Well this little story really started last week. I had to visit the
post office at lunchtime to return my soft-top to the supplier. On my
way out of the post office I carried out the usual visual inspection
procedure of the TR6 - "Hmm, that squat isn't getting any better and
those wheels need repainting, and that oil underneath the engine bay
doesn't look good - hey!". I lift up the bonnet and find that oil has
been distributed over the lower left had side of the engine. I look
for obvious signs of it's origin, and the only place I can think is
that it's coming from the pressure relief valve. "Must be the copper
washer" I think to myself. Anyway, with lack of time I return the mile
or so to work and leave it until hometime.
At 5.00ish, I return to the scene to find that the problem is
certainly not getting any better - more mess than ever. I'm sure I
know the problem and wonder how I'm going to get a new washer. Scotty
arrives on the scene, attracted by the raised bonnet. I take off the
relief valve and inspect the washer - looks perfect to me. Hmm -
that's wierd. We decide that we really need to crank that car and find
out where the oil is coming from. Once started, the problem is
obvious, since a stream of oil is positively pooring out of a wierd
little electrical switch.
"What the hell is that thing?", I ask Scotty.
"Oh, that's the oil pressure switch for the light on the dash", he
replies.
Hmm what to do now? I don't think I can make it home without losing too
much oil whilst waiting in traffic. Scotty suggests that we visit the
generic auto accessory shop across the street and at least find
something to plug the leak.
Surprisingly enough we find a switch which looks remarkably similar -
well it has the same size thread and three connectors sticking out the
end. So, for 4 bucks we decide to try it even though it states
"Chrysler" on the packaging. Anyway once returned to the vehicle, we throw
it on and guess the wiring (some colour coding hints). I start the car
up - no leaks and the oil light functions perfectly - great! - what a
cheap repair. So I think "Yet another problem posed and solved by the
pair of mechanical (and electrical) wizards."
This thought turns out to be totally wrong, since yesterday (about 5
days later - after the car had sat through new driveshaft u-joints), I
go to start the car for the morning commute and the battery lasts for
about 10 turns, then returns to sleep (just like I was feeling). The
battery is flat! I'm immediately suspicious of an electrical leak,
since my fuel gauge and temp gauge had been a little unreliable. I
don't have time to fiddle, so scrounge a lift to work.
That evening, I put the electrical tester out and slowly recall my
physics lessons wrt to circuitry. I firstly try a continuity test
right across the +ve and -ve battery terminals - BEEEEEEP! Hmm - that
ain't right! I've got a leak. I proceed for the next 2 hours trying to
find how the positive terminal is managing to go directly to earth and
as the light fades, I slowly get more and more confused. So, once
again the hero of the story (Scotty) wanders over and says, "what have
you changed recently?" I can't remember more than about 3 days prior
and insist that nothing has changed apart from the new washer motor
which is not in circuit until "ignited". We crank the brain coggs for
a while and finally give up any rational thought.
"Let's just try starting it again", says Scotty. I give in and gently
touch the earth strap back on the battery.
"Click!" - "hey what was that?", I ask.
"It's your anti-run-on valve".
"How the hell......."
"It's supposed to switch off when the oil pressure dies - from the oil
pressure switch".
We both look at each other realising the fault - "Doh!". Within 1
minute Scott has swapped the connectors to my chrysler oil pressure
switch and we re-conduct the test. The car starts ok and the oil pressure
light still works well. I shut the engine down and wait ....... "click!" -
yey!
Back to cruising again. We celebrate with a "battery charging trip" -
any excuse!
Paul.
From rwg1@postoffice.mail.cornell.edu Tue Sep 11 11:39:57 2001
From: (Roger Garnett) rwg1@postoffice.mail.cornell.edu
To: (British Cars) british-cars@autox.team.net
Date: 4 Jun 93 10:54:51
Subject: More Peerless GT
Got my care package last night from the former Peerless Registrar- lots of
old owner info & some pictures, publications, a few odd parts to try and
reproduce, and an 8mm movie of the factory. The movie was made by a fellow
in the service who went in person to see final assembly and pick up his
car. I'll copy this to video, and add some modern racing footage, and
whatever else I can come up with.
Does anyone have sugestions of places to do low volume reproduction of:
-metal stampings (headlight trim ring)
-Plastic w/metal surround bonnet/boot medalions
-Cast potmetal/chrome script badges
________
/___ _ \ Roger Garnett (Roger-Garnett@cornell.edu)
/| || \ \ Agricultural Economics | "The South Lansing Centre
| |___|| _ | 3 Warren Hall | For Wayward Sports Cars"
| | \ | | | Cornell University | (Lansing, NY)
\| \ |__/ / Ithaca, N.Y. 14853-7801 | (607) 533-7735
\________/ (607) 255-2522 | Safety Fast!
|