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I have three photos of the carby on my ’53 or ’54 Hereford engine, which had only done 35,ooo miles when I removed it from the wrecked body it was in. Apart from being resprayed in a metallic grren colour, it has never been dismantled. I have it on a stand so that I can test gearboxes when I have finished them. If you e-mail me on pjhackney@optusnetnet.com.au I wll send them to you. Perhaps it might identify what you have.
Regards-Peter.
Hi Robin,
The Atlantic derived its suspension from the A70, which used the A40 components, and this was then used on the BN1 Healey, and I am sure on the BN2. Some time ago, one of the Healey parts suppliers, not sure who, developed a new bearing ass’y to replace the upper stainless and bronze washers that are in the top of the fulcrum.
This consists of a ring that has small diameter balls around it, and mating top and bottom ball caps. I think it also is supplied with shims for adjustment, though not positive about that. It was designed to make the steering lighter, and comments I have heard would tend to verify this. I would think that the Somerset would also have the same arrangement as the ones mentioned. If your steering is quite heavy, the use of the ball bearings in the upper fulcrum nshould help. Whilst I would have an Atlantic cap I could measure the inner diameter of, I don’t have a Somerset one.
With my convertible, as mentioned, the steering is extremely light, and can be driven easily with just one finger to do the turning. This particular car is the 5th prototype Atlantic made, though the steering box is identical to the later production cars. The coupe models were altered slightly to discard the adjustable thrust on the peg, by using shims under the cap, which I think is what the Somerset has. On my coupe, there was a verys slight “glitch” when turning the wheel, and I found that when I dismantled it, there was was some gaulling on the top and bottom bearing balls. As the rball running surfaces were still good, with a light linishing on these, as well the peg ball surfaces, all new bearings were fitted, and it was all good.
However, looking into the future, I fitted a convertible one I had rebuilt that has the adjustable peg. Whilst it is the same as the proto one, I hope that once on the road it will be just as light to steer. Just at this time, I can only drive it for a few meters in my driveway.
As for self centering, yes, they should tend to straighten , though I have found that with cross ply tyres, not to the same extent as with radials fitted. I have 175/70 on the convertible, and 185/70 on the coupe, as it has 4 inch wide rims.
So, check out the ball races for the top of the King Pins, it could be the answer to your problem. Apart from the need to jack under the spring to take the weight off the shocker, there is no significant dismantling to undertake.
All the best-Peter.
All Good Robin– It is good to have someone to ask assistance of. Having spent 60 years in the electro-mechanical industry, which at times involved large turbines that operated at really high speeds, there were many instances when one did not have a manual to refer to, and such then relied on own teachings/learnings to resolve problems. Lubricants have been part of that experience, so knowing what can be used as an alternative, still giving what is needed is imortant. Not quite sure what you mean that there is no apparent leak with your idler seal, but yet, after topping it up, it is empty after a very short run.
You mention heavy steering. My ’48 Atlantic is very light, much moore than my ’51 coupe. Why, I don’t know, but when rebuilding my convertible, as there were no problems with its steering box, it still has its 1948 oil, and I can turn it with one finger. At 855000 miles, it still has all of its original king pins, and idler, though it has grease in it.
Have you seen the upper bearing kit made initially for the BN1 healey 100-4 cars, for it is an excellant product, making the steering extremely light. I think this kit would also fit the Somerset, though you would need to check on this. If it does fit the Somerset, I am suure it could be installed reasonably easy. Could be worth investigating.
All the best-Peter
No problem with Dave not being in agreement, but in my experience of driving these cars since 1965, the evidence is in-there is no problem in using grease. With travelling 300,000 miles in my coupe, the idler has been lubricated with grease, and it still the original. The same with my previous convertible, travelling 475,000 miles from 1980 to 2001, when I sold it that year, it still hade the original idler as well. If oil is to be used, make sure the seal is OK, for if it is defective, it will soon be empty again. You mentioned that you had replaced the king pins etc, but only checked the idler, and it needed fluid. If the seal is OK, where did the original oil go?
This brings me to a point on steering boxe lubrication. These days, I use Penrite “Lube”, which is an excellant lubrication for applications where there are mating gears, as it really klings to the componants. Also, where there are seals that may tend to weep, unlike oil, it is does not tend to pass through a seal that would otherwise allow oil to exit the housing. Some time ago, it was suggested to me that this could be used in the idler, though it would need an air operated gun, which I don’t have.
Happy Austineering.
All the best-Peter.
In owning initially two A70’s, followed then with several A90’s in which with two, undertaking some 800,000 miles, general purpose grease has always been an effective lubricant in the idler, as well the king pins and ball joints.
Cheers-Peter.
Hi there Dave,
Some time ago, a Healey owner mentioned that the reason for the plate attached to the upper cam gear is to ensure that there is an adequate supply of oil is fed onto the chain. Over the past 55 years, having worked on numerous engines, including three Atlantic and two A70 rebuilds in the past 1o years, I have never come across an engine where there was no plate attached to the upper timing cog.
