David Bracey

19 January 2017 at 22:16 #52281

I believe they’ve changed the chemical compound of Wellseal within the last few years. I used it on my engine rebuild in 2104 and it failed completely. I’ve the photos to prove it. An expensive episode and I seem to remember the reason given for changing it was to do with EU regulations on some of the ingredients. No idea if that’s true.

Anyway, the comments on the model engineer debate seem to refer to older applications and I have also had great results with it in the past. Nothing’s as good as it used to be. However…..I shan’t be using it again. Fingers burnt etc.

These days I have more faith in modern products even if they are harder to clean up and messier to apply.

David Bracey

17 January 2017 at 19:36 #52277

Good idea Bill. Will report back.

David Bracey

17 January 2017 at 14:07 #52275

I don’t have any thread gauges at home but I agree that it seems as if it should be a pipe thread. However…the OD measures as 7.9mm with my Vernier which is almost exactly 5/16″. The thread also appears to be too fine to be BSP. UNF is 24tpi. I have some UNF taps somewhere so will try it. The only other imperial thread I’ve found that looks similar is BSC (CEI) cycle threads (26tpi). Brass pipe screw threads would have been the obvious choice but there isn’t a 5/16″ size.

I’m going to have to identify the thread properly before I go any further – unless anyone has one they can let me have of course?

David Bracey

17 January 2017 at 09:58 #52273

Thanks David,

I spoke with Fiennes yesterday and they said the ones they make are their own ‘uprated versions’ – whatever that means. No, my snapped one doesn’t have any markings but I’m not convinced they’ve the same threads either. Not that that is an insurmountable problem of course.

Fiennes suggested parts ZS4 and AE070. I have to pass their way in a few weeks so might pop in and compare if I can’t find a direct replacement.

The frustrating thing is, that with the number of these cars that have been broken up or heavily modified there must be hundreds of these fittings languishing in sheds and garages.

David Bracey

16 January 2017 at 22:17 #52271

I’m definitely still learning about these cars. I look forward to doing some living some time soon!

I’ve been reading up about the RR one-shot chassis lubrication system and they made two different versions of injectors/drip feed nozzles, with different volumetric flow rates. Different amount of oil dispensed according to the application point. I can’t believe a suspension point needs much so guess that if I can’t find the genuine article I’ll buy a RR one and see what I can do with it.

If any of you wise men that frequent this forum have any more advice for me I would be very grateful.

David Bracey

15 January 2017 at 22:10 #52269

Thanks for everyone chipping in.

I am almost 99.9% certain that this is the original part and that there is indeed a restrictor or non-return valve fitted to it. It is much earlier than the one-shot drip feed fitting that David kindly sent the link for.

Like Laurence, I hated the idea of filthy oil from the sump being pushed through these pipes so, when I restored mine, decided to blank off the sump outlet and instead use the jacking system oil reservoir to feed the chassis lubrication pump. (Not quite as simple as it sounds but that’s another story.)

Photos attached.

Attached files

David Bracey

15 January 2017 at 18:04 #52264

Bill/Colin,

Thanks very much for replying. The threaded compression fitting has an insert that looks to be a non-return valve or metering restriction. I’m guessing it’s to control the amount of oil that gets pushed in and to make sure it stays there. I have a feeling it’s the same as on RR’s and Bentley’s of the period so was going to send the broken part to Fiennes to see if they’ve got them in stock. They certainly have the ‘one-shot’ fittings.

Colin, I don’t need any pipe but I’ll post a photo if Fiennes can’t help. It’s all sealed up in the envelope now. I presume the pipe is 5/32″ brass tube. Is that correct?

David Bracey

11 January 2017 at 20:11 #52246

It adds an extra little excitement to driving a Lagonda I suppose. All good fun – keeps the blood pumping!

David Bracey

10 January 2017 at 21:47 #52241

Thanks Bill. Had a great time and the car was brilliant. Covered in 1/2″ of ice by the time we arrived there. Photo attached. Really great event though and the clutch pedal issue was just a blip – fortunately.

Attached files

David Bracey

21 December 2016 at 21:22 #52220

Well, we enjoyed last years Travers?e de Paris so much that we’re off to participate in the next one on Sunday 8th January 2017 as well.

Anyone else in the club a member of this group and planning on going?

David Bracey

5 December 2016 at 22:33 #52204

Hi Bill,

I looked into explosion welding when I had a sump that needed repairing but couldn’t find anyone to even discuss it with. From what I researched it did sound very promising but I decided to go for a new sump and dropped the idea. If you find someone that wants to give it a go, or better still give us a demo, then I still have my damaged sump they could use.

If you haven’t already, you should look into how this technique came about. Engineers noticed that shrapnel from WW1 was sticking to armour plating of tanks even though it was a dissimilar material. Fascinating.

David

David Bracey

18 November 2016 at 19:41 #52192

Thanks Bill. That’s what engineering is all about I guess. Learning from things that didn’t go well and persevering. The end result is important but the path taken is equally so. Good luck.

David Bracey

18 November 2016 at 07:27 #52190

bill wrote: David, thanks very much for that and I will bear it in mind. Whereabouts is the damage on the sump ? Was it just bad welding or was it the impurities in the metal which was the problem ? I understand that the Meadows casting material was very poor during the 1930s for both engine and gearbox. Is it possible to effect an engineering rather than a welding solution ?
Thanks again.

It’s a sorry story really. It was a perfectly good sump but I wanted to modify the chassis lubrication system so that the lubrication pump took clean oil from the jacking oil tank rather than dirty oil from the sump. This was pretty straightforward but needed the oil path from the sump blanking off. On the Meadows engine you drain oil from the sump via the same port as the chassis lube take-off so I needed a new sump drain.

The welder was confident he could weld in a threaded drain boss but he clearly didn’t know what he was doing and had too much localised heat so the casting split. He chased the crack and made it worse and worse. He even tried welding in a small alloy plate to cover it up but it was a mess. By the time I found out about it it had gone too far for me to live with so I bought a new one from David Ayre.

I suspect years of oil in the casting and poor quality porous metal made welding tricky but think that if the whole casting had been placed in a furnace to bring it up to temperature, and then returned to the furnace after welding and allowed to cool down really slowly, it would have probably been fine.

I think that now it needs cutting out and a repair plate screwing in place from the inside but it will never look pretty – not that you can see it unless you’re underneath. It could even be lined with fibreglass (GRP).

There you have it…….

The chassis lubrication mod works a treat by the way. The sumps drain boss was eventually bolted through the new sump instead of welded. I couldn’t risk that again!

David Bracey

17 November 2016 at 11:00 #52187

Dear Bill,

I’ve a Sanction 3 engine sump that was damaged and which was trusted it to a chap who said he could repair it. He couldn’t. What’s more he made a bit of a hash of it so I took it away from him and bought a new one. However, in the right hands I suspect it could be repaired or lined so let me know if it’s of interest. I’ve been holding on to it for that time in the far distance when I’ve time on my hands to sort it out – ha! It would be nice to see it put to use.

David

David Bracey

15 November 2016 at 21:47 #52183

This is awful. I have advised the club spares committee so no doubt the word will get around pretty quickly now. Good luck Nigel.