sparky_spit

Do either of you two gents mind saying how much you were charged for your sessions at Atspeed?  I'll be taking my car to a RR once the new engine is fitted and run-in.

Hi George - I understand that, as a non-member user of the forum, you cannot post photos. Only member users can. If I'm wrong in this, please someone shout me down sharpish.

Hi George - I understand that, as a non-member user of the forum, you cannot post photos. Only member users can. If I'm wrong in this, please someone shout me down sharpish.

Might be a bit late now but a left hand drill bit would have been better. Might still be a better option than a normal right hand one?

Forgot to mention....   Make sure that the VIN you enter is exactly the same, both in content and format, on the NOVA1, V55/5 forms and any dating certificate and Title Document or "log book", and of course on the car itself (photos need to show this).  If there is any discrepancy in any of them DVLA will reject the application.

I recently bought an imported motorcycle from France that was supposedly correctly imported to the UK, but which did not show up on the Notification of Vehicle Arrival (NOVA) system, so I had to "import" myself. I suspect the actual machine came into the UK in the back of someone's van. The process is pretty simple if you follow it methodically. If an agent does the import for you then it's even simpler for you. If you do it yourself then I'd advise doing it by paper form rather than online, as you can include covering letters to explain any anomalies which you can't do online. A NOVA1 form can be requested from the HMRC Personal Transport Unit at Dover by phone on 0300 322 7069 or via PTUtechnicalsupport@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk. (or I can email them to you) The form is easy to fill in and, for a non-Type Approval vehicle (which yours will be) all they are really interested in is whether any VAT duty needs to be paid. For low value vehicles (in their terms your's probably will be) any payment is unlikely and only other thing you need is a bill of sale and any import documents, title, etc you may have.  If you have none, then a covering letter say why you don't have these worked for me. Your vehicle will be identified by its VIN, so use the commission number and make sure it is 100% correctly recorded. If not, you will have a whole world of pain later on.  I can point you to motorcycle websites where you can download a guide on what to put on the NOVA1 form, and what goes where, etc. If all is okay, they will issue you with the all important NOVA reference number. Then, go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-a-used-vehicle-for-the-first-time-v555 and download the V55/5 form and Guidance Notes. To fill in the form you will need your NOVA Reference Number, an original title document or something official that proves year of manufacture for your vehicle (or a Dating Certificate from a recognised owners club such as CT), photos of the car and of the VIN and engine numbers, proof of your name address, etc, etc. The Guidance Notes are quite good but I'd suggest using one of the guides available on the internet as some of the questions are not applicable to older non-type-approved vehicles and it's easy to get confused. Again, I have these from the Scooter Club (no affiliation) and Yamaha Owners Club and can email them to you. Basically, DVLA are trying to make sure the vehicle is as you say it is, is not stolen or reconstructed, and its claimed year of manufacture is correct. If there is anything that's not quite as required then add a covering letter to explain why. Hopefully, you will get a letter in 10-14 days telling you what your new age related registration number is, plus all the stuff you sent them returned to you, and a few days after that you get the new V5 and a number-plate certificate letter to enable you to get the plates made up. There is a chance that you will be given a Q plate if DVLA feel your car is not quite what you say it is, so be thorough with the evidence you send them and tell them in a covering note why you cannot supply something if that's the case. One thing you need to find out beforehand is whether, once you have an age related reg no on your car, it can be changed to your personalised one. I don't know the answer to that one; you'd need to check. I do know that these age related numbers are issued from previously unused batches of numbers and can be from any district/area, and you cannot chose which number you want. Basically, you get what you are given. When you first see the forms and stuff you need to assemble it seems quite daunting, but it's simple if you do things in the correct order and provide all that they ask for, or explain clearly why you cannot. I have heard of several requests from DVLA to have your vehicle inspected at one of their test centres.  I don't know if this is because they feel there is something fishy about the application or just random spot-checks happening.  Hope this helps.

