1988 Rialto SE hatch aka Duck

Nice looking Rialto you have there, clearly well loved!

Hi everyone,

I have now replaced Duck's ignition coil for a 12V ignition coil (Lucas DLB105), bypassed the "resistive" wire and have added another earth from the timing chain cover to the chassis.


12 ignition coil and new wiring:-






Additional earth from the timing cover to the chassis:-

Hi everyone,

I decided to replace the fuel pump, fuel hoses (except for the overflow system) and made my own HT leads for Duck during the past couple of days. I had to quickly sort out Duck's intermittent misfire as my Rialto 2's gearbox decided to play up (it won't stay in 1st nor 2nd gear anymore).

Anyway, I'll let the pics do the talking:-

New metal topped fuel pump, Codan 5.6mm SAE J30 R9 fuel hose and stainless size 11 fuel hose clips (you cannot easily see it from the pics):-






Duck's new HT leads:-

Hi everyone,

I've now started Duck's 6,000 mile service (no nasty surprises so far, but time will tell) and I have also replaced it's oil pressure gauge with something far more useful - a clock. Anyway, I'll let the pics do the talking:-

New oil pressure switch:-




New clock installed (and a brand new purple wire ran from the fuse box as I could not find the original purple wire for a clock (if one was ever fitted when new) and the oil pressure warning light now works - far more useful than the oil pressure gauge:-

Hi everyone,

Got a bit more of Duck's 6,000 mile service today:-

- Set tappets and replaced the rocker cover gasket
- Replaced exhaust down pipe gasket as it was blowing badly
- Tightened the alternator belt as I could turn the alternator by hand (fan belt slipping slightly)
- Replaced spark plugs and air filter


I also had a look at the rocker cover (as well as the top of the cylinder head). It appears that someone had filed part of the bottom rear O/S of the rocker cover in the past for some odd reason, but thankfully it didn't cause any oil leaks. Anyway, here's a few pics I took:-

Rocker cover with the old rocker cover gasket stuck with some form of green goo:-




Damaged part of the rocker cover (however, it doesn't leak oil):-




All appears to be well underneath the rocker cover :-






Rocker cover with new rocker cover gasket:-




There's still a fair amount to do to it, eg:-

- Fix a minor sunroof leak on front O/S corner (hopefully I will only need to bend that tang downwards)
- The rest of the 6,000 mile service
- Check all brake shoes' thicknesses

Hi everyone,

I've now nearly completed it's 6,000 mile services and also had to sort out a couple of other bits:-

- Fixed sunroof leak (set screws not tight enough)
- Tightened up starter motor bolts (the lower one wasn't even finger tight !!)

Hopefully, all I'll need to do tomorrow morning is to check the rear brake shoes liners' thicknesses, adjust the rear brakes, adjust the handbrake (it seems to be very slack at the moment) and fix it's rear hatch window leak (it leaks from the top O/S corner) with Sikaflex.

Managed to fit a new bolt to Duck's lower radiator mount as it was missing.

Just need to wait for a new windscreen wiper park switch to arrive and just need to fix Duck's rear wiper park switch.

Replaced the front wiper park switch (for the second time) and drilled a few drain holes within it (just in case it fills up with water). I've also sprayed through those drain holes with Aquastop, so hopefully that switch will work for a long time.

I've also cleaned out it's rear wiper park switch and sprayed it's contacts with Aquastop for the same reason.

Hi everyone,

I decided to replace Duck's rear seat support brackets as the old ones didn't have any foam left on them and they were causing the rear seat's retaining latches to rattle. Anyway, I'll let the pics do the talking:-

Old rear seat supports:-






New rear seat supports (from Chg Performance - the ones from sparesman are fitted to my Rialto 2):-

Hi everyone,

I decided to change Duck's fuse box today as it was the only possible cause left of it's intermittent battery charging problem. I think it may have also been the cause of it's very occasional intermittent misfire.

Anyway, I'll let the pics do the talking:-


Duck's old fuse box as it was:-




I then sprayed the new fuse box's terminals with Aquastop and swapped the wires from the old fuse box to the new one. This pic is Duck's new fuse box fitted to the bulkhead:-




Battery now charging consistently and no more dim alternator charge warning light.






The state of Duck's old fuse box (corrosion/loose terminals):-

Looking good there

Hi everyone,

I eventually found the cause of Duck's intermittent battery charging problems - it's alternator loom was shot.

I found that out this morning after I rang an alternator and starter repair shop (they are repairing a couple of starter motors and Duck's old A127 alternator) and found out that Duck's old alternator was completely shot. It's bearings are knackered and it's rectifier is also fried.

I repaired another alternator loom I had, Duck now charges up properly. It's volt meter read about 14 V as soon as I started the car.

