glang

Trouble is how do you find better quality components like tensioners as few manufacturers so all suppliers often stock the same thing....

Are there any other lower ratio diffs available as thats another way to drop engine revs albeit at a possible cost in acceleration?

Yes heat treatment/material obviously wrong so too brittle. This is a worry with many after market components now as theres no way with out a full laboratory to know if an item matches the correct design spec☹️

Overdrive a personal thing really as depends what speed you tend to cruise at. If you pootle on smaller roads and avoid long motorways runs then the cost/work/added unreliability of overdrive makes it not worthwhile especially if most noise comes from wind rather than engine. There will be slightly less engine wear but thats not a major factor for most people these days and neither is fuel saving which is also pretty much negligible....

Id check on that Paddock product as on the Comma site I cant see it mentions it being recommended for power steering. Also looks like Paddock list GUL355-P for use in power steering and its a different price....

Yes the total thickness of two standard thrust bearings is only around 3/16" so difficult to see how there could be that much play without at least one missing☹️

So did the owner get the car with engine like that or has it happened in his ownership? Has he driven it many miles? How about doing a deal on price with him which depends on the state the engines found to be in?

Yes apparently the block can be damaged beyond economic repair (after all the thrust is taken by the block not the cap). If the crank moves that much the front camchain sprocket will do the same so causing a lot of misalignment of the chain and probably creating the noise you heard. However good that you didnt get the typical bearing rattle - might have caught them in time...

Has the owner told you any thing about how the exact progression of the failure?

Why not try it first? Not a major job to install, certainly less than an engine strip, and then you drive it to see what its like. Theres a few easy things you could check before that like compression, crank float and even inspect crank bearings but if all looks good I would whack in new crank oil seals and drive off into the sunset👍

Yes thats the equivalent of the filter that is used on all the Triumph spin on conversions

Well first how about looking at the existing shims? If they are soft you should see an indent in the side operating the valve where the stem has been impacting - otherwise theres no problem and the cause lies elsewhere...

Through hardened can make things quite brittle which is why surface hardening is used. However this only goes to thousanths of an inch depth. If broken through it might explain why Colins gaps keep opening up....

Its ok your mk4 3 rail (FH) has the same ratios as the 1500 single rail unit but Trevs mk3 unit (FD) has a different first gear ratio... 

But surface hardened only?

Out of interest what does regrinding the shims involve?

Well I cant see complete kits with that plate but presumably you use it with a standard 1500 diaphragm cover/thrust bearing which hopefully will work with your gearbox. As Clive says would be good to get confirmation from someone knowlegeable...

Oh also be aware that the 1st gear ratio on the mk3 box is lower than the standard unit for the 1500 so with the extra torque it might seem pretty redundant.

Think Wendy has got a bit mixed up but (as discussed on here previously) you need GCP103 which is a 7.25" plate used on US 1500 Spits that for some reason got 3 rail boxes...

Clutch Plate -10 spline - 7 1/4 inch Diameter - GCP103 (rimmerbros.com)

Oh yes definitely lots of rag to wipe off all the inside of block and crank before starting work. Then glasses while working👍

Draining sump very good idea but I dont remember having to angle it so steeply as to get residual oil on my head😳

Hi Dave, it was a little while ago now although I remember it wasnt the nicest of jobs but not so much for difficulty as comfort. The car needs to be high enough off the ground for access but you then have to lift engine to get the sump out. This has to clear the oil pump pick up so I released the engine mounts and jacked engine up which was then supported on wood blocks to the chassis. An engine hoist would be better but my method worked so I could then remove the jack and undo the sump.

Maintaining cleanliness is not easy but essential. It was well worth doing though as the main bearings were just going through to the copper under layer and its also nice to now have the upgraded oil pump...

oh its definitely single rail, can see that from the photos but unfortunately its not as simple as that especially when Rimmers advertise a 3 rail with a pic of a single rail😯

An update: it looks like the Dolomite 1300 didnt have an option of overdrive and this was only available for the 1500. Are you sure you dont have a 1500 with an engine number starting DM, DS or YC?

Yes you have a later single rail box there but I believe all mkIV Spitfires had 3 rail units although after FH60000 they came with J type rather than D type overdrives. I think that Rimmers link shows the wrong type of gearbox.

However could both the engine and gearbox from a Dolomite been used in your car? 

The single rail is stronger than the other and in overdrive form an inch longer. Im not sure if the ratios were exactly the same but if youve been happy with the way it drives the best is probably to replace like for like.

The correct unit is here but even then its not simple because two types of input shaft seals were used, scroll and rubber, and as this is in the bell housing you would probably have to get a box to suit... 

Triumph Spitfire Gearbox Only - Overdrive Type | Rimmer Bros

Those different props can be ordered from Canleys but as I say you would need to specify the the flanges required at each end. Ive seen new ones with a smaller OD than the originals which looks to be handy in your car...

Theres about 1.25" of slide and obviously best to run about half way of that.

Yes UJs should be easy to move in all directions with no notchiness.

The standard Herald prop is 50" long and I wonder if yours is a custom item especially as the welding at one end doesnt look original. This page is quite useful:

Propshaft Problems : Canley Classics

Some kind of axial flexibilty is desirable, although I believe Triumph did have solid ones as well, but be aware different size fixing bolts were used so you have to get a prop that matches both gearbox and diff flanges...

A Herald due to less engine weight should be able to get away with a smaller steering wheel although I suppose thats compensated for by the different rack ratio. Certainly for my Vitesse I wouldnt go less than 14"...