[yoeddynz]

Thanks. We are very lucky that our workshop/home is elevated and the land around it is stable. What happened at the owner end of the property is a real shame because of the lovely trees and ferns we've lost but it doesn't effect our living space. The water system was damaged due to one of the pipes from our springs being damaged by that large tree. All fixed now with a new pipe run.

Look up tasman floods 2025 on the news. It's eye opening the amount of damage around our district!

 

[OnaWingAndaPrayer]

I continue to be amazed by your many talents. Wonderful work on the dash.
As a citizen of the oft hurricane battered state of Florida, I understand your loss from the storms.

 

[yoeddynz]

Thanks so much. Yep it's a bit messy around our district from this storm!

 

[yoeddynz]

Last week this lovely thing here...



..got replaced with this old lump.. (photo taken while bleeding the cooling system)



I wanted to give the flat six a little look over, check some things and sort out a small oil leak that in retrospect I should have just ignored because it turned into a mini ball ache. I should just accept that any engine fitted into a British car is destined to leak oil to some extent.

I started operation leak fix by sliding the engine off the engine stand onto the big table, glad to have made the table, the benches and the stand all the same height, then standing the engine on its end. I popped the sump off and started pulling the oil system pipework apart..



The aim was to stop the oil that was seeping out between the oil filter pedestal and the crankcase. I had previously tried sealing it externally with some gloop but it was too awkward to get in there properly. You can see the residue in this shot..



Oil creeping through between the pedestal pipes and weeping through the card gasket I'd fitted.



But i discovered I couldn't remove the pedestal fully without removing one of the exhaust studs and there was no way that exhaust stud wanted to come out easily. I tried a bit of heat, cooling the stud with spray, two nuts, vice grips. I really didn't want to risk damaging it. Luckily I was able to pull the pedestal out away from the case enough to squirt sealant into the gap after a thorough cleaning. Smeared the gloop in neatly with my fingers, pulled to pedestal up tight with its bolts. Happy it was now sealed up I reassembled then painted the area..



All the various gubbins back in place..



I like this shot..



While the engine is out I checked the oil pump drive chains. They seem fine and no slacker than when fitted so no need to adjust tensions.

Whilst checking them and looking over the system I worked out a better (simpler) way I could have made the system that would use just the one chain. Future tinkering if I ever needed to but for now it works so I'll keep running it and check it every so often.

So while this has been happening the Datsun A12 is back in place. I had to fix another hole in the old muffler I'd built for the Datsun. Its pretty rotten in places.



The temp gauge reads too high - I suspect the only way its changed is from different wiring in the new dash layout due to larger wiring having less resistance. But there was no change in temps shown with the flat six. Very weird. Anyway, in order to stop the Datsun temp reading 120 C I added a variable resister inline on the sensor wire..



Adjusted that until the temp was where I guessed it should be, measured the resistance and looked through my stash of bits..



Found a resister close enough..



Its now fitted with teminals and covered in heat shrink. While on the subject of gauges I had the fuel gauge I'd ordered from Ali express ($15 delivered). As a bonus the delivery folks involved squashed the box and added patina to the lovely black bezel. Ho hum. But at least I have a gauge that matches the Trisco temp gauge (poor mans VDO)..



I bought this gauge knowing full well that it most likely wont work accurately with my Imp fuel tank sender. I wired it up on the bench with a spare sender and to my surprise it actually reads bang on ..





Only issue is its not a damped system. The gauge responds instantly so the needle does flutter about on rough roads but one only needs to drive along on a straight smooth surface for a few seconds to get an accurate reading.

I rummaged through my extensive supply of various dash bulbs, many of which are Nissan K11 items. Found some green ones for this both this and the temp gauge for a nicer glow. I'll change the one in the oil pressure gauge to match. I have also had a load more leds with controllers turn up from Ali. I'll be having a play with some under dash floor lighting and some lighting in the engine bay.



When I read did all the wiring involved with the new dashboard layout I added in a spare plug to suit a spare Toyota speedo hall sensor just like what I'm using on the Subaru transmission. Earlier in the year I had machined up an alloy adaptor with two different threads. One end to suit the sensor, the other to suit the Imp speedo cable. It all tucks away up under the dash. With the Datsun installed I was able to try it..



The speedo cable on Imps is driven off the passenger front wheel so spins at road speed. I had not bothered to check what the ratio of the speedo output on the Subaru box was relative to road wheel speed. I didn't even have any idea what it could be. I just took the imp for a drive prepared for some completely errant reading, either way to slow or far too fast.

However the gauge gods must really have been in a good mood with me recently because the speedo reads almost bang on. Wow. This has saved me extra bother because if it was completely inaccurate I was prepared to swap back in the original mechanical strip speedo for Datsun duties. Now the swap between both engines is even easier.

I've driven the imp about in the last few days and I'm always really impressed with how well the little Datsun engine goes. Its so neat. Its a torquey little thing. Although not even close to the smoothness of the six, or anywhere as quick, it still makes for a great daily drive. But I'm really looking forward to going back to the hopefully leak free Honda.. fingers crossed.

 

[Rednaxs60]

Okay, I'll bite. You removed the flat six and reinstalled the original engine? I would not want to go back to the original CFI configuration. Still impressed with your skill set and what you have accomplished.

On the news from, considering my '85 GL1200 FI model is my retirement project, have decided to upgrade the ECU to a MaxxECU Sport. Not disgruntled with the Speeduino; however, the MAXXECU does have some additional features that emulate the original CFI ECU features such as an alert/warning feature, can use more than one O2 sensor, and other very interesting features.

Received the new ECU today, substantial unit. Every wire connected to the ECU is labelled. Has to be as the wiring harness connector is already populated.

Will be installing a fuel pressure and baro sensor. Thinking the project will only be completed when I sell the bike, but that will not be for a few years.

Cheers

 

[yoeddynz]

Okay, I'll bite. You removed the flat six and reinstalled the original engine? I would not want to go back to the original CFI configuration.

The main reason I have swapped the engines is so I can run the imp through a wof test (our annual vehicle safety inspection) The imp is certified to have the datsun engine but not yet certified for the honda.