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| New JH owner seeks guidance | Rating: 
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| Posted: 03-08-2006 06:46 pm |
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1st Post |
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smcmanus Member 
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I'll never learn! I drug home a 73 JH roadster yesterday. It has been sitting a long time. The engine turns by hand. I put in a battery and it cranks over and sounds OK. The oil is clean with no signs of moisture. The radiator is full of clean antifreeze. Body exterior is good but the floor pans have been replaced somewhat crappily. Clutch is stuck. What should I do before I attempt to fire it up? I figure I should clean the gas tank. Where can I find a service manual? Are replacement floor pans available? I'm in central KY. Thanks for the help Steve
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| Posted: 03-08-2006 10:29 pm |
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2nd Post |
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Mark Rosenbaum Member 
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Delta Motorsports in Phoenix AZ is the primary supplier for all things Jensen in the US. Their contact info is elsewhere on this site. Give them a call and they'll send you a free catalog. Delta should have new floor pans and seat support brackets. They may still have shop manuals for sale. Haven't checked lately but IIRC the JHPS is selling some form of shop manual reprint. If all else fails, and nobody here has a spare, you can try eBay, but beware, some vendors there will ask for far more than what the book is worth. Since you have clean oil and coolant, you can probably delay replacing those fluids for at least a while. Before starting, I suggest the following: 1. Examine the timing belt for damage. Some wear is OK but if the belt is frayed, cut, or teeth worn, replace it. Timing belts are about $20-30. If the belt breaks when the engine is running, you WILL need about $1000-1500 in repairs. 2. Install a fuel filter in the engine bay fuel line, just before the tee that feeds the two carbs. If this tee is plastic, replace it with a metal one! Many JHs have caught on fire and burned to death due to failure of the original plastic fuel tee. 3. Inspect and if necessary replace the fuel filter in the trunk. It is prudent to place the filter upstream of the fuel pump particularly if you suspect rust in the trunk. 4. Ensure battery and cables are in good condition. The JH has an interlock to prevent the engine from cranking when the ignition key is turned unless the driver and any passenger are seated and belted in place, parking brake on, etc. The system can easily be bypassed. 5. If the car has Stromberg carbs, pumping the throttle will NOT dump extra fuel into the manifold. When starting from cold, floor the throttle and pull the choke out all the way while cranking, then remove foot from throttle and push choke back in to maintain an idle speed about 1500-2000 rpm while warming up. The choke knob has a friction detent that is activated when it's twisted either way. Ensure that choke is completely off once the engine has warmed up. 6. Bleed the brakes, ensuring a complete replacement of all old brake fluid. Use fresh DOT4 fluid unless you know for a fact that the system currently contains silicone fluid. If you do this with a pressure bleeder, you may avoid the need for an immediate replacement of the master cylinder if there should be rust present in the system. (And as it's a British car, there will almost certainly be rust....). This should get the car running and driveable if you can free up the clutch. When starting, be absolutely certain to watch your oil pressure gauge. A JH that sees frequent use will normally take 4-6 seconds to display oil pressure, but if the car's been sitting for years, it may take 10-15 seconds the first time it starts. If you don't see pressure within 20 seconds, shut down the engine AT ONCE and find out why -- you may have a failed oil pump. Running the engine without oil pressure will become very expensive very quickly. If your car is typical there will be a number of things that don't work.... If you think the engine is overheating, measure the coolant temperature before deciding on expensive repairs. Also, unless the car has an aftermarket fan shroud, there is very little air flow through the radiator when the hood is up, so things may get quite warm after awhile. Most of the coolant hoses for the JH will develop age cracks after a couple of years, and will need replacement after 5 years or so. If you have electrical problems, there is a small fuse block on the firewall near the brake booster, a couple of inline fuse holders under the dash, and one in the trunk. All fuses are 35 amp (European rating). I believe there was a wiring diagram in the owner's manual, and one can be found online if you need it. (No wiring diagram in the shop manual, though). Once you get the shop manual, perform all of the checks on the scheduled maintenance lists. This will reveal most or all existing problems and can save a lot of future grief. Good luck and have fun. Last edited on 03-08-2006 10:31 pm by Mark Rosenbaum |
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| Posted: 03-09-2006 12:49 am |
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3rd Post |
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smcmanus Member
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Wow! Thanks for the great information. I called the guys at the parts place and they said they'd mail me a catalog tomorrow. Here is the engine number B73063422. Does this mean anything to anyone? Thanks Steve
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| Posted: 03-09-2006 01:38 am |
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4th Post |
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Mark Rosenbaum Member
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smcmanus wrote: Here is the engine number B73063422. Does this mean anything to anyone? Yes. B means the engine originally came with Strombergs (A was for Del'lortos). 73 06 is the year and month when the engine was manufactured -- June 1973. And 3422 is the sequential serial number. For parts ordering purposes, engine #3422 is what is known as a 'late' JH engine. Someone with a copy of Richard Calver's book could tell you if this engine is the one in the car when new. The block and the main bearing saddle were made as a matched set, so the same serial number should be stamped into the bearing saddle. The cylinder head is also serialized, and originally this number would have been the same as the block's.
