cook1e

is the BT my donate on line or is it a text giving service?

If it's via text then Vodafone justtextgiving is better as 100% of donations goes to the charity, Vodafone basically cover all the costs of the service as part of their charity foundation. But  it's only via text and not on line although it can be tied to a just giving page for any donators who don't want to use a text service, albeit with the normal just giving charges for on line.

The Flying Log

 

Gusset Brown 1500HL Dolomite, 1979 with poo Brown Interior... 

 

This will be the 4th RBRR for this car, which has already successfully completed 3 RBSS. 1st was in 2008 when the car belonged to Darren Sharp, followed by my Team Flying Log Entries in 20014 and 2016.

 

This year the crew will be myself Andy Cook, my 7th RBRR, Glynn Davis, his 3rd RBRR and Mark Smith his 2nd RBRR.

A Warning Martin, once you do one you'll get addicted and you'll be hooked to take part every two years. Happened to me in 2006 and I've not been able to kick the habit since.

So having picked up the reconditioned starter on Monday it’s just been far too hot to work on cars the last few days until tonight. So today I refitted the starter, replaced the burnt out secondary positive wire between the starter and alternator, replaced both the battery leads, replaced the body earth lead and replaced the alternator connector block. The alternator was replaced with a heavy duty one last year, the battery was new this month so I’ve basically got a completely new charging and starting system.
Then the moment of truth as I tried to start the car, wow that new starter cranked over really fast and the car sprang into life really quickly. I think the old starter has been on the way out for a long time, probably before I bought the car 3 years ago.
So just a bit more tidying up of the loom where I had to strip it back to get the burnt out wire out and it’ll be job done. I’d certainly recommend Burghfield Start and Alternators, they did a good job, quickly at a reasonable price reconditioning my old unit.

Nick,
     
I've now had the starter tested by Burghfield Starter and Alternators and it has bbeen confirmed as knackered, from what they said after stripping it down to investigate  the main reason for a high current draw was that the solenoid contacts were badly worn and only just making a contact. The brushes are also worn away to almost nothing so needed replacement anyway!  I had a choice they charge £40 for a repair plus parts which would have been £60 total or £70 for a full recon, so it's a no brainer I'm getting a full recon. That way it's fully guaranteed for a year where as a repair is only guaranteed for the bits that were fixed. Price is plus VAT so at £84 cheaper than the best price I've found elsewhere (Canleys) plus no carriage to worry about. They have all the parts in stock and it will be ready on Monday too which is pretty good service.

I've also now got a new set of battery leads and body earth lead that have arrived today ready to fit and I'll replace the burnt out wire in the harness. The thicker wire to the alternator seems fine, I've tested it with a meter and it has no resistance and also looks in good condition with good connections.

The saga continues!  

I tried starting it again after charging the battery up, it turned over very slowly and started smoking, one of the wires (the smaller of the two) between the solenoid and the alternator melted. I guess it was a big current draw due to the resistance. I've stripped it out of the harness the lighter of the two wires between the alternator and solenoid is totally FUBAR, ther heavier one runs between the same two points but that's OK. I've have ordered a replacement alternator connector kit to do the job properly together with new battery leads and a new lead to go to the body earth. I'm still not convinced that the starter isn't knackered though and I've been recommended Burghfield starter and alternator company near Reading from a thread I started in the Dolomite Group on facebook. It is only 20 mins away from home/work and they say on their website that they will test starters and alternators for free. So I'll take it into them for a check rather than risk burning out wiring again. They only charge £40 to rebuild a starter (no matter what is involved) plus the cost of any parts so that sounds reasonable. They give a free estimate too before starting work too so I've nothing to lose.

Luckily I don't need the car in a hurry, I've got TriumFest/Marque Day at Sanata Pod  this weekend which I'm doing in the GT6 and I'm away doing family stuff the following weekend so plenty of time to get the Dolly starter re-built...

I think it maybe OK after all. I was naive enough to think that a brand new battery would at least be charged up! I tried jumping the car tonight and the starter turned, albeit slowly. I checked the voltage on my new battery and it was only showing 12.3 under no load so it's now on charge overnight. Fingers crossed for the morning. Thanks for the link though, Guildford is only about 15 miles or so away so if I do need to get a reconditioned one they will be worth a try.

