Nick Jones Posted November 26, 2011 Author Share Posted November 26, 2011 Rack refitted today with 7 tooth pinion and solid mounts. It's much pointier but somewhat heavy. I can live with the added pointyness but I dunno if the management can live with the weight. Might need to research the roller top mounts. The Monarch Stag price for these is over budget! Driving around with the back seat out today (ongoing work to parcel shelf for speaker fitment and seat belt mounts). Amazing what you can hear..... like the fuel sloshing about in the tank and even more wailing and clanking from the diff.... Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Some progress on the civilization front. I ripped out the tattered and butchered remains of the parcel shelf cover, undressed it and used the hardboard core as a template for a new one. There are seat belt mounts in the shelf structure, but right in the corners so not enough room for inertia reels to sit straight, so I made up these plates from 3mm steel (which is thicker than the Securon extension pieces)to bring them slightly forward and inwards. Inertia reels are from Peugeot 406 which have them mounted in exactly the same position. I prefer OEM stuff to aftermarket. The inertias obscure the speaker mounting holes so I co-opted the inner knock-outs. They are a bit small, but by raising the speakers on some 22mm MDF (suitably shaped and finished) and massaging the cut-outs a little, they fit. Speakers were donated by my bro 5 or 6 years back and have been sat under my bench patiently waiting for employment. They are nice ones. New board is fettled to match Then covered with new vinyl and fitted, looking like this Then time to fit the new stereo. This was a PITA as well due to Triumph having some weird hole size which I had to make an adaptor for (don't tell me you can buy them for peanuts - it's too late!) Looks ok I think. Not too out of place. I did try to pick one that isn't too bling. Works quite nicely too - even the blue-tooth hands-free bit. Does need front speakers though...... where the hell am I going to put them....? Looking like I need to find some pre-butchered door-cards..... Slung under the front edge of the front seats might just work if I can find/make something the right shape. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logicaluk Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 (edited) if thats an alpine sterio, it will sound exelent, i bought one for £50 of a guy it had an external line in but no mp3 or blue tooth(ive been disapointed with the parrot kit ive fitted might be time to upgrade next year), its been in 5 of my cars, simpley the best ive had. Dan Edited December 12, 2011 by logicaluk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 Yes, it's an Alpine. I'm not a big Halfords fan but they were a cheap as anyone and I can wander down there in my lunch hour .....and then trot straight back to work to order on line as if it's not ordered online you don't get the nice price..... But hey, I can walk a few hundred yards for £150! http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_770541_langId_-1_categoryId_165474 Works very nicely. The Bluetooth even hooked up easily to my geriatric Nokia and works pretty well. Goes properly loud too, even with just two speakers. Doesn't have quite such a quality feel as the Blaupunkt head unit in the Audi, but I forgive it due to the gadgets for the price. The Blaupunkt CD changer is not great. Fussy about CDs (doesn't like DIY ones) and jumps alot, especially on DIY ones. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 Good news: Passed MoT today (second in my ownership) with no advisories. Pleasing. Not so good: Clutch briefly stopped working on the way home last night - pedal went straight to floor and wouldn't pump up. This was in the pissing rain and a queue of traffic, so I wasn't delighted . There has been a slight weep from the slave cylinder so I assumed it had run out of fluid. So I checked and it hadn't...... then when I got back in the car again (wet!) it was back working as normal. And has been ever since.... most odd. Then this morning when I fired it up, the oil light went out and the usual start-up rumbling stopped, so I backed it out of the drive. Then the oil light comes back on again for a few seconds, then off again, on again, then off for good. Gauge was also hopping about. Steadied at it's usual 70 psi cold reading and was idling at usual 35psi once warm. Most odd. It did do something similar a couple of months back and I have no idea why. Oil level is well above minimum but not right full. Sticking relief valve maybe? Don't like it....... Drove the Vitesse over to my Dads this morning to put it "in kennels" for a couple of months. What a sweetie - starts on the button after two months neglect, light clutch, sweet gearchange, light steering (!)...... Perhaps it likes being left alone! No painful surgery..... This was to make room for something else in my garage. Not a Triumph - not even a car exactly. It's the kids fault.... . I won't trouble you with pics - it is NOT a thing of elegance, beauty or even engineering competence. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logicaluk Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 (edited) you cant do that to us, we need pix Dan Edited December 14, 2011 by logicaluk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 you cant do that to us, we need pix Dan Hum, not sure I want anyone to see what I've allowed in my garage........ Maybe a new thread..... if I can find a less depressing angle to view it from. It's a "Greenpower Racer" designed and built by a committee of schoolkids - and it looks like it! Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Just before Christmas a local contact in the Triumph world rang me to offer some PAS conversion parts. Then he mentioned he had a spare PI engine, supposedly in good order, was I interested.... oh yeah! Rustled a man with a van (thanks Duncan!) and we went over last weekend to collect. 