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| Posted: 03-09-2006 02:29 am |
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5th Post |
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jcrc1 Member 
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I may able to help with the following info from Richard Calvers Book: 1) the chassis no. is 1110/13336 2) The original Color was Blue 3)The Original interior was Black 4) Completed on assembly line 8/8/73 5) Shipped to USA with Stromberg Carbs Hope this Helps
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| Posted: 03-09-2006 02:36 am |
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6th Post |
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smcmanus Member
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Thanks again for the information. The engine matches the car which is a good thing. I was crawling around under it and my guess is the motor has never been out of the car. It shows 48,000 miles and since it has been sitting so long I tend to think that is correct also. Have a good day Steve
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| Posted: 03-09-2006 04:20 pm |
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7th Post |
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Rory Clark Member
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Hi Mark, Great Info you gave Steve. You said something about aftermarket Fan shroud. Is this something you recomend? Rory 73 JH 13218
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| Posted: 03-09-2006 06:04 pm |
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8th Post |
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Mark Rosenbaum Member
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Rory, When a car is at rest, the only way air will flow through its radiator is if it's pulled through by the engine fan. There's a lot of open space between the radiator and fan in a stock JH, and because of this, the fan is not very good at its job when the hood is up. A fan shroud -- ducting to ensure that air pulled by the fan flows through the radiator -- greatly reduces this defect. The shroud is less beneficial when the hood is closed, of course, but usually there is still some improvement. Note that increased air flow through the radiator also means increased air flow through the oil cooler, which usually results in higher oil pressure. Since a shroud increases air flow through the radiator when a car is at idle, it will usually help cooling in a car that spends a lot of time in stop-and-go traffic. A shroud will also improve cooling in any car that spends some of its time at full throttle interspersed with significant periods at idle -- the classic stoplight grand prix. But if your car is in good shape, if you drive in areas where traffic flows well, and if you put the throttle to the floor for maybe ten seconds once a day, you don't need one. Note that a shroud provides its greatest benefit when a car is not in motion. This is the opposite of a spoiler, which has no effect when the car is at rest. For what it's worth, my car has neither shroud nor spoiler. It has an absolutely stock cooling system save for a post-JH water pump which may perhaps have the improved impeller (I haven't looked). The radiator is a stock two-core unit. The thermostat is the 82°C version and the radiator cap is in good shape. Ignition timing is 12°BTDC with no vacuum retard. Mixture is to spec or even slightly lean, and the fuel is real gasoline. While the car will certainly get hot if I put my foot into it, or sit immobile in traffic, for long periods, particularly if the air temperature is 95°F or above, it has never yet overheated (defined as venting of steam. or boiling of coolant, during engine operation). And this is in Arizona, which IIRC tends to be a tad warmer than OKC. :^} Last edited on 03-09-2006 06:06 pm by Mark Rosenbaum |
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| Posted: 03-09-2006 06:36 pm |
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9th Post |
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Rory Clark Member
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Mark, As always thanks. I like you have stock cooling all the way and living in Okla. we have high temps. Just thought it was interesting about the fan shroud because I never thought about putting it on my car unless it would make a BIG Difference . Rory
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| Posted: 03-10-2006 01:59 pm |
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10th Post |
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colinw59 Member 
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I notice that you have a copy or Richard Calver's Book. If you would be so kind what does it say about my 74 JH # 15851 ( http://jhppg.com/gallery/74-Jensen-Healey-15851) ? Thanks, Colin
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| Posted: 03-10-2006 07:01 pm |
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11th Post |
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jcrc1 Member
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I would be glad to look up the information..... but I am at work and the Book is at home. As soon as I get home, I will look it up and post the info for you. Cheers, John
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| Posted: 03-10-2006 07:40 pm |
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12th Post |
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Mitch Ware Member 
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You might want to contact Richard directly. When I did, he sent me a list of questions about my car which he used to "flesh out" his databook Mitch Ware 1974 JH-5 #111119670 1971 TR-6 #CC66950LO
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| Posted: 03-10-2006 10:58 pm |
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13th Post |
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jcrc1 Member
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Here is the Data from Richards Book" 1110/15851 Original Engine: b74.02.6163 Original Color: yellow Original Interior trim: Black Completed Assembly Line 3/19/74 ( along with 21 other JH's That day) Shipped to USA with Strombergs No Hardtop Option Incidently, you can order a "statement of Origin Certificate" from martin Robey for 15 Pounds. It Is a Nice looking cetificate with the above info plus Key numbers, Axle Numbers, and gearbox numbers and a copy of the original Production Build card when it hit the assembly line. A little pricey... but worth it I think. Hope this Helps John
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| Posted: 03-10-2006 11:18 pm |
