markcoopers Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 I can't believe the cross flow has caused this many issues... Seriously i am gutted for you, i stopped laughing back in May, now i feel for you you. Whilst the others say sell it, do yu know what you want now as perhaps selling this one and getting the car you wanted is right? I see Ivor's red car at £7,900 is still for sale and James's Orange one for similar money, both excellent cars. Also i know of a blue one out at 200bhp with lots of toys comming for sale very shortly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Wise words indeed. Is there a limit? Of course. Have you reached it? Only you can say. Are the greatest rewards the ones most easly reached? Never - but they are the sweetest. It's an intimate object - don't let it beat you, take your time and conquer it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conehead Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 I see Ivor's red car at £7,900 is still for sale and James's Orange one for similar money, both excellent cars. Also i know of a blue one out at 200bhp with lots of toys comming for sale very shortly. I would love to buy a car like that, I would also love to have the funds to buy a car like that especially as I'm continually spending money on my car but never increasing the value. It can't be worth more than £3,500 at the moment which would give me a lot of saving to do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
housebeautician Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Take it from me it don't matter wether its worth £3,500 or £20,000 they still break down or fall to bits. Of course money matters, but for me owning the car is what floats my boat and whilst the costs can mount up and p*** you off, when you get that first run out when it don't break it seems worth it to me. Count to ten and keep at it mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff oakley Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 This seems to me very sad as these cars are not normally this much trouble. I haven't read every thread so forgive me, but how mechanically minded are you? The reason I ask is if this car has been modified to the extent it seems, then you may be asking for parts that seem correct but are not. Take the starter motor, did you test the old one or just assume it was at fault? did you then compare the new with the old and count the teeth on the pinion on the end of the starter motor? If the pinion is so stuck in the ring gear that it won't rock out it suggests a mismatch of parts to me. When you have the motor out you need to count the teeth on the ring gear and on the pinion to make sure they match, if they do then check the alignment of the starter to the ring gear. If you rig up a battery with jump leads you can test all this befor putting the motor back in. If as others have said you bail out and sell it you may well get another car that is better but you are now in a position where you have done so much on the car that it is a known product and will be okay once sorted out. Just hang in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conehead Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 It is the same starter with the same number of teeth. It is also the correct starter for the number of teeth. The starter has the exact symptons of the old one which previously started the engine ok. With albeit a little lacking in turning power. Anyway it seems to me that the starter has slowly ground away at the ring. It also looks like someone has made an attempt to repair the a tooth on the ring with a spot weld which probalby hasn't done it a lot of good. Hopefully my thrust bearing will arrive tomoRrow so I can think of putting it backtogether with a bog standard flywhEel and clutch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbon-nv Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 From previous posts, it's obvious that you've been through the mill with this car and it probably seems like everything that could go wrong has done. However, just ditching it now and probably losing a fortune on it will likely leave a bitter taste, so just keep working away at it sorting out the issues one by one and, in time, you will get to a point where all is basically okay. You'll also end up with so much knowledge of it's peculiarities that tackling future jobs will appear less daunting. Hang in there and just walk away for a little while if you feel tempted to take a sledgehammer to it. Actually getting round to just driving it will feel all the more rewarding and I'm sure that point is not too far off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Nuts Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 I would say what MarkMK has said. May be go to your local meet, talk to other members they might be willing to lend you a hand or atleast advice, don't let it defeat you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conehead Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 Thanks for all the re-assuring comments but they are easy to say but not so easy to act on. Put it into perspective, i have owned the car since november 2011 and had 1 proper drive where it didn't break Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 well the choice is yours fella -clearly you purchased a a bit of a dud when you take a risk on a shed (I am assuming you didn't pay a lot for it) then you pays your money and takes your chance - it is no different to any other car or bike where you could be in the same situation the only way to get the car fully sorted is a total strip down - if you have had most of the car to bits and rebuilt to a good standard then surely you must be getting to a point where you know the car very well ?? - If you feel like you have barely scratched the surface of the car then you need to either make the decision to rebuild it yourself (assuming you have the ability, iclination and time) or get shot of it If you have a look at the for sale section at some of the what appear to be very well sorted cars (AdamR and Jenkos spring to mind) it is clear to see that you are taking a lot less of a punt when buying certain motors I was lucky enough to buy a fairly well put together part factory built westfield that had covered less than 1000 miles - even so I spent the first year or so fine tuning the car, sorting out chafing bits and pieces, improving various areas of the car to ensure that the car was as reliable as possible So far :suspect: it has never let me down on the road - the only breakage from memory was a drive shaft flange which disintegrated at the end of a track day (and that was probably my fault as it was probably just about the only nut/bolt on the car that I had never checked as I assumed they just would not come loose - or more likely it was never tightened fully when built) it is all about the quality of build and the maintenance/checking and development of the car that keeps them trouble free IMO Again sorry to not be any help - but I guess you just wanted to vent a little By the way the crossflow is a very very reliable engine in standard-ish form Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conehead Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 (I am assuming you didn't pay a lot for it) I'm afraid I paid well over the odds for it as I'm impatient person who always jumps in head first and regrets it later but is guaranteed to do the exact same thing the next day with the given opportunityYou will laugh but it cost me a simdge below 4k as I got caught in a bidding war, probably the fellas mate. Any way engines on a bench, flywheel off and replaced with standard one. My lightened one weighs in at 4400 grams. a full 2.3 kilos less than standard on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conehead Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 I have counted the teeth on the replacement flywheel and I have 110 teeth, as far as I am aware this only fits a Inertia starter! This must not be right in my view as Filfan (the person the flywheel came from) definitely had a high torque starter on the car. If I'm confused and 110 teeth is for a high torqe starter i'm b*******ed as i will then have to buy one. I will also be b*******ed cause it explains why the previous ring has been mangled to b*******y as the car has always had an lucas inertia starter on it and the lightened flywheel also has 110 teeth... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianE Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 How many teeth are on the engine you dad had off me , would it be worth having a look at that one ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff oakley Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 You need to make sure the starter pinion meshes with the flywheel correctly. How many teeth on the pinion. Looking at the ring gear the leading edge on the teeth is set up for a starter that engages from the rear, so when fitted to the engine the pinion will be past the ring gear behind it. If the starter you have is pushing from the front there will be no leading edge which can cause them to not mesh or stick engaged. this should not be a problem that cannot be solved and have you happily on your way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 I'm confused. having read this I've assumed the car started OK but then wouldn't. If I'm correct it's nothing to do with ring gears or pinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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