JohnD

Earlier this year, I ruined a good block when I torqued in the head studs - and cracked the block, just at the front, right into the water jacket. Instant boat anchor. I learnt two things from this: 1/ my torque wrench was under reading by 20%. 2/ a lot of people, who I respect as triumpheros, do not torque them in at all! I know it says 60 lbs-ft in the book, but just over hand tight is enough for many. One - two! - or life's little lessons. John Ps this was in reply to James' cry of "stripped thread" a page back. He turned not to hve done so, but I share life's lessons.

Iain, Quote me, "6V through the coil and points enabled a much longer maintenance period, as the amps were halved, but would have led to a weaker spark, if the coil resistance had not also been halved" So, yes, the current would have been the same. And Triumph's use of a ballast resistance and low resistance coil was ONLY to provide a hotter spark at start-up? JOhn

That may not help, Pete - if the centre teeth on the rack are worn, then talking up the play there will make it very stiff at full lock, where the wear will be negligable. John

This should be an FAQ list! John

Yes, that amount of play will be an MoT fail. See: http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_220.htm Jack up the car's front and wiggle the road wheel side to side, while looking at the steering arms. Wear in the track road ends is the most likely place. Replacement is a straightforward DiY, if you follow the instructions. John

The ballasted ignition system was produced to prolong the life of contact breaker points. The original 12V through a 3 Ohm coil meant that the points were carrying about 4 Amps, when that type of contact is really only fit for less than 3A. It hadn't changed in the fifty years since Charles Kettering demonstrated points ignition to Cadillac, and required a points check every 1000 miles or so. 6V through the coil and points enabled a much longer maintenance period, as the amps were halved, but would have led to a weaker spark, if the coil resistance had not also been halved. Then, later, Transistor Assisted Contacts ignition used a semiconductor, triggered by the points, to switch the coil on and off, enabling even less current at the points, and then pointless (!, better 'breakerless') ignition came in, and kits like the "Magnetronic" (also Lumention, Optronics etc) appeared that allowed previous types to be upgraded. All in the search for longer points life and less dwell variability. So care when mix'n'matching coils and modified ignition modules. The ballast, either in a wire or a resistor was a stop-gap, and can be (should be?) removed, as better and more reliable ignition is available for our cars. John

Mike, You started this thread telling us that you didn't want to "have to mangle my sump". Now, you have beaten such a big dent in the floor that it fouls the steering rack and warped the sump!!!!!!!!!!!! And then you heated it red hot with a gas axe, which made it worse until you heated it again. Yes, work embrittlement is real, but on thin panels, you heat the bulge after creating it and before making it bigger, to anneal the metal. Only the area worked needs to be heated, in this case about four square centimeters. See: http://www.efunda.com/processes/heat_treat/softening/annealing.cfm Mike, engineering is a light, delicate pastime, suitable for ladies. What you have been doing is a blacksmith's job, or rather what a blacksmith's apprentice might do! John PS "three new bulges in the pan"??? There are only two conrods that can foul it. Where do the other come from.

It is so worth repeating, so thank you Mike for telling your sad tale. I wonder, if the TSSC has any weight with the dealers, they should be asking them to stop selling this engine destroyer. Anyone keen enough to build an engine properly to take an external supply will be able to source and fit the parts themselves, and those who are not should be protected from themselves. I've just checked and the TSSC Shop sells no engine parts at all, so no skin of the Club's nose. For the next AGM, perhaps? John

Throw it in the bin. Get an electric pump. Facet Solid state, £20: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/320918157381?adgroupid=13585920426&hlpht=true&hlpv=2&rlsatarget=kwd-123671529666&adtype=pla&ff3=1&lpid=122&poi=&ul_noapp=true&limghlpsr=true&ff19=0&device=c&chn=ps&campaignid=207297426&crdt=0&ff12=67&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff14=122&viphx=1&ops=true&ff13=80 Flows 32 gallons/hour, more than enough for a GT6. John PS an inertia switch in the circuit is a good idea. This pattern is used by Jaguar, Peugeot, Renault, Land Rover, ASston Martin (!), Honda, Alfa Romeo, Uncletomcarmanufacturer n' all, so it's got to be reliable. And cheap - second hand less than £10, but make sure you get the wiring connector plug as well, or else it's difficult to wire in. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peugeot-306-Inertia-Fuel-Pump-Cut-Off-Switch-97-02-/272011185402?hash=item3f55214cfa

"Seams"? What seams? The sump is pressed steel from a single sheet. No seams. Just for anyone else who wants to relieve a 2L sump to provide clearance for a 2.5 crank. no "blow torch" is required, and IMHO potentially damaging to the sump, by warping it. Mark the areas that need to be dented, below 1 and 2 cylinders and with a ball peen hammer (see above) make a small, elongated dimple about an 40 x 5mm and 5mm deep. Do not indent the area between the two dimples, or you will foul the steering rack. The 'frog' in a brick makes a good anvil. John

See: http://www.club.triumph.org.uk/prefix1.htm#Vitesse What "goodies"? Carillo rods? Basicly they are the same. John

Sorry, I can't remember! I gave up using a thermostat,as being unnecessary for a race engine. JOhn

