Dave the tram

I have a sealed after market steering rack and have a different problem - its a bit tight and where the shims would be under the lubrication point, its just a hex screw with paint line as if tamper proof. Its ok and much better than the previous free play but doesnt self-centre very well, although I suspect it might not be rack itself thats tight, but the ball joints to the tie rods that came self assembled. Anyone else had this. I jacked up the front and did 100 turns lock to lock which MIGHT have helped a bit. Also, I want to replace the flexible coupling to the steering column to get rid of the last bit of play and remember seeing this in a thread but can't now find it. Anyone used the Rimmers ones or any recommendations? Dave

Perhaps I'm one of a significant group who don't do track days but like like to use the car daily and sometimes drive it as it was intended, like sports car. I like the fact that my GT6 will readily keep up with most moderns, wet or dry, both on occasional long distance trips or on our local twisty and hilly A and B roads in the Peak district. Not only that, the dog loves the view sat in his harness in the back seat, and I can carry a months shopping, camping gear or even my racing bike (with the wheels off). Long may my lovely triumph keep running. PS I like the pub analogy and blokes like me talking rubbish half the time Cheers, Dave

In case this is useful to others,having seen Falken AS 832 recommended in threads (and good reviews elsewhere), just fitted 4 x 165 70 13s to replace previous Firestone 155 80s. Only road, no track use. My mk 3 GT6 (swing spring) has gaz adjustables set about halfway, lowered a bit at front. I think the back has lowered itself a bit over the years! With 26psi all round it now handles superbly in the wet, as it previously did in the dry but was too skittish on damp roads. 28 psi was a bit tail happy, although that might have been while new tyres bedding in. Cheers Dave

What is the most cost effective way to improve my late Mk3 GT6 headlights - they really are a bit dim. Looking at Rimmers I can get halogen replacements for 50 quid. Would this be an improvement and any issues doing this? I'd probably still limit my night driving as I'd still be sat lowest on the road peering through a windscreen with 45 years worth of scratches (not to mention the age of the eyes doing the peering!) Dave

Planning to fit a new steering rack to my mk3 GT6 as some wear flagged up each mot and bit of play, plus one track rod end worn. Mindful that after market bits vary in quality, any recommendations and his anyone fitted the Rimmer Bros one? Already been through the task of fitting new mounts so ok with that part - having worked out that some come with useless tapered u-bolts and that the alloy ones I then went for needed a bit of modding otherwise they didn't grip. Already handles quite well with poly-bushes and gaz adjustables all round so this should be the final touch (well, that and some better tyres one day as current ones on 5 inch rims just don't put enough width of rubber in contact with the road). Cheers Dave

Pete How can I tell what the needles are. Do they have it stamped on them and if so, how do I make sense of this. Also see my thread regarding fuel filter. Cheers Dave

I have a transparent fuel filter,between tank and pump, just before tthe pump. Should it have air in it. Sometimes it's full, sometimes part air, and occasionally empty but fills when running engine. Is this right? I'm assuming it's air, no reason for vapourisation as its not hot and near the bulkhead. If it's air, where does it come from? I wonder if I've got a leaky joint or a blockage so that it can't pull fuel through fast enough. Any ideas? Dave

Thanks Pete All useful stuff. For now I might be tempted to leave well alone as I'd previously have given my right arm to have it running this well. I might just revert to standard air box, make good the pipes and get new filter just to see if any different. Cheers Dave

SUCCESS!!!!! After a couple of years tracking this down, it's running like dream. Because I thought I'd done everything else, including 'professional' carb rebuild and set up, I was saving up £1200 for new head including getting the stubborn old one off. Instead spent £12 on stromberg adjuster tool! Half a turn clockwise on each needle did the trick - it was running lean. Started, ran fine cold and hot, idles fine and drove hard for half hour with no coughing. 70 to 80 full bore, then full throttle in 2nd and 3rd all the way up Winnats Pass - half a mile of 20% climb. I might just leave well alone now but I'd be interested to know how each carb is set, one needle was stiffer to turn than other. Do they get stiffer as you reach the limit. I'm told I mustn't turn to far anti-clockwise cos they fall out, but is there any reason not to go fully clockwise, counting the turns, then back to see if set equal? Do they just reach a stop when fully up? Now it goes, and steers, might go mad and spend the money on better tyres or fancy wheels. Happy man - thanks for the guidance Pete and all. Dave

