standardthread

Has it had a hardened seat conversion done? I had my first done by the TSSC nearly forty years ago, so the engine could look filthy. My second was done locally by an engineering firm about thirty years ago, so again, potentially black engine.

Over the years I've never had a problem, all the 'spares' I've had until I got my first Dolomite 4 years ago have all been Herald or Spitfire based, non of the cars the spares came from had alternators. I fitted one to my first 12/50 in 1975 without any issues (it was an off-side version loaned by a friend who then gave me a N/S version, had I realised I could have just reversed the alternator front plate), it went straight on the car. My current 13/60 estate, again, alternator, a straight change over from dynamo. I know there are different adjustment brackets in terms of length, AND, different pulley diameters on alternators, both got around with different length fan belts.

A garage to avoid?

Your dyno whatever looks brand new, if it is an alternator didn't the previous owner of your car get a guarantee that they can let you have? If you want to go down the true alternator route I got a brand new one about 18 months ago for my Dolomite, same fittings as the Herald, for about £50. I think it's a 17ACR but could be 18ACR. I got it from CJF Rotating auto electricals, the reference number is A00100 I think they could be down your way.

Sounds like someone has seriously played with your loom and you might find problems with other circuits later. When we got our 1960 Standard the cables were rubber, covered in fabric and perished so I made a completely new loom by stripping an old Herald loom based on a Herald diagram with mods for things like fuse box an alarm etc. It took me about a day to strip an old loom, measure and cut cables and make the loom. You have the cables (or can buy the correct colours if they are missing) cut to correct lengths, all you need are some spade connectors and some self amalgamating loom tape, then you have the confidence that things are correct, and will work. The thick brown (plus yellow?) and brown go between control box, dynamo and starter solenoid.

If you're like me Rob, it's an age thing! Whatever the cause is it looks like Steve will have to have the engine out.

Steve, Exactly where is the oil coming from, is it in front of the rear engine plate, or, from the joint between the bellhousing to rear engine plate? Rob is mistaken about a gasket (see the extract from my 13/60 parts manual) but is probably right about the cam core plug because that is OUTSIDE the engine. All the covers the core plug is the rear engine plate, in fact from memory I think it is open to the atmosphere at the bottom and would show oil in front of the plate. The only gasket at the back of the engine (item 31 in the drawing) is the crankshaft to oil seal to block gasket.

Much thought overnight. Did you reverse your electric drill? The oil pump/distributor run anti-clockwise, I don't know if oil pumps are bi-directional! If your electric drill runs at 1400+ rpm that's equivalent to just under 3000rpm for the engine speed (ratio of timing gears). The description attached (it's of an early Herald engine) gives oil flow and potentially the need for the cam etc. to be rotating, if not, potentially more increase in oil pressure. Then you come to the machining of the block, see the second photo of the core plug at the end of the cam shaft. This is a Herald 13/60 block. When I first run engines I take the plugs out, disconnect the fuel and turn it over on the starter and watch the oil pressure on the gauge, but before that I put oil in the oil filter. There is a massive build up of pressure in the crank case, not as great for you because the distributor was off, because early Heralds, Spitfires etc. had a crank breather tube on the side of the block (shown in the drawing).

To save chasing your tail and doing jobs not needed if it were me I would look very carefully at everything as I dismantled it to find the source where the oil first came from, before you clean any dismantled part. As to clutch driven plate, visually you will see if it is shot because any oil on it will show as darker patches. Trichloroethylene used to be a solvent used to clean oil off driven plates but now it's a no no, carcinogenic!

In addition to the post above I would add that I would think, given the historical use and length of time silicon brake fluid has been in use, and the precedents associated with it’s use, as well as NATO specs (should someone wish to investigate) that insurers would stay well clear of even attempting to reject any brake failure claim where it had been used. They would also have to contend with the vehicle manufacturers and suppliers who produce and sell silicon fluid. I would think insurers would be more concerned if crap modern OEM (ish) seals had been used and they had failed.

You are correct Roger, too much use of text and mobiles, not for me. And as you say. it's glycol based, nowhere near mineral, or bangers! Returning to the original question/post. In the vagaries time and of my memory I either read, or I was told, that the reason the US Military adopted /use silicon hydraulic fluid was to both reduce maintenance, and failures in the field. In doing so they would have had to meet very strict NATO specs., followed by ALL NATO countries, and, which are used for everything from brake fluid to specific types of metal and everything else in between. As I spent my working life in the defence industry I could have come across the information at work. I have a scrap bin full of brake cylinders that I set out to recondition, they are all ‘rusty’ or pitted because the aluminium has attempted to revert back to bauxite, because of the hygroscopic nature of DOT 3 or 4? As I said in a previous post I have used silicon fluid for over 30 years, with no issues. My brake and clutch lines can’t rust, they are cupro-nickel. Fortunately, we live in a free thinking society and we have choices, each to his own.

That's why I put mineral in parenthesis. Extract from the Oxford dictionary; "hygroscopic 1. Of a substance: tending to absorb moisture from the air. L18. 2. Pertaining to humidity or its detection. L18. 3. Of water: present as moisture in soil as a result of humidity in the air to which it is exposed. M19. hydroscopic [f. HYDRO- after hygroscopic.] = HYGROSCOPIC 3." unquote.

