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Next, I want to address the atrocious acceleration issues. Seems to me like engine timing issues. Looking in the shop manual and looking on my car it looks like "Top Dead Center" is actually "Bottom Dead Center" on the motor.
Do you all use a timing light? If so, how do you connect everything AND watch the strobe? Or do you make the adjustment by ear?
So I'm impatient and always looking for a value, but I felt that I needed air filters for the carbs. I fabbed a couple of filter holders and bolted them to the carbs.
- 20 bucks for the sheet metal
- 20 bucks for 2 filters
- a few dollars for hardware
Considering what one filter costs online I think I did pretty well. Getting it done today? Bonus
Thank you sir; I'll take that compliment. Considering it was, except for the drill holes, done with hand tools I'm surprised it came out as well as it did.
The air filters are too small and changing the filters or adjusting the carbs will be difficult, but at least I got out on the road.
So I got some larger K&N filters and some more more robust aluminum plate and made these over the last couple weekends. They aren't quite the way I want them yet, but they are better than they were IMO:
Last edited by gene61jag; Aug 1, 2016 at 10:23 AM.
If you can find someone to restore the original tank, that would work well.
The old tanks are made from quite a heavy gauge steal _ I don't know how well any of the new tanks are made.
I found a rad shop near me where the guy sandblasted the inside.
Gene- good to see you are back at it!. I took my gas tank to a radiator shop and they tanked it for me to get it clean in and out. That would probably solve most your problems. The shop didn't recommend putting any sealer in it because of the baffles. They suggested it is better to just avoid rust by keeping it full of gas when possible. You might consider replacing the drain plug as that screen looks pretty rough.
Gene- good to see you are back at it!. I took my gas tank to a radiator shop and they tanked it for me to get it clean in and out. That would probably solve most your problems. The shop didn't recommend putting any sealer in it because of the baffles. They suggested it is better to just avoid rust by keeping it full of gas when possible. You might consider replacing the drain plug as that screen looks pretty rough.
Chuck,
Agreed. I want to do a complete tear-down of the tank before I order new parts though. I am starting a list though. While I have the rear-end up in the air I'm considering replacing most of the bushings back there and probably shocks too. Possibly new sender(at least its gasket).
PS - my progress is not as impressive as yours. I am still afraid of opening up the engine.
I hadn't thought about a radiator shop. I googled "fuel tank restoration" and decided to buy a bunch of Eastwood chemicals. They should be on my doorstep today when I get home. Now that I've bought this stuff I'm going to at least try it before I take the tank to a shop.
Hey Jeff, Chuck, or anyone who has jacked their car up - If I'm going to have the car up on jack stands for a month or so what weight capacity do you recommend? Just 2.5 ton? Or go with 6-ton? I know MK2s only weigh a little over 1.5 tons but should the length of time matter?
I am sure the Eastwood chemicals will work well for you. I have heard good things about them. Anything to get the accumulated crud out of the tank will help.
Good luck with the "while I'm in there" disease. Mine is terminal
Hey Jeff, Chuck, or anyone who has jacked their car up - If I'm going to have the car up on jack stands for a month or so what weight capacity do you recommend? Just 2.5 ton? Or go with 6-ton? I know MK2s only weigh a little over 1.5 tons but should the length of time matter?
2.5 ton is fine, the whole car isn't on one jack stand.
2.5 x 2 = 5 tons, the rear end of the Jag doesn't weigh any where near 5 tons.
A common mistake is to use masonry to support a vehicles weight, don't ever do that.
If you need to get more height, use wood blocks of hard wood or sandwiches of plywood.
As for the screen, it's brass, it will clean up nice.
I use hydrochloric acid, but that is extreme, but instantaneous.
You can use TSP and cook the whole thing on the stove or a radiator flush chemical that comes as dry crystals and use that on the stove.
You don't have to boil it, but it needs to simmer.
If you use acid, do it outside _ down wind _ wear heavy rubber gloves, long pants and shirt.
It will come out shiny, but you need to rinse it in plenty of fresh water then spray WD40 all over it to keep it from oxidizing right away.
The acid is poured into a container and the screen will be immersed in it, pouring it over the screen doesn't work very well.
Muriatic acid is the commercial name for it.
I also use acid to clean rusty part, sometimes soaking over night.
The acid eats the rust leaving the good steel behind.
Sand blasting is OK, but the acid gets into crannies where sand blasting can't reach.
2.5 ton is fine, the whole car isn't on one jack stand.
2.5 x 2 = 5 tons, the rear end of the Jag doesn't weigh any where near 5 tons.
A common mistake is to use masonry to support a vehicles weight, don't ever do that.
If you need to get more height, use wood blocks of hard wood or sandwiches of plywood.
As for the screen, it's brass, it will clean up nice.
I use hydrochloric acid, but that is extreme, but instantaneous.
You can use TSP and cook the whole thing on the stove or a radiator flush chemical that comes as dry crystals and use that on the stove.
You don't have to boil it, but it needs to simmer.
If you use acid, do it outside _ down wind _ wear heavy rubber gloves, long pants and shirt.
It will come out shiny, but you need to rinse it in plenty of fresh water then spray WD40 all over it to keep it from oxidizing right away.
The acid is poured into a container and the screen will be immersed in it, pouring it over the screen doesn't work very well.
Muriatic acid is the commercial name for it.
I also use acid to clean rusty part, sometimes soaking over night.
The acid eats the rust leaving the good steel behind.
Sand blasting is OK, but the acid gets into crannies where sand blasting can't reach.
Thank you Jeff, for all the good advice, especially concerning the harsh chemicals. Being from the South it's part of our culture to put the cars "up on blocks". But culturally, I'm a bit of a Rebel
I am sure the Eastwood chemicals will work well for you. I have heard good things about them. Anything to get the accumulated crud out of the tank will help.
Good luck with the "while I'm in there" disease. Mine is terminal
LOL - I will worry when I lose this "disease". Even if I get through this project i'm sure I'm going to look for another one. I'll keep you updated
For jack stands, my first consideration in height. The six ton models do just that - ~24" or so. The lower capacity gives you less space to work. To maximize the stands you need a jack with a the same or higher reach.
The shorter stands will have you sliding around on cardboard, not a creeper.
I've been using stands for 53 years. It's likely you will use them more than once. Don't buy cheap. It's your head and lungs under that car.
Craig's list is often a good source - body shops closing etc.
Well she's up in the air now. Clyde, sage advice yours. I ordered a couple of spendy, non-Made-in-China jack stands. I don't have a creeper so the 3-ton jacks I got will probably do for a while. Tomorrow I'll see if I can move the exhaust pipes out of the way, then pull my fuel tank
Earlier this week, while I was waiting for stuff to arrive, I continued refining my air cleaners, adding a lip, test-fitting all parts. This is the rear carb:
This is what the guts of them look like:
There's still some "fit and finish" issues that I'll resolve but this is going to be the last posts specifically about the air cleaners unless there's interest.
