Ben Powers

Now sold, thanks folks.

For reluctant sale as I need the garage space, a well loved superspec that is perhaps starting to look a bit tired but goes well and hasn't let me down once. Full ebay ad here - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/236084270314?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=nCwyjteDSWC&sssrc=2566055&ssuid=nCwyjteDSWC&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY It's all set to enjoy for the summer, but I expect those with the time and skill could tinker with the various bits that do warrant attention to get it back to perfect condition for the next summer. Looking for £5995 ONO. Viewings/test drive welcome. Car is near Kettering, Northants. I'm the first to admit I'm not the most knowledgable but will do my best to answer any questions. Ben - 07780 697 963

I'm hoping the wise folks of this forum will be able to help me once again. I have a new, intermittent problem in the form of stuttering/spluttering and a lack of power. It first happened after the car had been sat in the sun for a morning, and I assumed an issue with fuel vapourisation/delivery, as happened occasionally with my mx5 during auto tests on hot days. I put it away and hoped the problem would disappear. It did. The next driver was uneventful. Today it wasn't so hot, and after about 20 mins of gentle driving the engine started to struggle and misfire again. It happens on a light throttle, and/or at low revs. When it starts I lose power and the engine runs very roughly. It doesn't die, and if I keep my foot down it struggles on before it seems to pop and then original performance is restored. It's almost like a blockage and then it is freed and full power is back. There is no loss of performance at full chat, and it doesn't seem to happen if I drive it hard, it's only at light throttle settings that it comes up. My totally uneducated guess would be contaminated fuel? It was sat for nearly two years, not sure it that could cause an issue in fuel delivery? I did also replace the fuel pipes to/from filter recently, but can't see how that could affect anything. The filter was replaced on MOT earlier this year. The fuel pump has always been noisy, but if that was failing I'd expect the power to go at WOT rather than when gently pootling about. I run it on the premium stuff and always have. Haven't put any other additives in there. Where would you look first?

I almost sold mine (thankfully I am now sane again) and when doing the rounds of ebay and the like I settled on £5k for a "ready to drive" condition. There's a beautiful jagv6 on here for £5k, which seems bonkers, and there are old ratty looking examples at the same £5k, so pricing doesn't seem to make a lot of sense!

Should I be expecting the rears to lock at all? In the mx5 I could tip it into a corner under heavy braking and it needed only the slightest help from the handbrake to bring the rear around. If I try and do the same here the fronts will lock (one before the other) and the back maintains traction, I go straight on and don't look remotely cool. I'm not sure how much I should be expecting the kit car to behave like the refined Japanese sports car! MOT man said the rears only got through the MOT because the car was so light.

What a helpful lot you are I'll grab some in advance of Alan's visit and that should put it to bed then. Went for a quick blast yesterday to remind myself of the handling issue. It pulls right under hard braking, and the nearside front tyre always breaks traction first. I tried this in the middle of the road so as to eliminate a dirty/slippery nearside as the cause. Will look at brakes/corner weighting as a separate issue I think. I am a *considerable* unit so corner weights being askew may well be a good shout. Have done some YouTube revision on adjusting drum brakes, just in case my issue is the fronts are doing all the braking (the rears have never locked). Thanks again

Thanks folks, tie rods don't appear damaged and have the normal threaded adjustment. Reading replies and having let it percolate I realise that in my mind one wheel was straight and the other heavily toe-ed in, but I now of course realise that's daft and actually both wheels would be toe-ed in a little when driving. I have asked a trustworthy garage to realign and they said they can't because they had reached the limit of adjustment on the arms, so I'm confident it is less straightforward than a toe adjustment on the arms. It was a while ago but I recall they definitely suggested removing and refitting the hub. My thinking was I could make an adjustment by eye/jig/strings/magic to as close to 0 toe as possible whilst sitting in the middle of the adjustment on the toe arms, thereby allowing a garage with the right kit to adjust using the thread to the proper toe in (would be happy to hear what I should be asking for!). I'm guessing from the replies that there is no way to do this and it is potentially an issue of the toe arms being too short and needing newer/longer ones? Given my misunderstanding of the situation I now wonder whether perhaps I have a brake bias issue instead? The car does pull a little when driving normally, but not so much that it bothers me or hampers handling. When I brake hard the car pulls harder (dependent on brake) and it is always one wheel that locks before the other (I can't recall which now, retesting required). The car is easily moved around by hand, so now I'm thinking perhaps the toe is a red herring? I'll drop by the garage and ask for a clearer explanation I think before I dig myself a deeper hole. Alan I'd be very grateful for the assistance of a grownup. Happy to come to you if its easier, you're about an hour away!

