Greeks

Biggest problem I ever had with this was when I got home from Rimmers to find they'd put Steering Rack Gaiters instead of clamps in my bag!!!! ... try as I might those gaiters just wouldn't do the job 🤔

Thanks Nick, you're a gent. Yes, when the engine was built up in 2008 (~70,000km ago) the whole thing was tanked and immaculate. The guy who built it was an absolute stickler - sending bits back to the machine shop when they didn't do exactly as he specc'ed. I've always used decent coolant and kept it well, and it's never sludged the expansion tank ... but then are the core plugs actually good quality I wonder? Mechanic called to say they'd got everything ready but hadn't put manifolds back on as it was knock off time. He said the others looked ok, but might catch them first thing Monday and ask to get the row along the manifold all done together for peace of mind and pennies. As for the DDIS ... if I had a dollar for every time i've seen that cold start thread on the search engine I'd buy a TR5 😀 The thing here is that it's not genuinely cold. The problem has slowly got worse over 20k km - as it got worse in winter I thought it may get better in summer, but it's got much worse! New MAP sensor today doesn't seem to have solved it, but the diesel specialists are refusing to charge me until they can fix it. Thanks for the tip on the filter, I will definitely pass that on to them as I think the X-Trail is also a F9Q - even though the fuel pressure check they've done said it was perfect. Apparently Aussie diesel is inferior and the euro-spec regulations cause big problems. Guess what the diesel mech's drive? Holden Commodores and Suzuki Cappucino!!!

Well that all turned to liquid dribbly poo unfortunately. Spoke to my local factors this morning and they said they had the right size 'welch plug' then got a call from my wife a couple of hours later saying the car had ejected its coolant into a car park. The leak seems to have got worse quite quickly 😲 To make matters worse, our POS Suzuki DDIS had been at a diesel specialists for a full week ... again ... as they continue to fail to diagnose why it takes 10 minutes to start it when cold. So I had to leave work early to get that so I could get my son from kindy. Albeit in limp home mode!!!! It's a sad day as BOB was towed for the first time in our 10.5 year, 100,000km ownership   Now with a local mechanic to fix the plug. I guess at least I get my weekend back.

Thanks guys ... to clarify, that's not my plug 🙂 No sign of corrosion on mine, but with a 2500 you can't get the access for a photo because the wing is in the way.

Got meself a weepy plug. Front end drivers side, neatly tucked behind the exhaust manifold (2.5 pi block). Firstly, would it be wise to use something like this leak repair sealant http://www.kalimex.co.uk/our-products/k-seal ... or is that considered a bodge that leads to further problems. If so, this looks like a bit of a bitch to get to, in fact the same as this one in Mike Bishop's blog I think this is a 1.25 inch bucket type core plug. Any idea if these are a common fitment I can get at any car shop, or will I have to source from a Triumph specialist ... ie won't be able to do this weekend 🤔

That's a good point, Colin... now I think about it the diaphragm was separating, I was a bit fixated on the wobbly valve though so didn't pay too much attention at the time.

OK, there's a couple more options now, it seems: These ones from the UK, that Andy Thompson fitted to his supa-commuter (didn't even mention these were in when I had a spin in it back in October ... I just spotted it on his blog) http://classicdrivingdevelopment.co.uk/gal.asp?gID=30 840 quid a pair Then I spoke with Greg Tunstall in Brisbane this afternoon and he's now offering Stag / Saloon shafts as well as the TR ones (not pictured). AUD 1650/pair.

... oh you guys 😀

So, interesting discovery today. One of the valves in the mechanical fuel pump was half in and half out.   Will see if fixing that's going to make any difference.

As ever Don your kind and insightful advice is amazingly ... erm ... insightful. However, whilst perfectly sound from a technical perspective (and i've run this past a few mechanical engineer friends, don't worry) my back of the envelope calculations, rough as they are, suggest that a ~$100 electronic fuel pump, or even a $500 carburettor overhaul and a solemn promise to pay more due attention to maintenance, is considerably cheaper than a replacement wife. Of course there's the exchange rate to consider, because it depends on where you source the new wife from, but regardless, what I discovered after perusing the normally closed books of the divorce courts, is that wives ... you won't believe this bit ... actually appreciate in value, rather than depreciate! And bizarrely, their value follows no normal economic rules. That is, when global commodity prices drop, spousal values actually remain exactly the same. When supply increases, no change. Incredible. Nope. I'm stuck with a wife that first saw my car before she saw me and made a huge assumption that i'd be worth meeting, and then, once ensnared, let me buy another the same as soon as I arrived in her country ... even though I had no proper job 😎 (And she's even potentially entertaining CV axle and hub upgrades - for the car of course, not her... or me.) PS - please send me your Huco - i'll PM my address to you.

There's no ethanol in the 98 octane fuel here ... apparently. But, the worst it's been was yesterday when my wife had the problem at high temps at 2,500 rpm up a very steep hill ... and fuel light was flashing. I don't see how the needle selection would relate to heat and hills...? However, this talk of float bowls reminds me the gaskets could definitely be replaced. Could they be leaking on hills?

After 18 months of a continual problem (what seems to be fuel starvation in hot temperatures at high rpm and particularly when running up steep hills!) that I can't seem to rectify any other way, I figure it's the next option. My spare mechanical pumps are beyond economical repair and the electrical route seems as cheap as mechanical.

Ta. I'll see what I can source in Oz...

Great info, thanks.

Thanks Alec - you know I did mean to say I wanted to avoid the SU pumps as they're so dear but forgot to type it

Hi all I'm after an electric fuel pump to feed the SUs on BOB (worked Mk1 2500)... I believe I need something around 3psi. I see there are Facet red tops, and that the cube style are way cheaper. What do people recommend?

1 mk2 a friend with a mk1 up the road ... although he's got original new front and rear wings for both sides. In oz.

What type of electronic ignition is fitted? Are you able to remove and fit points?

The best thing about this thread is that i've learnt the French for axle stands: 'chandelles a cremaillere.' Roughly on topic thought is a reminder to all to check your jacks every now and then. I noticed a large nut missing off my trolley jack last weekend ... could have  been nasty :o

I had an axle stand sink into a tarmac driveway once and tip. Incredibly it caught on the underside of a good solid panel and held... with my Dad's assistance. Needless to say I always use some sort of backup nowadays. Unless i'm rushing for dinner  :P

Seriously, why spend that much! Something like this will do the job, except you can walk into your local parts store and pick it up: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/111226986251?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=107 I have a slightly enlarged hole in the bulkhead and fit a complete new trailer m/c. Although I did swap the pushrod last time IIRC. I know, it's not wilwood, or any fancy uprated shit, it's just cheap, but it copes with my heavier than standard clutch, and more importantly it can fail in the morning and be replaced before lunch with a trip to my local autoparts store.

Cool - i'll have a look and see what type they are later today.

IIRC the former... same as on old Transits?

Hi all What's the collective wisdom on fast road brake pads these days? A few years back talk was that EBC were poor and that Mintex (1144?) and Ferodo (XXXX?) were better. Has anything changed? Cheers Greeks

Saw the beginning of a foody TV programme last night (Destination Falvour Down Under) and the presenter was driving a Spitfire around the South Island... he didn't have lights on as far as I remember  :) http://www.sbs.com.au/food/programs/destination-flavour-down-under