Thread: A well used 80''called Klonk

I have this week off work, it was to prep klonk to take up to Perth for the 70th meet but Im not having a good run so it wont happen.
So I had to do an air con job this morning and was champing at the bit to take it for a run around the block. However on saturday klonk was idling away and suddenly stopped, went for a restart it cranked for abit then started so backed it in the shed and it stopped again, so put the door down for night. Today it started first push, drove out of the shed to let it warm up and it quit again and wouldnt start, then it did,then it wouldnt. So out with the test gear and found that I had power in all the right places including spark from the coil lead. Plenty of fuel but still no action. Had a brain wave to fit a neon timing light to no1 plug. This time it started, the light was flashing.Then it all stopped. I lifted the dissy cap and flicked the points. I noticed a small amount of smoke from the condenser ahh ! I have one on order but it wasnt in. lucky I had another a used one so in it went and presto it started. It warmed up without stopping, so down the driveway we went literally. Our driveway has a 3.5 mtr drop from the shed pad to the street and the street isnt much better. I kind of know how a kimakazi pilot felt. it was good to feel the brakes holding well.
The first lap around the block went well but seemed a bit slow, oops maybe I should push the red lever forward. The next lap was much better, 25mph 3rd gear before the corner, down to second and up the hill to make the rings bite in, was quite suprised how well it pulled so went for a third lap with my son as passenger, still pulled well up the hill with power to spare. So into the shed for the night.
Now I can start to sort out the issues.


John,
I have made it neg earth not sure what polarity it was. I didnt have the battery connected when I tested it first up. As I hot wired the ignition. Will check it out tomorrow now it is running properly.

Cheers Steve

Running the engine for prolonged periods with the generator not operating (for whatever reason) is likely to demagnetise it, resulting in it needing 'flashing'. This is done by simply momentarily connecting the output terminal of the generator to the battery, preferably while the engine is running. This can be done with a jumper lead or by taking the cover off the voltage regulator and manually closing the cutout contacts. Just make sure it is correctly wired first.

Originally Posted by klonk

I have this week off work, it was to prep klonk to take up to Perth for the 70th meet but Im not having a good run so it wont happen.
So I had to do an air con job this morning and was champing at the bit to take it for a run around the block. However on saturday klonk was idling away and suddenly stopped, went for a restart it cranked for abit then started so backed it in the shed and it stopped again, so put the door down for night. Today it started first push, drove out of the shed to let it warm up and it quit again and wouldnt start, then it did,then it wouldnt. So out with the test gear and found that I had power in all the right places including spark from the coil lead. Plenty of fuel but still no action. Had a brain wave to fit a neon timing light to no1 plug. This time it started, the light was flashing.Then it all stopped. I lifted the dissy cap and flicked the points. I noticed a small amount of smoke from the condenser ahh ! I have one on order but it wasnt in. lucky I had another a used one so in it went and presto it started. It warmed up without stopping, so down the driveway we went literally. Our driveway has a 3.5 mtr drop from the shed pad to the street and the street isnt much better. I kind of know how a kimakazi pilot felt. it was good to feel the brakes holding well.
The first lap around the block went well but seemed a bit slow, oops maybe I should push the red lever forward. The next lap was much better, 25mph 3rd gear before the corner, down to second and up the hill to make the rings bite in, was quite suprised how well it pulled so went for a third lap with my son as passenger, still pulled well up the hill with power to spare. So into the shed for the night.
Now I can start to sort out the issues.


John,
I have made it neg earth not sure what polarity it was. I didnt have the battery connected when I tested it first up. As I hot wired the ignition. Will check it out tomorrow now it is running properly.

Cheers Steve

When I 1st started reading this I though Condenser, then I read a bit further & I was correct. A couple of years ago I sold a fully rebuilt Mini motor to a guy , the motor was running when I sold it to him but had never been run on the road. After he put it in his mini he rang me telling me it was doing the same as your LR . I told him it would provably be the condenser . After he had taken the car to about 4 mechanics with out success I made the 3hr trip to his place had a quick check of everything then put a second hand condenser in & took it for a 20k drive & all OK . The that I took out was new when I rebuilt the distributor .
The condenser is just a small but forgotten part of the ignition system & is very difficult to test . Back when i worked as a BMC mechanic we had a coil & condenser you could test condensers on it & it would show OK but at the end of the day they were faulty. You can usually tell by looking at the points if they look burnt than it is time to replace the Condenser.

Beautiful work, well done.
Don.

Today I managed to sort out the generator. Following Johns suggestion I gave it a flash and a couple more for good luck but no joy. I found this lucas workshop manual on the internet.


http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/books/pdf/..._Box_Tests.pdf


Doing the first test gave me negative 2 volts, good but bad should have been positive 2. So tried the 2nd test but that didnt make sense either. The third test was to test field winding current draw, should have 2 amps, instead I had 6.
Now I had the generator apart earlier and had rewound the insulation on the field coils and fitted new bearings etc. So I pulled it apart again and found a short in the join between the two coils rubbing on the casing. About then I remembered Id split the coils to redo the insulation and undone the wires off the special post that goes through the casing. So maybe Id put them back the wrong way round,reversing the current flow through the field coils. So I swapped them around and put the generator back together and did a motor test by joining the D and F terminals together and putting a positive wire on the D terminal and an earth wire onto the case. The pulley should turn in the direction as marked on the case, and it did.
So now its back on the engine but Ive removed the fuel line from the tank for repair, so I cant test it till tomorrow. Looks like a warranty claim

Cheers Steve

After the end of my week off work, the front guards are fitted and bolted,bumper and front badge fitted. So hes complete but not quite finished.
The final to do list is, sort charging system, connect headlights and horn, fit door cappings and make and fit front guard braces at back of wheel arch. So not too much to do.
I have been offered the use of a set of trade plates. These number plates are used in the auto industry to move unregistered vehicles to get repairs done by other workshops and to road test etc. So I can legally road test my restoration before I take it for a roadworthy. So Sunday is looking good for a run.
The charging system is causing me grief, it is putting out 13 volts and 2 amps with my multimeter inline. The ignition system draws 3 amps without anything else.
The generator seems to be performing well as it puts out 25 volts plus when the D and F terminal are joined together and its run . I have found a lucas workshop manual on the internet and set up the regulator, but it didnt help. So will think about it for awhile.

Cheers Steve

WoW , looking good. Those last few little jobs seam to go for ever & you keep finding things to add to the list , bit like yours wife's list of things that need doing around the house before LR time. Just a little tip make sure the wheel nuts are tight before venturing on to the road, back 30 years ago when I was taking Landy for her RWC I lost the L/H front wheel on the way going through a round about .
Wayne

Hi Steve,
There is a good article in this months (May) Practtcal Classics mag. On how to service voltage regulators. May be of some help, worth a look.
Wayne