expeatfarmer

Having exhausted all other possibilities I have finally decided to remove the mag from 225 and fit it to 137 . 225 has not run for at least ten years so the mag needed to be stripped and cleaned. Having done so I noticed that in the process of just handling the mag it gave me a belt which the other never has. I hope that it has taught me a lesson in that because the 137 mag was refurbished by a specialist it would be right and the non starting issues arose from other causes. I have yet to fit it and try but the bench drill test was far more impressive than the 137 mag so fingers crossed for the morning.

Tat's the ones, held in by 4 U bolts, I scaled up the parts book to get the sizes. Still not running, have now taken off air tube,stripped carb again, tried running to watch fuel through carb, top of the float was quite dented so thought problem may be too high fuel level in float chamber, not that, tried swapping plugs, tried different gaps most I have had is four firings. Friend called in today so was able to get him to crank engine whilst I watched the start timing with a strobe,was firing at about 4degrees after TDC so reset mag to 0 degrees still wont go. I have now removed the mag from 225 which I will clean up and test.

Nice new air filter arrived today courtesy of a chap called Chris Pamplin an expert on Vokes filters, he had two made for me. I have fitted one but not run engine yet, yesterday the mixture was good at speed but rich on tickover so may risk fitting a smaller slow running jet especially as the filter will richen things up slightly. Finally fitted the second floorboard. The fan belt was annoying me and very difficult to tension so fitted a new one a bit smaller, it meant completely unbolting the engine and sliding it forwards but gave me chance to clean up the flywheel etc which were covered in grease and oil from bedding in the starter mechanism. The canopy has suffered a bit with the efforts at getting the engine started so have pulled it off to clean and repair the damage.Hope to give the engine another test run later today and then start a new project.

Managed to get one fitted before tea. I decided that the originals were probably creosoted so have blacked them up a bit.

Who's that nutter with the big silly grin?

Fitted smaller jets,engine was an absolute pig to start again, managed it by opening the throttle 1 degree on the lever each attempt until it started. Once running top end revs were perfect, ran it for about 20 minutes before I slowed it down enough to get it into gear. Ticked over at about 350 rpm, tried to slow it down a bit more and it stopped. Ran yesterday with 18 thou plug gap, ran today with 20. Once it cools down I will take the plug out and have a look at it.

Pulled the plug out of 137 this morning. Looking at it wet and very black after it's run yesterday I think my diagnosis of rich mixture may be right. Fitting the floorboards and then going to change the jets,fingers crossed it starts again.

Thanks for your support

Thanks guys it is much appreciated. Bouncing ideas off like minded people makes a huge difference when you are struggling to solve a problem.

The condenser on this mag is buried within the main armature, if it fails it is a new armature! Thanks to a lot of support I have finally tracked down the fault with 137, I removed the magneto and bench tested it with a drill and rubber hose drive, poor spark. Removed the points assembly from the Lucas mag. which is a total rotating assembly within a static cam ring. The points were clean and good but then I noticed that where the main point spring is anchored the rebuilder had added a small piece of spring that curved very close too if not touching the insulated points post. Took it out and refitted the points, the whole spring was touching the post hence why the extra bit was added refitted the extra bit turned over so the curvature was the other way and tested mag again, brilliant spark. Refitted the mag good spark but still not running continuously two bangs and then stop opened the throttle a fraction and it started, quickly connected a timing light strobe and found that on the advanced run setting on the manual lever the timing was 36 degrees advance when it should be 20 stopped the engine retarded the ignition and tried again 25 degrees advance stopped and re set again just by rotating the flywheel rather than looking what was going on with the points, started it again measured the timing in the run setting, 20 degrees RESULT. Engine runs sweet at 450 rpm any faster and it is lumpy any slower the same. Using a compressed air gun I squirted air down the inlet and the engine ran smooth and then died back, slowed the engine down and tried the same , same effect. Current diagnosis is that the jets in the carb are too big introducing a rich mixture. That is my fault because the original jets fitted to the carb were much smaller than the 100 main jet and 25 slow running jet that are normally fitted to an MG2. I thought that maybe the car originated from a 400 cc lawnmower engine so fitted standard TB engine MG2 jets. My task in the morning is to refit the original jets and see what happens. At least I am ( i think ) in a position now where there is one fuel related issue rather than a combination of fuel ignition and buggeration factor.! I have added a couple of photos showing the extra spring piece between the screw head at 6 o’clock and the spring anchor at 7 o’clock.

Some of the problem is that you can't see what's going on whilst you are cranking the engine . I have come up with a plan for a belt drive electric start which i will try tomorrow. I am sure that if it could be spun over under full compression it would go.

Another frustrating day, fitted the bumper which I am pleased with, discovered that the decompressor mechanism was effectively preventing the engine drawing fuel when the exhaust valve is forcibly held open by the decompressor all the suck and blow takes place within the exhaust. I adjusted the mechanism and tried to just use it to get rotation started and then turn the handle against full compression, I can do it and managed to produce a couple of double bangs. One of my big hairy sons came round and he had a go with the same effect although frustrating it was quite satisfying that it knackered him as much as it does me ! I keep looking at the magneto and thinking that because it is fitted with a Lucas MA 1 magneto instead of an N1 L that this may have some bearing but then it has run and ran well. I am at a point now where it will fire once every time I turn it over but just will not pick up and go. I have had the same symptoms with MG6 engines and simply swapped to a new plug and away it went. Tried the same tactic with 137 fitting brand new N9y plugs via an adaptor but no change. If anyone has any thoughts please share.

