terryj

Having checked on the Triumph 2000 Register Forum it turns out that the registration number is JKV 76N and not JKU 76N. Sorry about the misinformation. Terry

Thanks John - will give that a go. Terry

JKU 76N is not my car but I'm looking on behalf of a friend who sent me the following:- I had a message from the son of one of my apprentices,(that made me feel me age!) trying to trace his Dad's old car....his dad died a few months ago. It's a powder blue Triumph 2.5 PI registration JKU 76N its at present on SORN. I know the car well I helped him balance out the injectors and was co driver with him around Britain also I followed behind him in my Gentry when I did the round Britain run. Can anybody help with the whereabouts of this car please and would like to be put in touch? Terry

There is plenty of food for thought in everyone's answers so I had a look at a pair of old CD150's today and see that the drilling from the advance/retard vacuum pipe emerges in the airway in front of the butterfly on the intake side, not the manifold side, which seems to be not what PeteH thought. I will probably not pursue this and use Pete Lewis's manual method which is pretty much what I have done in the past. I just wanted to be able to check the balancing by an alternative method. Incidentally, I wanted to check what my old carbs are from. No brass tags but number C1854F & R stamped on the flange. I remember having seen a website which listed what ref. No. carb was used in a whole list of cars but have been unable to find that website again. Does anybody know what that website is please?

Sorry Pete and Nigel but I forgot to mention that in the Gentry there is very little room for air cleaners. Many owners have been unable to fit them at all so using a tube to match the hiss of intakes is possible for them. However, I do have pancake air cleaners fitted and they are a pain to remove and replace so I would like to be able to balance the carbs without access to the air intakes, hence my interest in the vacuum pipe method. Terry

There was an interesting article in the August 2020 Courier No. 482 p.62 on SU Carburettor Balancing. However, my Gentry has twin Stromberg CD150’s on a Vitesse Mk2. The carbs were originally from an Avenger GT I believe so linkages and chokes are different from the usual Vitesse setup. The SU balancing requires a vacuum connection from both carbs but, although my carbs both have a tube for attaching a vacuum pipe to, only one of them is drilled through and in use for the vacuum advance connection. Is it feasible to drill through the tube on the unconnected carb into the air intake to create a vacuum connection to provide the two vacuum connections required for carb balancing in the Courier article? I would, of course, have to devise a method of blanking this second vacuum tube for normal running purposes. I’m not really au fait with all the drillings and workings within the carbs so any expert advice will be much appreciated.

Thought you may like an update on this. Originally the engine would rev OK but was woolly and perhaps missing a little at high revs. All plugs (NGK) were firing and a nice colour brown. I fitted a new set of WR78 plugs and took the car for a short test drive taking it up to 4500 rpm in the gears and it accelerated and ran beautifully all the way. So it would seem that one of the old NGK plugs was probably breaking down at high revs. Certainly the WR78's have made a noticeable improvement. Thanks for everyone's comments - they were informative and very helpful.

Thanks Johny and Pete. The video does indeed show that non-resistance plugs appear to be preferable so I phoned Green Spark Plug Co. to ask when their W78 plugs would be back in stock and was told that they are now obsolete. They suggested WR78 plugs would still do the job adequately. Terry

Having seen discussions on use of these spark plugs I am a bit confused regarding W78, WR78 and WR78X. I want to try these in a Vitesse 2l Mk2 but don't know which to order. I note Pete's comments about not ordering plugs with an R in the number but also others have used WR78 satisfactorily. Green Spark Plug Co. are out of stock of W78 but do have WR78 and there are some on ebay WR78X. Is there any difference and which would you recommend please? Terry

Many thanks Pete and N/M. I guessed it could be an early number but confirmation that spec is probably standard is useful. He has a workshop manual given to him by Dave at Canley Classics and lives in Coventry so should be OK for advice and parts. Terry

I am asking for a friend who has a Gentry with a Toledo 1300 engine No. DG3948HE. He thinks that the engine may have seized and wants to remove the cylinder head to check for damage but wants to know more about the likely specifications of what he may find. He has only been able to find references to engine numbers with five digits, not four as in his case. Can anyone advise what year this engine is likely to be please and what is the best source for obtaining relevant specifications, tolerances etc.? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Terry Johnson

Hi Tony That's going back to the old days of freeing up a jammed starter which I hoped I had left behind. Thanks for the tip though, I will bear it in mind. Terry

Tony, I saw your post after I had reinstalled the starter so was unable to check the flywheel ring gear. Refitted without the two shims and on first turn of key (HT lead removed) - screech...... oh b*gg*r! But every turn of the key since has been OK, around half a dozen times. Having been an intermittent problem I will just have to see how it goes but thanks to all for your help. Terry

More pics. of the pinion after putting a chamfer on the teeth.

Hi Paul. Many thanks for the Bendix offer but I probably still have my original starter around somewhere and I'm in Hampshire quite some way from Bury St Edmunds. Interesting to hear though that you removed the two thin shims. I have just been putting a chamfer on the pinion teeth and will post some pics. shortly. Terry