My HPE....now a rolling recommission

[Nigel]

Peter,Hi,

Took it out again last night and up a fairly steep climb, and it maintained
70 all the way,but would not accelerate. This approach to the Sheppey Crossing
is steeper than most motorways. I didn't do anything else as traffic was heavy
on the return.

Also sent you a PM.

Cheers
Nigel

[betaveloce]

Hi Nigel,

glad the VX gearbox project has worked out. Good job! 

I believe my HPE i.e. does 3.500 rpm @ 130 km/h on the dash (which is about 120 km/h or 75 mph gps speed), so a few 100 rpm less is always nice for cruising (and fuel economy  )

[WestonE]

Hi Nigel

Your test run results are what I would expect given the torque of the engine 5th is fine for cruising but a drop down proposition for acceleration. You also have longer in each lower gear with less out right acceleration. I do have acceleration in 5th when I am mad enough to use it and have been to the 150MPH range! It is a judgement on snappy acceleration vs peace and quiet for motorway cruising.

Eric   

[Nigel]

Kevin and Eric,

Indeed a success Kevin, but a little additional work to do after the summer.

Eric, that's essentially what i was after. I'm a keen relaxed motorer, anything to
reduce the volume and I want to take her down to the lower French
regions in the future, so a decent outcome.

LMC next weekend, here we come!

Nigel

[peteracs]

Hi Nigel

One quick question to pick brains on your success, all this was done without removing the engine?

Assuming so any tips tricks for the just in case I need to situation?

Thanks

Peter

[Nigel]

Hi Peter,
Yes. Contrary to the Haynes manual, and possibly other sources,
the gearbox can be removed through the wheel arch. There are many tricks and tips
and it's perhaps worthy of a separate write-up.

I'll gather some photos and post something.

Regards
Nigel

[Nigel]

A few loose ends now done, and to be done:

The initial fill was with some 'cheap' mineral oil, thats now been
replaced with Tutela ZC90.  A much easier fill with the long VX tube!

Wing liner and small pipe cover now back in. And a general checkover
for bolts I forgot to tighten.

Next, after much brain debate, I will have to relieve both steering column
cowlings of small areas of plastic on the left side. I don't really understand why yet, perhaps the
new stalk assembly is not quite matching the factory original. It can't fit in any
other position.

[betaveloce]

Next, after much brain debate, I will have to relieve both steering column
cowlings of small areas of plastic on the left side. I don't really understand why yet, perhaps the
new stalk assembly is not quite matching the factory original. It can't fit in any
other position.

That's odd  
Could your stalk assembly possibly be for a Delta? (they look the same, but I don't know if they are...)

[Nigel]

Next, after much brain debate, I will have to relieve both steering column
cowlings of small areas of plastic on the left side. I don't really understand why yet, perhaps the
new stalk assembly is not quite matching the factory original. It can't fit in any
other position.

That's odd  
Could your stalk assembly possibly be for a Delta? (they look the same, but I don't know if they are...)

Interesting point Kevin.
It plugged and played at the time, and this was well over a year ago.
It's staying put,regardless!

Regards as always,n.

[Nigel]

Some random updates:

I've enjoyed a couple of longish journeys recently, to the LMC at
Leamington Spa, and more recently to the Classics on the Green show in
Croxley. The latter was a hot day, I survived for only 3 hours but had a couple of
very good chats with former Lancia dealer managers, HR Owen and another from
Herts somewhere.

An irritation has always been the in-your-face wipers that park some 4 inches up
from the bottom of the screen.
With some modification to the wiper arms, motor arm and the drivers side pivot arm
i've now got them parking at the screen edge,with a good sweep action. More work to do,
and pics will follow. More testing first.

The next MOT is this Saturday morning. She's running very well, i'm just always nervous
of the CO2 test!

Finally, a crazy addition: I've now got the first of the rear side windows automated by a
miniature linear actuator.

Nigel

[peteracs]

Looking forward to the wiper mod result, they also bug me…

Peter

[Nigel]

Here's an interim pair of images of the wipers mod.

They will park slightly lower in practice [10mm] [and not go up quite as far]
as the 180 degree arm on the motor spindle needs a tweak.

Interestingly, each of the 3 rotating/oscillating arms has a centre to centre
measurement stamped on it. I have altered only 2 so far, the motor and drivers side.
Leaving the pax side standard appears to avoid the 'triangle-of-doom', although it does
sweep a much greater area than the other.

