The 'E' Type Forum

I'm trying to whiten my original reservoir bottles.

This might seem a madcap idea but can anyone see any potential problems with leaving my original reservoirs immersed in a bucket full of Steradent denture cleaning solution overnight?

With my recent spate of items purchased that have made Gerald Ratner's merchandise look positively top quality, I have decided to try to restore my original bottles.

Any advice much appreciated.

I'll preempt the replies with " so long as you don't put them in with your/your wife's/your grandmother's teeth"

Simon

Not sure what you are trying to achieve but a wild guess would be whitening the discoloured bottles? In which case I doubt dental whitening products will have any effect! In our Knowledge Base there is however a link to a site that shows what is possible:
Brake bottle restoration: http://www.exisle.net/mb/index.php?/top ... after-all/

David, thanks for the link!
I am indeed trying to whiten my original bottles and have edited my original post to make that clearer.

Simon

Steradent can't harm worth ago . Orrrrr ??? I'm sure I've heard bleach cleans them up too ..... but 1st off the dishwasher is your freind ......
So I assume your trying to clean them to save buying modern inferior pattern parts that don't last 5 mins
Like the ones we put on Tracey s E and one of the seams on the bottles let go , not in one big go no no !! just enough to drip drip over a few days on the newly painted frames ....
Correct me if I'm wrong

The modern repro bottles are rubbish. I have had three (so far) split along the join between the two bottle half sections that are "welded" - I use the term loosely- together. All have split close to the pipe outlet where it curves to the base of the bottle. I'd be interested to know if originals were blow moulded differently and possibly in one piece thus avoiding the rubbish seam joint. If they are then an e-mail to Julian at SNGB to ask that they make finding a new bottle manufacturer a number one priority.

Darren and Julian,

The originals do have a seam but feel a thicker sturdier construction than the repro ones even the latest batch with the metal inserts. I can take hold of the tails on the originals and push them side to side without much flex.
It would be interesting to cut an original and a repro in half along the seam to compare them.

As I understand Barratts bought Sovy the original manufacturers so you would think that they could be made to the original specifications.

On mass production vehicles a fault like this would surely result in a recall closely followed by lawsuits.

Back to whitening, reading through David's link, it would appear I have half the ingredients with the Steradent, I just need some hydrogen peroxide.

It's got to be worth a try.

Simon ( teeth to match bottles)

Hi Simon
Please let us know how you get along...I would like to do the same thing assuming it's successful
Many Thanks
Jonathan

This is what Tracey wants me to fit to hers .


Will resolve leaking plastic pots

I had three original 3.8 round bottles but they all leaked at the base of the nipple. I tried a plastic welding kit to repair them but they still leaked. I took some measurements:

Repro diameter: 60mm
Original diameter: 64mm
Repro weight: 35gms
Original weight: 45gms

The repro bottle will not accept an original clutch cap as the thread is wrong. The reduced diameter means it is impossible to retain the bottles firmly in the retaining bracket no matter how you tighten the bolt. The repro does not have the words 'Fluid Level' in relief on either side. The repro does not have a filter element. However I bought three new ones from SNGB recently and they are perfect with a filter included an as weighty as the originals with the correct diameter. Interestingly these are part number C18617/1 and listed as 'alternative' in the their catalogue. They do not include the sender and I think that is why they are a perfect fit. The ones with a sender have been made to fit the repro sender thread and these senders will not fit into original bottles.

Funny you should mention that Darren, I was actually contemplating having some copies of the originals made in aluminium and then having them powder coated white.

In the meantime I now have the rest of the ingredients (12% hydrogen peroxide, some big gloves and associated ppe)

I am now preparing to watch " the iodine migrate " as per the instructions.
I'll do just the clutch first for a comparison.

Simon

David,

Following on from your post above, I phoned Barratts to check the situation.

I cannot comment on the 3.8 bottles as (name witheld) there didn't know if any were available with filters in or not.

I asked specifically about the square bottles and was told non were available with the filter even the ones they make themselves. The only difference is they now put the metal inserts in.

I asked specifically about problems with the bottles splitting or leaking to be told they hadn't had a problem.

I asked in the event of a fault in manufacturing of the bottle causing damage to paintwork would Barratts cover the cost of rectifying the paintwork and was told no.


Simon

They have both C18617 (with floats) and C18617/1 (bottle only) in stock. The former did not fit the bottle holder and the original clutch fluid cap would not screw onto the thread; the latter have the correct diameter, thread and text. Can't comment on the square bottles as the ones on my OTS are 18 years old and still holding fluid. SNGB do own Sovy Ltd and have all the original tooling but there seems to be a disconnect somewhere. The lack of filters is not an issue as they were only there because of the original cork floats, modern floats do not moult!

Thanks David,

I've emailed Julian directly to try to get to the bottom of it. I don't know if they bought just the name or all the original tooling along with the knowledge of how to use it.
I will update when I hear back from Julian.

In the meantime..

I think my iodine molecules are migrating, that or the reservoir has dissolved. Where's our resident chemist, Simon Johnson

I was a chemist once....unlikely to have dissolved

I had a Jensen Interceptor once with aluminium wheel nuts. I decided to clean them with aluminium cleaner (acid of some sort?) and I thought it would be a good idea to boil them to help along the chemical reaction. They came out black!
Steradent can't hurt - the worst it can do is dissolve the reservoirs & that's not the end of the world.
I'd be in the market for some stainless reservoirs if anybody gets round to making some.

Sit Rep 23.40.

The clutch reservoir has been immersed in the chemical soup for seven hours now and Initial inspection seems to be (mildly) promising.
At 4 hours there didn't seem to be much change at all, infact I thought it looked worse. I added a further 750ml of fresh 12% hydrogen peroxide to the container and left it longer.

One thing to note is that David's link write up says that UV light is a key element with sunlight being sufficient.

Pulling it out to inspect 20 minutes ago, it has definitely improved with the bottle a more even colour.
The darker rust staining has almost gone.
So far this isn't a miracle whitening cure but the
bottle is more acceptable.

I don't understand how the UV light aspect affects the process and would love someone to confirm this is necessary and why.
The last hands on chemistry I did was nearly 40 years ago barely managing a C at O level.

Rightly or wrongly I have put the reservoir back in the solution and will leave it overnight.

I'm not sure about "migrating iodine" I think it's just bleaching it.


I will post up pictures tomorrow.

Simon

288gto wrote: ....... write up says that UV light is a key element .......... and will leave it overnight.

Are you in the land of the midnight sun then?

Why not buy a UV bulb given the weather forecast says we won't be getting much of the natural stuff.

Simon, now you've got your COSHH accreditation can we all send our bottles for bleaching?

Geoff

Gfhug wrote:Simon, now you've got your COSHH accreditation can we all send our bottles for bleaching?

Geoff

Geoff I'm applying for ISO 9005, they are handing out 9001 to anybody these days.

A bit of research into SOVY, shows that although Margaret and Stephen Barratt were once directors the company is now listed as " dissolved"

The 1970 SOVY UK LTD patent for the float level indicator does not seem to have been renewed and would in theory have lapsed in 1990.

Simon

3D printing way to go