Maggie13

11 hours ago, Tim Bancroft said:

Hi Maggie,

Where are you based, I ask as someone on here may know of a decent company that can re-core the radiator?

Northern Ireland 

Yes its fell off. I do have it.

It looks like the one above mine so i guess if it bolts in its the right one.

This is the big  radiator I have. One side needs the bracket soldered on again but Does this look like a spitfire radiator? I'm afraid incase I recored it and it turns out wrong.

I phoned a few people to find out the cost to recore but they said they need to see it and somewhere from £160 to £200 to get it done.

When reading the rimmer bros catalogue it says every year the radiators kept changing of different sizes and different pressure caps.

I take it they all fit, both the 16" and the 22".

I have 3 radiators, one i believe is full length if its the right one and two 16", all is leaking and I dont know what to do next. Is it best to get one recored? Is the 16" OK? Or buy an aluminium?

Is the higher pressure radiator cap best?

It's for a mk3 spitfire.

1300 spitfire

3 hours ago, PeteStupps said:

I changed mine, but bought a special tool to do it. Others say you can tap them in and out with a block of wood but I had no success with that.

Tool was from Ebay, fairly cheap but large and heavy. I'll see if I can find a link.

Main two things if doing it yourself: be careful to align the oil feed holes, and also be careful to drive the new ones in totally square. They're easy to wreck if pushed in at a slight angle.

There's some good videos on Youtube showing the process - it's not specific to Triumph engines of course.

Did they need honed afterwards?

Is fitting camshaft bearings a job for the machine shop? 

Can I just tap them in or will they need honed?

Their is grooves in mine so I take it they are no good.

I need to check again but I think I have a tight 10 thou. The bores are honed as well if that matters. Will the gap not get wider as they bed in?

I'm in the middle of rebuilding my engine. I think my piston ring gap is too tight.

What is the minimum gap? I can't find it in my manual.

Do I just clamp the rings in the vice? Will it not score them? And then try and file at the same angle.

Is it not also hard to get them not threaded the whole way because the bolts are so short.

39 minutes ago, RobPearce said:

Where did you find them "very expensive"? As Clive says, they're standard HT bolts taken from the factory's standard bolts part bin. M8 would probably work but are not as good a thread so the torque setting would be wrong. Stick with the UNF but get them from a nut and bolt shop, not a rip-off "classic car parts specialist".

It was rip off classic car part specialist i was pricing them from.

I have some bolts in poor condition. They are stamped with a V. But I can't find out how strong that is. Minus the head the bolt measures 7/8, with the head 1, 1/8. I'd be afraid of it shearing and the shaft coming through the floor.

The propshaft and driveshaft bolts are very expensive. They could end up £35 to £40 for 12 bolts an inch long. Are they a special strength? They are 5/16 ones. A m8 bolt would be a lot cheaper and is a better fit.

Has anyone got a d type overdrive pressure gauge and adapter that I could buy off them or hire off them.

Is this one ok.

https://www.commaoil.com/productsguide/view/6/183

Is some gl4 not suitable because of additives or sulphur or something. 

What is the correct oil that is easily got in the UK for spitfire mk3 gearbox. I believe it has the d type overdrive? 

Am I right in saying i need 2.5 litres.

It fits in the trunnion ok but it ends up too wide, then when the bolt is torqued  the seals pop out or it locks solid. A good example is the calvin williams video on youtube having trouble with them and having to reuse old parts.

Where do you get your rear trunnion bush kits that work? I've bought 2 different kits now and none of them works

I dont know if I broke the woodruff key but I have the other half of it. Will it still do its job in 2 pieces and can you even get them? I never thought of checking inside the pulley. I've never heard of removing the crank bolt breaking it. 

I won't be doing many miles but hoped not to be this far down for a long time.

I forgot to check if the sprockets were aligned but as the engine was unknown to me and not running and too much crank float I've pulled it apart and am sending it to be checked. I've definitely one bad big end bearing and a score on the crank. I'll probably get him to set the end float which I'm guessing moves the crank pulley alignment. I think their is about 80,000 on mine too. I dont want to waste money as its only for an odd classic run but still want it sort of right. 

I'll try and add a few photos. My timing chain is exactly 10mm play from straight edge which seems to be the maximum, so I take it its best to renew it. 

The camshaft pulley teeth look OK (I think) but the tensioner has grooves so I'm guessing the tensioner needs changed too.

The bottom crankshaft pulley the teeth look a bit damaged. Can anybody tell me if this needs changed as well?

Also what brand do I go for. I've read on here some brands are rubbish and best leaving the old stuff on?

My exhaust ports still have some pitting after lapping so I was wondering if they need repairing should I get hardened seats for unleaded petrol or for a car not used too often is it really needed?

Any idea of how much it costs in total?

When i typed it into ebay the pumps were coming up at about £20 including postage. The kits for building it started at about £25 including postage. 

Is their 3 different pumps and how do I know its the right kit.

Fuel pump not working. It pushes the fuel out but then takes it back again like a one way valve not working.

Is it best to buy a rebuild kit and keep my pump or buy a new one. The new one is cheaper but then its probably rubbish. Maybe the rebuild kits are poor quality too. Any advice appreciated and where to get the best one.