Hi Folks, Long time lurker, mechanically inept, benefactor of Mr Al Milton's excellent work on his 2B Super that means I have had to do little (nothing) mucky with my motor in the 5 years of ownership. Recently pulled it out of the garage after a long period of inactivity to sell it, fell in love with it again instead. Wife most pleased! The front wheels don't point in the same direction. This was a known issue on purchase, isn't enough to make it undriveable, but does make for some interesting performance under hard braking. I set the friendly local garage the task of putting it right during a service and MOT but they said they had adjusted it as much as they could, but it was still out. My understanding is the hub needs to come off and go back on straighter. I've had a look and as far as I can see it'll be the toe arm that determines whether or not the hub is straight, and this is the part they were adjusting in the first place. To my mind its maybe the wrong toe arm length to begin with? Could someone point an idiot in the right direction here please? Which bit should I be looking to fettle? I plan to use some (long) aluminium angle clamped to a tyre-less wheel in order to align against the rear wheels. Any problem with this? Thanks!

First forum post for many years, forgot I had an account! Bought a cheap V8 RH 2B on a whim years ago, had it for the coldest 3 months of the year, t'was a dog, promptly sold it. Just sold my business and I have a bit of play money coming in at the end of the month to do it properly this time. I'm looking for maximum driving, minimum faffing, as I view the spanners as a necessary evil rather than part of the attraction. I'm thinking GBS Zero, simply because they seem the best value '7's. Ideal spec would include; Modern/new (read relatively trouble free) engine, preference for Zetec or mx5 on the basis of previous experience driving those. Wide body/lowered floors/touring (I'm big and fat!) Proper diff >150bhp Looking in the £5-£10k range. Buying advice and or potential matches gratefully received. I have seen a couple in the for sale section that have gone that would have been perfect. Many thanks in advance. Ben (ben-powers@live.co.uk)

Thanks chaps, already have someone happy to throw £5k at it so it looks like you were right in saying if I change my mind I can pass it on. I'd definitely come back to a 'hood though, just when I've got a double garage with heating. I'm thinking Zero + rotary engine in dark blue.... one day...!

Well, I tried, but I just can't leave my cosy/safe/wife-approved/practical '5 for this awesome toy. It is now on the fleabay to fund a supercharger/suspension upgrade for the '5. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230977869808

Righto, I'll give it a go thanks!

So. Despite some set backs, like putting all the head bolts in and noticing the alternator bolt had to go in first, then then repeating the process and realising I'd forgotten the sodding gasket, and then repeating it and realising I;d forgotten the exhaust gaskets etc etc. It now lives :-) BUT. I do definitely have an airlock in the system. The pipe running from the inlet manifold to the top of the radiator can only run at the height of the top of the filler resorvoir. How on earth do I eliminate this? Now its running its going straight on ebay, sadly, but I want to get it properly sorted so I can sell it in good conscience. I've tried topping it up and driving and topping up and driving but the temp gauge still sits on the minimum stop. I've tried massaging the offending pipe and it gurgles but doesn't fill with water. I've tried swivelling it round so as to run as low as possible but the thermostat housing means it must leave the inlet manifold in an upwards direction. :-/ Anything obvious I'm missing?

Thanks very much guys. I think, given the weeping at the inlet manifold that I'll have to replace that anyway, whether or not its the real problem. I should be able to get on that this week, having a nosey around it last night it does appear to be within my trainee spanner operator skills. Pictures to follow in due course. It would be really helpful if someone could point me in the direction of the right gasket once I do have some photos up. I'm clueless as to what is actually in there except for a 3.5l RV8 with carbs (offenhauser or something like that?). I really am a n00b at this stuff! If that doesn't fix the problem then its off to my local friendly back street garage for greasy overalled old boys to work on. I'd rather have it done properly than risk me buggering it all up for the sake of a few pounds. The good news is that I'm sure the engine didn't overheat at all. The temp guage never went above 90, I appreciate if there is no water in there the gauge is useless but I'd have thought if that were the case it would read lower. The 5th gear crawl home was about 60 and engine operated normally. There was still water in the header tank when I got home.

:-D Excellent. The water is clear, even when in 'jacuzzi mode' there is no sign of oil in the water, likewise the oil on the dipstick is clean. And the engine runs normally (not technically the same as smoothly!). So inlet manifold fixing. Dare I ask, is it a case of bolts off, replace gasket, bolts on?