What have you done recently or are planning to do soon to your Triumph?

[Dave Clasper]

1 hour ago, glang said:

then the overflow pipe should stay full pretty much at all times from now on👍

Mine always has a 2/3" gap of air about 1/3 down. Never overheats, so ok I guess?

[glang]

Strange as the radiator should push out about 250cc as it heats up which is more than enough to empty any air out of the overflow line into the reservoir bottle. Then when it cools it should pull back the same quantity which, if the line is kept immersed in coolant in the reservoir, should ensure its always full of liquid....  

[Pete Arnold]

17 hours ago, glang said:

Heater working ok I hope? Might need a top up now, at least of the overflow bottle (assuming it uses one), to replace any air thats been released - then the overflow pipe should stay full pretty much at all times from now on👍

Yes, I always check the overflow bottle. 

As for the heater - it never stops chucking out heat even when it's turned off but I gather that's a common problem.  As it's a saloon, the car was a mobile sauna in this year's summer weather!!

[glang]

I take it the saloons have the same cable operated shut off valve to the heater? Cant be sealing properly☹️ 

Rather than repair it though perhaps you could install what Ive got - a small manual central heating valve put in the short rubber hose from the water pump to the manifold? Youd need to check your system design but I keep this closed most of the time principally to get the pump to push more water round the engine + radiator to aid cooling  as especially in summer this is more important to me than either the heater or manifold warming on start up.... 

[yorkshire_spam]

My plan for this weekend... whether it happens or not is entirely another matter:

1. Paint uprights, brake disc shield and other "sundry items" for the OSF re-assembly on the Spitfire (main suspension parts have been powder coated) 
2. Finish welding the chassis and paint the repaired areas
3. Re-assemble, with new brake discs (Delphi) / pads (Mintex 1144) 

Although the way things have been going I'll start on the welding and probably injure myself or run out of gas, then trip over the paint tins and spill it all. 

 

[Matt306]

Fitter Spax Shocks and new springs to the TR7

 

Notices some weeping from water pump... stupid new stock 300 and leaking already.. time for an electric pump and a plug for that pesky pump. 

[Pete Arnold]

21 hours ago, glang said:

I take it the saloons have the same cable operated shut off valve to the heater? Cant be sealing properly☹️ 

Rather than repair it though perhaps you could install what Ive got - a small manual central heating valve put in the short rubber hose from the water pump to the manifold? Youd need to check your system design but I keep this closed most of the time principally to get the pump to push more water round the engine + radiator to aid cooling  as especially in summer this is more important to me than either the heater or manifold warming on start up.... 

I renewed the shut off valve a few years ago and it made no difference.

I'd be interested to have details of your manual central heating valve system though.  I do find, when in a traffic jam in hot weather, that the engine does overheat although it soon returns to normal once on the run again.

[glang]

here you go, this is on my vitesse and I remove the valve handle until I need to open the valve in cold weather or occasionally to allow coolant to flush through the heater and manifold. Not sure about other models but on mine this is a loop circuit from and back to the water pump so by closing it off hopefully a bit more coolant is pumped through the engine and radiator.

However your problem sounds like lack of cooling air when stationary (assuming your water side is in good condition) and I have squeezed in a good electric fan which I turn on in traffic as it moves much more air than a mechanical fan can...

Edited November 12, 2022 by glang

[iani]

GT6: With no sign of my (3rd) head being ready I have refitted the short motor to the car, that freed up some floorspace and allowed me to put the hoist back in the shed, will crack on with other GT6 parts next weekend.

TR6: With the GT6 not being ready for rolling road slot on Tuesday, I am going to take the TR along, it's 11k miles since its last run and I'm interested to see how it behaves. I discovered an intermittent earth issue with the electric fan, cleaned & tightened bolt, hopefully ok now.

