I bought Rodger's JPS/Raby powered Speedster

We demand photos or it never happened.

 

Welcome to the madness,
Ted

The blue one with hardtop? Dr Clock is the man to talk to if it is.

Change the fuel filter and fill the tank with new gas. If the air filters are black I'd hate to think what condition the gas is in.

 

Welcome to the madness, oh and as Ted says...pics, pics, pics.

 

cheers,

 

Art

Maybe Mr. Raby could chime in here.

 

Bill, where in PA are you? Is it a type1 or type4?

 

Yes, valve lash should be checked once a year or every 3000. Most probably chromoly steel pushrods, which get adjusted to loose zero clearance.

 

I would just us regular dino oil, you should change it once a year or more(if higher mileage). Why waste the money? Jake recommends 20W50 for summer but it NEEDS to have ZDDP in it, not modern oils designed for modern engines. You need an oil designed for flat-tappet engines.

 

If the air filters are really black and cruddy, clean them. But most people don't realize that a K&N type filter actually filters BETTER when there is a bit of dirt in it.

 

Webers aren't all that hard. How far are you from the NY border? I'm OK with carbs, they talk to me. As long as the fuel supply is fresh and clean(new filter?), they aren't that hard.

Valvoline VR1 Racing oil, non synthetic is a good oil to start with. Not too expensive and has the zinc. http://www.amazon.com/Valvolin...oline+vr1+racing+oil

 

Jake recommends Brad Penn Partial synthetic High Performance Oil, "The green oil".

 

Summer, 20 W50 

Winter,  10 W40

 

I believe that there are two types of Brad Penn.  The p/n for the 20 W50 is 009-7119

 

Brad penn comes in several weights. The "racing oil" is there signature partial syn blend. I stock it in straight weights 30, 40, 50, & nitro 70. Multi weights are 0-30, 5-30, 10-30,10-40,15-40,20-50. The break in oil comes 30wt.  they also have a traditional gear lube and several diesel oils. We also stock there blends for the newer cars in 5-30 and 0-30. Great products!!!

Bill, You owe it to yourself to get to Alan Merklin. He just did a get all the bugs out on mine. It's day and night difference.

 

Craig 

Bill--I love that hard top.  Is it the same as David Strouds?

 

Back in the 70s my brother made and sold around 20 fiberglass tops for the Austin Healy 3000.  Advertised them in some popular imported car magazine. If he were still with us I'd have him make one for my Speedster.

 

Your car is gorgeous. 

Alan rebuilt that car and will know it inside and out. Smoken deal you got on that car! 

Thanks guys, I got the carpets back in changed the pedal covers to basic EMPI. cleaned up the rusted racing belts. Changed the plugs. (Shocked to find out half my Bosch Platinum's were made in India.). Cleaned the sponge for the crankase ventilator. Cleaned and oiled K&N's, and sprayed some carb cleaner in the Carb's.  I also topped it off with premium gas. It appears to be running better, still early, but better. I love the sound and the torque. Really fun to drive. I will reach out to Dr. Clock. I know he is the east coast speedster authority, and it sounds like he has first hand knowledge of my car.  Life is good!

Bill - Platinum plugs have only a thin coating of platinum - they shouldn't be cleaned or really gapped (as it scratches off the coating).  Suspect 1 or 2 here might run them but the proper heat range regular plug (Bosch, Champion, NGK) is probably a better bet. Part of tune up should be valve adjustment and timing adjustment.  I like a bottle of Chevron Techron added to gas to clean fuel passages/carb - it removes deposits.  

 

I'd look at all rubber fuel line - but if recently done by Alan (in last 5 years) they may just need visual inspection (fire in a fiberglass car is not good at all).  Avoid the often added 59 cent clear plastic fuel filter in engine compartment. Have a good size fire extinguished mounted inside car where you can easily reach it. 

Bill,

     Welcome to the Speedster madness. There is a ton of answers on this forum the supporting members reply to; just do a key word search and you will find details on spark plug, oil types with great data supporting the replies.

 

Have fun,

Michael  

Since the plastic fuel filters are frowned upon what other fuel filter is recommended?

Robert;

 

I am no expert, glass ones make no sense to me either.  Mahle makes a aluminum encapsulated  filter.

 

The bosses here I think, would say, get it out of the engine bay, and who cares what it is made of?  Perhaps?  let's see.

 

Art

If your electric fuel pump has a filter more or less built into it, do you need one just ahead of the carb too ?

Robert, 

 

There are multiple problems with the plastic in line fuel filter in the engine compartment: 1) metal is considered a safer medium to contain the filter as opposed to plastic--more heat and abrasion resistance.  Hence, NHRA rules mandate metal fuel filters; 2) placement should be outside the engine compartment to minimize the fire risk in case of filter failure; 3) any fuel filter should be supported to minimize movement; and 4) the failure of a filter mounted before the fuel pump will be less likely to cause a fire than failure of a filter that is under pressure from the fuel pump.

 

You can't deny the convenience of being able to assess the fuel quality by looking at the fuel in a plastic fuel filter.  However, their use raises several safety concerns that more than compensate for their removal.  Do it once, do it right. 

I like to see what's been trapped in filter.  I think the glass with all metal ends are ok under gas tank.  Old cars and tractors used visible glass bowls.  Empi makes a glass one but it had black plastic screw in ends.

