Javelin sump.

[David Morris]

Hi Ted,

The choice of engine oil is massive! Personally, I use a Rock Oil product. It is from their Strata range, in 10W/40 viscosity. It meets the API SL/CG-4 ACEA A3/B3/B4/E3 specs and is apparently the choice of the Harley Davidson Club! Whether that's a recommendation or not, I am not sure!

Anyway, it has the merit of being reasonable, at around £40 for a 25l drum. I change it fairly frequently and, until recent successful experiments with the 'O' ring rear timing gaskets, I was losing it pretty frequently as well!! There were rumours of a row of oil splats leading from Bath to Crieff!!..but that's another story!! It seems to give me good oil pressure, so I always hope for the best.

On the subject of fuel pumps, I have fitted a HARDI electric pump with success. They make several versions and it is best to go for one with the lowest delivery pressure, unless you use a pressure regulator. The shut-off valves in the carbs are pretty weak and don't like holding back much more than 2lbs.sq.in pressure. The HARDI models 13312 or 13324 deliver 2.1lbs/sq.in, so will do the job well. eBay is usually a source.

Hope all this helps,

David

[Jack]

On oil, if you want to go with 10/40 the Halfords Classic stuff (green and yellow tin) is pretty good, have been using it for some time in other cars and seems to hold up well and has kept various cars running smoothly enough over the last few months.

Doesn't apply to the classic stuff, but while you're in there they are giving away sets of their Professional range screwdrivers if you buy a tub of their own brand oil, around £15-£20 a go - the screwdrivers are £20 retail, and have held up well over the last few months, and the oil is perfectly good for modern cars.

Jack.

[Alastair Gregg]

http://www.honest-johns.co.uk/index.php ... rod_detail

No Stock at present but my hat, 4 gallons for £50.00 plus carriage. You won't be able to wait I suspect, but I shall be keeping an eye on this!!!

[TedAllen]

All good stuff, thanks Guys. Years ago I used a very good 20/50. It came in a proper tin, red in colour with a drawing of Concorde on it. It may have been Silkolene.
I guess a thinner oil will give more protection. I think 20/50 was all you could get then. I use something like 5/20 in the Nissan Npte as it's important to keep the chain well sprayed. They have been known to break at 40K with the usual ' cambelt ' damage. Nowhere near that yet, though....... Oil/filter change every 3K.

Morris have a good reputation for oils as well.

I'll have a look at the fuel pump recommended, sounds good to me, thanks.

Ted

[TedAllen]

Only 2 Hardi pumps on EBay...neither sounded right for the job.
Had a look for an SU replacement and found a place in Birmingham doing a Quinton Hazell electronic version, brand new on a ' Buy it now '

Rang them with debit card at 1630 yesterday and it was here for 0900 today....incredible service ! Must ring and thank them.

Fitted this morning and pumping away like a good 'un. 1 to 1.5 PSI and max delivery of 8 gallons an hour.
A few jobs left now...put the HT bits on and time it up. Then water pump and wheels and if she's running, I can get her out, turn round and fit the good back bumper that I bought off Tom. I'm going to take the towbar off as the new caravan's too big. I'll put the spare wheel carrier back and get a bit more boot space.......It never ends !!

Ted

[Forumadmin]

Use 20/50w. Up to you if you want to pay a lot. I just bought the Classic oil from Halfords at £17 for 5ltr. If the engine needs cleaning then a detergent oil can be used. Personally I would not use a flushing oil.

Some use straight 30w which is perfect for a decent summer but not so good in the winter when the 20w of the multigrade helps. I use the same oil in the gearbox as engine; but add some Moly Disulphide.

[TedAllen]

Engine running nicely now and starting on the button with the electric pump. I've still got to strobe it up though.
No oil leaks and 50/60 psi on the gauge.
Water pump leaking a bit from behind the pulley...always seems to happen when not used for a couple of years so phone call to JCS tomorrow.

Drove her out onto the road, turned round and went back in forwards, got the back end up and fitted the new back bumper. Took the towbar off at the same time as she won't pull the Elddis. Looks much neater but the number plate box bolts are a little too close together for the holes in this bumper....not a major problem.

No welding to do on the offside but a bit of de-rusting and patching of paint here and there.

I think she might benefit from new carbs....does anyone know if you can get ' exchange ' ones from anybody ?

Insured from next Friday, £78.25 comp. Ready for MOT when cooling system OK.

Ted

[David Morris]

Hi Ted,

Good news about your Javelin!

Javelin water pumps are not Jowett's best design feature! I managed to source one from Alf Heseltine, who was offering a recon/exchange service, so he might be worth a try, if JCS cannot help?

By the way, in our local Severnside section, we had a water pump shed it's fan blades over the past week! Luckily, the fan just dropped off and didn't mangle the radiator, which had just been re-cored! The fan centre mounting boss seems to have been brased onto the blade pressing and this had failed. All the spare ones we could find seemed to have been built the same way, so I assume this was how Jowett's built them? We welded the fan assembly back on to the boss and all seems ok. It might be worth having a look at the condition of the brasing here on yours, if you have to take it off, as having the fan blades flying off is not a good idea! By the way, the fan assemblies that are taper fitting onto the shaft are right 'pigs' to get off! The screw fitting ones are much easier!

On the subject of carbs, I had a pair reconditioned a few years back and ( I think) the company was the Carburetter Exchange, 28f High Street, Leighton Buzzard, Beds, U.K. Their phone number is 01525 371369. Surprisingly, they are currently listing exchange ones 'off the shelf' for Bradfords, the pre-war 4 cyl. 10hp and the war time stationary engines!