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14th Post |
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jcrc1 Member
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Colin, ALSO...... Your car was built on a TUESDAY...... which I think is the best news of all.......I try to avoid all cars built on a Friday or Monday. Cars built on a Friday or Monday are much less reliable.It's a scientific Jensen Theory which seems to hold true. :)
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| Posted: 03-11-2006 01:03 pm |
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15th Post |
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colinw59 Member
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Excellent John, thanks fro the information
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| Posted: 03-11-2006 08:02 pm |
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16th Post |
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Esprit2 Member
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Mark Rosenbaum wrote: 1. Examine the timing belt for damage. Some wear is OK but if the belt is frayed, cut, or teeth worn, replace it. Timing belts are about $20-30. If the belt breaks when the engine is running, you WILL need about $1000-1500 in repairs. (Snip)... What Mark said, except... I'm not as trusting of the timing belt as Mark seems to be, and I generally feel that anything rubber should be replaced. If the engine has been sitting for a long time, then replace the timing belt now. "Long" as in years... seasonal storage is no problem. I don't care if the last thing that happened to the car prior to long-term storage was installing a new belt, replace it now. For the trapezoidal toothed timing belt, my rule of thumb for normal service replacement is 12,000 miles or 2 years, whichever comes first. That's normal use, and it's more stringent than the recommended 18,000 mile interval. Long term storage is not "normal use", and it's harder on the belt. If the engine has been upgraded to the round-toothed HTD timing belt, it can go much longer. Especially the later HSN variety of HTD belt. Just sitting around is hard on all rubber parts, the water pump and on loaded ball bearings. The wheel bearings are probably okay, but pay particular attention to the timing belt tensioner bearings. A tensioner failure is just as damaging as a timing belt failure. Replacing the timing belt and tensioner bearing(s) now eliminates the biggest concern. When replacing the V-belts, carefully inspect the water pump bearing and seal. If in doubt, rebuild the pump. Don't be surprised if various lip seals begin to leak after prolonged storage. There's no great risk of harm, so you may as well give them a try. But it would be "normal" if the front main seal, rear main on later engines, cam seals and the auxiliary shaft seals develop leaks. The O-rings at the back of the cam housings and the O-ring that seals the distributor where it slips into the oil pump housing may also leak. You can be pro-active and replace everything, or just wait to see which seals call for attention. Replace all V-belts. Tim Engel (Lotus Owners Oftha North)
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| Posted: 03-13-2006 01:18 pm |
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17th Post |
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smcmanus Member
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I will take your advice and replace the timing belt before I try to start it. I figure if the tires have rotted off the rims that the timing belt can't be far behind. I also have the gas tank out which will delay things. I guess I'll continue on the appropriate forum. Thanks for all the help. Steve Attachment: JH-3.jpg (Downloaded 68 times)
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| Posted: 03-14-2006 04:54 am |
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18th Post |
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Mark Rosenbaum Member
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Just looked at your photo and couldn't help noticing that the top covers on both of your carburetors are installed incorrectly. See the attached photo for the correct arrangement. Very often, when this has been done, it's a sign that whoever last rebuilt the carburetors had no idea what they were doing. Strombergs work well when correctly assembled -- and rather poorly when they aren't. Fixing this cover alignment problem merely requires undoing the four screws holding the cover in place, then lifting the cover up. Inside the carb you will now see a black rubber diaphraghm bolted to an aluminum center piece (the vacuum valve). There's a tab on the edge of this diaphragm, which must fit into the corresponding groove in the body of the carb. At the same time, the holes in the bottom of the vacuum valve must face toward the engine side of the carb (and if that's wrong, it'll need fixing, too: unbolt the center ring, correct the misalignment and make sure the inner tab is correct, then rebolt). Next, reinstall the cover with the correct orientation and tighten the four securing screws. Repeat for the other carburetor. If you don't have access to the Stromberg rebuild article printed in recent back issues of the JHPS magazine, let me know and I can send you a copy of the text. Attachment: Carbs assembled #3.jpg (Downloaded 73 times)
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| Posted: 03-14-2006 11:14 am |
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19th Post |
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smcmanus Member
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Thanks for pointing out the problem with the carbs. I'm suspect of everything that has been worked on and it looks like someone has fiddled with the carbs. Have a good day Steve
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| Posted: 03-14-2006 08:54 pm |
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20th Post |
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Jay Member 
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If I understand Mark correctly, I can easily remove the top covers from my Stromberg carbs. I was wondering if this could be done without affecting anything inside that I should be overly concerned about. My carbs are assembled correctly as shown in Marks photo. I want to dress up mine by trying to clean and polish them. I didn't want to take anything apart if it would create a problem for me. Would the dampening oil come out or does that area stay in place when removing the covers? I've never been inside these carbs but I’m a little curious. I reminded "curiosity killed the cat". Thanks for any advise.
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