 

OK -

 

NOT OK!

 

Guys, you're over-thinking this. Go buy a metal one at any farm supply store or your FLAPS. It'll be $3, tops. Change it once a year. Be happy.

Thanks Stan!  I also was going to comment that everyone is over thinking this. As long as the fuel lines are secure with hose clamps I have used the plastic or metal ones for years. Those glass ones I found to leak after opening them to clean and today's fuel and additives cause havoc with the seals.

 Bill,

I haven't see that car for 10 plus years, I am sure it needs a good service and mechanical inspection.

You bought a "Go Cart" on steroids... That thing is an absolute blast to drive, Roger had way more  than $35k into it.

The Raby type 4 Motor and trans is worth what you paid for the entire car...What a screaming deal!

 Valve adjustment will be zero lash that being, just loose enough to be able to turn the push rods. Start with cleaning the Weber idle jets and circuit. 

Danny P. is your Weber carb go to guy. 

Stay a way from plaistic / glass filters = serious fire potential.

I tried those glass ones for a while, but they are very prone to leakage and all too easy to break.  I trust metal.

Alan, Great technical information.  When its running well, it goes like a bat out of hell. Really puts a smile on my face.

You want a really good fuel filter (10 micron) that is easily found and won't break the bank (or wallet)??

 

Napa Gold 3031

 

All metal

 

10-micron screening (about 1,000 times better than the original VW screen (the filtering capabilities of those measured in pebbles).

 

Available at Any NAPA store

 

Mount it with a big, metal cable clamp (Home Depot electrical dept.) to help you secure it (see above posts) so it won't move or vibrate.

 

Comes with bubble-flared ends to allow easy attachment with rubber fuel hoses before the fuel pump, AND it has a 1/4" inlet and outlet.

 

It's the right size to easily fit on the shelf just ahead of the passenger's footwell and close to your rotary, electric fuel pump.  What?  You use a mechanical pump on the engine?  Well, it works just fine with those, too.

 

And the cost?   $4.29 USD each.

 

Replace it ever 2-3 years (actually, I do mine every 5 years, but I'm notoriously lazy).

 

 

One thing I've never seen mentioned on the forum in any thread referencing engine fires:  Make sure you have some way to operate your hood latch in an emergency.  I'm an old retired firefighter, and could't even guess how many car fires I've extinguished.  One thing that invariably happens is that the hood release cable melts down and you can't get the hood open.  We would come off the engine with a Haligan Tool in hand so we could pry up a corner or two of the hood to get the hose stream inside (Of course that don't much help on an old Beetle motor either.).  Also, once you pop that hood, don't stand back 20 feet away and squirt that extinguisher at it, either.  You've gotta get right up close and peronal with that fire in order to beat it.

 

If you look at original Speedsters, they had some sort of "emergency" hood and trunk releases, coming out either under the car or in the left front wheel well.  It would be good idea to do the same. And make it out of a piece of steel rod, not more bicycle brake cable.

 

Also, maybe keep a set of welder's gloves taped up under the dash right above that extinguisher to help open the hood and to hold it open while you go to work with that extinguisher.

Welder's gloves are a GREAT idea.

 

One more thing to add the the "Roady Bag".

 

At least they'll be handy for grilling on the side of the road.

 

On what's left of my car when I can't get the friggin hood open....

You didn't look very hard....

https://www.speedsterowners.com...yString=engine+fires

 

I know all about engine fires!

 

 

I hate to be the one to point this out to you but your right rear tire looks to be a little low on air. You might want to check it.

After seeing, a couple of years ago, that same photo of Ron's toasted speeder (as I recall he didn't own it at the time) I measured and diagramed an emergency engine lid release cable that would be attached to the spring loaded 'catch' mechanism, and exited behind the left rear tire...just reach in blindly, pull the exposed finger ring, and pop it open!

 

My idea went nowhere because in an engine fire I'd need struts to hold the lid open instead of fumbling with the dangling 'pin on a chain' that VS's have...There were  so many confusing opinions at the time on the virtues of various struts that I let the idea go dormant. 

Carl;

 

I have one of those gas powered lifts. I suspect, after consideration, it is subject to the heat of an an engine fire and may:

Not open, and secondly may open and then collapse due to heat.

 

I have yet, an uninstalled suppression system. Not worried, the car is up on blocks. Any how, in an event, as long as no ones hurt or worse, that's what insurance is for.

 

Art

"I hate to be the one to point this out to you but your right rear tire looks to be a little low on air. You might want to check it."

 

Thanks Robert.

 

Congrats on your purchase. Dr is right . Clean out the low idle jets and balance the carbs and it will run like a dream.
As far as fires go - two causes with Aircooled motors 1- old dry out or dirty oily fuel lines. The engine heat takes its toll on these lines. Hard tight bends in the fuel lines is also not adviseable. The lines stress and eventually crack. Hard piping fuel is always good. You just need a flex hose section outside the engine compartment to aid in the engines movement . 2-valve guides . Yes if you loose one you have a 50% of a fire if you are driving highway speeds.
Remote haleon Fire suppression systems are a great investment especially for fiberglass cars . It can save your life , and your car. They are very easy to install .
Have fun with the ride.