The Quick/Small/(Stupid?) Question Thread-take 2

[bakerjf]

Rainy days and boredom are leading me to install my comp oil pan... Question: I purchased the blue “competition” gasket for it a while back - would that be a “dry” gasket I assume? I’m thinking it was designed as such because racers would be apt to reuse it over and over, but I may be wrong...again.

I glued mine with contact cement to the block, then a dose of white lithium grease to the pan side.
A roadster Yoda gave this tip which allows for a reusable pan gasket. of course this is not so easy with the engine installed ....
I guess you could use pan bolts and washers to hold the gasket to the block while the contact cement dries.

Thank you Mike!

[Fetch]

I have two of these gas caps, they work fine except the covers are broken off. Is there a replacement cover I can get?

DSCN1483 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/155192906@N06/]

[Curtis]

I disconnected the five(?)of 6 connector that goes into the ignition to clean etc. Thought that I had 'carefully' marked a=a etc. but presumably I made a mistake.
Busy this afternoon, but with again studying your amazing blown up diagram, will find out which is left and which is right. That area is the only one I KNOW that is messed with. Logically that is where it is (for now). Will pursue -
thanks for interest - will report. <g>

Every time I assemble a plug on a new harness I stand there and look at my drawings. Too much to remember.

[devo]

I have two of these gas caps, they work fine except the covers are broken off. Is there a replacement cover I can get?

DSCN1483 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/155192906@N06/]

http://datsunparts.com/2148

[Linda]

Also described in the archives how one person used a screw I believe to fix the cap. If you want to search...

[mraitch]

I have a bunch of KNOBS, faces are in good condition, but the areas around the bases are missing. Anyone found a method of rebulding so that they look OK, I have tried hobby 'putty' but not happy with the finish.
\And what have you used to 'white' the knobs and seal them??
Thorts??

[greydog]

I've fixed a few of them.
The ones I fixed were broken around the metal tube, up as far as the mounting screw hole.
The ones I fixed successfully had the entire bottom portion broken away.
I used polyester body filler (yup, bondo).
I cleaned up the knob, making sure I had the broken bakelite area clean and sound with no additional fractures or cracked portions remaining.
I sprayed silicone lube on a 4-40 hex head capscrew and screwed it into the metal liner so that the top of the capscrew head was flush with the body of the knob.
I mixed the filler and daubbed it on. It sorta slumps a bit so don't expect to build it up in one pass.
I used a 36 grit block to rough shape the bottom and square it up, then filled more as necessary.
I used a #11 Xacto to clean out the filler from the screw head and then removed the screw. I had to use a drill to clean out some bondo that had gotten under the screw head.
Once I was happy with the hole, I fastened the knob to short pc of round stock and chucked the round stock in a drill with the knob hanging down. Turn the drill on and sand with 220 gently while the drill spins the knob. It allowed me to sand the repair round and feather it to the knob body.
Once I was happy with the shape, I used some Testor's black enamel to paint the repaired area. It's nice and thick so worked pretty well.
Not a perfect color match to the knob body but it's at the back of the knob and not detectable once installed.

All the knobs I've redone had the function symbol or letter recessed in the surface of the knob. To redo them, I wash them in Dawn dish water with a toothbrush (great grease and oil remover). Then I use a cut down paint brush and Testors white paint to fill in the letter/symbol. Let it dry for a few minutes and then use a strip of tee shirt dampened with paint thinner to wipe away any paint from the surface of the knob. Be gentle and don't get the cloth too wet with thinner. The tee shirt works well as there is little nap to the fabric so it's pretty smooth.

Good luck.
Dan

[sunbeam590]

Spot on ...

[mraitch]

Poifect - thanks Dan,

[tjp]

what is the safest way to unstick the pistons on a frozen set of SUs? thanks

[Nissanman]

Are the pistons stuck in the bell? I would just upend the bell and use a spray like WD-40 or CRC around the perimeter of the piston and leave for a day or three

[tjp]

Are the pistons stuck in the bell? I would just upend the bell and use a spray like WD-40 or CRC around the perimeter of the piston and leave for a day or three

I put my finger in the air intake hole and cannot move them. At all. I already tried pulling the dipstick and filling the hole to the top with WD40. This attempt has been sitting for a couple weeks.

If pulling the bells (domes) is next then no worries. I just am hoping to avoid disassembly.

[mraitch]

can't you gently tap them out from the top with a piece of appropriately sized wood doweling??

[Lorna c]

I have a bunch of KNOBS, faces are in good condition, but the areas around the bases are missing. Anyone found a method of rebulding so that they look OK, I have tried hobby 'putty' but not happy with the finish.
\And what have you used to 'white' the knobs and seal them??
Thorts??

do you have a fiberglass kit laying around ? wrap with the fiber where you want to rebuild, slap on the resin , let harden then shape and paint .. if you still have those metal inserts even better to include them..

[Linda]

If the Su bell has been torqued on unevenly it can hang up the piston. This happened to me and it ran bad of course. I would take the bell or dome off, or even loosening the screws might work.