You seem to have it orientated as in the diagram, but which line at the filter adapter is "OUT"? And while you have nice, swaged-end hoses, you seem to have cut them in the middle to fit the thermostat. Use VERY good compression clips. Go for some T-bolt clamps. Be careful! When I first fitted an oil cooler, I got the connections the wrong way around. No probs, the oil circulated anyway, but once the engine warmed up, the 'stat closed as it was intended, but closed off completely. No oil pressure, a small bang and a road covered in oil. JOhn

If you can make someone a member who didn't own a Triumph. That wasn't Lennon's car - it belonged to George Martin, their producer, at the time of JL passing his driving test at the age of 24 (!). Sorry, guys (I nearly said " 'n'gals" but that's Non-PC these days). Lennon's first car was a Ferrari, a 330 GT2+2 Coupe. Like you would if you were one of the richest 24 year olds in the world, even then. John

But SHAZAM!!!!!!!!!!!! I was right! I thang yew! John

Thanks, Iain! Trying to avoid having to draw my own circuit diagram, here is one off the Net, of "Transistor Assisted Contacts" ignition. Think, when I speak of horses Lumenition that there is the optical breaker where the points are. And correct my thinking: The ballast resistor is between the CB points and earth, while the coil and switching transistor 'sees' the full 12V. This reduces the stress and wear on the points. So would the ballast be in the circuit to the coil AND points if, originally, the car had a ballasted ignition and a Low resistance, 6V coil? In that case, should our OP make very sure that, having changed from a low resistance coil and ballast to non-ballast and high resistance,12V coil, he hasn't left so additional ballasting resistance in the system? That would reduce the volts to the coil and make for poor running. Trying to get my head around this! John

Billus, The splines are for the clutch driven plate. You should be able to get one for that spline. The shaft in front of the splines, the spigot, is to go in the bronze bush in the centre of the flywheel. You would need to ensure that you have the right diameter bush and that it and the counter bore it sits in is the right depth. Very important as it supports the forward end of the input shaft! You need to ensure that the wiring is compatible with a J-type, and if your Vitesse didn't have one then the special mount plate for the OD. Some ODs didn't need a relay, I seem to remember. The D-type does, but the J-type?? John

Hang on - the ballast resistor is for the coil. It does not affect the volts to the ignition control unit, or the power transistor, which is designed to run at battery volts, and would have been switching the same volts without the ballast. So if it's still getting hot, and hot in your hand is too hot for a power transistor, then there is some other fault with the unit. Do you still have the same fault? It's probably a duff unit. John

Kastner thought it wasn't as good in a number of ways, and his Competition Preparation Manual (Club shop?) describes in detail how to modify it with an extended, curved pickup tube. So you might as well fit a later, angled one. John

With the ballast resistor, the coil is now getting ?9V as it should. Your Lumenition should be getting the full 12V, and switching that, so some heat might be expected, from a power transistor. But they loose efficiency if they get hotter than about 25C, so if it's hot in your hand it probably has over cooked. Are you still getting the same fault? John

A Sunday driver, an old guy (=older than me) taking a left corner (for him) on the wrong side of the road. Yes, I was fine, save for a sore knee. John

Richard, When asbestos is a Public Health risk no one can claim that using asbestos pads is a "personal choice", any more than is smoking in public. And when perfectly good brake materials are available that offer as good stopping as any asbestos material, to use those is perverse. I use Mintex 1155 on my road/race car and I've never been less than completely satisfied with their abilities, in fact I pride myself on getting advantage in competition by late braking. There is no place for asbestos brake materials today, and no excuse for using them. John

I agree, Colin! Reminds me of the end of Old Blue Vitesse. But what's that thing on top of the engine, like an overweight dumb bell? And so what if an insurer 'writes off' your car? You buy it back (cost me 12% of the refund) and rebuild it. John

One Jubilee clip can only make vibration worse, as the screw mechanism will be much heavier than the mass that is causing the imbalance. First, check the front and rear flanges. Each has four bolt holes, in two pairs, unequally distributed around the rim, so that the input and output flange pairs, front and back, can only be connected in two ways, not four if all the holes were symmetrical. Thus, there are only four ways that the whole shaft can be bolted up. One way is perfect, one gives dreadful vibration and the other two are so-so. Carefully mark the flanges, so that you can undo them and reassemble each in the two possible ways and then try all four. Then return to the Jubilee clip, or clips, as you should fit TWO, with the screws diametrically opposite, so that they will have no effect on balance. Then move one slightly and note the improvement, or not. If it doesn't move it the other way. If it does, continue to move it in the same direction until the vibration worsens again. Again careful and detailed marking and notes will keep you organised. Finally, or perhaps first as it is easiest, rear end on axle stand, start the engine and observe. NOT from under the car! Do the wheels spin straight? Is any vibration evident? Repeat with wheels off to exclude wheel wobble. You cannot complain about the first two options as they offer endless hours of essential test driving in your Triumph! Good luck John

Do you still have points ignition? Consider using an optical, contact breaker-less ignition system. Lumenition have absorbed several previously independent brands See: http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-GRID006400 John