'New' TR7 - questions: interior, paint, clutch

[Thomas4]

Hi everybody I just bought a 'new' TR7 DHC.
Commission No. is TPADJ8AT210163 (is that from 1980?)
Colour Code: CDE (Carnelian red?)
Trim Code: AAM (Golden Tan?)

Questions:
- the clutch works fine but it is very sudden, as if something of the release mechanism is not sliding freely. Is there a way to grease everything which needs greasing, without removing the gearbox?

- I looked through TR7 parts catalogues, but couldn't find the kind of seat covers I need (cf. picture), where can I get these?
- Where can I get paint (touch-up and aerosol)?
- How does the original steering wheel look like? (picture somewhere?)
- I need new/good used radio console (grey)

Best regards
Thomas

[Beans]

Hi Thomas,

First of all welcome here, as it is a LH drive car with a continental VIN number, were are you located?
The VIN indeed is from a 1980's car.

Unless the trim is damaged a good (professional) clean can do wonders.
If you need to replace it try S&S Preparations or Robsport, both in England.

Sorry, can't help you with a picture of an original steering wheel,
as I ditched them all in favour of some aftermarket items ...

Regarding the clutch, is it releasing right at the bottom of the pedal stroke or somewhere halfway?
First check the condition of the hose between master and slave cylinder (damage. kinks etc.).
Also check for leaks in the system.
If this doesn't turn anything try flushing/bleeding the system.
And if all this doesn't improve you'll have to take the gearbox out to check the release mechanism  :o

... and please try to get the pictures smaller  ;)

[Thomas4]

Hi Beans

thanks for the reply, sorry for the size of the pics :-) . I am from Switzerland (just created a signature).
I will clean the interior as good as I can, but the seats' problem is that the colour has faded.

The clutch is releasing somewhere halfway; I will restore the hydraulic system, but I am afraid that something might be wrong with the release mechanism. You say there is no chance to spray some grease onto the release arm? Would I have to take the whole engine out or can the gearbox be taken out seperately?

Regards
Thomas

[Beans]

When you remove the slave cylinder it might just be possible to have a look at (part of) the clutch release mechanism.
But it will be rather difficult to determine what's wrong unless it is very obvious.

Greasing anything through that hole will sadly be rather random.
But you can remove the gearbox from underneath the car, an inspection pit or lift is recommended .

Make sure you get yourself a TR7 workshop manual before you start on any major work on the car.
You can download one from here:

http://homepage.mac.com/WebObjects/FileSharing.woa/1/wo/NgocFIWr97MDsnLL.1/0.2.1.2.26.31.97.0.35.0.1.1.1?user=jclaythompson&fpath=Triumph_Articles&templatefn=FileSharing4.html

[Thomas4]

Thanks for for the great link, I downloaded almost all files.

I just ordered many small parts for about £300, mostly rubber stuff like all hoses and service items to make the car reliable, also overhaul kits for the clutch master and slave, will see when I will remove the slave whether spraying grease in there will have an effect. Trying to find the interior parts now.

[Beans]

Might be that the problem is caused by a worn clutch release lever.
It can happen that the pivotpoint wears through the lever.

[Thomas4]

Hi Beans

Quote:

It can happen that the pivotpoint wears through the lever.

... is this a known problem of the TR7 clutch?

I opened the slave cylinder today and found the most awkward repair ever. The dpo prolonged the push rod with a bit of wood (sliding inside a plastic tube).

Thomas

[Thomas4]

Btw. this is the car I bought.

The left front fender is slightly the wrong colour, might repaint it at some point. The wheels I already painted.

The engine bay looks really good after I replaced most of the rubber and cleaned it up. Drives very well.

[Raider]

Looks a very nice cat indeed - and in Switzerland too, what a great place to drive a DHC 8)

[Thomas4]

Fixed the intake yesterday (replaced the flexible carb mountings etc. because of air leaks) and yeah drove up a mountain pass this afternoon, really cool. The suspension is a bit wobbly, but I already bought a complete set of poly bushes, that should sort it out.

First I will have to sort out the clutch though ... (see message above)

[Beans]

Indeed nice looking car.

Very sloppy repair by the PO.
At least looks like you won't have to pull the 'box from the car.

[Thomas4]

Quote:

At least looks like you won't have to pull the 'box from the car.

Well what am I going to do if I have to repair the clutch release lever?

First I am going to try to lengthen the spring in the clutch slave cylinder so the release arm will not come out so far, but then if there will still not be enough travel of the clutch slave cylinder push rod?  