All is well in the world. Nearly drove me round the bend - but not quite unfortunately!!!! Took both alloy clamps off, ground 1mm off bottom face of both upper halves.Happier once it dawned on me that this didn't need to be accurate - it's not tightening against anything, just creating a gap. Also chamferred the inner edge of the n/s one to stop it fouling the sump. Centred the steering and thightend down. Sure this will be fine but will suggest to rimmers they withdraw these and perhaps alert buyers that the rack can slide, then send them back the other mounts and bushes they supplied that also didn't fit! Dave

Wish my door handle pin was lost In the long grass never to be found again. I'd rather have no windows than this palaver! Dave

Thought I'd sorted this but then realised the steering wheel had gone off centre again. Checked and the rack had moved again, the rubber must have split in the middle as its been slid out both sides with the rack - it all seemed nice and tight and even bonded he rubber in place. I'll try and devise something better. Keep thinking I must tell Rimmer Bros as they should really put some sort of alert out. It's not obvious that there is any problem until the rack slides! Perhaps I'll try taking a millimetre off one of the mount surfaces but need to keep it flat and level. Or else a better type of packing. Ho-hum. If all fails does anyone know where I can get standard mounts with bushes that actually fit? Cheers Dave

Pete Great, that all made sense, took the covers off the temp sensors, found the nuts and tightened them both down fairly firmly about 1.5 turns on one, 2 turns on the other. Can't really test drive for a few days cos (a) here up north they keep chucking nasty salt all over the roads, and ( despite all my ingenuity I can't get the new steering mounts to stop the rack from sliding across the car. A full on test drive is probably not wise - if only I could get the steering rack as secure as that bloody window handle I've been trying to shift for weeks..... But that's a different thread! Cheers Dave

Right, they do have the temp compensators, but while having a look round found a big split in rocket cover breather just where it joins one carb, so fixed that but not run it yet. Can't believe this is the whole problem as its been coughing for ages and can't believe the man that did the carbs put them back with a dodgy breather. Can you explain a bit more Pete, blow by blow, how to do the trick with the the compensators. Cheers Dave

Thanks Yes I cornered very carefully once I realised the steering wheel had shifted a bit. I've followed same route as you and glued thin strip of rubber to curved upper half of clamp, so that I have finger nail width gap and know I'm actually tightening against the rack. Didn't file any off the clamp as this seems to do it (When I do the other side is when the filling comes in - the top edge of the clamp so it clears the sump.) I have a growing catalogue of after part bits that didn't fit! Cheers Dave

Thanks all I suspect I've tried hammering with increasing intensity, including the wrong way against the taper so probable driven the pin home even more. (Who fixes his car on a LAWN?). Found I have a spare handle in the big box of spares and junk that came with the car 11 years ago, so if need be can destroy the old handle. Dave

Pete, Dave I think you might be on the right track. I'd been topping up with 3 in 1 so switched to engine oil and probably overfilled them a bit. Drove hard once up to temp and seemed better, could only get it to cough after driving a while and constant full throttle in 4th from 65-70. Could try gear oil! But I think damping only affects sudden throttle whereas this is at steady full throttle, unless some sort of fluttering happens. It is late mk 3, and they have blanking plug on base so I guess these are CD3 with jets adjustable by special Allen tool. Like I said I got someone to rebuild them for me, I did once have the top off to check diaphragm previously but didn't check needle and jet type. Can you see down dash pot if they are Allen key type after removing oil? I suspect that adjusting the needle to make richer isn't the same as fitting different needles. It does currently give good mpg - about 30 overall and driven quite hard, 40 on a long journey cruising at 70. Think I'll phone Burlen's tomorrow about jets. If I look at current jets is the type stamped on them so that I know what's currently in them? Many thanks Dave

Looks like I may have missed something here - tell me more, what is the nylon plug in the rack? My plan was a thin strp of inner tube rubber cut to size fitted between rack and the curved upper surface of the mount. This would give something to squeeze and create grip, having created a small gap between the bottom of the mount and the chassis to allow some room for tightening. Cheers Dave