Anti-clockwise, same as the direction that the distributor turns.

Concave facing forward. If using a new one (from Rimmer's in my case) on a 1500, then the hole is 0.5mm too small to fit over the crankshaft nose and has to be filed out to fit. 

Cheap oil, sump off and clean, new filter and take out the dizzy drive and pump some oil round the engine with an electric drill and a long screwdriver bit in the oil pump drive. 

Thanks gents.  I know that the over-pressure position of the valve plunger dumps oil straight back into the sump, but it was not easy to see if the bottom passage comes direct from the pump or not without taking it all apart again. Hi Wim - yes, I've used an anti-clockwise spinning screwdriver end in a drill to pressurize the system before and it works well, but not so well initially if there is not at least a some oil in the  pump to start with. Once you get some pressure, with cold oil, it certainly puts a surprisingly large load on the drill.  The cam chain must groan a bit when that happens in use. As an aside, the oil pump must surely put the most load on the cam's drivetrain, much more than the cam/rockers/springs and distributor combined.

Thanks gents.  I know that the over-pressure position of the valve plunger dumps oil straight back into the sump, but it was not easy to see if the bottom passage comes direct from the pump or not without taking it all apart again. Hi Wim - yes, I've used an anti-clockwise spinning screwdriver end in a drill to pressurize the system before and it works well, but not so well initially if there is not at least a some oil in the  pump to start with. Once you get some pressure, with cold oil, it certainly puts a surprisingly large load on the drill.  The cam chain must groan a bit when that happens in use. As an aside, the oil pump must surely put the most load on the cam's drivetrain, much more than the cam/rockers/springs and distributor combined.

On a Triumph 4cyl engine, sitting upright, I think I can prime the oil pump by taking the pressure relief valve/plunger out and introducing oil through the hole, which leads into the top of the pump? Can someone confirm? I didn't pack the pump with petroleum jelly when assembling it as I'm not convinced it would melt/dissolve enough with cold oil passing through the system as I prime the engine with a drill down the dizzy hole before first start up. I did fill the pump with oil when I fitted it but the engine has been rolled over a few times on its stand during the last few days and I reckon it's all drained out by now. Thanks

On a Triumph 4cyl engine, sitting upright, I think I can prime the oil pump by taking the pressure relief valve/plunger out and introducing oil through the hole, which leads into the top of the pump? Can someone confirm? I didn't pack the pump with petroleum jelly when assembling it as I'm not convinced it would melt/dissolve enough with cold oil passing through the system as I prime the engine with a drill down the dizzy hole before first start up. I did fill the pump with oil when I fitted it but the engine has been rolled over a few times on its stand during the last few days and I reckon it's all drained out by now. Thanks

Current Standings as of 28th Septembert: Colin Wake - 73pts plus one marshaling point Mark Rutter - 64pts Mike Banks - 48pts plus one marshaling point Charlie Deards - 29pts Ellis Stokes - 29pts Michael Helm - 26pts Dale Barker - 16pts plus one marshalling point Mike Bishop - 15pts Phil Stanley - 12pts Nigel Abdullha - one marshalling point The next event in this series is the Chelmsford Motor Club's Halloween Rally on the 26th October.

Yes, that's not a single rail box.  I've never actually had a 3 rail in my possession but that has three rails so must be one! Those things you have arrowed look more like captive/nuts/holders for detents/springs, but as I've never seen one in the flesh I can't be certain. You need Rob or Nick or someone else who knows what they are talking about to advise. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Is it a single rail gearbox or a three rail one?  If a single rail, the breather is (as Danny says) is a 3/8" dia black domed plastic thing. It's on the steel top plate of the gearbox which also has the switch for inhibiting overdrive selection when in 1st/2nd gear (with two green wires coming from it). The black plastic breather pulls out and comes apart by pulling the end off.  There is a 1mm square channel running up the inside of the breather which needs to be clear. It's not something you could get to through a hole cut in the tunnel cover though. If it's a three rail box, then I don't know where the breather is, but someone else will....

