340 upgrade

BlownMGB-V8 · August 14, 2016, 02:22:10 PM

Might as well attach the photos for the A/C plumbing as well:

That's complete as far as the cabin. Kept most of the cold run inside and most of the hot run outside. More efficient that way and less insulation required.

Jim

ex-tyke · August 15, 2016, 08:18:04 AM

Noticed that all your (A/C, hydraulic and pneumatic) thin wall tube runs have really nice mandrel-type bends - what kind of tube bending equipment are you using?

BlownMGB-V8 · August 15, 2016, 10:17:53 AM

Mainly an old KD hand bender that does 3/16 to 3/8". I mount it in the vise for most of the work, and I made an accessory for it to push the tube around the die. It's a handle made of 1/8" strap that attaches to the hub with a through-pin and has a UHMW pusher block with 4 grooves in it which fits tightly against the die and the tube. Put the tube in the bender, fit up the handle, insert the pin, then pull the tube around the die. I've found that with this nicopp tube it sometimes helps to pull on the tube (stretch) as it comes around to reduce wrinkling inside the bend. It's been so long since I made the handle that I've forgotten but I probably had to mount the bender spool in a lathe to drill the pin hole in the center. (with the handle flying around trying to smack me as I was drilling I'd suspect) I used that tool extensively when plumbing my small tractor for external hydraulics using 3/8" hard line and it did a good job on that too.

The main difference between that and most of the benders you see available is the pusher block, and that can be added to almost any cheap bender. All you really need is the formed die. Once you have that and a reasonable short end stop you just need something to push the tube around, and UHMW works great for that.

For the 1/2 aluminum I have a HF bender with a good die but I don't use the catch or the follower roller as they both damage the tube. Instead, with it clamped in the vise I hand pull the tube around the die. That's a little tricky to avoid a kink, and multiple bends close together would be difficult. If I was using it more I'd modify it with a formed block at each end. Those are easy to make by just drilling a hole through the UHMW and splitting it with a saw.

On the coils, I've used several things, and a soft surface is real helpful. I've got an old lathe spindle that I chuck the form up in and turn it by hand, guiding the tubing freehand. On some I've cut a slot in the end to start, otherwise rig some sort of a clamp. I've found rubber corks to be helpful as well as the butt end of an old cue stick for pushing things into place, also a prybar with a rubber strip taped over the end. That nicopp is very easy to dent, but with patience it does make an attractive job. The 1/8" stainless was actually some of the easiest to work with as it isn't prone to kinking or denting and I was able to use a small diameter wooden form. (dowell rod)

Maybe the best hint I can think of though, is to be very patient when straightening out the coil of tubing before starting, as the straighter it is to start with the nicer the job ends up being. That, and don't be afraid to bend your newly formed tube to get it to go in place. You can usually bend it back. Also measure carefully and precisely. Your bending die is your best friend here as you can easily eyeball the radius center as well as the inside and outside of the tube at the end of the bend, and if you measure to the end of the bend and set your tube in the die that way, that's how it comes out. You can also just eyeball a mark on your tube. I like to use 90 degree bends whenever it can be reasonably done because it makes the measuring a lot easier and you don't have to mess with an angle gage.

Jim

MGBV8 · August 15, 2016, 10:25:25 AM

I have a piece of wheelbarrow handle (round to square) that come in handy.

BlownMGB-V8 · January 11, 2017, 03:24:07 PM

Still plugging away on the software to run the transmission controller. I'm not a programmer but I'm trying to learn what I need to adapt it to the 8 speed. Currently studying port and pin assignment and configuration for the Motorola HSC12 microcontroller family, specifically port "T" and pins PT5, 6, 7 and PT0. I'm trying to learn how to command the Data Direction Register DDRT so that it sees PT6 and PT0 as inputs and the rest of the 8 pins as outputs.

If I can get past that there is more to do, but that is presently the most important thing.

