Starter done

Time taken: 3 hours.

Swearing: Lots. Especially refitting the plastic tubes from the air box
to the carbs. (Fairy Liquid is your friend here)

Stupid bits of design: 2. Tubes mentioned above, plus the nearside
starter retaining bolt. 13mm head, but can only get a 1/4" drive socket
in there, can't get a universal joint in there either, so it needs about
200 very small ratchet movements to undo or tighten.

Parts lost: 1. I only have 3 airbox clips now. The other is somwhere on
the garage floor, but I can't find it. Bugger.

Anyway. I'm glad I did it, and I'm especially glad I bought a brand new
starter motor - it's not a job I want to do again.

 

Sure it didn't fall into the starter housing? Or one of the carbs? Are
you? Are you sure? Really, really sure? Well?

 

Found it on the floor when I put the pile of tools away.

 

Erm what's wrong with a bit of engine oil anyway

 

Oil eats some rubbers. I use liquid hand soap. Tyre soap would be a
better idea.

 

Now you mention it... that would have been a good idea, but I do recall
using Fairy Liquid in the past for tricky hoses.

 

Just possibly the inlet rubbers were designed to resist petrol and oil?

 

One would think that, but having seen so many soggy breather pipes etc on
SO cars and the LE I just dont trust it. I just treat all rubber bits
with the same suspicion and use soap.

 

Thus spake () unto the assembled multitudes:

I used to use a bit of Swarfega for jobs like this.