Jcb 3c mk3

[Dieseljimmer]

Hi All,
Thanks for the prod jz145 and topkit! I know it’s been a while! I missed my painting window as winter 2010 descended upon us so that was it for a while. I don’t have the luxury of a heated workshop/bodyshop!
Well here goes for a bit of an update: Main tub is now in colour, pictures to follow! The undercoat went on well but the colour was a bit more temperamental with covering, took a few coats to cover edges so I’m not sure what was going on with that! Rebuilding is in progress, wow, when I look back at the pictures here of when it all started its a million miles from that now!
The hydraulic oil has been drained out. There was quite a bit of gunge in the left hand surge tank when I dropped the plate at the bottom to see if there was a wire strainer there, surprisingly there was and it was quite clean! Replaced the filter element on the right hand side, which was quite dirty and must have been in for some time but it hadn’t collapsed! Removed and cleaned the steering strainer in the front, there were a lot of bits in that, it cleaned up okay though. Other than that the internals of the system are very clean, all nice clean metalwork everywhere. It’s all back together now ready for the “umpteen” or so litres of oil!
The fuel system is ready for diesel now, wow, what a state that was in! You can read the description on the cleaning of the fuel tank in an earlier post! The same amount of rubbish was in all the other parts of the system too! The sediment bowl was half full of gunge, the fuel pump gauze was covered with gunge and had water and sediment past the gauze filter in the bottom of the pump and the fuel filter, you could just see brown clogged filter paper and there was fine material over the top of the filter on the inlet to the filter! How I ever got it running and then drive it on to the truck for transporting I’ll never now! I just hope the main fuel pump is still serviceable, only time will tell! There is a leak on one of the outlets from the pump itself, not at the back of the pump but the connection on the side of the pump, No. 4. I’m hoping it’s just a copper washer needs annealing or replacing!
The wiring has been made good with new battery terminals and connections to the starter motor. The wiring in the dash has all been sorted and I’ve managed to salvage all the switches, cleaned the contacts and fitted new springs to the internals of the switches. I’m not sure if the rev/hour counter will work, it wasn’t when I first had the machine running but then I wasn’t paying much attention to it! I’ve cleaned it up but the drive cable looks suspect and the square in the counter looks a bit ropey or should I say “round” rather than “square”! What normally gives trouble with these counters? All the wiring will need checking when the battery is connected and I’m sure there will be a few problems to sort!
Okay, that’s enough from me for a bit, pictures to follow; I haven’t actually taken any for a while so it’s about time!

[jz145]

Any chance of some photos James?

[topkit]

Well done that man, you have ideed been busy, i am going to re do some of my wiring although the front lights and side lights do work on mine, i would like to get the others working and i managed to pic up a brand new speedo hourmeter cable on Ebay the other week which i will fit when i remove the dash. When you have finished you won't want to use that machine you will have to purchase another old one to use and then show this one!!!

[MrF]

The end of the rpm meter cable wears and becomes rounded, so eventually it doesn't engage in the clock and turn it. Also sometimes the drive gearbox on the motor screws up, but you can buy a replacement for reasonable money it seems.

Diagnosis is easy, start engine, see if the clock works, if not take the cable out the clock and see if the square end of the cable goes round, if not the cable or drive is broken. pinch the turning end of the cable lightly to make sure it keeps going round under a bit of drag. If it stops, its probably worn down the motor end.
If the cable doesnt turn at all, take it off the motor end and see if the two ends of the cable are still connected, as they can snap midway somewhere unseen. Then if that lot doesnt eliminate it, check the drive is going round. The fact that you can get a new repo of it suggests they have enough sales volume to invest in making them.

Have the same issue on old motorcycles quite often. That and the dreaded flicky needle which is also the cable slipping inside the head usually. Smiths needles waving in the breeze, classic sign of a british bike

[Dieseljimmer]

Hi All,
Thanks for the advice with the hour drive cable Mr F That will be the route that I will take to see what's working and what’s not. I just hope that the hour clock is not worn at its square drive end!
I read with interest, not long after I had purchase my machine, about your tales of woe and indeed the diesel blockage problems that you had . I can totally understand. My diesel system was much the same but I had the comfort of a workshop to tackle the cleaning in! One thing reading you last posts on you diesel pump problem, I’m I right in think that there is another filter directly under the diesel inlet into the pump? If so it’s one that I haven’t clean yet! I’ve got a leak on my pump that needs sorting as well. Off one of the distribution outlets directly on the side if the pump, hope it’s just a copper washer!