PI Saloon: It was a bit foggy this morning, that prompted me to fit a set of Square 8 foglights that I've had for a few years, easy job as, being a PFL car, the wiring is already in the loom and the headlight switch has a fog position.  I bought a pair of Alfa 156 seats off eBay, a bargain at £50, unfortunately they were in Fraserborough so £90 for shipping, not too bad considering the condition they are in. I have arranged for them to be recoloured to match the car, taking them in next Saturday, gives time for the mounting brackets to be ready (hint hint James)

[yorkshire_spam]

On 11/11/2022 at 13:00, yorkshire_spam said:

Although the way things have been going I'll start on the welding and probably injure myself or run out of gas, then trip over the paint tins and spill it all. 

As predicted, I've got a grand total of sod all done. 😞

[iani]

47 minutes ago, yorkshire_spam said:

As predicted, I've got a grand total of sod all done. 😞

sometimes we need a break from it, otherwise the fun ebbs away.

[yorkshire_spam]

19 minutes ago, iani said:

sometimes we need a break from it, otherwise the fun ebbs away.

Very true, went out to the garage and everything I touched seemed to go wrong... so I came back in before I broke something or hurt myself

[Wendy Dawes]

1 hour ago, yorkshire_spam said:

Very true, went out to the garage and everything I touched seemed to go wrong... so I came back in before I broke something or hurt myself

🥺

[iani]

Just as it turns colder, the "to do" list grows

GT6: Have just picked up a freshly built cylinder head this evening, intend fitting it tomorrow afternoon then start reassembling everything else.

TR6: Needs a clean, possibly viewing on Sunday.

PI: Alfa seat runners arrived today, thanks James Shackford for making them quickly. I'm dropping the seats off with trimmer in the morning, couple of small holes to fix then recolour the seats from light grey to chestnut to match my interior. I have also had a rebuilt metering unit arrive from KMI, the one on the car hasn't done many miles but the car is running rich and I wanted to fit a fuel pressure sender to the MU so had one rebuilt with a takeoff drilled & tapped, just waiting for the fuel pressure gauge now, it shipped from the US yesterday so a week should see it here.

 

Edited November 18, 2022 by iani

[Clive]

Domineering update. Gill has repaired tbe rear sear using the "cook" method. Seats are all in, and mot booked for Wednesday. I know it has a little play in the steering, but I think it is ok to pass. (I have the bits to sort it, but it is a bit of a mare of a job. It can hopefully wait until I have a bit more time.

Meanwhile the spitfire has got a new wideband setup, which seems more stable and honest than the last one. Did a couple of tweeks to the idle fuelling, and it is now much better. Also popped the hardtop on as the car is being used for the CT Rally this weekend, so a good few hundred miles will be clocked up as we will visit friends too.

Lastly, I have looked at the herald GE engine I recently bought. Still puzzled why it has a recessed bore gasket fitted, but it has obviously been used like it, and nothing seems to have leaked etc. I hopefully don't need to pop the head off, time will tell once it gets fitted to the mk3 spitfire.

[iani]

8 minutes ago, Clive said:

Domineering update. Gill has repaired tbe rear sear using the "cook" method. Seats are all in, and mot booked for Wednesday. I know it has a little play in the steering, but I think it is ok to pass. (I have the bits to sort it, but it is a bit of a mare of a job. It can hopefully wait until I have a bit more time.

Meanwhile the spitfire has got a new wideband setup, which seems more stable and honest than the last one. Did a couple of tweeks to the idle fuelling, and it is now much better. Also popped the hardtop on as the car is being used for the CT Rally this weekend, so a good few hundred miles will be clocked up as we will visit friends too.

Lastly, I have looked at the herald GE engine I recently bought. Still puzzled why it has a recessed bore gasket fitted, but it has obviously been used like it, and nothing seems to have leaked etc. I hopefully don't need to pop the head off, time will tell once it gets fitted to the mk3 spitfire.

Which Wideband have you gone for Clive? I have been using Spartan on my TR6 as that's what Emerald sold, I've now had a second unit start giving spurious readings, even after changing the sensor, I'm now looking for something more reliable.

[Clive]

44 minutes ago, iani said:

Which Wideband have you gone for Clive? I have been using Spartan on my TR6 as that's what Emerald sold, I've now had a second unit start giving spurious readings, even after changing the sensor, I'm now looking for something more reliable.