1 engine became 2 with a second, partly dismantled one thrown into the deal. The complete one is just (35 digits!) inside the later cam series (but I'll measure it to be sure - Triumph being Triumph I might get lucky!), so I was also considering doing the part dismantled one as it's a factory recon with excellent looking bores and I have a spare early cam to put in it. Been looking inside it today. Initially all was looking very promising with the engine still quite clean inside, pistons in good shape, bearings hardly marked etc Then I noticed this which became this Poo! Scrap the quick hone, re-ring and re-shell idea on that one then! Fractured from the fillet radius edge which is quite sharp. Crank is 10/10, but whether that was done as part of the factory re-con or later I have no idea. Crappy grinding job anyway as the engine doesn't look to have done many miles since. Best look at the complete one now then...... plan is to get it running on the garage floor to check oil pressure, compressions etc. Got some carbs, just need a starter motor as I don't seem to have one that will fit in stock...... Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 Now for the next engine...... I made some rudimentary supports (though a little more substantial than it looks on the following video) to prop the thing up, borrowed the starter off the car, attached an oil pressure gauge and spun it over with the plugs out to build up some pressure. Wasn't getting much joy, so whipped out the gallery plug above the oil pump/relief valve and squirted some oil in there. Success - 50 psi on starter. Then I stuck the old Vitesse carbs on with the original PI exhaust manifold and downpipe. Next trick was to test out the ignition. Nothing worked initially, even the plug leads were on in a random order, but after finally hauling the dizzy out and slinging it over my shoulder in disgust and sticking another one in, we finally had a nice fat spark. Then another 30mins was spent trying to teach the fuel pump the engine came with to pump again. It got the idea eventually. Then to try and start the beast on the garage floor dyno. It wasn't keen. Didn't help that who ever had put it in storage had generously oiled the bores and this was getting on the plugs. However, as this has kept the engine usable for 20 years at least in storage I really shouldn't moan about it! It did eventually cough into life, one cylinder at a time (BIG smoke) and after holding it at 1500 rpm for about a minute the smoke cleared and it settled into an pretty decent idle - with 80 psi oil pressure. The vid shows the second start. It's on the button now! Health and safety devotees, do not click play! Got no cooling system (though the water jacket does have water in it) so run times are short. It's quite loud, but then it's only got about a metre of open pipe on it. I guess carbs and clockwork dizzy have their plusses. The petrol supply is a hose from the pump suction dipped in a can and the ignition is one wire to the battery +ve. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTSTEVEMKIII Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Nice Video Nick Brings back memories of a long time ago as an apprentice being shit scared when my gaffer was starting up a big old Perkins V8 Diesel and it dancing around on the Workshop floor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT6Steve Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Sounds pretty good! What is that bellhousing on it? I've never seen anything like that before.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aar0sc Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 When I changed the drive belt on our old tractor (which involves rolling it up against a wall) dad slipped and (sensibly) jumped out the way so it didn't land on him. After he'd had a cup of tea we lifted it back onto it's wheels - then spotted that all the oil had made it's way through the air filter and carb! I change the oil (no filter) and started it up.. third attempt it fired and instantly filled the garden with thick white smoke! We had to "tack" it for weeks afterwards up and down the garden so you didn't get smogged out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 Sounds pretty good! What is that bellhousing on it? I've never seen anything like that before.... From an autobox (saloon, BW35 or 65). You can see a Toyota W58 box in the vid (to the right) and this BH may have a part to play in joining that to a Triumph engine...... Just measured cam lift, got 6.1mm (.240") thus confirming it is the later 18/58, 125 bhp cam...... not ideal, but perhaps an incentive to rebuild the original engine properly. It'll be injected when it goes in the car, don't you worry! Was impressed the carbs just worked though - they've spent the last 5+ years in my lock-up. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Whow Nick, not thinking of what my neighbour would tell me, especially the one that lives on the side where my garage is ...... Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 It wasn't all that loud considering....... didn't rev it very hard and couldn't put any load on it obviously - then it would be LOUD! Nothing to stop you fitting a silencer - I just didn't have one to hand. If you start one up with just a 6-3-1 it's much louder....... tried that before on the Vitesse engine (in the car). Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 Yesterday was spent pulling the old engine and box out, swapping the clutch and 'box onto the "new" engine and refitting..... on my sloping driveway with a max temperature of 5ºC. Technique was to lift the front of the car as high as possible (25" to the lip of the front valence) drop the crossmember and lower the whole lot down with an engine hoist onto some old kitchen worktop and drag it out. Swap engines then drag back in, hoist up and do up the bolts. Started about 10.30am (when the ice had melted) and finished (well, stopped anyway) at 6.30pm. For heavy stuff I had the assistance of my 15 yo son who is now definitely big enough to be useful, though not (yet) big enough to pick up a complete Triumph 6. Hope he hasn't been put off for life! This morning I felt VERY old..... Still have about half a days work left to connect everything back up - but the heavy stuff is done. Hope it works - don't fancy doing it again anytime soon! Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bestquality03 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Any news on the engine swap Nick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 Car is sat on the drive with the front in the air. I'm awaiting a couple of exhaust bits from Chris Witor as a clamp fell to bits when I was trying to refit last Sunday. Should turn up tomorrow..... but I can't do alot during the week as it's very dark on my drive. With the exhaust clamp, about half a day to finish reassembly and get it running. Saturday I hope...... Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 Now all back together and running. Had some anxious moments on start-up when it didn't seem to fancy pumping oil, then was struggling to get 30psi (in contrast to the very happy 80psi I got on the garage floor). Dumped a can of flush in (which I had been planning to do anyway) and almost immediately pressure went up to 55. Ran it 'til hot then dumped the oil, changed the filter and refilled. Back to 80 psi then - so dunno what that was about. Something nasty in the pick-up gauze maybe, though the oil that came out didn't seem all that bad. Works alright. Pulls hard from low down, but doesn't seem as keen to rev as the old one - maybe due to the softer cam, maybe because it needs mapping again..... Drove it about 25 miles, gently at first then a bit harder. No smoke, nasty smells or noises. Hot idle is about 20psi. Not as good as the old one but that had had new shells and a toleranced oil pump. I'll drive it around with Tuner Studio on tomorrow. Then use it daily for a bit to see if it's fit for the Stoneleigh run...... Bonus is that during the reassembly process I seem to have improved the gearchange from "very crap" to "nearly acceptable". Not quite sure how that happened....... To balance out that piece of luck I got the steering column on one spline out - as usual! The grizzling noises from the rear haven't fixed themselves either..... that is as expected though Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveA Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 That's good news on the re-build, are you planning to join us on the Royvoy to Stoeleigh if everything goes to plan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toofast2race Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Works alright. Pulls hard from low down, but doesn't seem as keen to rev as the old one - maybe due to the softer cam, maybe because it needs mapping again..... Drove it about 25 miles, gently at first then a bit harder. No smoke, nasty smells or noises. Hot idle is about 20psi. Not as good as the old one but that had had new shells and a toleranced oil pump. Sounds par for the course - you notice the 125/132 difference - not sure why people say that the late TR6 cam and early "150bhp" are so similar in bhp when the reality is so obviously different - so whats the plan? Cam swap or rebuild the lump recently extracted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 It'll be interesting to see how the VE table turns out with the lesser cam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 Been down to Beer (south coast) in it this morning. Haven't touched the mapping and it drives fine just pottering. Does hitch a bit 1200 - 2000 rpm on very light throttle Makes some slightly threatening "endy" noises at about 3k, 2/3 throttle - which seems to go with the application of more throttle..... This may correspond to a fairly abrupt timing change in the map so I'll be changing that right away and I'd really like the noise to go away! Otherwise it will be a case of rebuilding the original lump sooner rather than later. I'm not feeling much like swapping the engine again though. Going to tidy the garage now (it's real baaaad!) then maybe hang the old lump on the stand and start pulling it apart. I think the block/psitons that came with a busted crank will be good to go with a hone and a re-ring but it would be quite nice to keep the original engine number. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Nick, "keeping the original engine number" In this hyper-regulated age, we have been worried about car major restorations being denied thier original registration number, because they have enough parts from other cars to be given a "Q". I think we have been re-assured about this. A commercial engine rebuilder will renumber the block, for guarantee purposes, but is there any regulation that says that a home re-built engine must have a new number? Please to the gods, no more regulation! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 Follow-up to the above. Instead of tidying the garage I decided to have a drive around with VE analyzer. First good news is that changing the timing at and around 3000/70kPa has stopped the rattle (relief!). Second good news is that using the same target table as before, VE analyser has (as usual) done a fine job and both improved the driving manners and found (considerable) extra grunt. I'd have to say that it now goes as well if not better than it has ever done. Bad news..... if I thought the old engine smoked...... I'll keep an eye on the oil use......... Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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