Jim

BlownMGB-V8 · February 19, 2017, 11:37:21 AM

So I've been trying to puzzle this thing out. I've bought a couple of books, one on the Motorolla HSC12 embedded microprocessor family and one on programming for C. It's not my forte so progress is going to be very slow. In the meantime I've been asking around and my current long term plan is to work with a local college professor and see if we can set up a student project next year sometime.

But that doesn't get me driving. So short term I'm going to nerf the controller and take two of the LED outputs used for the digital gear display and jumper those over to run two of the shifting solenoids. I will jumper the paddle upshift back to it's usual port. With any luck that will get the transmission out of limp-home mode and then I can concentrate on tuning. Provided this works I should be able to drive the car very soon.

Jim

BlownMGB-V8 · February 26, 2017, 02:36:36 PM

Well that solution didn't get too far because coding is required in order to configure an LED output as anything else.

So, now I'm looking at pulling the jumpers for the two least important solenoids. It looks like that will be the ones for Clutch pack 3 and brake band 1. with those disabled I will have gears 1,4,5 and 6. 6th is 1:1 so no overdrive and since 1st is about 4.5:1 there's a huge jump to 4th which is about 1.8. But the car can currently lay down 50 yards of double stripes from a rolling start uphill in 3rd so at least it should be driveable and I can work on some tuning. I just have to work out the new jumper assignments and then sort out the GUI configuration in TunerStudio.

Jim

BlownMGB-V8 · March 20, 2017, 12:05:17 AM

Still working on learning to program in "C". But in the meantime, here's some eye candy:

I have my new hubs blanked out. So some day they will be on the car. That's over $100 just in billet aluminum right there. Then you whittle most of it away and turn it into scrap. It's hardly even worth the trouble to recycle.

But, a few more hours on the lathe and then some on the mill and they will be ready. Caps though, got to think about caps. Can't be using those ugly tin ones.

Jim

BlownMGB-V8 · May 03, 2017, 10:17:59 PM

Trying to get ready for 2017BritishV8. I have the hubs done except for bolts:

I'll have to make plates to mount the Outlaw calipers as well.

As for the transmission, since it doesn't look like the code will be ready to run the 8 speed in time I've made plans to install a T5 temporarily. That way I can at least drive the car while the bugs are being worked out, and I'm considering setting up a test bench to drive the transmission for that purpose.

Also, I found the '85 XJ6 speedo is the same size as the early MGB and has a motor on the back. That and the pulse generator in the T5's speedo drive might be compatible.

Jim

rficalora · May 04, 2017, 08:16:23 PM

Hope to see your car Jim. Its been too long!

BlownMGB-V8 · May 12, 2017, 06:13:43 PM

It has. Things are looking reasonably promising. Here is a photo of my new adapter brackets to mount my Outlaw calipers.

Jim

rficalora · May 12, 2017, 11:13:49 PM

You must be pretty confident if you're taking the time to anodize brackets

. They look great.

BlownMGB-V8 · May 13, 2017, 01:16:19 PM

Thanks Rob. Just a little corrosion resistance where it'll do some good. I only wish I'd been able to do the wheels. That's be pretty ambitious, but who knows, maybe over the winter I could do it. It's coming along. The flywheel is out for balancing and I've cut down the HTOB to accommodate the bent-finger pressure plate.Reduced travel but I think it'll be OK. Need to get hoses made up, bleed the clutch and front brakes, do some tuning, and hopefully sort out the speedo. If not, well, I have GPS on the phone.

Jim

BlownMGB-V8 · May 16, 2017, 03:02:06 PM

Brake photos:

Hopefully I'll have hoses and flywheel tomorrow and can install the tranny. Then order up a driveshaft and the rest is just details.

Jim

MGBV8 · May 16, 2017, 03:27:53 PM

You & Terry Schulte.

Oops, I thought it was Terry. Somebody from the Fast Cars shop had fancy wavy rotors.

BlownMGB-V8 · May 19, 2017, 01:33:48 PM

Got the tranny installed. Driveshaft should be here tuesday. A few other details to see to.