Floorboards, U bolts and front bumper ( force drying over the Aga )

At least today was productive, managed to bend up a new bumper out of steel strip fortunately I was able to take a template off 225. So started the day as a blacksmith and then spend many hours trying to figure out how the floorboards were meant to be. I thought I had gained some time by buying some part built sets from Neil only to realise that 137 had a totally different arrangement using two boards suspended under the cross shaft by four U bolts which I now have to make. I have made one complete board which required a lot of trial fitting and messing about, the second board is simply a mirror image so it should not take long to make that in the morning. Fortunately I had a couple of lengths of pitch pine ex church pew which are wide enough and thick enough.

Made the bumper, have nice new copper period HT lead and now working on the floorboards.

Thought it was too good to be true 137 would not start this morning, found a major air leak on the engine side of the carb through the slot which clamps the carb to the manifold, sealed that up ,still would not start, I have never had any dealings before with a Lucas magneto but looking at it I thought the cam ring in the clamp did not look right when you advanced the timing the whole ring moved outwards. The cam ring has a notch cut out of it to limit the advance retard which locates against a pin. When you move the running lever to 20 degrees advance the cam ring moved outwards and was obviously disengaged from the limit pin. I made some adjustments to the advance lever and refitted the ring which showed that the ignition timing was out, I have reset the timing to top dead centre starting, still would not run. Now I have discovered that the main throttle slide is not snapping shut against the bottom of the venturi when no throttle is applied. I have now dismantled the carb with a view to ensuring the slides are free and snapping shut for starting. In the morning I am going to make the floorboards and front bumper before I go near starting it again.

Norman if you bring your camera maybe you can take a video and post it.

The one you sent me for Christmas has not arrived yet!!!!!

1 37 is alive and well!!!! After three solid days of trying everything I could think of to get it running I was at the point of despair and so knackered from cranking that I thought it safer for me not to try again whist my wife was out in case I had a stroke or something daft. Whilst she was out walking the dog I put the decals on and just sat and looked at it trying to think of something else to try. Some time ago I came across a very rusty ancient mica insulated three point spark plug which was in one of the heads that came with 137, I sand blasted it and polished it up as a keepsake. 137 had fired a few times, once it fired a five bang run so it was not far away. I took the plug out put some oil down the bore and then sat for about half an hour just turning the engine over to try to loosen things up. Put the plug back and tried again, fired once and stopped. I then took the plug out and fitted the three point ancient plug turned the crank and off it went running like a dream. I ran the engine for half an hour checking for oil flow in the dry sump and any leaks. Stopped the engine and had a celebratory coffee and then tried to start it again hey presto off it went again. Thank goodness for that . Now I can make up a bumper, fit some floor boards and then crack on with some other machines for Malvern.

So frustrating when you know this engine has probabley not run for fourty years, there is a combination of fueling ignition timing and sod' s law that will make it run but I have the blisters on my right hand to show that it is not going to give in without a fight.

You would think so but I still make rookie mistakes, discovered after a huge amount of effort that when setting up the valve timing I had mistaken a mark on the crank sprocket for the timing mark hence no suck as valves were 180 degrees out. Sorted that out and now I can get one firing but try as I might I cannot get enough fuel through to wet the plug. Going to take some oxygen and have a lie down before I try again in the morning.Norman came over to give me a hand which was much appreciated.

I wish it did sound good, spent hours trying to get it to fire but combination of ignition and fuel is screwing things up plus it is an absolute pig to turn over a real arm muscle ripper.Have left it to think to itself that it better behave in the morning.The lucas mag has been rebuilt by a specialist so that should be ok I have used the jets that were fitted to the carb but not sure if they are the right size ,not even had a bang out of it yet!

I ordered a complete stainless exhaust with fish tail and then discovered from the mounting points and photos that no fish tail was fitted so Neil made me a one off long pipe.

Thanks Norman quite special, the old guy that approached me to restore it had seen my digger and asked if I would take it on, I said yes without knowing what I was in for. I just hope he is pleased with what I have done.

Today was track fitting and lubricating hubs,final drives and track rollers. The arduous task of tensioning both tracks was also finalised 29 track pads per side, two bolts per track , 116 bolts to tighten to achieve a spacing between track plate faces of 21/16". Boring and laborious but has to be done, planet rock on the radio a glove on the right hand and get stuck in! two hours later ,job done! Using a ratchet spanner on one side and a long spanner on the other makes it bearable. Both tracks set for pitch and then tensioned to 1 1/2" below load roller for correct track tension. I used three clamps to hold the tracks in position whilst I made the join. Tomorrow I will top up the engine and main gearbox oil and then fingers crossed start the engine, no idea how long it is since this engine ran but I hope I have everything at optimum to achieve a good start without breaking my wrists as these engines are notorious for doing. I have a secret weapon which I hope will make it both easier and safer. Final jobs are to make up floorboard sections, front bumper and then final touch up. And finally to apply the two decals to each side which are the only Ransomes reference on the whole machine. Over it's life 137 was serviced by a main dealer and had a number of later fitments such as a tool box and track mudguards but my ideal has been to restore it to a condition in which I believe it left the factory some time in February 1936.