Nick Jones

Spitfire lever is quite a bit longer than the GT6 lever. GT6 one is nicer. I’ve significantly shortened/altered the levers on my Herald 1500 (single rail Spitfire box), my Dolly 1850 and my 2.5PI. The Vitesse lever is a combination of Herald 948 (complete with grey knob) and Toyota Supra activating a Supra gearbox. My GT6 lever is a heavily modified MX5 one operating an MX5 box...... It’s not rocket science, but does need to be robust...... driving round using mole grips as a gear lever isn’t ideal..... Nick

Popping and banging on the over-run can also be a sign of an exhaust leak somewhere near the front. Nick

Propshaft bolts still tight? Also check gearbox mounts, engine mounts and exhaust alignment. Sounds like something is moving under load and bringing parts that should be rubber mounted into contact with the chassis. Torque peak is around 3000 so that’s where everything is at maximum deflection. Nick

Agree....

Should be rotoflex rear end with the lower wishbone I think. These should feel pretty stable at the rear as they are much less affected by track changes as the suspension moves through its travel, which can make the swing-axle cars feel a bit skittish on bumpy roads. For either type I’d highly recommend getting a 4 wheel alignment done, bit of toe out on the rear makes things way too exciting! Nick

Do you mean the cage that keeps the balls in place in the big ball-bearing race? The decent quality RHP(?) main bearings have been NLA for a while and the ones I’ve seen supplied instead were so dodgy looking I ended up choosing the best of the used ones. This may be the root of your problems? Silly thing is, the decent bearings are still available in every detail except the external circlip groove, so it wouldn’t be a major challenge to get a batch converted. In general terms the single rail box in the 1500 is about the strongest factory combination there is (not saying all that much it is true), but all getting old and well used now. Nick

This is what the factory cut out looks like...... and this is what you need for an MX5 box.... Good luck...... Nick

They all contribute but the thing that actually stops the car is almost always the pump. Vapourisation is the fuel, or elements of it, boiling. Reaching boiling point is partly due to temperature, partly pressure and partly velocity. All three worst case conditions tend to occur at the inlet valve of the mechanical pump where the lowest pressure in the fuel system occurs, alongside the turbulence of the valve and conducted heat from the engine. The vapour displaces liquid and although the pump will move vapour to an extent, its efficiency is drastically reduced. Modern fuel has a higher vapour pressure (ie evaporates more easily) than the 60s and 70s brews which is no help. This is not a problem for high pressure injection systems (less anyway) but does often cause problems with older carb systems. As Ian has, I have also gone with an electric pump on my GT6 and kept all the lines away from the engine as far as possible. So far it seems to have worked, though I don’t consider it fully tested. A full test is 45 minutes in Monaco or Andorran traffic at 38C ambient. My injected Vitesse passed those tests (crew very uncomfortable though!) which it would certainly have failed miserably on carbs. Nick

Part of the problem (and likely the greater part) will be actual fuel delivery reliability and resulting fuel level in the float chambers as one of the worst spots for vaporisation is in the fuel pump and the vapour messes with the action of the valves and displaces liquid fuel, realling spoiling its efficiency. Nick

The rear section should be a double layer from the factory. The floorpan pressing extends out to the edge and folds down with a sectond layer on top that is the tread plate and folds up to form the flange for the door seal. The bulkhead section is single thickness I think. The actual joint should be a joggled overlap of about 1.5 - 2". Mine is inclined to a similar offset in height to yours on one side, which is dealt with a couple of beefy pop-rivets pulling the two sections together and level. Nick

Historically I would say yes. There have been some issues with the Payen six cylinder gaskets for recessed blocks in recent times for sure and I've seen the odd hint that it may be affecting 4s as well but no proof. + 1 on the re-torquing but I'd do it after 2 or 3 heat cycles and then again after 500 miles. Also, invest in a set of the flanged nuts from Minispares...... http://www.minispares.com/product/Classic/Engine/Cylinder_heads/Studs_bolts_nuts/C-AHT287.aspx?100409&ReturnUrl=/shop/Classic/Engine/Cylinder~heads/Studs~bolts~nuts.aspx|Back to shop .......as these will actually hold the torque. If you still want to use washers (not strictly required with the flanges nuts) then use the proper hardened ones that won't deform. Nick

Bit of piston slap is fairly common (no gudgeon pin offset) on well-used engines and will be worse when cold. Not a sign of impending doom. Its the rattle of dry big-ends on first start that I particularly dislike, but even that isn’t the end provided it shuts up as soon as the oil light goes out.

