Getting ready for 3ma10

[Thotos]

As most of you know, my car has discarded it's rear exhaust silencer at the last two  3ma meetings but  this year I am determined to get to Germany and back with the exhaust intact and so the long overdue fitment of a descent exhaust system took place today. I went for a Longlife exhaust fitted by Elite Autos and Design in Rainham, Essex. It took them just 3 hours to make and fit the exhaust and while the look is not perfect for me (I am fussy!  ) it looks solid enough to last the trip to Germany and back and hopefully a lot longer. Now to get those alloys to fit on the car....  

[sid131]

Theo need a video on the you tube to hear the rasp can you do a video?

[Thotos]

Theo need a video on the you tube to hear the rasp can you do a video?

I'm sure there'll be plenty of videos soon from 3ma10  . Not much point doing a video while I am driving as the twin 45 DCOEs still make more noise than the exhaust. In any case, the exhaust makes more of a rumble than a rasp 

[jasonh131]

Looks super theo . Can i have your old janspeed end pipe for my pea shooter  or are you  keeping
 it just in case 

[Thotos]

Can i have your old janspeed end pipe for my pea shooter 

Yes, I saved it for you Jason 

[kev131]

Nice job Theo - So hopefully we wont have any more scenes like this...! 

[Thotos]

Or like this scene half way through France on the way back last year

[Thotos]

My car started making strange intake noises too    Sounds a bit like Tweety bird has been sucked into the engine    Can't find my compression tester and cant find the time to check anything either but I think (and hope) it's just a gasket problem....

Well I was sure the problem was an air leak at the carburettors. So last weekend I took them off the car, cleaned them inside and out and refitted them to the car with new gaskets and new Thackeray washers (rubber equivalent). I should have sent the carburettors to MarkoH for cleaning as my ailing arthritic fingers didn't do a great job with the external cleaning    Also fitted a new pair of throttle return springs (only had one fitted before) as in every past 3ma we've had at least one car with throttle return spring problems and I don't want it to be mine this year. The air filter 'socks' were washed and re-oiled to make them ready to filter all the volcanic ash  It took me ages to adjust the carburettors and in fact didn't properly finish doing so until yesterday afternoon!. And oh yes, the Tweety bird noise had nothing to do with the carburettors but was due to a tiny exhaust leak!

[Thotos]

I haven't been able to work on the car the last couple of weeks so it's all left to do today before setting off for Germany on Thursday. So important things first, I mounted the 3ma10 plaque    Now to get on and give the car a service...

[curt]

Youre not kidding any of us - Youre not under there 

Hope all goes well with the 'new' pipe and you have a great time

curt

[mirafioriman]

Hope you used axle stands!

[Thotos]

The good news is I washed and polished the car. The bad news is the front nearside (I think!) wheel bearing is rumbling now    I have a spare so is there anything I need to know before I attempt a replacement?

[curt]

Jack the car up higher 
Easy change to do -nothing difficult -10 minute job if you have the right size sockets to bash out the old race ways.
Is it a bearing rumbling or a tyre gone bad-check the tyre first for bulges -out of round - tread wear-i.e. 4mm on one peice of tyre and 2mm further round the tyre -i.e. not running round -you may think it silly but I have seen it happen.
Still no big problem -any diy guru can do it 
Or it could be the new exhaust 

[Thotos]

Easy change to do -nothing difficult -10 minute job

10 minutes? It took me that long just to get the wheel off!    3 hours later and the hub has new inner and outer bearings and the car now is as quiet as a noisy twin cam Fiat, if you know what I mean...  

[simon131]

Did you do this on the drive at home Theo or did you take it to Essex?