Anyone out there got a good 1500 Dolly starter motor they want to sell or know a source of reasonably priced reconditioned ones. Cheapest I can find is Canley classics @£95 and they don't hold any stock... Somewhere within North Hampshire/Surrey/Berkshire would be even better but will do a post job if I cant find one locally... I certainly want to avoid paying Rimmers 170 quid for one, that's for sure!

The other point to note is that a condition of entry is that one of the entrants in each team must be a member of Club Triumph, so make sure you join up before the entry opens if not already a member unless one of your crew is of course.

Great Book, even better I have a couple of mentions in the text and I can see at least 3 of my own photos included in the book including what I regard as one of the bestest ever pics I've ever taken!


  

Hoping I can pick mine up at the Dinner that was a prize from a competition in the bar after last years meal. Ellis told me I'd won it and I remember we had to guess the number of something, can't remember what the something was I had to guess the number of though as I was a bit drunk at the time!

Ellis did tell me earlier in the year that I've won a copy from a guess the number of competition at the club dinner last year, can't even remember what I guessed I think it may have been time of something?  I was probably a little the worse for wear at the time but it didn't cloud either my judgement or maybe perhaps just a lucky guess!

But really looking forward to getting my copy when it's published anyway.

Well good news, got my matched funding from Vodafone got approved so that's another £350 to add to the grand total. It gets paid direct to Guide Dogs by the Charity Aid Commission so won't be attributed obviously to the RBRR so Tim will need to separately add to the grand total, I've mailed him to let him know.

The gearbox on the Flying Log has got a bit noisier since the run. It's always been a bit whiney in all but top gear, and especially in 3rd when coming off power to the overun.

But now it's also pretty noisy in neutral at tickover which it wasn't before. Mainshaft and Layshaft bearings are probably excessively worn.

It's working OK in terms of changing gear etc but I think it will need a gearbox rebuild in the reasonably near future.

I'm going to try and see if an oil change for some good quality fresh Castrol EP90 makes any difference. Not expecting this to fix it but it may reduce the noise and make it last a little longer.

It probably wasn't helped by the previous owner who had the crazy notion that a mixture of 20/50 and EP gearbox oil was better than EP oil for overdrive cars. At least he told me he had done this and I drained a refilled with EP780/90 as soon as I got it home, but that was 7,000 miles ago including 2 RBRRs.

Exactly Tim, we can't mandate that people stay over but can suggest it's a good idea to consider.

Management of tiredness is part of the team aspect of the run. I've been on the run 6 times now and completed successfully 5 times, only one of these was as a 3 man team, every other time it's been in a team of two. I was involved in one of the accidents mentioned in Raider's post above as a passenger when we spun off the road avoiding as he put it a "kamikaze Deer!" it was actually a @kin great Stag with Antlers rather than a piddly little Deer BTW!. I confirm this had nothing to do with tiredness, on the contrary, the driver would have probably hit the Stag if he wasn't properly alert and if he had been tired.

It's definitely easier as a team of 3, but with some common sense it's achievable and safe as a 2 man team. The important things are, firstly to always plan a change of drivers at the next control and secondly to recognise driver tiredness between, I have on many occasions said to my co-driver, I need a break can we swap please  between our planned swaps . Also when I'm the passenger I will ask the driver every now and then on route how he is feeling and does he need a swap. Done this way it works and it's safe.

I have when in the GT6 which is faster been able to reach some controls especially the overnight ones very early and for the whole crew to get some sleep before the control opens, this isn't possible in a slower car like my Dolomite so actually I reckon running a two man team is tougher in a slower car.

I stayed overnight after the finish this year for the first time and must admit it was a well spent 40 quid to get a room in a local premier inn, I think this is something that ought to be suggested but not mandated in the info supplied for the run and also at the drivers meet. Not only did I feel refreshed for the drive home in the morning but it was also good to wind down over a couple of beers with some of the other crews in the bar after the meal at Knebworth, notice I said a couple of beers, I certainly wouldn't advocate a session drink at the end!

The road closure on the A466 near Chepstow was a lot more of a hassle as it was unexpected and we had to find a way around on the fly having missed/ignored  the diversion. Lots of narrow roads that were not much more than a track through the Forest of Dean, got a bit worried that the Sat Nav was sending us the wrong way but it worked a treat...

