Clay’s Wedgewood Blue FB Ute

[Harv]

http://steelwedges.com.au/

Cheers,
Harv

[Errol62]

Battery carked it. Good run out of it really. Got a bigger Century. Had to nudge the radiator over.
Original clamp just fits.
560 CCA should do it.

Speaking of radiators, my new gauge tells me engine isn't really warming up most of the time. Went to 87C at one point, but generally 70 or less! I'm not sure I like this. I'm putting a bit of cardboard in front to see what happens on the run today.

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[Mick]

my shonky cheap gauge (had 2 the same brand both same readings) reads a little under 140 all the time except in stop start traffic or sitting still then it goes up till i remember to switch the fan on (i have no engine fan at all just a thermo) it's been as high as 210 on the gauge and not boiled, even on a 40 degree day at 110+KPH from Sydney to Coffs still sits on 140 and has a 180 thermostat in it, been like this for atleast 4 years still going like a scalded cat

[Errol62]

Thanks mick yes I wonder about calibration. Might have to test it agin the undisputed benchmark, my laté thermometer. Heh, heh,

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[Errol62]

Tidying up after the frenzy to get ack on the road. Bench didn't seem right bare, so started tinkering with the VH40. I tried blowing either orifice with compressed air to no avail. The vacuum rod had no movement so I clamped the centre nut in the vice and gently rotated. Soon freed up and has about 1/4" travel or less. Now passing air so ready to try again. No hurry though.....

How i hate hydraulics.

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[Errol62]

Quick removel of slught corrosion at low points. Rubber nice and supple.

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[BILLY BLACKARROW]

I am glad you showed that Clay as my VH40 more than likely has the same problem but I haven't been game to pull it apart

[Errol62]

Billy I opened up and replaced torn diaphragm many years ago. Going beyond that I've no idea. But they seem to just work. The cheap ones on ebay I don't thinkso. These are Australian made. Or were. What we get now will be NOS or reco I assume.

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[BILLY BLACKARROW]

Cant go passed Australia made Clay

[Errol62]

Last night fitted up halogen globes. Bloody dazzling! Now I actually need to adjust the headlights.

Electrical issues plague me. High beam tell-tale isn't telling. Indicators not self cancelling. Looks like it is wheel off and dash out. Passenger front indicator isn't working although I am getting a 12v flash signal via multimeter at the socket. It isn't the globe, so going to try a new socket. Apparently it isn't contacting somehow. The telltales are still not working properly despite putting extra earh wires on everything. Tested the circuits in the switch for resistance and all seems good. My second pet hate after hydraulics.

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[EK283]

Did you put an earth from the engine to the frame ?

Electrics are easy if you know how !!!!!!!!

Greg

[Errol62]

Greg I have a cable from the negative battery terminal to radiator support, which I think amounts to the same, no? Maybe I should revise with a thicker cable and ensure metal to metal at the body.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[ardiesse]

Clay,

You'll have a bad ground connection between your LHF indicator housing and the car body. Loosen and tighten the attaching nuts a few times, or even install some tooth lockwashers. It could also be a bad connection between the bulb socket and the die-cast housing, but that's less likely. Attach jumper lead between battery (-) and indicator housing. If the indicator now lights up, you've found the problem.

The tell-tales are returned to ground through the "other" side front indicator bulb. So if you have dodgy earth in your LHF indicator housing, the RH tell-tale won't light up. And so on.

I think the sole grounding point for the FB-EK instrument panel is the two attaching screws.* So make sure there's no paint adhering to the screw holes, or under the screw heads. At this point, the multimeter is your best friend. Find a known good ground point on the dash, and attach the (-) lead of the multimeter to it. Then you can probe around to check that things supposedly at ground potential really are.

* The speedo cable casing will be the other.

Rob

[Errol62]

Thanks Rob. I think you may have it regarding the bad earth at the left front indicator. Yes, it is the right one that doesn’t light up.

I have run a separate earth from one of the telltale body screws in the dash panel to one of the cowl vent mechanism attaching screws so I’m pretty confident the dash is earthing ok.

I think the indicator self cancel issue may be the result of my confusion in reassembling the column top components. Possibly the two semicircular plates joined by a spring. At the time I couldn’t understand their function or find any diagram of how they should go.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[EK283]

Good one Clay,

I normally put an earth from the battery to frame and then the frame to engine / gearbox, with the same size conductor.

This will eliminate any earth deficiencies and the tendencies for back feeding etc. It also keeps the current draw from the starter happy so it gets full draw of amps.

Robs advice is great, its just a matter of finding the issue.

Greg