WIMPUS

Also yesterday, local guy called me up.

Broke down, steam from under the bonnet..

Coolant hose between heater valve and heater split open.

Gave him instructions to route the hose to the heater valve from inlet to water return pipe.

So disconect the heater fully so he could drive to home and he made it to home.

So will need to have a look this week.

Yesterday another job..

A guy his spitfire was running crap.

Broke down 7 times (you think they learn to leave it alone by then...)

I told him, you take your old exhaust off, otherwise I will go home again.

As he wanted it fully sorted out in 1 day !

So, fitted the exhaust, k&n filters, AAR needles (AAQ where better, but didnt listen to me again).

Re-checked valves, exhaust on cil no 4 to much play.

Then started up, but not running nicely.

Suddenly a backfire and dead.

Tried to restart it .. nothing.

This was the thing he had 7 times before.

Ok... i turn the engine.. rotor arm not spinning !!

Checked.. dizzy wasnt pushed it deep enough.

I know he told me he checked the timing of his csi dizzy before.. so i think he never installed it right, or even timed it right !

Installed it good, it would fire up, started to adjust timing, mixture etc etc.

Now runs smoothly, but again he didnt want to do a testdrive as it was going to rain.

Told him it will be his problem is it wasnt running right, as you best drive it and adjust the carbs better then.

Changed the oil as it was mostly fuel and black as hell.

Sometimes its no fun with owners like this, they really destroy these cars.

Told him 5 times his new exhaust wasnt standard, so original fittings would not fit..

Ofcourse "that Y piece is hanging loose, there should be a strap to the diff"

Yes, told you need to make something yourself, i guess... i will need to make something.

Cooling system got to hot he said to.

Checked voltage stabilizer.. its all over the place, but not giving 10 volts, but more..

So will rebuild it to solid state.

In july it needs inspection, told him, bring the car to me for a week and i will try to sort out all the little things.

Nope.. 

I was glad I was home...

Today more TR5 diff stuff.

Endfloat was set up and then it was ready to put back together.

And touch up paint in the sun while we where eating.

Then put it back under the car.

Another Triumph friend popped by and gave me a hand with the exhaust and testdrive time...

Eum.. the noise was still there.

As the owner still cant do much due to hernia, I popped by the same friend that popped by earlier (as only 3 streets away).

He jumped in the car and told me it was loud at the left.

I couldnt hear it as the car has a very loud exhaust under it.

So we had a look for a recon hub assembly.. no go.

Prices in europe.. wow.. 470 euro for a new one (think it used to be 250 euro)

Found one at Bastuck for 290 euro, for that price I cant take it apart (will try to take the old one apart to have a look and learning).

So i know what i will do next weekend probably..

This morning D-day.

A few people that where waiting in line to get there car inspected came over to look at the Dolly, even a tester stopped work to come and look 😆

Ofcourse she passed !

Then adjusted the carbs again & I drove the Dolly back to its owner.

Then swaped the Dolly for ... Fox !

But as I was there, more work done on the TR5 diff.

I hope to get it sort of ready tomorrow.

That could a rubber bushing that needs some lube.

Get someone to push the car.

Then grab the suspension arms, you will feel where it vibrates.

Then that bush is it !

I had it a few times, assembly with copper grease helped.

Today after work a teacher offered to help out to setup the light and emissions check.

All done snd hopefully will pass the inspection.

I do so like to drive this car 😅

If i only had the money... 

Yesterday put the Dolly on the lift at work.

As you can see, never been undersealed in 46 years time.

But owner is panning a resto to save it.

And oh .. windscreen leaks very badly when parked outside when raining 😅😅

Another thing added to my tool kit.

And needed/wanted for a while now.

Fuel pressure / vacuum gauge for carb cars.

Tested it on the Dolly and steady reading of 2,5 psi.

So spot on !

Fox parked in the shed and Dolly could come out.🙃

Then... took the TR5 diff apart.

The noisemaker found !

23 hours ago, yorkshire_spam said:

Hope you are enjoying the Sprint while you have the chance! 

Picking it up tomorrow ! 

Just hope it passes, then we need to first fix the TR5 and then sort out the Dolly's suspension.

Again playing on other Triumphs on our bank holiday.

Fixed the rear numberplate lights on the dolly.

But was rusted to the holder, broke it apart etc, sandblasted it and now works like new.

TR5 has a bearing noise...

Suspect the diff.

So got that out, got play in the right output shaft, shims/spacers of the little gears inside worn and endfloat out of spec.

And suspect a yoke of the driveshaft that is not made to spec.

As the UJ has play in it, less then 1000miles old.

Saturday will take it apart more.

