It never rains....

[Jon Tilson]

but it pours....

Decided to resurrect the Sprint today after its salt free winter rest. Lots of churning and of course won't start. Petrol in front float chamber? Check....
Ah - last year I stuck it back on a ballasted coil to save the points (lol) after an el cheapo leccy ignition went down after umpteen years. So I put the flying ballast bypass wire on the coil terminal and....whats the smell. Twit you put it on the - terminal and not the +. Quickly corrected but the persistence at not starting means the damage is done.

You forget how much of a git it is to do the points on a Sprint dizzy. Sure enough the insulator is fried and the points look a fine shade of black. It all comes out with the condensor too as I cant get the connector off the melted insulator. And I'm supposed to be some sort of expert doh!

Dive into the garage and sure enough there is my ignition bits shoebox - under about 4 others! But things look up as I discover Reg's old set of points and condensor in his Aldon Ignitor ignition box. This of course won't fit a Sprint cap so now sits in my TR7 powered dolly with a Spit cap and Sprint dizzy, but that's another story. Reg bless him has to have his proper yellow one looking the business, so went magnetronic. I'm far too much of a cheapskate for that...and now its paying off - in wasted time!. Anyway ten minutes later and the new (old) points etc are in and gapped. Its a right pain getting it on the cam - fanbelt pulls to no avail so we bump it in top gear. At least you can see the cam on a Sprint dizzy. Good luck with that on the AC delco one. At least the brakes aren't stuck on.

So flying lead on the right side and a quick squirt on the starter and she fires up first time...sounds lovely with the new
proper sprint sideways exhaust too.

Warm up and all's well....into gear - err no chance there then. Clutch plate is sticking to the flywheel. Having had to bounce it down the road last year I wasnt expecting it to stick again so quickly. But no...its not playing ball. I try the usual in an out of top gear and starter etc...its not having it. And I only moved it about a month ago? Or was it 6?

So with no mates around to give me a push down the road I give up. Then I notice that tell tale patch of wet something or other under the car as I glance down from swapping out the Spit battery. Oh dear that's coolant and yes its coming out of that familiar slot behind the alternator. What! I only did the pump 2 years ago.....or was it three. Anyway far too recently....

Grrr...at least it wasn't freezing cold, but this Sprint isnt going back on the road any time soon by the looks of it.

So the moral is - use them or fix them. I suspect none of this would have happened if I'd just kept driving it all winter!

Jonners

[Mahesh]

Amazing, you've suffered more starting problems in less than a year than my car in over two decades, fuel, battery and started.

If you need a helping hand let me know.

[maximus]

I admire your honesty, it makes for a great read Good luck sorting it out.

[tony g]

Maybe running it for longer will soften the pump o rings and re-seal?

Tony

[Tony Burd]

Not started mine for 6 months, going to have a look this weekend.

I have the Evans waterless coolant in mine, one reason I went that route was to avoid corrosion, I wonder if that is the cause of your waterpump leak, maybe a bit of corrosion on the back of the impellor, may well reseal with a bit of use?

[James467]

So the moral is - use them or fix them.

I have found a really nice leather wingback that I'm going to put in the garage so I can just sit and admire mine when it's done!

Doesn't the Evans stuff contain something that's supposed to keep the rubber bits conditioned.

[mahony]

Jonners i sympathise with you , yesterday I also decided to start up the sprint after about six weeks to find it misfiring the front brakes binding and the dreaded click click from the starter motor after managing to get it started , I'm not going to bother to try and free the front brakes and instead finally get round to fitting the Trackejack upgrade, the joys of old cars

[Jon Tilson]

Lol.....the good thing to know is that we are not alone.....

I'm a bit hacked off about the w/p to be honest. I thought this pump had the internal seal and wasnt a graphite ring? I might look at the Stag OC solution of a ceramic ring insert on the impellor, but yes I will be subjecting it to a drive first to see if it goes away. Ever the optimist....

The other stuff is self inflicted and she should bounce free when I have sufficient man power to get me up to walking pace....

Mahesh you crack me up... Your tails of woe are far in excess of mine....and you clearly have far too much youth enthusiasm and
energy to work on your machine in such adverse conditions. I'm too old rich and fat to be bothered with these old clunkers in cold
weather now. Summer mechanic only me....

Jonners

[Mahesh]

I thought that would bring a smile out (or laugh)

On the comparitive side, my water pump still weeps, (when revved) might redo as the carbs are out.

[James467]

Re the water pump, strip it and put some red rubber grease on all the rubber seals to keep them soft?

[Mahesh]

Exactly what I'm going to do, had a tub of Castrol red rubber grease delivered last week.

[sprint95m]

Doesn't the Evans stuff contain something that's supposed to keep the rubber bits conditioned.

Yes.

Furthermore it reduces the strain on components because it runs at atmospheric pressure.
You really can take the cap of the header tank while the engine is up to temperature.




Ian.

[Tony Burd]

After being dormant for 6 months MSO fired up pretty much 1st time.

Waterpump OK, phew.

Clutch plate stuck, couldn't engage gears. Ended up getting the back up on stands & manage to crack it free using the hand brake.

Taxed it online, went for a spin, all good.

Waxed & polished all ready for Goodwood tomorrow.

[Jon Tilson]

Well today I did get rained on but did manage to free off the stuck clutch. But not before driving it round the local quite triangle in bottom gear for what felt like 20 minutes but was probably only five, giving up and heading up the road, doing a U turn and frightening a Golf cos I couldnt stop, then running out of fuel....with clutch still stuck.

Lol...(well you have to or you'd burst into tears)

So walk home to collect trusty P6 with new battery and buy a gallon ...and car of course still won't start. Maybe because the heavy road camber means that with a gallon on board its still not enough? Ned appears (great chap - restored Avis TE21 convo to die for and used to have his own recovery biz before retiring) and we push across the road to a flatter bit outside his gaff....much nattering and admiring said Alvis and its lengthy more or less ground up resto - (65 quid water pump shaft etc etc - you know the deal) and he bemoans that fact he's a bit scared to drive and leave it anywhere. I can quite understand that because it IS gorgeous, but that kinda defeats the point of having it....reminded me of Mike W and his FF stag estate. Sad really.
Anyway I digress...much churning with new battery and no going....petrol in front float chamber - check. Have points closed up? Did them t'other day and it has been known. No they are fine but look a bit on the black side. I wipe the rotor arm contact on the tire for good measure. For no good reason the car now starts.
Mates arrive and push me to walking pace as the battery is now well passed driving it off in 1st gear on the starter. Bit of judicious left foot braking while accelerating hard and pop...off it goes. Yipeee....

Joy is short lived as later on it conks out again. Coil feels hot. Oh well. Home to get some tools in trusty P6 and a much needed cuppa - why didnt I carry them with me you ask - of course there is no good answer to that one. Back to the dolly and sure enough with the P6 battery and jump leads she starts, albeit reluctantly. So combo of overheated ballasted coil and dodgy points? Drive it home and now its parked up to be sorted starting wise when the weather improves, as by this time the rain is well in. Walk back to collect P6. I love that car....so abused and so willing. Looks a bit of a shed these days tbh, so I must improve it this year. Main issue is the mismatched set of seats. Anyone got an P6 buckskin leather seats in the loft?

Jonners

[Mahesh]

How abouts a pic of the P6 & Sprint.