Jim

mowog1 · May 19, 2017, 09:18:12 PM

re: Somebody from the Fast Cars shop had fancy wavy rotors.

That would be the red MGB conversion with the Portavents on the side.

mgb260 · May 19, 2017, 10:35:14 PM

Jim, Do you happen to know how much weight was added to the flywheel for balancing?

BlownMGB-V8 · May 19, 2017, 11:34:01 PM

I'll try to get you an approximate number tomorrow. It was more than the weight Chris's guy added but less than double that. I should be able to get you a number that is close.

Jim

BlownMGB-V8 · May 31, 2017, 11:37:22 AM

Jim, the best estimate that I can give you was that it was probably somewhere in the vicinity of 150 grams. certainly over 120 and less than twice that, so I'd say maybe 150-175g. So around 5-6 ounces, placed against the rim on the back side.

Jim

BlownMGB-V8 · May 31, 2017, 11:42:07 AM

Looks like more slippage in the schedule. Ended up destroying the seal in the HTOB and since those are very unique and proprietary a google search on the seal number drew a blank.

SOo.... another $48 and a 3-7 day wait for another HTOB. That doesn't leave enough time for install and shakedown/tuning so the roadster will stay home this time. I'll bring it to Townsend instead. Too bad, I know a few were looking forward to the tech session. Guess we'll do Roadmaster A/C instead.

Jim

MGBV8 · May 31, 2017, 02:18:50 PM

Sorry to hear that, Jim. I know it has been a long time.

ex-tyke · May 31, 2017, 09:10:06 PM

QuoteEnded up destroying the seal in the HTOB...

For such a high priced product, most HTOB's are overpriced, underperforming pieces of crap. An HTOB stopped me from going to British V8 2002 in Tennessee, so I can sense your disappointment - do yourself a favour and ditch the thing and go to an external slave cylinder.
Roadmaster will be more than suitable alternative.

rficalora · May 31, 2017, 09:14:04 PM

Jim - is there not time to make a bracket & use an external slave? Don't have to pull the engine for that.

BlownMGB-V8 · June 01, 2017, 11:16:24 AM

Rob, it's worth thinking about. The biggest issue with using this OEM style HTOB is that you have to install and remove the T5 and bellhousing as a unit. This causes a lot of other problems, such as:

Cutting the fixed crossmember and fashioning a removable section becomes mandatory unless the engine is removed also.

Unless either the engine is positioned very far forwards or the engine mounts etc allow the engine to be greatly tilted to the rear, it is not removable due to the firewall. In most cases this will also mean unbolting the headers from the heads for transmission removal, and possibly unbolting the engine mounts. It may mean jacking up the front of the engine as well.

Access to the bellhousing/engine bolts is very difficult.

In addition, it requires careful selection of the pressure plate as it is incompatible with a high RPM bent finger diaphragm style PP. To get the same performance, a finger-weighted style such as CenterForce must be used, adding additional expense.

Then as Graham notes there is the quality. Upon removal of the seal I was able to inspect the bore and the shortcomings there are obvious. No deburring was done on the holes that lead to the bore for pressure and bleed, resulting in some very sharp edges in proximity to the seal. It looks rather clear that every time the seal bottomed in the bore these edges took a nibble out of the back outer edge of the seal, any one of which could have caused leakage.

And finally there is the fact that you cannot use this HTOB without an $80 input shaft bearing retainer which is difficult to source. Unless that is already on the transmission it is an additional expense.

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Now to be fair, the alternatives are not perfect. Aftermarket HTOBs also do not allow the use of a bent finger PP. They have had quality issues. They generally have no anti-rotation provision aside from the hoses. And they are ridiculously expensive.

A mechanical TOB has friction, clearance, linkage and slave issues, but it will allow the use of the bent finger PP if room can be found externally. Usually this means a "pull" type cylinder, shortening of the clutch arm, and juggling of bore sizes to get something that works and feels acceptable. However, I'm willing to consider that possibility. A cable release arm such as used in the V6 Buick application would allow a rear mounted standard cylinder.

Jim