[Beans]

I was presuming/hoping the PO used this botch repair because the seals of master and/or slave were starting to perish.
But also check the clutch pipe's condition (blow up under pressure)

[Thomas4]

hmm from touching it I didn't expect the original pipe was likely to blow up under pressure, but if it helps I would of course buy

Goodridge Clutch Master to Slave Cylinder Pipe - LHD VehiclesPart No.: UKC3882GR

... well can't work on the car until next weekend, hope restoring master and slave cylinder will be sufficient.

[Beans]

1958 wrote:

... I didn't expect the original pipe was likely to blow up under pressure ...

Pretty easy to check, especially with the slave cylinder out.
•  Fixate the piston properly so it can’t fly out;
•  Find and assistant to pump the clutch pedal;
•  Take the pipe in your hand, and feel what happens when the clutch pedal is pressed down.
If you feel the hose blows up you’ll need a new one.
I know not very scientific, but it gives a good indication.

[Thomas4]

Used repair kits for clutch master and slave cylinder and stretched the spring in the slave cylinder, now the clutch just separates when the pedal is fully pressed in, only a slight scratching noise when I shift in reverse.
It is no problem to drive the car, the clutch is smooth as it should be.
I am not quite sure whether the pipe blows up under pressure, but it probably does and I will order a new (stainless steel) clutch line anyway. Very glad that I most likely will not have to take the gear-box down :-) .

[Beans]

1958 wrote:

... now the clutch just separates when the pedal is fully pressed in ...

Clutch should release with the pedal pressed halfway, might be your clutch cover is incorrect.

Got exactly the same symptoms in my car as yours. Turned out that the clutch cover,
despite being sold as a genuine TR7 item, with the correct part number, was wrong.

But first try the new hose and see how it behaves  ;)

[Thomas4]

Hmm that would make a lot of sense, that the clutch was replaced at some point with a wrong clutch cover in the kit and to mask this the above shown piece of wood was fitted in - can't possibly check the clutch cover without taking the gear-box down though.
Maybe sometimes the 4- and 5-speed clutches get muddled up?

Btw. the clutch slave cylinder does not completely close the hole in the bellhousing where the push rod sticks out, is that normal? Because once I removed the home-made seal (see on the right in image posted May 23)  there is a gap on both sides of the slave cylinder, or is there supposed to be a seal? With a seal between clutch slave cylinder and bellhousing the clutch would not separate anyway.

How far is the clutch push rod supposed to stick out of the bellhousing? (when pressing it in by hand, without compressing the release arm)

[Beans]

You should have asked those questions two weeks ago,
when I was cleaning the gearbox and clutch assembly  ;)
Could have measured a few bits ...

To start with, there should be a steel shim between slave cylinder and engine back plate.
There is no seal there.

Some clutch covers sold as TR7 are not.
Problem lies in the length of the diaphragm springs.

[Thomas4]

Found a part in the catalogue: UKC5871 (dust cover clutch slave cylinder) - what would the part no. of the steel shim be, or dust cover=steel shim?

Over night the clutch pedal became a bit firmer even, drove all afternoon with no problems, what bothered me was the sticking accelerator (see other thread).
Still might fit a  stainless steel braided clutch pipe to improve things, but will probably not order a new clutch (cover) now.

[Beans]

UKC5871 is the steel shim I meant  ;)

[Thomas4]

posted a video on YouTube today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPKVej9kNYI

[Beans]

Engine sounds pretty sound, only needs a good tune up.

And reverse the bracket/plate for the carb-linkage spring(s)
You've mounted it upside down  ;)

[Thomas4]

oh I really appreciate that you saw that! Went out to the garage again and fixed it (see picture), guess that makes the accelerator pedal even smoother.
Is the bracket mounted correctly now and the spring correct where it is (second hole from the right)?
Believe me when I was assembling it I knew something was wrong, but couldn't find the proper mounting position in the manual; I wanted to look at pictures in the internet, but then I forgot about it ... (also in the manual there are return springs for the carbs which should connect to this bracket, but my carbs have their own return springs, axially mounted on the throttle shaft).

Concerning the engine tune-up ... I changed the engine oil, set the ignition (new sparking plugs, ignition wires, points, condensor, rotor arm, distributor cap), made the intake tight (new flexible carb mounting rubbers, all new rubber hoses/pipes and gaskets) and fitted new seals and cleaned the carburettors (incl. topping up damper oil). Only thing I haven't done yet is setting the valve play, strange anyway, never saw a valve train where you have to measure the valve play and buy tappet adjusting shims ...
The video was taken after starting the cold engine, with the choke on. Believe me it is tuned well, runs fantastic, honestly. Will take another video one of the following days with the engine at operating temperature.  

[Thomas4]

two more videos  8)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-cLe7WKptE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtKIMUKd9BU