Whether or not this is the reason the original designers put it there in the first place, I can’t say, but there must have been a reason, and I would not fit the cog without it attached. My current coupe has travelled 300.000 miles, with only the chain and tensioner changed during rebuilding it last year. On my previous convertible, undertaking me 475,000 miles over 20 years of everyday driving, not quite sure of the mileage, but perhaps just over half of them, a new chain, tensioner, bearing shells and a set of new pistons, fitted whilst the engine was still in the car. On both that car, and my coupe, both still have the original crank and cam cogs. Now, 20 years on since parting with the convertible, although now used as a club car, the engine still runs extremely well.
Has the supplier of the chaps replacement parts given any reason as to why the plate has been deleted. It would be interesting to hear such.
Regards-Peter.
Hi-just a note on the cam sprocket, in that I recently read that these are being sold by some suppliers without the front cover. Did you supplier mention about removing the one from the original and attaching it to the new one.
Regards-Peter.
Whilst it would be possible to overtighten the cap bolts, the engines that have split pins to secure the caps don’t have torque values as the parts are machined to tollerances that take the thicknesses of the shells. Once the mating surfaces are seated, the only requirements is to tighten to ensure that the nut aligns to the nearest split pin slot. Once the faces are secured, the “fixed” diameter for the bearing shells remains constant.
Not sure when it was instigated, but later A70 were fitted with nyloc type nuts, as were many BN-1 Healeys, although my BN-1 still had split pins on all of the caps. My Healey manual still references the caps fitted with split pins. I have undertaken a number of the 2.2 and 2.6 engines over the last 55 years, and never had any hassles with the shell caps. Always though, be sure to use new good quality split.
Happy days-Peter.
The curved centre section should face rearwards, and with the shocks in good condition, should generally be on a slightly upwards angle.
Cheers-Peter.
Try this to get the length.
How wide is the belt that you emoved?
If the inside width of the water pump pulley at the top is 1/2 inch, it should be a A belt. If 5/8″, could be called a B series. One chap here said it should be an A, and another thought perhaps a B33.
To check the length, slacken the generator to the closed position, then if you have some thin, but strong cardboard, cut a piece around 1 inch wide, with the help of another pair of hands, please the strio on the top of the water pump pulley, then around the generator, then down and around the crank and back to the top, and mark the length. Then measure the length.
If it is an A belt, subtract 2 inches, and that shoud be the length. If it is 5/8, I think you need to subtrack 3 inches.
Talk to your friendly local parts shop, and ask if you can return the belt if it is damaged should the length not be correct.
Happy Austineering-Peter
Could have been a bit clearer regarding the shim washer and the seal in the last comment of my earlier response. Whilst fluid will seep through without the shim washer, it is essential in allowing a very fast pressure relief when releasing the brake pedal, for if the seal does not have the step/rebate around the inner rear diameter, and it is a tight fit onto the piston diameter, both against the rear of the seal and not having the rebate in the seal, allowing blocking the holes near the end of the piston, I believe that this is what is allowing the brakes not to release properly, as the fluid cannet bleed back through the holes in the end of the piston into the seal step, and under the shim washer that has the dimples on ether side to allow ease of return flow.
Hope this is is clear enough. As a point to note, this is not the first time I have heard of binding brakes, with a number of reports that the BN 1 & 2 model Austin Healeys having suffered from this problem, and they have the same master cylinder as the A90 Atlantic.
My comments are based on your mention of the shim washer, indicating the master cylinder you are referring to is the same as on the Atlantic. These have an internal inlet reservoir, separated by an inner partition in which there are 6 holes, probably being about 1/16 inch diameter. The dimpled washer seats over the holes behind the seal, which has the step/rebate around the inner rear diameter of the seal. the holes near the end of the piston align with this step in the seal to allow fluid to flow through. In addition to the step in the seal, I guess one should also ask if your piston has the holes.
Hope this is of some help. Cheers-Peter.
I believe that it will be same as the A90 Atlantic, as well other models, and the shimm is required to allow the fluid to flow past the washer, then into a step/rebate around the inside diameter of the seal. From this stepped/rebated area,the fluid then flows into the centre of the piston, which on the Atlantic is through two small holes just back from the end of the piston, with these holes aligning in the stepped/rebated area of the seal.
In the at rest position, fluid seeps through from the internal reservoir of the MC, then as the pedal is depressed, as soon as the two holes in the piston pass through the seal, pressure immediately builds, and within the MC, this firmly seats the inner seal around the piston and against the outer diameter of the seal in its bore.
When the pedal is relaxed off, tests I have undertaken on the bench shows an immediate backflow of fluid out of the inlet pipe, (clear plastic tube for the test), as the pressure is released from braking. With there being no washer under the seal, I would think that this is the reason for your problem.
Having driven my coupe for 300,ooo miles, I discovered this problem, but not because the shim washer was missin, but because there was no step.rebate on the inner diameter of the seal, and the two small piston holes were blocked by the straight inside of the seal.
Hope this assists.
Regards-Peter.
Australia.
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