She passed the MOT with no advisories so another win this weekend.

[Nigel]

Having completed its last drive of the season my car is now Sorned for
the winter. A sad day. I've thoroughly enjoyed this years outings, and apart from a small
glitch boarding a ferry, in total reliability. Meeting up with lovely like-minded folk, putting faces
to names and driving Peters Spyder were total highlights. That's a well-sorted car you have Peter,
and i'll try to emulate your brakes during the down time! 

Its final excursion was to Lenham last weekend for the Gamma Consortium meet.
Thank you Theo and Charles for your welcome and hospitality! The car attracted some interest,
partly as our Japanese friends never got the Hpe there, but also due to the wrapped roof!

During the winter I want to address issues such as slow wipers and indicators, finalise
the wiper sweep mod, the flat spot, tappet adjustment and many more little things.

The below pic was taken in the same layby as the first posted pic on this thread.

Looking forward to next year and more meets.

[Nigel]

I've done very little to the car in the past month except for
removing the carb and checking all the things I've read about in various threads
on here, in an attempt to tackle the very poor cold running and a flat spot.
This is ongoing, the carb is back on the car, but haven't run it yet.

So far I'm happy with the wipers mod, but still need to address the low voltage feed.
I won't finalise the arm welding until I've restored full voltage to the circuit. Full
14.2v could well cause the blades to strike the surround.

Following on from Peters notes on tools, and specifically impact wrenches, I
thought I'd add my thinking here:

I work from a van and decided very early on that cheap battery-matching tools
was the sensible option. Screwfix/Erbauer was my choice, and after
getting several battery tools, some bare and some complete,
a 'bare' Erbauer impact wrench ,at £65 odd, was an obvious choice.

I now have good flexibility between van and
 home, 2 chargers, and 4x 40amp batteries. There's always the risk that
stuff becomes discontinued or obsolete, but I should be good
until retirement!

Having said all that, my compressor is now up and running inside a sound-reducing enclosure
in the conservatory, [ conscious of neighbourly noise]  and is running an old CP impact wrench,
 an air drill, tyre inflator and blow gun.
I haven't used the wrench and drill in some 40 years, yes they are that old, so some new use
is appropriate even just to see if the drill is actually too loud, and if the impact gun is stronger
than the modern battery version.

[peteracs]

Hi Nigel

As it happens my air wrench is also a CP one. You make a good point about the compressor, it is also another reason I do not want to use it.

Peter

[Nigel]

Last weekend I got the engine running again after its winter sojourn.
Found a fuel leak at the redundant return spigot at the carb. I knew the brass
fitting was loose in its housing, but it had never leaked until now!
I decided a permanent solution was required so it was removed, the hole was tapped
with an 8mm thread, and I found an old needle valve body that would do.
The thread is not the same, but with some araldite, soldering, and cutting down
it's in, and hopefully will seal.
During this, I removed the big brass cap to reveal a load of rusty crud inside the mesh
filter. I'd forgotten to do this during previous carb strip-downs. The mesh was doing its job.

Also last week I ordered a meter of silicon hose to replace the brake boost vacuum
pipe. I was always unhappy with the angles it had to follow, and also that maybe there was
a vac leak at the booster end, so I introduced two 90 degree
fittings, now it sits very nicely without kinking, especially at the booster end.

Next up is restoring full 12v to wipers and indicators, which right now is only 10.4v. Corroded
and resistive old wiring will be replaced with new. Then the wiper sweep mods can be finalised.

[peteracs]

Hi Nigel

Maybe silly question, but I assume the new silicon hose is rated as vacuum hose?

Peter

[Nigel]

Peter,

Hmm, interesting, however I've never considered that.
The amount of vacuum is fairly low, and if it's rated for use as
a water hose I'd have thought it would be well up to the task.

As always I'm open to correction....

Nigel

[peteracs]

Hi Nigel

When I purchased hose for the Spyder I opted for specific vacuum rated hose, my thought process was that the forces on the wall of the hose are different between high and low pressure so the hose would be of different construction (thicker walled maybe?).

True the vacuum will be modest.

Peter

[WestonE]

Hi Nigel

I am with Peter on this with saying you should fit the vacuum rated hose. Having it sucked flat might have very unfortunate consequences when you need it most.

Eric