The head is now back and looking very nice. I've also timed in the cam, with some kind assistance via email from Markus (GT6M) who is a top bloke.  Max lift is now spot on at 105deg ATDC, 5deg advanced from the book figure of 110. This is 3degs to account for initial chain wear and 2degs to give slightly more lower down torque at the slight expense of top end power.  My choice, as this 1500 engine is not likely to used above 5000rpm very much and most of its use is normally around 2500 to 4500 in truth. I'll see how this goes in practice.  If it does not work out how I wanted it's not too difficult to put it back to 110.

Actually that does not surprise me. The photocopied sheet that came with mine was very confusing, using different terms for the same parts in different sentences. Two of the diagrams were contradictory in showing the oil flow path and it took a bit of thinking to work out how it all went together correctly. Fingers crossed you've got it sorted.

I'm off to buy a pack of fuses.

And while you are doing all that you can also check that the slave cylinder piston is returning back to its start position, and is not stuck up in the bore.

"Trees, Dirt and Squirrels" This year, the Club Triumph Essex Winter Rally is moving away from Essex, renaming itself and going further north into Suffolk and Norfolk to explore new and previously unused roads there.  There is also a new organising team for this event and no doubt some new ideas too. It is still a 12 Car Navigational Rally, will take place on Sunday 18th November 2018, with briefing and plotting starting at 09:00, first car away at 10:00 in Thetford, Norfolk and  finishing some 4 hours  at the Angel Inn, Larling, Norfolk, NR16 2QU, just in time for lunch. It uses some interesting routes and many minor roads, none of which are damaging to your car.  This rally will be a round of the 2018 Club Triumph Driver’s Challenge and Rallies Mini-Series. It is suitable beginners and experts alike, with classes tailored to the differing navigation skill levels; there will be a marked map available for Beginners to use if required, so there is no need to not enter because you feel it will be too difficult. Entry Forms and Regulations are available from the Competitions then Rallies tabs/buttons at the top of the page, then scroll down to this specific event.

Glad you have found the problem Danny.  There are service kits for the Mocal ones, search Merlin Motorsport's website and you can find them there for about £15. It might be worth calling Merlin to check that the kit includes what you might need. The blokes there are very helpful.

Okay thanks Theo.  As it turns out, I'm not now going to be able to enter anyway, which is a shame.  Next year maybe.

I've done two of these and really would like to do it again this year. However, things are working against me at the moment on three fronts and it's looking less likely. What is the last date that I could enter, Theo, without upsetting the organisation?

Well, that didn't go too well. Initial cam setting using the equal overlap method is okay. However, there's a practical problem with testing it afterwards without the rockers and valves in place.  The dial gauge is almost too sensitive. It moves as soon as there is any lift and this seems to be somewhat in advance of the correct timing (for example No1 inlet opening at 34deg BTDC instead of 25deg BTDC). Likewise, the closing point is somewhat retarded from what it should be (65deg ABDC). Max lift is correct at 110deg ATDC. Doing it like this, you cannot tell where you are on the lobe's ramp and when the valve itself would actually start to open once all the slack in the valve gear is taken up. The amount it is out by is approximately 8 to 10 degrees or so. It is centred okay about max lift so I'm sure the timing is basically correct.  This 8 to 10 degree error equates to about 10thou lift/fall at the pushrod where the dial gauge is located.  And obviously, is probably equates to the slack in the rockers/shaft/tappet clearance. So, I'll need to check again once the head and rockers are back on. The head is away at Towler Engineering having the valve seats recut after I put new guides in and bought some new valves. I'm betting that once put together, if I put the dial gauge on the top surface of the valve caps and test again it will give me the correct 25/65 degree readings, or as near as dammit. Fingers crossed.