Have discussed this before, but one last search for ideas before I get new head as a last resort. My mk3 GT6 developed tendency to hesitate and spit back through carb when pulling hard. Now had rebuilt carbs, new fuel pump and some pipes/fuel filter, electronic ignition etc. Starts first time and runs well almost all the time. Can accelerate full through gears to 5k revs, and less prone to the problem, but still hesitates and spits back after pulling hard in higher gears for a while, especially uphill. I'd decided it was valves, compression bit low on rear cyclinders (rear carb sooty from spitting) and doesn't hold compression well. Old leaded head. But it hesitates and looses power before it spits, which suggests fuel to me, but no problem with supply to carbs. Could it even be wrong jets causing this as it has K&Ns and a sport rear box. What jets should it have and will I be able to check what mine are - a 'specialist' did the carbs and set them up. Cheers Dave

I'm about to build up a renovated door on my GT6 mk3 but can't get the window winder off to remove the card on the old one. I understand how and the other side was easy. The pin won't budge and no access to use more force or drill. Already using a slim punch or nail and hammer. Ideas??? Dave

My mk3 was also too high at the front but fitting gaz shockers all round (all adjustable firmness, front also for height) solved this. Front near to lowest setting was perfect, although might up them a bit as I exit my drive over a hump that now just scrapes an exhaust clamp! Dave

The saga continues. In the end fitted alloy clamps both sides. Worked fine once I'd lifted engine to get nearside one in. Test drove and felt great, more positive than worn out rubber bushes and no difference in vibration. I was wary of this type of clamping though so took the precaution of painting lines on rack at bush edge. No need cos after the drive the steering wheel was nearly a quarter turn out so glad I didn't go too far. Rack had moved about 5mm to left but car still dove perfectly. Don't want to tighten nylon nuts any more as convinced that alloy mounts are exact size and I'm simply tightening the lower flat face against the chassis until the nuts would strip, not applying any more pressure into rack. Only thing I can think of is make a v thin rubber 'bush' cutting a strip of inner tube to size to give grip. Prob just on offside due to second problem below. Also, the nearside mount touches the sump corner. Put a strip of rubber between for now but have 2 options, File a bit off the alloy mount, or raise the engine a bit. Wary of the latter as not much room in the front of these cars and already have v slight dent from when top hose clip used to touch. Have raised bonnet hinge to max but only gained 2-3 mm so will use plasticine on underside of bonnet to measure clearance before trying this. Hmmm! anyone else had similar experiences - now wish I'd kept trying to find ordinary bush mounts that fitted. Dave

I don't think I can squeeze them cos, whereas the originals had separate U Bolts, these have bolts welded to the support. I'll ring rimmers Monday because their alloy ones look correct and have separate bolts. Beteen the existing ones that simply have 1 broken u-bolt and the poly bushes that I have I should be able sort something, perhaps alloy one side after all, and the other side made good at the steering wheel side. Cheers Dave

Help! Jacking the engine worked fine, took top hose off, removed the 4 bolts from engine mounting to block, big block of wood under sump (after driving front onto blocks to increase ground clearance for the trolley jack and block cos mines a little bit low with adjustable gaz shockers). Removed old mounting but new ones from Rimmers have u- bolts that taper out bizarrely. The bolts are welded to the rest of the mount so can't bend them and the bolt ends are nearly 10mm wider than the chassis holes. Tapered u-bolts could only work with oblong holes. One chassis hole is elongated but the wrong way, across the car not longitudinally. Thought of elongating the holes but not sure this is a good idea so will return the mountings and seek elsewhere. Perhaps should have used club shop. Rimmers have generally been ok but second problem this year. They sent a fuel pump that wouldn't fit cos the outlet pointed at the engine and the thread was wrong size and couldn't supply Union to fit their pump. So where best to buy clamps that fit please? Cheers Dave

I' m considering the same issues but worry about fire resistance or toxic fumes if using materials not designed for this. I have carpet underlay under the boot carpet which works well but more wary of using closed cell foam etc on bulkhead, especial if using anything in engine bay. Might seem over fussy but collision fires do happen. I well remember using great wadges of foam rubber behind the dash in an my old Mini Cooper in the early 70s and a minor wiring fault led us to bale out on the hard shoulder with the car full of acrid smoke! We had to open the windows while braking hard from 70! These memories stick with you. Cheers Dave