When not listed as exchange, they will strip and re-build your old ones, which was the service I used. The difference in tick-over and general running was well worth it.

I find the worst design point about setting up the carbs is that link rod across the top of the engine. It is very difficult to set the length correctly. I have a link rod which must have been modified, and may have even been a factory 'mod', as it has a beautifically made brass and steel 'click-adjust' mechanism built into the rod, which means you can make fractional adjustments to it's length very easily.

A couple of our Severnsider's have copied this design, using spare click adjusters from distributors, and have built up their own. Using a Synchonmeter on the top of the carb tubes, you can then adjust the 'clicker' to get a equal suction down each carb tube and set the tick over really well. Just one 'click' on the adjuster throws the carb balance out, which when translated to the corresponding change in length of the link rod, must equal just a few thou's!!

I hope your Javelin continues to give you much pleasure and hope to see it at Wakefield!

All the best,

David

[Forumadmin]

Can you post some pictures of these adjusters please?

[TedAllen]

Thanks David. All good advice. I have no problems with the water pump, it all comes apart easily and new seals should sort it out.
I'll see what the carb firm say about prices etc. I've got a load of carbs so I needn't be off the road while they're building up a couple.
Interesting mod on the throttle road....I'd like to see it as well.

Ted

[Forumadmin]

I would not worry about the leaking water pump. Let the car run for 100 miles usually cures it.

Ok you may have to fill up a couple of times. Often new seals need this running in.

[Leo Bolter]

Hello all.

David said:

. . . the fan assemblies that are taper fitting onto the shaft are right 'pigs' to get off!

If you have been struggling to remove the fan from the shaft's taper, try this . . . . I think you'll have success every time.

This method is best done with a willing assistant, unless you happen to have at least 3 hands!

1/ Gaze around your workshop/garage for inspiration, so as to find a bulky block of metal that will fit onto the underside of the hexagonal hub of the fan (as shown in the illustration). The heavier this "lump" the better (within reason!).

2/ Slacken the retaining nut a couple of turns.

3/ While having the block held as firmly as possible up under the fan hub on one of the flats , smite a sturdy punch, held onto the opposite side, with a decent blow from a good sized hammer. BINGO!



NOTE: Do NOT be tempted to strike the threaded end of the shaft . . . the thread will "swell" and it's very likely the components of the "pumping end" will be damaged too!
A TIP: I always wrap PTFE tape (as used by Plumbers) around the spigot of the front cover, not as a seal but as a aid to future removal . . .

Cheers.

[David Morris]

Dear Leo, Ted and Keith,

Thanks for your tip on removing the fan assembly from the end of the shaft!! I'll use this next time, and it sounds a really good solution!

Ted, on the subject of your carbs, before you send a pair off for reconditioning, have a word with the Carburetter Exchange people, as there are several versions of the Zenith carbs. On the top of the float chamber there should be a reference number, starting with a C and four numerals, like C1234. This refers to the carb version. The Carburetter Exchange people have accurate lists of cars against carb versions and will be able to advise you on the right version for the Javelin. I am afraid I have lost my recollection on what this number should be and once on the car, this is impossible to see, as the stamping is quite faint! You can then select from your stock of carbs and send them the right versions to recondition.

It may be that all your carbs are the same version, but I know I found my stock consisted of a mixed bunch of carb versions and I was glad I was able to sort the correct pair for attention. I expect that over the years, I have accumulated carbs from several sources and ended up with a mixed bag!

On the subject of the link rod adjuster, yes I will post a photo, when I can sort out my camera and find a moment to get out to the garage!

All the best,

David

[TedAllen]

Just finishing off a few jobs beforec booking the MOT.
Took the pump off today and dismantled it prior to fitting new seals.
I would have used the 100 mile method but that'll take a long time as I have no major trips booked due to impending eye surgery.

I opened the bag of seals I got from JCS and see that they are different to the ones I've always used. The main difference seems to be that the impellor ' hub ' at the pulley end seems to go inside the seal instead of butting up against it's face . That would be OK but my impellor and those on my two spare shafts are somewhat corroded where they goe in the seal and, presumably, wouldn't be watertight.

I have a brand new impellor in my spares but it doesn't have the ' ring ' modification.

I can't see any alternative to putting the best of the old type seals back after making sure all is clean in there.

Anyone any comments about the new type ?

Strobed her up this afto while the fan was out of the way and it was almost spot on. The electric fuel pump makes a lot of difference to starting. Just let it prime the carbs and we're off....no more churning over or splashing a bit of juice down the carb intakes !

I'll do the pump tomorrow and then give her a well deserved wash and a coat of Autoglym.
Been fascinated by Amy and Jack's operations. Been really good to see such enthusiasm in action !....good on you both, ( and Dad and the others )

[TedAllen]

Seem to have drifted off the sump. That's OK now.
Took her for MOT yesterday and she passed. Now taxed and ready to go...but not quite.
Has not been ticking over properly since my last post. You can take 2 & 4 off and it doesn't make any difference.
Compressions were OK when I built the engine.
I feel it's down to the o/s carb now. It ran like a pig round to the MOT and back.
Ticking over is rough with some popping through that carb.
If I toss a little petrol down the air intake, it immediately improves the running, becoming smooth.
So, at the moment, it's a trawl through my carb stock and build another to try....before getting a couple of recons done.

Ted