Quoted from timbancroft61

Please do not thank the team and me, the RBRR ain't started yet!

My list of jobs to do is now down to just 5!!!

Bit fed up about the number of entrants:168, now endured 31 withdrawals, leaving 137no starters.

Still all good, cannot wait to see all the cars at Knebworth-its about the cars eh!

I nearly fell off my chair Tim, I first read read this as 137 no starters, ie 137 drop outs!

My view with the road closure is it's good to share the info in advance so everyone is prepared to change their route, personal choice how you do this with either following the official diversion, using a traffic option on Sat Nav, planning by good old fashioned map or trying to follow your nose and getting lost! I know we've been warned bout major roadworks etc at the starting brief on previous runs, like the diversion in Wales a couple back. In 2,000 miles of route ther is always bound to be a bit of unplanned change, nice to get a heads up.

One of the recommendations on the facebook thread is the A167 up to Darlington, round the ring road and pick up the A68, apparently the A167 has a weight limit so will be free from HGVs. Having plotted it in the Atlas it doesn't look much different in distance, probably just a bit slower on a twisty A road but may even be a nice drive!

I've even marked the atlas up ready. Admittedly coming off at J50 before I read Tim's mail, however J49 doesn't look much different.

Just found a website with the details, The A1 will be closed from 8pm on Friday 7 October until 6am on Sunday 9 October in both directions between junction 51 (Leeming Bar) and Scotch Corner.

website:-  http://www.harrogate-news.co.uk/2016/10/03/a1-closure-weekend-installation-new-bridge/#

doesn't look like there's a particularly short diversion around this

Saw a post on facebook from Stuart Wilson on the RBRR facebook group:-

"IMPORTANT NOTICE
Just seen that the A1 is going to be closed from 8pm on Friday night for bridge works in the road works.
This will no doubt have a significant effect on timings for Carter Bar onwards."

Obviously should have been posted on here rather than the unofficial facebook group!

Not sure where the roadworks are and whether it's possible to organise a re-route away from this?

I always post any off line cash donations up from me. You do go through some questions when you do this and officially you can't do gift aid unless you are "economical" with the truth!

Mark my co-driver drove the car to the drivers meet and said he thought the clutch was biting a bit low and needed bleeding. So tried to bleed it today, what a mistake! Dolly 1500 clutches are renowned to be a bar steweard to bleed.

I had tried to make things easier bv installing a remote bleed nipple on the bulkhead with and aeroquip hose to the normal nipple position on the slave, jhowever it didn't seem to work too well!

After 3 hours ish of trying and 1L of fluid I decided to take follow so me advice given by Justin from the Dolly Club. I took the slave off clamped it and bled off the car. It Bled successfully so I'd recommend this to anyone else having trouble bleeding a Dolly clutch. I found that a valve spring compressor made a great tool for clamping the slave too.

Remote bleed set up now removed as a bad idea!

If you do suspect an airleak after the carbs, spray some easy start over the manifold to car and manifold to head joints, if the revs rise then you have an air leak...

just been checking the BBC 10 day weather forecast for points along the route and as of now it's forecasted to be dry, apart from a bit of mist as we go though Wales

It has been pointed out that a bit of mist to a Welshman is the same as torrential rain in the rest of the Britain though!

So I've spent some time since the Drivers meet trying to sort out my leaky exhaust manifold on the Flying Log. There was a leak from the flange to downpipe gasket. On Sunday the joint was stubborn and didn't want to come apart, ended up with a bit of 3x2 Timber and a lump hammer, eventually it came apart but only after I had slipped with the wood and broke the jet on the rear carb. So gasket was replaced but I had to wait for a new jet to arrive. Jet was replaced tonight, carbs put back on the car and I started it. Only to find I had a second leak on the manifold to head gasket! So the carbs came off again, luckily I had a gasket in my RBRR spares. Leak had been caused as the eared blocks that hold the inlet and exhaust under the manifolds were out of alignment and only just securing the exhaust manifold. This allowed the centre two ports to leak. Anyway carbs are now back on, the car has been run around the block and is now leak free. Rather have this hassle now than on the run TBH.