The 1957 Dope Dauphine

[Adey]

So it mothers day and we are lockdown so the best thing to do is obviously head out and work on the car right? i did take one of the the kids out with me so wifey wasn't left to do all the work.

Started with a compression test, the results were very low and off for a car that runs ok in my opinion.
Cylinder 1 80psi
2 65psi
3 67psi
4 100psi
I think i need to do a hot test and check that again and also make sure im using the compression tester properly. I gave the head a re-torque on the off chance it was loose with age, 2 of the hard to reach bolts have slots cut in them so im assuming someones done a HG previously but couldn't get a socket in? I could though so loosened and nipped all of them up, they all took a bit more torque than i needed to release them. I then reset the valve clearances again to make sure they were correct. I can't run the engine enough to warm it up but after the last few jobs being done it literally started instantly. Better than it ever has before....... can it fire up so well and still have a hg gone....?

 

[Adey]

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

The fan and rocker cover came up great for a lick of paint!!

 

[Adey]

Yeah not bad at all. I've been using some spare plastic bumper paint i had kicking about and it seems to give a thick decent coat with very little prep. Have used it a few times on other parts and i kinda like the shade of it. Twingos wheels will probably end up this colour too

 

[Adey]

So its me, so of course my order from France turned up incorrect. The kit was sent for a 4 outlet pump though i definitely ordered a single out let pump kit. This means the gaskets are incorrect and the rotational carbon seal is the wrong size. The shop have said they will post out the correct items tomorrow but still a pain. The main bearings were correct so i have built the housing back up using a bolt and washer to make sure pressure was applied to the outer race and not the inner.

Ive also managed to bag a headgasket set off ebay so prepared if i need to whip it apart completely.

 

[andybond]

Thats a bit frustrating!

 

[Adey]

I'm bored. I removed and painted the dynamo. that bored I was tempted to just pull the head for good measure and relap the valves and swap the headgasket. Everytime I do something in always find more work though so will leave it for now.

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

Wow she’s looking a lot fresher in there now..

 

[Adey]

tempted to paint the lower tin ware to match?

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

tempted to paint the lower tin ware to match?

get it done!!

 

[Brigsy]

Have you tested comp again after retorque? I had great success retorquing the head on my Extra when it started absolutely pissing out oil from the gallery years ago. I was just using stock torque settings, and went a bit tighter and all issues were sorted, it ran better too.

 

[Adey]

not as of yet, but will do once the battery is charged up again. If theres no improvement but it still starts and runs I might just leave it that said it's less work than a c1j to pull apart as theres so little attached to it.

 

[Turbell]

If it's still low when hot, let it cool and put some oil down suspect pots and recheck comp, if it goes up it might point to bores rather than anything else, then where do you stop if goal is transplant in future?
With old shit when you start .....where do you stop.
My machine shop has finally done everything for my latest build .....six months, last two, solid nagging and let downs, he's ace, but what a battle!

 

[Adey]

I'm kinda thinking if it runs and drives fine (it's already a million times better than when I picked it up) I might just leave it for now tbh and use it.

 

[Turbell]

And if it's a copper gasket that's on, when they've been tight and cooked, there's not much more they'll go, one I'm building now, block had stretched on weaker cam side, so liners were low on one side, Water in oil, temp all over the place , mains and b/e's tits'd

 

[Adey]

Oil separator/breather/cap given some grey aswell

 

[andybond]

Looks a million times better!

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

OOOOH OE Badge....

 

[Adey]

retro parts delivery. full head gasket set. Copper gaskets ! not sure what the little black rubber things are for?

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

Wow a copper head gasket!? Thought that was only something used when you’re running out of options to keep a C1J together at high boost pressure, not a stonking 30bhp??