Yakooza2

That is why you are the advance member and I am a novice. don't know why I didn't think of that. Of course it would be, thanks for that. Nader

Just a short video of my 6 cylinder spitty around Camden town London. Sorry, it seems the file is too large. Will try later. Nader

Pete, Clive, John and Gully, thank you all for your invaluable input. It seems like I have overlooked the simple 4 cylinder Rev counter working with a 6 cylinder engine, as an issue. I thought the rev counters are all self adjusting and act on how many pulses are sent and read accordingly. Well, electrics where never my strongest point, and I thank you all for pointing this out. Clutch is new and not slipping, the road speed is sort of gauged with other road users at the time, only at what seems like 55 to 60 MPH, the rev counter reads around 5000 and engine has more to give, but I can't help feeling I am over revving the engine. Thank you John for the photo and wiring option. Here is an idea for you, which I am considering to do myself, but need help with possible flaws in my idea. I have fitted a classic sounding horn that operates with a long reach spring back switch mounted on the dash by the steering. This has left the steering center horn push button redundant. I wonder if I can, with the help from a relay to use this circuit as a switching device for my O/D? Any thoughts would be most appreciated. Nader

Hi Kevin and all you good people here on this site. It was exactly a year ago, when I was last on this site begging for all your help with my overheating issues and acting on all your suggestions to improve the situation on my Spitfire, fitted with a GT6 engine and gearbox. Well I shelved the project until a few weeks ago, where I picked up where I left off. I bought a VW aluminium radiator and fitted it with an expansion tank from ford fiesta and with a little help from and electronic fan, and change of carburetors to original Strombergs , I managed to get the engine to tick over at a steady pace and the temperature down to semi normal. I have now got on an MOT for the car and with classic insurance in place with no road tax to pay (tax exempt), I hit the streets of west and central London today driving around and enjoying my open top car, while attracting all kind of attention, it made the last 5 years of blood sweat tears, all worth while. Now that I have the engine all singing and dancing OK, I need some advice about the final drive. The gearbox is an overdrive one, but I have not wired it in to operate with a switch, since I do not have the switched gear knob or the steering column lever operated switch. The diff is also the original Spitfire 1500 too. The thing I noticed today after a long drive around the town, was that the engine can rev up to almost 5500 revs in 4th gear but the road speed will only reach 60 MPH. I know that the O/D when activated will make some difference, but my question is, should I be looking to change the Diff too to get the maximum out of final drive? knowing that there is a marked difference between the spitfire diff and GT6 diff, or just activating the O/D in 3rd and 4th will make up the shortage in road speed? as usual, I welcome all replies. Nader

Hi I bought this from Ebay for my Spitfire and it works a treat, easy to install too. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Instrument-Voltage-Stabilizer-Stabiliser-Regulator-solid-state-/380747658712?hash=item58a65435d8:g:BYMAAOxyWt5SYDbN Nader

I have one of those, but if the cap is off, then the water will overflow. What temperature is deemed acceptable of a thermometer, before you consider it going above normal? Nader

Hi Kevin You are absolutely right, but I base my comments of overheating on the followings; car is started from cold and only running at a 1000 revs for say 15 minutes and the temperature gauge rises to just over 3/4 mark. At that point, revving the engine, it struggles to perform or if driving, the carbs spit back and there is almost no power. Touching the radiator's top tank and hoses, the feel very hot and the bottom tank of the rad is almost as hot as the top. Someone here on an earlier post said that, if the bottom of the rad feels cooler, then the rad is doing it's job. my rad does not feel any cooler at the bottom part, which is why I am now suspicious of it's performance. on the subject of measuring the water temperature, what would be deemed reasonable temperature? Nader

Thanks Clive Being a novice, I had to look it up on Google to see what that is, I think I have one in the garage somewhere. I will give it a go. Cheers Nader

Hi Pete I know you said it's worth a try, but I was mainly thinking about the size of each radiator, being presumably made for a right size engine, which is why I was asking the more senior and well informed people (like you) to offer opinion on that. After all, if you said no way that is silly because of size and flow rate, then I would save myself the headache. I will definitely try the smaller rad now to see how it may work, but I think I stop short of having the old rad tested or taken apart with a blow torch. Cheers Nader

Well, I have not used a temperature gauge to know what the difference between the two temperatures are, when the hot water enters the rad at the top and leaves at the bottom, but I know that at the bottom is still too hot to touch. that must be a clue I think. Also can't test the rad for all the reasons above, but my question is, if the smaller rad of a 1500cc spitfire can be a good candidate for a replacement considering the larger 2000cc engine of the GT6. I will have to do the expansion tank as well, but before going through the extras, just wanted to know, in your opinion, is the smaller rad up for the job? or not worth the try? Nader

Hi Pete I have reassembled the shaft as it was and filed off the steps as you suggested. and have removed the electronic fan from the front of the radiator too. There is a small improvement on the engine idling and it now takes a bit longer to get to the overheat state, never the less it over heats. I have done all that could be done. I am now wondering if the reconditioned radiator is actually done properly ! They may have done bodge job with lots of drain holes blocked in the process of fitting the new core to the header tank . I paid £199 from someone who has a rad reconditioning business. I guess as it has been mentioned earlier, "just because it's new, doesn't mean its working OK" Do you think my Spitfire 1500 radiator will be a good one to try out? obviously I have to do the expansion tank attachment since it does not have the pump return inlet. Or would the radiator be just too small to cope with a 2000 cc engine? Let me know your thoughts please. Nader

Evening Took the rocker rail apart and the shaft is scored badly in a few places. I also noticed, on closer inspection, that some of the trust washers been put in the wrong places, thus the rocker tip was off center to the valve head and causing a side way trust and movements. I guess there is nothing other than change the shaft ! I wonder if there is anything left that don't need changing? I have also removed the electronic fan, to see if the original mechanical fan would be sufficient, once I reset the valve clearances again. Will let you know if it heats up again. Nader

Hi Steve, apologies for a late reply. I am in Northolt, west London. As I said to Pete, taking a water pump off , I am not sure what sort of fault to look for. But I am going to take it off next week and will report back with my findings.

Yet another bit of repair, this time to the tips of the rockers. no problem, will do that in a few days. I will also take the water pump off as was suggested a few times here, but not sure what sort of fault I should be looking for. Took the car out again today and after a short run in the traffic, it heated up again to between 3/4 and hot mark, but never the less, an improvement on previous boil over, where water used to push out every where. this time just hot and no further boiling activity. I have a push type electronic fan mounted in front of the radiator covering 80% of the rad and the normal pull fan on the crank pulley, but when the engine is switched off and the electronic fan is working, feeling the back of the rad it does not seem to be pushing a lot of air through. So I am wondering if the electronic fan is actually restricting the air flow, rather than helping it. What are your thoughts about that? Nader

The sender was purchased on Ebay, as an OM direct replacement unit for a GT6, so not sure what that is. And since my stabilizer unit was playing up, I replaced it with an electronic unit. Carbs, you are right on all points, but why only one carb spitting back? Since the fuel mixture is set the same. I have set the timing to 6 BTDC with distributor vacuum hose off. the engine starts on the button. You have not commented on the rocker assembly wear or gaps varying from time to time I will re check the carbs oil again to be sure. Nader