1800: 1972 pv1800es

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

Thank you for that vote of confidence Doug. We did consider renting a car trailer and bringing the car back that way (it is about 80 miles), but like you I concluded it would be better to give the car a run out after 2 years in a garage.

This is all very exciting, I've made up a box of stuff we might need: some tools, a magnet on a stick, 2t jack and a block of wood, a towing bar, a torch... and planned a route back avoiding motorways (A50/A6 - easy). My friend (we'll call her Janet - not her name but she can decide whether or not to introduce herself to the forum later) has arranged the insurance and breakdown cover. Bob (my dog) is coming along for the day out as well.

I can't wait - and it is not even my motor car!

Alan

Feeler guages and some emery cloth Alan! Take those too!

It's not uncommon for the points gap to suddenly close up on those older contact-breaker Bosch distributors, also there are two extra sets of points purely for the D-Jetronic injection buried further into the dizzy - worth double-checking you know the gaps for them and the normal points just to get you home if they are dirty/closed up. Shouldn't be and if it's running ok, leave well alone until it's repatriated to its home and/or your place where it can be worked on without compromising anyones ability to get home.

Should all be fine though, hope you have good weather for it and enjoy the return journey!

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Feeler guages and some emery cloth Alan! Take those too!

It's not uncommon for the points gap to suddenly close up on those older contact-breaker Bosch distributors, also there are two extra sets of points purely for the D-Jetronic injection buried further into the dizzy - worth double-checking you know the gaps for them and the normal points just to get you home if they are dirty/closed up. Shouldn't be and if it's running ok, leave well alone until it's repatriated to its home and/or your place where it can be worked on without compromising anyones ability to get home.

Should all be fine though, hope you have good weather for it and enjoy the return journey!

Ah, good thinking! I'd completely forgotten about CB points. I should have feeler gauges and Emery cloth in my tool box (but I'll check!).

I'm planning to bring the car back to my house (where I have room, cover, tools and so on) - and have set aside Friday to fix anything that comes to light on the drive back.

I have a good feeling about this car.

PS. I've just noticed I made a mistake in the title of this thread, I wrote pv1800 rather than P1800 - no matter, I quite like to things that have unimportant flaws (like the RB).

[john.wigley]

Alan, may I sound a note of caution? I don't know if you are aware but the A50 is basically a two lane motorway with no hard shoulder. I have worked in Stoke and travelled that way daily. You might be better advised by avoiding it altogether and driving across country on more minor roads. At least time your journey to avoid peak periods. The stretch where the A50 approaches the M1 at Kegworth can get very busy indeed.

Regards, John.

[c1800]

Careful with those Djet trigger points in the base of the distributor. Not subject to arcing and pitting. No emery cloth or the like for them. They don’t wear out like ignition points due to the low voltage. A simple swipe through with paper/thin cardboard is all that is required to clean them.

Good luck on your journey.

[c1800]

“ that the car has been locked away in a garage this past two years, but it has been started every month and the seller took it for a couple of miles drive last week”

Starting a car periodically and letting it run for a few minutes is counterproductive. Engines need to get to full operating temp to burn off moisture. This combined with acids from combustion is one of the contributors to sludge. Suggest you get an oil change before your journey home.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by c1800

Careful with those Djet trigger points in the base of the distributor. Not subject to arcing and pitting. No emery cloth or the like for them. They don’t wear out like ignition points due to the low voltage. A simple swipe through with paper/thin cardboard is all that is required to clean them.

Good luck on your journey.

Thanks for clarifying that - my earlier post didn't make it clear (although that was what i intended! ) that the lower D-Jet trigger points require barely any maintenance and only really need checking in the event of a complete dizzy stripdown/rebuild and/or catastrophic failure.

The main point was to remind Alan it is almost certainly going to have contact breaker ignition so if any problems are experienced they may be the cause.

That said, if it hasn't been run for longer runs, it's possible that D-Jet points may have oxidised too and low current won't clean that oxidisation in normal running........

[Othen]

Originally Posted by c1800

Suggest you get an oil change before your journey home.

... I was thinking that if I change the oil in the McDonald's car park I could put the car over the cooking oil trap and so save taking a catch can with me :-)

I think we'll have to take a chance on that one... I'll change the oil on Friday (if the filter is here by then).

[Othen]

Originally Posted by c1800

Careful with those Djet trigger points in the base of the distributor. Not subject to arcing and pitting. No emery cloth or the like for them. They don’t wear out like ignition points due to the low voltage. A simple swipe through with paper/thin cardboard is all that is required to clean them.

Good luck on your journey.

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Thanks for clarifying that - my earlier post didn't make it clear (although that was what i intended! ) that the lower D-Jet trigger points require barely any maintenance and only really need checking in the event of a complete dizzy stripdown/rebuild and/or catastrophic failure.

The main point was to remind Alan it is almost certainly going to have contact breaker ignition so if any problems are experienced they may be the cause.

That said, if it hasn't been run for longer runs, it's possible that D-Jet points may have oxidised too and low current won't clean that oxidisation in normal running........

Thank you for that chaps. I'm guessing from your comments that the points are not the same as on the B20A motor, and so this electronic ignition kit would not fit:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180632462...97.m4902.l9144

... electronic ignition would be a sensible improvement.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

Thank you for that chaps. I'm guessing from your comments that the points are not the same as on the B20A motor, and so this electronic ignition kit would not fit:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180632462...97.m4902.l9144

... electronic ignition would be a sensible improvement.

I think the ignition points are the same Alan so you'd probably be ok with that. You'll have to have a good look once it's in your workshop!

[mike gilbert]

Unfotunately the points are different for single carb engines which the B20A is, so the electronic ignition kit will be as well. The B20B has the same points, so the same aftermarket electronic ignition kit should fit.