Hi everyone,

I've decided to try and sort out Duck's low oil pressure (well lower than it should be) and intermittent misfire at high revs problem. I had to get off the M25 yesterday as it started to backfire via the carburetter.

I managed to get it home and had a good look around to see wether there were any fuel leaks (there weren't any). After I had ruled that out, I thought that it can only be the condenser and/or it's earth wire. I'll be fitting a Velleman ignition amplifier (just like I did to my Rialto 2) to Duck instead of a condenser. Anyway, I'll let the pics do the talking....


Duck's oil pressure relief valve as it was after I had removed and degreased it:-












Old oil pressure relief valve seal removed (it was so hard, it snapped as I removed it):-







New oil pressure relief valve seal fitted:-







Duck's Velleman ignition amplifier PCBs built:-

Velleman ignition amplifier temporarily "fitted" and tested on Duck:-

I have now managed to get Duck running with a Velleman ignition amplifier, but the car still hunts slightly at high-ish revs. I checked the throttle spindle for play and I felt vertical play through the throttle spindle. I'll replace that, the throttle disc and the carburetter's float on another day.

Anyway, I'll let the pics do the talking....

Velleman ignition amplifier boxes built (both of them are for Duck including a spare one in case one of them fails). I decided to use 5 pin Superseal connectors instead of windscreen wiper connectors as they are weatherproof:-










Duck's old condenser. It's black wire at the points end has started to fail and some of it's strands have snapped off. This has also happened on it's previous condenser:






I then decided to use the wires from an old condenser (and fitted the old condenser's can inside the distributor to secure it's earth wire) and soldered the black wire to prevent it from fraying:-




Velleman ignition amplifier temporarily "fitted" to Duck as it's current alarm siren is too big. The bonnet will close but the siren and Velleman igntion amplifier are so close together, they will just vibrate like mad (and annoy me).








I then decided to order a smaller 12V alarm siren from eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231388642588?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT , which is about 1/2 of Duck's current alarm siren and will make that part of the engine bay a lot neater.

Replaced Duck's carburetter's throttle spindle and throttle disc

Hi everyone,

I decided to replace Duck's carburetter's throttle spindle and throttle disc today after I found an air leak via it's old throttle spindle on Monday. Anyway, I'll let the pics do the talking......


Duck's old throttle spindle and throttle disc. The old throttle spindle looks pretty worn:-






New throttle spindle and throttle disc fitted to Duck's carburetter:-






I haven't had the chance to run Duck's engine after I replaced it's carburetter's throttle spindle and throttle disc. I'll be doing that tomorrow morning so that I can spot any dangerous fuel leaks more easily.

Got Duck to run properly today

Hi everyone,

I have now got Duck to run properly.

It has got no more air leaks and after I had initially fitted the throttle disc the wrong way around (there's a slight chamfer around it's edge that I didn't initially spot) it will also idle correctly as well. I have also adjusted the fast idle screw correctly as it's gap was quite wide.

I'll be putting it back on the road again as soon as the smaller alarm siren arrives so that I can remove it's larger alarm siren.

Fitted Ducks' smaller alarm siren and cleaned up N/S engine cover

Hi everyone,

I decided to clean up Duck's N/S engine cover (as it was covered in oil and it's original foam tape was falling off), fit Duck's smaller alarm siren and secure it's Velleman ignition amplifier with velcro. Anyway, I'll let the pics do the talking....


N/S engine cover cleaned up and foam tape replaced:-




Duck's new smaller alarm siren fixings in place:-




Duck's smaller alarm siren fitted:-




Duck's smaller alarm siren and Velleman igntion amp fitted:-










It's a shame that Duck's new alarm siren is a lot quieter than it's old one, but there wasn't enough room within it's engine bay as shown in the above photos.

b]Fitted a louder (and useable) alarm siren to Duck[/b]

Hi everyone,

I finally managed to find a decent alarm siren that will fit into Duck. It's as loud as it's original one but it's alarm siren pitch is higher than it's original one.

Hi everyone,

I decided to swap the cheap (new) oil pressure switch for an NOS Smiths oil pressure switch and it seems to have stopped the oil light problem (at idle speed) after an approx. 16 miles (or so) run.

NOS oil pressure switch (made in 1979):-






NOS oil pressure switch fitted to Duck:-

Replaced alternator's wiring loom and short lengths of vacuum hose

Hi everyone, I decided to replace Duck's alternator wiring loom with a brand new one and it's 3.2mm short lengths of "vacuum" hose for 2.5mm nitrile hose.


New alternator loom fitted last Sunday. I also had to add a short length of wire to it's alternator's charge warning light as the one in the car was too short:-






New short lengths of 2.5mm nitrile hose fitted:-






"Flame trap" remains in the same position as it was before:-