E55 LBR the parallel project

[fay66]

Hi all
Further investigation of the workshop manual reveals there are sets of springs that affect the gearchange so that will be a starting place . It seems the springs will be accessible from the top of the gear box so a win-win situation. The car has been outside under a tarp since last Easter so it may well be a gummy set of springs to sort out.
Clarkey

Have you checked if there is a swivel mechanism, the same as was on the back of the gearbox, of my Gtie? Perhaps  this is the same on  the turbo. there are lots of wear points on this, as well as all the bushes  in the system, when we bought our Gtie you could hardly tell what gear you were is as it was like stirring porridge.
The Gtie also had the Brazilian engine, so perhaps the Tuebo is the same.
The difference it made after the repairs was near unbelievable, it was so positive.
I used to have the exploded illustration taken from eper, but this was in the Y10 manual that I sold.
Brian
8227

[lancianut666]

Hi fay66
I replaced the swivel on the back of the gearbox it made no difference so I will have a look at the springs in the gearbox.
Clarkey

[fay66]

Hi fay66
I replaced the swivel on the back of the gearbox it made no difference so I will have a look at the springs in the gearbox.
Clarkey

Hi Ckarkey
Have you changed all the rest of the bushes in the linkage?
I'm trying to find a copy of eper on line that i can look at, I'll also have a look to see if I saved a copy of the relevant information.
Brian
8227

[frankxhv773t]

Here's a set of pictures of the gear change and  all its bits. I think Clarkey is right to look to the springs in the gearbox as the source of loss of the self centring action unless the cup bushes in the fore and aft control rods have completely broken down, which would be pretty obvious on inspection.

[fay66]

Here's a set of pictures of the gear change and  all its bits. I think Clarkey is right to look to the springs in the gearbox as the source of loss of the self centring action unless the cup bushes in the fore and aft control rods have completely broken down, which would be pretty obvious on inspection.

Mine was so bad that it was pot luck what gear you engaged.
I never had to check the box itself  as by the time I'd replaced everything, and there was no need to, so perhaps it is as  you suggest Frank, but I'd change all the bushes and whatever else needs replacing, before thinking of having to check inside the box itself.
Brian
8227

[lancianut666]

Hi Brian
All the bushes were changed and I was amazed at the lack of improvement, this was followed by changing the pivot that bolts onto the gearbox and again no real improvement so the gearbox bits are accessible once the spare wheel is removed so I will have a check of the state of the springs and if they need some lubrication.
Clarkey

[fay66]

Hi Brian
All the bushes were changed and I was amazed at the lack of improvement, this was followed by changing the pivot that bolts onto the gearbox and again no real improvement so the gearbox bits are accessible once the spare wheel is removed so I will have a check of the state of the springs and if they need some lubrication.
Clarkey

Hi Clarkey,
Good luck 👍
Brian
8227

[lancianut666]

Hi all
As the Y10 needed to be moved outside so it can be worked on I took the opportunity to have a look inside the cover over the first crank inside the gearbox. From the diagram  (see above) I expected the springs to be dry and possibly rusty as this is on the top of the gearbox and after 90K plus miles... Any way after removing the four bolts and popping the cover off I was surprised (again on this problem ) to see no dryness or rust but just greasy looking steel surfaces. I cleaned off the old oil and dirt dropped a dollop of gearbox oil into the chamber and fastened the lid back on. Weather permitting we might have a few laps of the unit tomorrow, I was going to fit some new plugs but the motor factor has sold me  the wrong type so I will see if I can get them to change them. On removing the sparewheel the plastic screw in retainer disintegrated so if anyone has a spare please get in touch. The boot on these tiny cars is so tiny the sparewheel will not fit in without dropping the seat back down.

Clarkey

[frankxhv773t]

You must have a rather different boot to me because mine not only takes the standard spare wheel with plenty of room to spare but also an alloy wheel which is too thick to fit under the bonnet. I've always countered claims that the Y10 boot is like a "letterbox" by saying it's bigger than you'd think. You should be able to carry four people and their bags for a long weekend (performance will be a bit dented though).

[lancianut666]

Hi Frank
It will go in but the parcel shelf won't lie flat.
Clarkey

[frankxhv773t]

I thought all the parcel shelves either detached, like mine, or folded down against the seat back. Perhaps there's another sort out there.

[lancianut666]

Hi all
Talking about spark plugs I was watching Wheeler Dealers or was it Car SOS or was it Bangers and Cash? Anyway the subject was of old spark plugs left in even older cars that were all sooty. The advice was that as (unbeknown to me) the spark plug manufacturers had stopped glazing the porcelain bit in the middle as with all the lean burn engines spark plugs never got sooty or wet anymore the commentator (Elvis? Ed? Fuzz? Ant? Derek?) pinioned that as a result of this the unglazed porcelain soaked up the excessively rich mixture and shaggadoobied the spark plug. I think there is something in the lean burn stuff as my car a 2021 1.2 Suzuki has already done 40K plus miles on a single set of plugs. This contrasts with all my restoration projects that just eat spark plugs for fun not lasting 10 miles never mind 10,000 miles. Also comments on the shelf life of modern petrol were made and I got the impression more than a month and you were asking for problems (I usually leave the petrol a minimum of a year between start ups and wonder why the poor things especially the Y10 backfires to an Olympic standard when I try to give it a few laps of the unit) as Ethanol is as well commented on elsewhere is unstable and E10 stuff is probably going off as you pull the trigger on the petrol pump nozzle! My thoughts on this are a) only put enough petrol in so you can give the car a proper run in miles not yards or b) use one of those little 2 litre emergency plastic tanks you can hook onto the bonnet and connect up from there.
Now where is that invoice for those wrong spark plugs.....
Clarkey
ps I think it was Wheeler Dealers and Elvis as he has F1 experience

[lancialulu]

on the subject of not keeping fuel in your classic this may be ok if it is sufficiently  modern to have a plastic tank, but it is asking for trouble if it is a steel  tank. Steel rusts (just peer into any steel tank) in contact with moisture laden air (typical conditions for storage from autumn to spring), this leading to rust  getting into the fuel system blocking jets etc and rotting out the top of fuel tanks. I have always put my cars away with a full tank (near as dammit) when I am not using it. Never had any running problems 6 months later.

[SanRemo78]

My project Beta came with about 25 litres in the tank, how old it was I have no idea but the inside of the tank is surface rusty. The outside is a different story. The bottom of the tank was Dinotrolled and undersealed. I'm currently scraping it all off to reveal pristine steel underneath with only mild corrosion where the protection was scored. The top of the tank didn't get treated so it's got surface rust. However I think it's all eminently saveable with a POR15 treatment. If it needs welding it should only be to the (never to be seen again) top surface! And yes, it's been properly ventilated buy purging it with a 30 minute run of diesel fumes from the exhaust of the Alfa!

I'll be following Tim's advice and storing the car with a full tank over Winter. All fuel lines are going to be replaced so my only area of (slight) concern will be the corrosive effects of modern fuels on the Weber carburettor.. Time will tell.
Guy

[lancianut666]

The Y10 has a plastic tank holding a healthy 10 gallons.