And then I will leave Fox there and take the Dolly Sprint home for a few days.

As the owner asked me if I can take the Dolly to the technical inspection  🫣

Yesterday was wooden dashbord day.

Sprint vs. PI power 

Was asked to do an oil change on his 3 cars, MGA, Dolly Sprint and TR5 PI.

and testdrive of the Triumphs.

But TR5 , there is a bearing in the diff (i think) that is getting really loud.

So needs looking at asap !

Dolly needs technical inspection (MOT) in the next 2 weeks.

Just need to fix a rusted solid rer numberplate light.

But Dolly is coming home with me and i will sort it out for the inspection.

My friend and owner of these cars has a very bad hernia, nearly cant move and probably needs operation.

So will try and sort it out for him.

Yesterday... hail !

Ordered another ɓrand of 20 Liters  20w50 oil (MPM), as my usual supplier stopped selling oils..

Found a picture of Fox from the openday at Anglo Parts yesterday.

Typical, I was showing the engine bay to another Spit owner i knew 🫣.

This morning went to the openday and british car meet at Anglo Parts Belgium.

Then this afternoon was asked to work on a (to me) special Spitfire.

Its owned by my 75 year old neighbour, now having skin cancer.

He had leukemia and other cancer before, but cured from that in 2017.

Back then his car had a full body rebuild by the local garage and I helped to, so he could drive his Spitfire to the Netherlands before he went to hospital, it was a 50/50 it would work.. but it did.

In 2017 local garage stopped to.

So now he asked me for help.

Carb where flooding and valves needed setting.

So fixed it all for him.

He build this Spitfire out of boxed in 1990 !

He done a few interesting 'mods' back then, incl a Honda brake master + servo.

Yesterday a friend came over to get the hardtop off and put soft top back on.

Then done an 80mile drive.

Fuel use is a lot better with the rebuild carb body's now, but pedal feel needs looking at.

Next i need to also look at the rear end noises.

Over the easter weekend done a job for a friend.. 

He had a head rebuild, now fitted it.

His car is very low milage and very original.. as was the head gasket etc.

Found inlet and outlet was blowing.

After head was on.. would not start and was flooded + cars overflowing.

So monday went back, seemed fuel pressure was to much.

His old pump was bad to, so i donated parts of my spare that was in the boot.

Eventually his new float needles changed to the old ones.. then it seemed happy.

Tuned the carbs fully and now drives well.

The seller I bought it from.. no reply.

As i need Fox to be in good shape for next weekend and the next 2 weeks, i wanted to get it sorted asap.

So another trip to Anglo Parts.

Man behind the counter comes with the new pump 'these are really good ones'.

I look at the box .. Q parts.

I said it was the same brand of the failed one now and in 2021 when my older pump failed and bought a new one .. that failed after 100kms... also Q Parts .  Sh*t quality.

Looking up this brand, nothing to be found.

Time to have a spare one it seems now.. 

I was offered by a friend from the UK an early rebuild waterpump with grease nipple for free, but seems the pullys are smaller.

Ffs... now waterpump weeps after 5 and a half months.

Did notice a bit of coolant on the inside of the bonnet, but just had changed the thermostat to 82° one.

Contacted the supplier now.

This weekend more tuning, mostly mixture check.

Now spot on it seems.

But did a small service, oil, spark plugs etc.

Fitted/made better seals from between bonnet / wheelarch and bulkhead.

Now bulkhead is a lot dryer.

Yesterday evening fitted the new rebuild carb bodys.

So that means.. swapping over everything of my carbs that where on Fox and tune it again.

Still needs a better look this evening, but got to work today 😅

The idle is a lot better at first sight.

The old dirty and a bit worn.. 

Time to swap parts over..

1 carb done, time to do the other one !

Done and then it was time to fit them again.

But first..

Clean the headshield a bit better.

It does have a few cracks, but holds up well.

Got this many years ago via Mike Charlton and I fitted a 2nd plate behind it with spacers.

I also had 1 float with a drop of fluid in it.

Not bad after 46 years, lucky i had spares.

But.. looked for new ones.

They are not made anymore, only 'unsinkable' ones wzx1304.

After a visit to my uncle and his TR7, I found out the 1 wrong throttle shaft Bastuck send me is actually for an... HS6 carb.

Now hopefully they will understand.

Got to fed up with Bastuck there awful costumer service.

So had a try with the throttle shafts and disc that where to big.

A drill and sandpaper did the trick for the shafts.

Some more cleaning up.

Noticed from last year all the brackets up front where going rusty.

So repainted them.

Bought some carb parts from Bastuck.

Nothing fits... 

Great 😑