Yep, that's the way they are. The Spitfire/GT6 also has an anti-crush tube between the two mounts. I have no idea why they are different. However, the bushes are the same for both though I think early and late look different with the early ones having the rubber extending outwards the full width of the crush tube and the later ones only having rubber the width of the outer tube with the ends of the crush tube (maybe 3 - 4mm) left exposed. Nick

It's an older A6 with the straight 5 diesel also used in transporter vans and Volvo 850 / V70. Legendarily long-lived engines - supposedly capable of 500k without major attention if kept serviced. I've changed injector nozzles and it could do with a turbo now, but otherwise just service items. Not sure the rest of car can manage another 150k though. The 1.9TDI and 1.9TDI PD engines are nearly as tough (PDs MUST have the right oil though), the 2.0 not so much, though it does depend exactly which one you have. Some of the 2.0 TDIs have issues with their balancer shafts and oil pump drive (oil pump drive is an 8mm hex, which only drives on the points of the hex...... what could possibly go wrong?). If the oil pump light comes on on these - it means it! Ref your pulley, ISTR that the pulley has a pip on it that drops into the little slot in the spacer-nut thingy. This should get the pulley sitting true but may not help tightening things up. You may have to put a reasonably chunky screwdriver though the fan & hole in the front of the casing to engage in a slot in the rotor. Just make sure you keep the screwdriver away from the copper windings in both the body and those in the core of the rotor. The 2L Triumph sixes die slow - an outright mechanical failure without advance warning is unlikely. Nick

Does sound like the time for a freshen-up approaches. But that was my point really, on an engine that is merely worn, with no actual outright damage, using thicker oil or an additive lets you kick the can up the track a bit allowing time to plan and save up! Nick

So stick with the recommended oil and add “viscosity enhancer” as I suggested. Though I’d be less enthusiastic about using it in a modern engine designed for lightweight oils and burdened with clever bits like Vetec or elaborate hydraulic chain tensioners. The key to long life with modern engines is the same as the old - frequent oil changes using good quality oil of the right type. But modern engines come disadvantaged by increased complexity and (much) longer official service intervals. Even that ultimate engine killer, the variable service interval and “longline” oil. The long life is NOT referring to the engine! In this household we have an Audi TT with 90k that had “long life” servicing for its first 35k (two services, first one from the factory at 19k). We also have a dirty diesel A6 with 335k which has been serviced at 10k or less all it’s life. It’s engine is far cleaner inside.... Nick

Thicker oil or an additive (Wynns, STP, Mannol or similar) are a perfectly acceptable way of keeping a worn, but serviceable engine alive a bit longer. It’s simply the thicker oil filling the gaps left by wear. It’s palliative care though, not a cure. I kept my Vitesse engine alive about an extra 6 years (and maybe 20k miles) by adding Wynns or STP to ordinary 20/50. This mainly to keep oil consumption in check. You could try running the engine briefly without the fan belt on to rule out water pump and alternator/Dynamo as the source of scraping noise from the front of the engine. If it remains, it is likely the timing chain/tensioner. Possibly the lowish oil pressure is related as fragments of tensioner don’t improve the oil pump. Nick

You are a patient and determined man...... Love the colour - it looks really smart. Never quite understood the draw of these though they are very capable on bad (dirt) roads. Used to see lots in Africa in the 70s and 80s, usually full of Australians and suffering engine problems. Nick

There other ways....... My Vitesse. I used the PI hardware as a base when I did my PI saloon so that looked fairly “factory”. Don’t have a pic of that on my phone. Re the OP, is this a CR or CP TR6? CR should run well on Strombergs or SUs. CP could be a bit crabby at idle/low speed part throttle and would do better with one butterfly per pot. For either I would start with the the original distributor but try connecting the vacuum advance if it has one. Most PI engines did have them but not connected. Nick

It’s American, a lot of their stuff says “for off-road use” on it, which is the manufacturer covering ass for something legislative or other. Not sure what in this case. More usual in engine oils where additives may affect cat life. As previously mentioned I’ve been using it for decades. Nick

The side shaft bearings must be removed to get at the side seals and this often destroys them as they are very tight on the shafts. You know that are tight when you are leaning on the puller/press and the air is suddenly full of flying steel balls..... You sometimes bend the seal plates too but they are easy to straighten. Buy good quality branded bearings (Timken, SKF etc) from the bearing number. Even the best are not expensive. IIRC they are C3 suffix due to the tightness on the shaft. Nick

The minimum diameter for a Propshaft is directly related to its length. Longer shafts have to be larger diameter to better resist whip. The GT6 OD Propshaft is short. Easily short enough to be smaller than the factory offering. In fact I think the non-OD one is too. Suspect they are the size they are to be common materials with all others in the range. I had this discussion with Dave Mac Props when I ordered the prop for my MX5 conversion (which is even shorter) and it is about the same diameter as your smaller one. Nick

Probably have a used one or two if you get stuck. I've dismantled a few of these over the years. NIck

How? It can’t flow uphill and it can’t siphon out of a vented float chamber? Also, with a Vitesse (or Spitty or big saloon), the tank position means that even with even half a tank, the fuel level in the tank isn’t much below the carbs anyway.... The fuel in the float chamber may go stale/evaporate in days/weeks, but I don’t believe it drains back. My money on a duff starter or weak battery pulling the voltage at the coil down and causing a weak spark. Nick

Opie Oils? Used to offer discount for motorclub members (any motorclub), not sure if they still do. Maybe worth ringing to ask? Nick