I know what you mean topkit all nicely polished up and won’t want to dig a trench with it! I can assure you that it will see labour! I have plenty of work for it to do! Can’t wait to be honest, ! I do like to know though that everything is serviced and is up to the job in hand. Hydraulic pipes bursting are going to be my biggest problem. I will replace some of them but there are just so many! I’ll do the sun baked ones first and any that have the outer case damaged.
Filled it with hydraulic oil this evening, you can actually see a level in the sight glass in the cab for once , mind you that will probably go down when started, it’s taken about 110litres so far, a bit short of the 195litres that I’ve read about!
Thanks for being patient with the lack of pictures I promise I will get some soon, tomorrow with luck, I’ll upload straight away, just been busy doing stuff on it!
Catch you soon for the next instalment.

[Dieseljimmer]

Okay, as promised some pictures for you all. No arguing over the colour please, I know the purists will be disappointed at my choice but it’s only paint and it can always be blown over with the correct colour at a later date if required.

Finally filled the tank with diesel, pulled it through on the lift pump and bled it through to the distributor pump. Found the nylon strainer at the inlet to the pump, well nasty ! First attempt at the repair of the leak that I mentioned in the last post proved somewhat elusive . The leak was coming from the base of the non-return valve from the side of the pump, washers I thought. Checked them both for any scoring or splitting, nothing other than burrs on the inner edge of the washers, these are steel and not copper as first though. I removed the burrs by placing the washers on a sharpening stone. Reassembling in the reverse that it came off it still leaked badly, head scratching time! It was then thought that the non-return valve was stuck, off again to check, no quiet free and clean. Removed the injector pipe thinking that might be blocked. With the injector pipe removed we cranked the engine, no diesel supply to the now removed injector pipe but plenty leaking. Non-return valve removed again on close inspection of the non-return valve washers and short piece of union pipe it was noticed that one side of the union had a raised face the thickness of a washer, with the addition of the steel wash this effectively gave the thickness of two washers one side allowing the union pipe to be further away from the pump body. If placed with raised boss to the outside it was at an angle due to the locating bracket on the back of the pump holding it off! Goodness knows how long it had been the wrong way round and leaking, it’s now firing on all four cylinders! It now sounds great and idles well. Needs an oil flush, rocker cover and oil filler gauze clean next. The wiring has to be finished and supplies checked and then its checkout the hydraulics for operation.
Still more fun to be had before its finally down on its wheels!

[TEZB]

looking good, colour look's OK to me

[Dieseljimmer]

Many thanks Terry, I was beginning to wonder! The colour wasn't very good at covering. I don't know whether it was my spraying technique or what! Thanks again TEZB!

[Mark.Rive]

Fantastic job you are doing there DJ Hope you dont mind but I've downloaded your pics to keep me going when I get depressed working on mine. Thanks for the informative updates. Mark

[Dieseljimmer]

Hi Mark thanks for the compliment I can see you’ve got your work cut out and if the pictures spur you on then no worries about the downloads as they say, “every little helps”. Nice looking machine you have yourself there! How far are you with your project? I can’t find any further updates of your progress! It sound like your day job involves plant work?

Further update:
As you can see from the pictures the dash is in place to enable starting from the key. Once the diesel leak was sorted I turned my attention to the electrical side, I had no alternator light and now power to the instruments! After much fiddling and not being able to keep the main power supply connected and check power feeds at the same time due to access under the dash, I found myself in some right awkward positions trying the look up under the dash! The upshot was to completely remove the dash and check connections! The connections to the fuse holders were badly corroded and the spade connectors, some quiet slack, were corroded too. I ended up remaking the terminations with new spade connector to all the fuses. As I was re-terminating I came across why I had no power, one of the terminal blocks to the fuses holder was around the wrong way,:doh: Too late, “I’ve stated so I’ll finish!” Halleluiah, power to the dash! Dash refitted and plugged in, fuel gauge working, battery condition indicator working, only the temperature gauge to get going! Alternator light lit! Only problem being they are constantly on. Key switch investigated. Repositioned the white power connection and sorted. Only thing I can’t workout is there is a Brown and Red, quiet heavy wire, which is permanent live. Looking at the wiring diagram from the downloaded manual it looks like it’s supposed to feed a thermostat, if you look at the top a diagram 7-14 its item No. 7 at the top of the page, can anyone shed any light on what this component is?? Sorted the rear alternator light and oil pressure light, all now working! Alternator required now as no charge from the one fitted . Great, so near yet so far! So until the next instalment.