Bigglesss Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 Just a few weeks ownership for me and my Westfield SE have seen some gremlins! A moody starter and solenoid! A loose alternator bracket resulting in a chucked belt powering the alternator and the water pump on the crossflow! And today a disintegrated alternator belt! However, once shall not be put off by such mediocre issues! Sent the car away to a crossflow and Webber specialist Saturday as she felt rather lack lustre for a 140hp stage two Burton engine! The problems found included lean idle, and I mean so lean idle how it ticked over was beyond him......like an afr that seemed impossibly high! Mild wide open throttle lean of around 15. This made for a flat feeling car. But there was a bigger reason for the flat feeling. The throttle pedal and linkage had all moved about. This resulted in full pedal depression and a whopping 50% carb choke opening. Adjusted. Mixtures sorted to the rich side of stoich. Timing chucked up two degrees. The result? Well by comparison, an animal. 127/127 at wheels. Don't care about tranny losses, but the car is alive (yet currently awaiting a new 800mm accessory belt lol) What felt so flat now feels electric. This is what I bought a Westfield for. I'm now very happy with the result and the car. Now to find a meet that's reasonably local as I don't seem to have an AO :/ Quote
John Dolan - Wirral & North Wales AO Posted September 21, 2016 Posted September 21, 2016 Hi Biggles, They are not gremlins, they are the enjoyment of owning a Westie. The other positive is the feeling of upgradeitiss, this usually happens around birthdays or Christmas and requires dropping hints to prepare the ground. Steering rack has a squeak, tyres have a flat spot or rear brakes are loose are typical examples. No AO? Have a go yourself, there's plenty of support and ideas on the forum. And Westie owners love to meet and talk cars. And the benefit of being AO is you choose the meeting place, near to you. John. Retired AO, Wirral and North Wales. 1 Quote
tisme Posted September 21, 2016 Posted September 21, 2016 The result? Well by comparison, an animal. 127/127 at wheels. Don't care about tranny losses, but the car is alive (yet currently awaiting a new 800mm accessory belt lol) What felt so flat now feels electric. This is what I bought a Westfield for. I'm now very happy with the result and the car. You have to sort of feel sorry for whoever owned it before - but it's quite often the case that they can become tired of ownership and "sorting things out" and selling is the best option - but as you've found, someone's "pita" is another's "tinkering" opportunity. Well done so far - you'll no doubt be finding a few more "gremlins" but sorting them out is half the fun p.s - you know it's time to just get on and drive it when you start "tinkering" with your own "tinkering" 1 Quote
SootySport Posted September 21, 2016 Posted September 21, 2016 I'm happy for you too. This forum should be called 'Tinkerers World' 1 Quote
Bigglesss Posted September 22, 2016 Author Posted September 22, 2016 Yeah, I guess gremlins is a poor choice of word! Seeing as I've been having serious fun getting greasy and tinkering and fixing Turns out I needed an 838mm belt. Seem to have a cortina alternator with a bigger pulley. And a different adjuster in the form of a turnbuckle. Not a bracket. Super happy with how she runs and handles now. Some nice new rubber to fit to replace the tired corners have arrived so that's next on the agenda. Going to do a leakdown test this weekend for peace of mind as she is breathing a bit hard. She absolutely hates having more than half way up the dipstick min/max and spews oil out of the breather if you do go above half way. On a plus note the oil seems clean (well not emulsified like I have a head issue), the water has no oil in it. So worst case is rings perhaps. But as already said, excuses for upgrades haha If that head is being opened, something is going to get changed This winter I'm seriously considering whipping out the dash, internal panels and going carbon. So internal changes are afoot. Priced up some smiths flights (they do look nice but rather dear) and figured I'm better off going digital dash by some margin! I'd happily step up for an AO but I work abroad quite a bit. Sometimes short notice. So I might end up organising a meet and not being there lol. No for now, it's an excuse for a drive out to someone elses. Quote
Mattrv Posted September 22, 2016 Posted September 22, 2016 Just a few weeks ownership for me and my Westfield SE have seen some gremlins! A moody starter and solenoid! A loose alternator bracket resulting in a chucked belt powering the alternator and the water pump on the crossflow! And today a disintegrated alternator belt! However, once shall not be put off by such mediocre issues! Sent the car away to a crossflow and Webber specialist Saturday as she felt rather lack lustre for a 140hp stage two Burton engine! The problems found included lean idle, and I mean so lean idle how it ticked over was beyond him......like an afr that seemed impossibly high! Mild wide open throttle lean of around 15. This made for a flat feeling car. But there was a bigger reason for the flat feeling. The throttle pedal and linkage had all moved about. This resulted in full pedal depression and a whopping 50% carb choke opening. Adjusted. Mixtures sorted to the rich side of stoich. Timing chucked up two degrees. The result? Well by comparison, an animal. 127/127 at wheels. Don't care about tranny losses, but the car is alive (yet currently awaiting a new 800mm accessory belt lol) What felt so flat now feels electric. This is what I bought a Westfield for. I'm now very happy with the result and the car. Now to find a meet that's reasonably local as I don't seem to have an AO :/ Who was your 'Crossflow and Webber specialist' if you don't mind me asking?? Quote
Bigglesss Posted September 22, 2016 Author Posted September 22, 2016 I went to Lyndale Engines in Peterborough mate. He tunes mainly x flows and pintos and Webber carbs Quote
Mattrv Posted September 23, 2016 Posted September 23, 2016 I went to Lyndale Engines in Peterborough mate. He tunes mainly x flows and pintos and Webber carbs Cheers a tad too far for me, thank you anyway Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.