1984 Beta Volumex coupe

[peteracs]

Would have been amusing to see......

Peter

[Neil-yaj396]

I have a compressor I got from Aldi, which is great for most jobs. The accompanying impact driver however wouldn't undo a sweet wrapper, so I took it back.

I think you need a larger compressor for some of these tools - I know my garage approached the hub nut issue with the approach of - 'it will either come undone or flip the car over' using a garage compressor.

Mark

Mark

I got the Aldi compressor and impact driver as well. Similarly the driver was useless for anything more than spinning off loosened wheel nuts, but eventually its performance improved to the point where it will tighten up wheel nuts to full torque, I think they are packed with grease that slowly works its way out.

Still unlikely to shift that big pulley nut though.

[rossocorsa]

From my experience you can buy a swish looking air impact gun of unknown branding for maybe 30 to 50 quid or so, I did it and spent too long thinking my compressor (netto 50 litre ...) wasn't good enough, anyway trawled eBay for a better quality gun at the right price got a fairly small ingersoll rand unit ( no sense to buy a larger one that will require lots of air) and the difference is like chalk and cheese absolutely effortless on most stuff.

[Neil-yaj396]

Yes, the 'Aldi' gun that I have is on ebay in several different guises, including Sealey & Draper. I guess you have to pay £50+ for something that's actually any use, or go second hand. I'm tempted by some of the second hand Silverline/Snap-On ones.

[rossocorsa]

They probably all look the same but might not be the same, the Chinese are very good at copying each other.

[thecolonel]

A lot of Aldi stuff is German or at least tuv approved.

I have a couple of windy guns one pro and one Aldi
both work fine, mind you I have a big compressor as
well. I run the guns through a regulator at 80 psi the
compressor runs at 110 psi , 150 litres capacity.

[rossocorsa]

A lot of Aldi stuff is German or at least tuv approved.

I have a couple of windy guns one pro and one Aldi
both work fine, mind you I have a big compressor as
well. I run the guns through a regulator at 80 psi the
compressor runs at 110 psi , 150 litres capacity.

I don't think tuv approved means all that much, it's seems to be on a lot of Chinese junk. The problem with a lot of the Chinese guns is that they eat too much air with your posh compressor their poor performance is maybe disguised. it's cfm more than psi that matters. My posh gun is actually also made in China but to precise standards and it makes the most of the available air
I bought one of these http://www.ingersollrandproducts.com/eu-en/products/tools/impactools/maintenance-automotive-impactools/1-2-drive/236 off eBay for about 80 quid (bit of a bargain they are a bit more usually) and it's pretty good, compact and works well with a modest compressor although I think you really need at least 50 litres those 25 litre ones that are a favourite of the supermarkets aren't big enough even if they have a powerful motor

[thecolonel]

Fair enough I should have included the cfm it's 8

[rossocorsa]

Sorry Geoff not trying to criticise i'm just a sad case!

[anotherdeadhero]

Well, as a little update, 10 months ago John Brain had time to take the Volumex off me to fit droptop's replacement cam housing, timing belt, gaskets etc for me. It came back to me 8 months later (!) (to be fair to John, he'd had an unexpectedly large amount of work turn up) and it is ticking over like an absolute beauty. Like a sewing machine  

Shortly after getting it back I spent a fair amount of time trying to find out why the new carello housings and lamp units I'd fitted where popping fuses every 5 minutes. Failed, ripped all the wiring out and started again:



All working beautifully.

I'd had the rear gear linkage bushes fail on me just before John picked it up (front had been replaced by previous owner):


I also now have a functional cigarette lighter, rear fogs and cooling fan override.

So the next job it to replace both rear bushes this Friday, parts from Mark W.

I also appear to have a pinhole in my manifold, right where the downpipes fit into a bracket. So I'm going to putty that up for now.

Then, as a little birthday present to myself I bust the left quarterlight (passenger side in a RHD car) pushing past the mirror trying to get at something in the garage this morning  

So if anyone can help, please do!:
http://www.betaboyz.myzen.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3130.0

Andy

[anotherdeadhero]

I have just this afternoon managed to source not one, but a pair of bronze tint VX quarterlights in nearby Chippenham! So I'm all set and not in need any longer as I've just got back from collection.

I thought I was going to spend years trying to trace a bronze tint replacement!

I also managed to pick up clear beta windscreen, tinted rear heated screen, Brian Long's Collectors Guide and the much vaunted Guy Croft Twin Cam book. So I've been spending my money, but I'm rather pleased with my afternoon's haul 

[anotherdeadhero]

Before:


After:


The eagle-eyed amongst you might just be able to spot a small bubble of rust ... I have some new doors and a few other bits in the roof of the garage to fit at some point.

Mirror was refitted shortly afterwards. Getting the new quarterlight in was like bleeding krypton factor! Ended up dismantling most of the door.

Couldn't get the nuts off the gear linkage in the end to fit the new linkage bushes, and I was running out of light. So I'll have to have another go at some point.

Good news is that there is no pinhole in the manifold, I just needed to do a better job of mopping the oil up that'd run down the back of the block with the damaged cam housing.

[anotherdeadhero]

Managed to replace both rear gear linkage bushes.

I can declare victory. I now have all 5 gears and reverse. The old girl moves under her own steam again!

So I pootled back and forth for a while, just for the novelty factor. Then I stalled it and it wouldn't start again until it'd cooled off ...

[mangocrazy]

Good stuff - I'd be very pleased with that for a day's work...!

[anotherdeadhero]

Thanks! I can't claim it was just a day: day and a half by the time I was done.

Didn't fancy taking the centre console out, so left the rear control rod in place, then pressed the new bushing in in situ. A fiddle, but it worked perfectly on the third attempt.

[rossocorsa]

Managed to replace both rear gear linkage bushes.

I can declare victory. I now have all 5 gears and reverse. The old girl moves under her own steam again!

So I pootled back and forth for a while, just for the novelty factor. Then I stalled it and it wouldn't start again until it'd cooled off ...

I guess your scavenge pump isn't working then?

[anotherdeadhero]

I guess your scavenge pump isn't working then?

I am also assuming this. Had no time to investigate thus far. It hasn't had a decent run for over a year now, so it is all coked up too. I think the tank and fuel lines are full of tat too, it def needs a new fuel filter. So much to do, so little time and money.

I can't decide whether to spend ages getting it running well, then send it down the body shop, or vice versa. I'm airing on the side of getting welding etc done, then fiddling with mechanics.