BC's 1948 Ransome MG2 Caterpillar

[BC]

With cowl and exhaust removed will give me a good opportunity to give the engine block a right good clean up.

I removed the two allen studs holding on the pulley but despite giving the pulley a chap with a rubber mallet she was unwilling to move. In no hurry since shows are over and best not to be too forceful so will just soak daily in WD-40 which I have great faith in ;)

[BC]

The pulley has had  a spray of WD 40 every other day or so for the past three weeks so yesterday afternoon I decided to see if it would come off. I haven't actually got a proper pullers just various smiddy made things and would have probably done more damage to the paint work than the way I decided to do it yesterday.

I held the whole assembly up between two fingers of my left hand and chapped the end of the pulley with a copper hammer and off she slid. There seems to be a fair movement in the pulley shaft so maybe a bearing has started to collapse \ \

I'll find out later on today when I attempt to remove the fan.

[jdc]

Doesn't look a big job, but you're going to break all that lovely paintwork.....

[BC]

No John but I will need to take care not to damage the paintwork.

I'm not concerned about nut heads etc since they will easily cleaned and primed and touched up with a small brush. I still have paint and I even still have an unopened one litre tin from back in 1984 when the cost per litre of Ford enamel was £ 5.25 from Aberdeen tractors. Yes I still have all the restoration receipts ;D

[jdc]

Yes I still have all the restoration receipts ;D

Another wee collection?? ;D

[BC]

Well kind of John but you really do need to keep business records ;)

[BC]

Well I dismantled the bearing part and the bearing is ok but I'm afraid to say I have not been able to solve the problem of why the assembly is departing from the cowl. Me thinks I'll give my engineering friend Big Dod a call...he is like Hannibal from the A Team...he always comes up with a plan ;)

He is currently fixing up a MF135 at the Templers park a scouting place and he has asked if I will spray the bonnet for him after he repairs it. I said I would but I hope his preparation is good \ \

All I really did was clean up and make a new paper gasket

With the exhaust being off it was a good opportunity to rub it down and give it another coat or High Temperature silver paint.

[BC]

Well it is almost a year now since I took off the fan assembly but today I got an unexpected visit from Big Dod who was passing by and brought back the repaired pulley shaft. I think it was only in early June of this year he went away with the shaft and has since brazed up the worn shaft ( See photo in reply 58) and turned it down. In addition he made 4 felt type washers to replace the old ones which had basically disintegrated.

Anyway we put back together the fan assembly and it feels a lot tighter now. All that remains now is for me to fit back on the cowl assembly and exhaust and see if the repair has worked.

[BC]

I found these old photos circa 1999 of my Ransome's TS42 A plough before it was taken to BA Stores one year and has now been tucked away in a shed. I must take it to BA Stores working weekend after my mower breaking down last year.

 

 

 

 

I must get the MG 2 running again....its getting fuel and spark but won't fire....need to get Big Dod to check the timing with his light in case it has jumped a tooth on the timing chain.

[BC]

I had a visit yesterday from Big Dode to see if he could sus why the little blighter would not start. New plug abd spark so magneto not the problem. he then tried to ascertain TDC but unfortunately the piston is not directly below the plug hole. It was suggested to me by anotehr MG 2 owner it may have jumped the timing. out with my late uncle Sids old socket set and off with the timing chain cover and also the valve cover. next a read of the book said we needed to remover the fan and cowling and also teh head. Dode was going out for a few pints with his mate so over the weekend I need to get the exhaust and cowling off again. I would like to get her running ASAP since I have two separate shows to attend with it on the 8th of June at Brechin and Kinross the following day for the Fife rally who has the theme of soft fruit this year.

 

 

 

 

 

[BC]

 

 

 

[MF-ROB]

Them Ransome crawlers are lovelyI would like one could plough up the veg plot every year

[BC]

Well mine could if the old ( female dog ) would start Bob  

[BC]

Today Big Dode appeared in his L reg Land Rover Defender and proceeded to remove the carburettor since he was of the opinion that it was maybe a fuel problem and was asking why did I think the timing jump. Hands up I'm a bean counter and was only suggesting that since another person with an MG2 had a problem with jumped timing. Anyway Dode removed the carb and took it to bits and found that he could not see daylight through one of the jets so after clearing with a wire and blasting with air we managed to see day light after removing a foreign gremlin.

 

Now the test...petrol on...bleed glass bowl...chock on...pawls out and the first crank ....nothing....number 2 crank a host with an intent to fire.....numerous cranks on and sweat from my brow we decided to stop and check the spark.

 

Plug was dry as a bone but a perfect spark.

 

Next Dode sugested some petrol down the cylinder head.....good idea and a couple of offer's but almost back fires and on the third crank the old lady now an OAP aged 65 ( born 1948) burst in to life. Dode said the shout I gave was electric but hearing her going after almost two years was music to my ears

 

Hope this wee video clip on my old camera works