Zeitronix from EFIparts

https://efi-parts.co.uk/product/zeitronix-zt-3-zr-3-gauge/

£195 delivered, but seems (he says) to be a proper bit of kit.  I know somebody who has been using one reliably after having issues with a spartan. 

[iani]

A busy day:

GT6: Cylinder head fitted, manifolds fitted, DCOE's mounted, throttle linkage fitted & adjusted, dizzy fitted, tappets set, radiator fitted & coolant filled, alternator fitted, electrics reconnected. Will fire it up tomorrow, too dark now and it's been a long day.

[yorkshire_spam]

OSF Spitfire suspension painted and assembled (as far as i want to before it's back on the car) 

 

[iani]

On 19/11/2022 at 16:59, iani said:

A busy day:

GT6: Cylinder head fitted, manifolds fitted, DCOE's mounted, throttle linkage fitted & adjusted, dizzy fitted, tappets set, radiator fitted & coolant filled, alternator fitted, electrics reconnected. Will fire it up tomorrow, too dark now and it's been a long day.

It lives, have had it up to temperature, oil pressure is good, idle set at 1k, AFR a bit rich, will attempt to refine at weekend, really need RR session to get it set up properly.

[Clive]

Dolomite had its first MoT in some years (I have had it over 18months getting it sorted, and left in a garage for several years prior to that) all at 8am.

Anyway, a pass achieved, with a (strong) advisory that a steering rack gaiter needs replacing. And the CO was a bit high, but somehow it scraped through.  But that is about all. 

However, the engine definitely feels lethargic. So when I got home I popped a timing light on the car, disconnected the vacuum advance, and then discovered I had the grand total of 3 degrees of advance from about 600rpm up to 3000. That will do it. I wrangled teh dizzy out, and then checked teh mechanical advance. The techincal term is "knackered" as it has wear on teh weights/pivots and the contact surfaces. It all adds up to needing replacing. I am working on that.... 

Spitfire had a tough weekend. The ESBR rally (we won't talk about the results) and a total of a smidge over 500 miles. Main beam packed up in deepest darkest Norfolk/Suffolk on Saturday evening, never to return. This is a 5 year old repro stalk, but the contacts seem mangled when I took teh cowlings off the column. I found a used one, that should be OK with some contact cleaner. I hope. Oh, and teh alternator adjusting arm fractured. I managed to bodge it with a nut/bolt to get us home, but now welded and I am working out a better bottom fixing for the little denso alternator. Time will tell. Or maybe a nylon adjusting arm as used by the gp4 escorts.

[Wendy Dawes]

On 11/11/2022 at 13:00, yorkshire_spam said:

My plan for this weekend... whether it happens or not is entirely another matter:

1. Paint uprights, brake disc shield and other "sundry items" for the OSF re-assembly on the Spitfire (main suspension parts have been powder coated) 
2. Finish welding the chassis and paint the repaired areas
3. Re-assemble, with new brake discs (Delphi) / pads (Mintex 1144) 

Although the way things have been going I'll start on the welding and probably injure myself or run out of gas, then trip over the paint tins and spill it all. 

 

🥺

[iani]

PI Saloon: I want to fit a fuel pressure gauge, I knew that TR5 Metering Units were tapped for a take-off so I had KMI recondition a MU for me, drilled & tapped to 3/8 BSP, with a suitable adaptor I now have a 1/8 npt sender fitted that will feed a 200psi fuel pressure gauge, in principle my needle should sit nicely in the middle, just need the MU swapping out now.

 

 

[Guppy916]

Clive you need a bracket like this, I can pop it off and send you the details if you wish

[Clive]

2 hours ago, Guppy916 said:

Clive you need a bracket like this, I can pop it off and send you the details if you wish

I have a very similar bottom bracket, made of 6mm steel. When I investigated the bottom bolt was a setscrew, nor replaced with a proper bolt which has helped a lot. But I like the idea of that tube to steady the bolt. Another day... I have plenty to do for now.

I have set the distributer on the dolomite to about 20 degrees, the car now goes rather better but still only a tiny tiny bit of extra advance available. I am even toying with fitting a sprint distributer.