Woohoo, got my car!!

[macaroni]

I picked it up yesterday evening and then drove 150 miles (240km) home and I love it!

I hit 160km/h and it seemed very stable and quiet, with only a little wind noise.
The roar from the carbs/exhaust on full throttle is great and it seems quite quick too, when the revs rise. But, it also seems very torquey, which I love. It can pull cleanly from 1000rpm in 5th and seems happiest on country roads, in 4th just flowing through the bends. Marvellous.
I have a few problems though;

The charge light comes on above 2000rpm and the charge gauge always points to the -ve - any idea what could be wrong there?

Also the sreen washers don't work, where is the fuse box?

So, my list of jobs are;
- replace the hideous steering wheel.
- tighten up the gearchange.
- get the electrics working: charge light, screen washers, heated rear window and passenger window lifter.
- Fit a CD player
- get the engine tuned as I suspect it is too rich - it pops on the over-run.
- get it through the MOT test in December.

And then I will be very happy indeed!

[Will Falconer]

Yes, you've discovered why 2.2's are so much nicer tham 1.6's,  it's that wonderful torque .

Fuse board is on driver's side wheelarch.  The screenwash motors are not very powerful so if it's working check that the washer fluid is good and no kinks in the pipes, and put a needle into the nozzles to clear any lime build-up.

Heated rear windows are very unreliable. Relay is on the engine side of the bulkhead, power  is supposed to go through gas struts so check for continuity.  I can supply a repair kit for the glass.

Alternator may have been wired incorrectly - garages get confused by the connections.

You need to  take window regulator and motor out of the door to find which has failed, but first check the switch.  A seized regulator is more likely than a dead motor.

Hey, these are possibly all electrical problems, what a surprise!

But I'm sure you'll have a very good weekend...

[macaroni]

Thanks for the replies Will.

Regarding the electric window, neither drivers side or passengers side switches will operate it. Where is the regulator?

[Anders Dinsen]

A big congratulations from me!! 

AFAIK the screen washer pump isn't the most reliable.... it may be a good idea to replace it with something better. Previous owner of mine has taken the simple solution to fit a standard pump in line with the one built into the bottle.

I don't think there's any regulator/control box for the windows, but the motors contain an overload switch (temperature regulated I think) - that's the most common cause for failure. Plus wires, switches etc, but Will is right that it's often not the motor itself.

Cheers,
Anders
(Hope to get mine registered wednesday or thursday next week)

[Will Falconer]

Thanks for the replies Will.


Regarding the electric window, neither drivers side or passengers side switches will operate it. Where is the regulator?

I don't know why it's called a regulator, but it's the long spiral shaft that the glass clip attaches to.

[Lennart Sorth]

Congratulations !

I'm a bit late into this thread, so most has been well commented - however:

- replace the hideous steering wheel.

I know a lot of people replace the steeringwheel, but unless it has split or gone spongey, I cannot understand why - it matches the interior design so well.

Consider that at least one of the high-flying current marques (I think it was Bugatti Audi and/or Lambo? - forgot which) have reintroduced the flat-bottom steeringwheel recently, and now it is no longer seen as a "silly french idea" :-)

/Lennart

[macaroni]

Well mine has split, gone spongey and is too big. I have no qualms about it being flat-bottomed, I used to love the BL quartic wheels, but I just hate the wheel.

I have been extending the engine a little of late, and the noise at 5000rpm it makes is blood-curdling. Fantastic. Although I still think its forte is cruising along in 4th on a wave of torque.

I've had a look at some of the gremlins on my car and I think they're a job for experts, not me. I replaced a driving lamp bulb and that is my lot!

One question, is there anyway of flashing the headlights without turning them on?
Oh also, my screen washers work intermittently, with no apparent rhyme or reason. I have sprayed the switch with WD40 and the pump works very well with a direct power feed. Anybody got any other ideas what the matter could be?