| Author | Message | ||
     Bill Coburn Moderator Username: bill_coburn Post Number: 1093 Registered: 4-2003 |
We all know that these have little magnetic rings glued into the bottom of the floats which in turn operate the reed switches to give low level warnings. I have a '72 Shadow that despite using adhesives guaranteed to glue a bull's bum to a gatepost, eventually the brake fluid gets at them, the glue fails and the magnet drops to the bottom of the reed switch turning it on. I am apparently not alone with this problem. A friend and mentor is sending me a second hand float which will hopefully last until the car is out of my sight. But I am wondering if it would be practical to pin the rings in from the side with stainless steel and a prayer? | ||
| Martin Cutler Prolific User Username: martin_cutler Post Number: 115 Registered: 7-2007 |
Hi Bill, Would a later Spirit one designed to run in LHM fit in the earlier setup? Cheers Marty | ||
| Bill Coburn Moderator Username: bill_coburn Post Number: 1094 Registered: 4-2003 |
Marty/ Thanks for the thought. The short answer is I don't know but if you haven't looked at the SZ setup for the reservoirs they are completely different and while anything is possible I think before I would take the conversion on I would be getting the bucket of petrol and the matches ready. Now I am being advised that 'you just fit new ones' which is probably the answer. But the makers must have found a glue that lasts longer than a couple of weeks - what is it??? | ||
| Nigel Johnson New User Username: nigel_johnson Post Number: 3 Registered: 12-2008 |
Bill,Araldite, De-Havilland fixed Mosquitoes together with it. Probably cheaper than petrol and matches. Regards, Nigel. | ||
| Bill Coburn Moderator Username: bill_coburn Post Number: 1095 Registered: 4-2003 |
Tried it Nigel thank you. It, along with several versions of methylmethacrylate, lasts for some weeks when suddenly the light comes on which at 80 mph on a busy highway is not good for one's composure! Incidentally we have given a lot of lip service to RR363, its care and reticulation but yesterday I had to take the Shadow some 200K at high speed. Before I left I did my first parade service as we were taught in the Army and the levels in the reservoir were perfect. When I got to my destination with the car panting and clicking as hot engines do I was amazed to note the levels were half way to the top of the sight glasses! No, the accumulators are in perfect nick as is the rest of the system. When I got home after another high speed dash, I noticed the same phenomenon and thought to use my laser temperature reader on the reservoir. The temperature was a bit over 80 degrees C! Clearly that sort of temperature is going to expand any fluid including RR363. So after this revelation the factory will no doubt get out new labels to owners with instructions on 4 minute idle, level ground and unloaded car and add 'to be checked when the thing is cold'! This morning the levels are perfect again! Now tell me everyone knows this! | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 876 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Bill, Don't forget the rear rams will usually be holding some of this "lost" fluid which leaks back to the reservoir as the rear settles after the trip. Regards David | ||
| David Thomas New User Username: davidthomas Post Number: 7 Registered: 5-2007 |
Hi Bill Strangely, I had a similar problem with disappearing fluid in my '75 Shadow some 6 months ago. Neither I nor Robert Chapman could locate any leaks, or points where leaks may have occurred, nor see any spills on the garage floor. Odd! So - Robert topped the reservoirs up and since then the levels have not gone down one bit. But shhhh - she may hear me say that and decide to do a repeat performance. Gremlins perhaps????? | ||
| Bill Coburn Moderator Username: bill_coburn Post Number: 1096 Registered: 4-2003 |
David G - You know how easy it is to confuse me. When the car is cold unladen and pumped up, the accumulaters are full as are the lines and valves and the rams are full but not extended. The levels at this point are perfect. If I heavily loaded the car and wandered around the block and then checked the levels while the load was still in the car the levels would be down as the rams would be extended. Load out the rams retract and the fluid returns to the reservoir. Providing the levels are correct at the start and the rams are not set up to compensate for sagging springs,the only reason I can imagine for higher levels is expansion. If the rams have been set up to compensate and the levels are then set and the car is left for quite some time the ram fluid will indeed seep back to the reservoir and lift the levels. Digressing, recently I have driven a couple of cars that were using quite a bit of ram to compensate for sagging springs. You could feel it in the handling just a slightly vague feeling in the back end. The owners were blissfully unaware and did not believe me until I pumped the accumulators down with the brake pedal until the lights were aglow and then rolled the car forward to let the rear wheels assume their natural camber. Then they believed me! David T. I have had that experience both with the hydraulics and the coolant. In both case the system had been opened and bled but I guess there was a pocket of air somewhere which eventually filled with fluid which dropped the levels. Mind you it is whispered that Gremlins do indeed populate these cars so anything is possible. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 877 Registered: 4-2003 |
Bill, The situation with the rams leaking back to the reservoir occurs in cars with the "drooping rear end" problem as you point out. Also, overnight leak down from the accumulators can also be responsible. The tell-tale being one or both brake warning lights illuminating on start-up the next morning. |
