On January 23, 2016 Peter Roses held his annual Tech Session on the topic on "Getting your Healey Ready for the Yosemite Healey Week.”
Our day began at the UA Theater in La Canada where ten Healeys and their drivers met for their first shot of coffee. Shortly we were on our way up the hill to 5132 Ocean View for a full morning of maintenance tips and techniques all in preparation for our drive to California Healey Week in Yosemite.
Before our first session the 20 plus members and guests socialized with friends and discussed all things Healey while enjoying another cup of coffee and a light breakfast of coffee cake and bagels with cream cheese. Promptly at nine Russ Thompson, a Charter Member and expert Healey mechanic, led us through the inspections tricks associated with a proper front end inspection and overall suspension evaluation. Russ discussed each component in the suspension system in detail while answering specific questions from our members. Russ was followed by and spark plug. Steve also demonstrated the overall resistance build-up when an owner uses resistance plugs, wires and plug caps with resistors.
With all three having resistance an ignition circuit may have as much as 15,000 ohms of resistance when we are looking for only a maximum of 5,000 ohms resistance.
Next up was Steve Gerow and a discussion on cooling system inspection and tests. Steve showed the attendees his cooling system pressure tester which both validates the cooling system and the radiator cap performance. In line with the focus on maintenance tips and recommendations on coolant choices he recommended not to use distilled water in the system but normal tap water.
In quick succession, Dennis Williams had a hands on presentation for the horns, illumination system, and handouts on the power demands of driving lights and high output head lights that might overwhelm the original generator system. He solved this constraint by having Russ Thompson install a 65 Amp Alternator/regulator system. Dennis followed up with a demonstration on the proper method to solder wires and use heat-shrink to protect the weld. With the help of Steve Gerow using a ratchet crimping tool they placed connectors onto the ends of the wire followed by solder (boots and suspenders).
Our last session was on Hub and Wheel spline evaluation, jacks and jacking locations and tire age. In this session we recommended using a scissors jack, jack the car under the spring plates, and check the tire date manufacturing code next to the DOT Stamp. This is a four digit code with the first two digits for the week and the last two digits for the year. Last was the spline inspection, a sample worn spline was examined and showed sharp edges, tilted spines and wear marks on the cone surfaces of the Hub.
This was a full morning and the information was invaluable. A special thanks to our member experts; Russ Thompson, Steve Kirby, Steve Gerow, and Dennis Williams for their time and planning for this event. All hand outs and support information will be available on the Club Web Site.