it outside the car  ;D

Daz
 
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