Blogs

Great work! Neat conversion, Looking like it belongs there, almost.

Great to see the conversion moving forward and a 32kg weight saving right where it matters most is terrific news. This car is going to be mega on the road and on the track.

Hello All                 I have put dose in the tank and will run it tomorrow to mix it up (think it maybe the wrong stuff!) But I have had another thought I have changed Spitty tank vent from through the filler cap to a pipe to the rear of the car! So I think I will seal this breather then no air/moisture can get in Etc and I do not think I will have to worry about expansion in a cold garge in the Winter! Roger ps thoughts? or am I just a daft old Bugger? Still we are going to book a break to Albert fury Porugal at the start of march for a bit of temperate weather and away from what ever happens here! I recon it will be about £1000 for the week including a couple of trip and self catering(which we like) so about the same as Spain £1000 a week for 2 which in these times seems reasonable? Roger and the Happy Memsahib

So…. Something bad happened to the Triumph gearbox. 3rd gear suddenly go noisy under load. That’ll be that oilite bush spigot bearing bodge we did crying enough. It’s lasted about 12k. So that forced some action….. Old lump coming out. It weighs 151 kgs. Old and new side by side New going in for the first time. First of many one suspects. It weighs 119kg. Fits in the hole, though rather snug in places   induction arrangements are under review….. rearmost TB wants to occupy space already claimed by the bulkhead.  

Busy weekend. Painted a few bits, pulled the oil pump from the 1500. It's within tolerance, but had some heavy scoring, on the top and bottom faces, so I suspect it's in need of replacing. Also got the transmission tunnel out. That's a fairly awful mix of cardboard components.  I'm going to consider just trying to bond it all together with epoxy for the time being, but I think a new tunnel is in order in the not too distant future.  Also wiring is a mess under there. I need to neaten it up and look into overdrive wiring. The overdrive is currently wired to a switch on the dash, and it looks like this is because there doesn't seem to be enough space to wire in the switch with the gear lever.  Not a big deal, but it would be nice to sort it.

10 years ago I splashed out 2.50 Euro on a small Christmas train. Engine did not start. WD40 solved it. What a quality.   

Ever since I started building my engines with as high compression as I could with 99 octane, I put some of this stuff in the tank at season's end.     Or I have done since spring starting found a loud knock, that went away as soon as I filled up with fresh fuel.    The contents of a stabiliser seem to vary by manufacturer, but a typical list culled from Hazard sheets incudes: "Distillates" - Alkanes (10-13 carbon), Hexanol (6 carbon), naphtha. toluene, benzene or  methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (octane raisers)                                                                                                                                              phenylenediamine (anti-'gumming' agent) but I doubt that short list is comprehensive The websites of the makers of stabilisers are completely opaque as to how they work (or if they do!). apart from waffle about "gums", but from my experience above, I think that modern fuel loses some of the octane raising additives that replace tetra-ethyl lead.     The above contents of a stabiliser add octane raisers, and some long chain hydrocarbons, that may be chosen to less susceptible to oxidation in stored fuel to produce "gums" that the last inhibits.   This has to be a subject for the Common Room of Sideways University!  And members of the Department of Chemistry (Petroleum Technology).   Anyone in? John

I use generally use battery voltage as a measure of condition on my GT6 and Honda S2000 and also use a Ctek charger. The S2000 has a tiny battery (40Ah and 400ca) and gets drained rather quickly, I think by the alarm. Ultimately using it regularly is the answer. After a reluctance to  start, I did take the car to a battery/tyre shop and they checked it with one of those smaller testers, pronouncing it fine but with low charge. I now have a rechargeable lithium/iron jumper pack as a back up. By comparison the 70Ah 600cA on the GT6 is a beast and spins the engine over just fine with a modern starter motor. Ian

My usual rite in the Springtime, when getting the 'BlueRacer' (TR4) out of hibernation, is to spend a couple of hours. cranking, swearing, new plugs, clean float chamber, squirt of Start U Bast*** , more swearing and then she starts.. So this year for the first time I have topped the tank up and used Sta-Bil.   This should stabilise the effects of the Ethanol.   I'll report back in the Spring.   Roger

I have used this millers vspe plus for years - it’s what my dad used in all sorts of vintage and classics so has proved itself over very many years. https://www.frost.co.uk/millers-vsp-e-power-plus-multi-shot-500ml/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_4OIjbWEgwMVEMftCh2F4Qj9EAQYBiABEgLkivD_BwE available from various sources and prices this is the big multi shot bottle. but I confess to not using it for the last 2 seasons on the “new” engine as the valve seats have been done. But I wonder if it’s worth continuing for the octane bootstrap and ethanol benefits ? I hear tooth things about the valve master version too. but I think there are dedicated additives to be used when laying  a vehicle up for a few months that may be better suited. i think it could be cheaper than filling the tank with my preferred V power only to find it’s “gone off” over a few months of sitting. but this thread has made me decide to add some millers vspe to what’s left in the tank as I’m ashamed to say the tr hasn’t moved for a couple of months.