That's why i ALWAYS ram the brake pedal hard when I first get in the car, before I start the engine or move the car, having suffered a single brake line failure (before I moved the car) due to a pipe rusting, either through external corrosion, and/or the hygroscopic nature 'mineral' type fluids. I also suffered a similar failure in a Dolomite clutch line because the cast iron slave cylinder had rusted internally specifically because of the 'mineral' fluid. And, don't they use silicon fluids in F1 cars?

I first used silicon in both my brake and clutch lines in my Herald estate when we restored it some 35 years ago when the TSSC first announced and promoted its use. I can't remember if I replaced any seals in the systems. For a couple of decades I used it as a daily driver covering a few thousand miles per year. That fluid and seals are STILL in the car, without any issues or seals needing changing. The car has been laid up for a few years but is moved periodically without any issues with either the brakes (apart from light rust on discs etc.-I leave the handbrake off) or clutch. Just over 5 years ago we got our Daughter a Standard 10 Companion and the first job was to fit discs, and, at the same time run silicon fluid through both brake and clutch lines, non of the seals were changed apart from the new seals in the calipers. Again, there have been no issues.

When I first started driving and maintaining Triumphs years ago I used to use Duckhams. When I needed some more I couldn't get it so I switched to Castrol GTX. On doing so someone told me to stick to one or the other because they aren't (weren't) compatible/mixable, one being mineral based the other vegetable (or similar) based? From that point I have stuck to GTX from Opie.

As the last post, mechanical removal first, then I use Bilthamber 'Hydrate 80' which converts any rust left, and the whole panel, to 'black iron' to stop further rusting. Followed by usual primers etc. I've treated spots of rust and bare metal with this solution and left them unpainted for weeks without further rusting. Unlike some rust removers Hydrate 80 doesn't need washing off before further painting. Like anything, preparation is key.

But wouldn't that idea/method then creates more obstacles (and chances of injury) when removing a very heavy gearbox into/through the car if you have a clutch to replace? I just use a Phillips screwdriver to re-position the clips, but if they have been there a while and underseal is around them they are usually 'stuck' in place.

I thought all three rail boxes were all 10 spline? I did think of fitting a 1500 flywheel to my current 1300 Dolomite if I couldn't get a clutch, because that is a 6 1/2" plate, but that causes problems with bolt size and recess on the flywheel, but the previous owner thinks my factory fitted clutch could be a 1500 flywheel, time will tell. Apparently BL fitted 1500 flywheels and clutches to the 1300 Dolomites supplied to BSM (British School of Motoring), but mine was never intended to go down that route, just a very late built.

They are very good, and will send you a sample before you buy if you contact them. You can also download a pdf catalogue of seals they produce/market. Another source of seals etc. is Woollies

Not sure, I know 6 1/4" 20 spline plates are very difficult to find. I picked a couple up of new old stock plates off fleabay about 2 years ago but they were advertised for a Marina I think. I used one with no problem on my last 1300 Dolomite (now sold) after the plate on the re-con clutch fitted by a previous owner literally exploded and smashed the nose in the bellhousing. The cover I used was a Herald cover I had in stock. Another reason why, if push came to shove I would go back to a three rail box, 6 1/4" 10 spline plate because the clutches are readily available and used in loads of other makes of car

Try the manufacturers for correct ID, there link is; https://zenithcarb.co.uk/?___store=zenith The carb number is stamped in to the body of the carb, probably covered in muck and oil. This is a photo of a B2 off/for a Standard.

From memory it's a recess in the mating face of the bellhousing isn't it? But I did it the other way around. Same here. One thing to note from previous posts, if you fit a single rail box it has twenty splines on the gearbox shaft opposed to ten on three rail boxes. the 20 spline clutch plate is like elephant's egg to find, I know from experience.

I have Heralds with GE series engines, as well as a 1300 Dolomite (and spare boxes for both, single and three rail). The bellhousing is identical and can be used on both, I purchased a 1500 Spitfire box (single rail) without bellhousing (postage/weight) and mated it with a Herald bellhousing to use on a 1300 Dolomite. I've also used a GE series head on a MkIV GD series short block with no problems. To add to the mix I prefer three rail boxes, don't know why the hell BL switched from three rail on the early Dolomites to the final single rail version.

I confer with Rob. Bilthamber is very good and comes in clear or black. If you want the body colour of your car to show then obviously clear. Earlier (historic wax treatments were good until the maker made them thinner, greater profits?). It's really the wrong time of year to use it if spraying it on, the warmer the air temperature the better. Before you apply anything try and get the old underseal off first, especially the bitumen type, that hardens over time and can detach from the body leaving pockets behind it to trap water, and cause serious panel damage. Removing old underseal also lets you see where there could be rust that WILL need treating before applying wax. Bilthamber also market a solution to convert rust in to 'black iron' and 'destroys' the rust.

Selling my first Herald 12/50 to build a Spartan, lack of cash, wish I'd had the space to keep both. Then later changing the 1600 Vitesse engine in the Spartan for a Herald 13/60 engine.