Mad4classics

Can't help with Solex; but SU float cover screws are 3/16 BSW, clamp bolts are 2BA. David

Traditionally the gauge oil seal itself was leather and seals well. Searching for part number 2K4936 throws up quite a few suppliers. David e.g. https://www.trgb.co.uk/collections/wheels-and-body-fittings/products/leather-washer-for-oil-feed-pipe

Hmm, just compared mine with Fig.24 and I've got the other way round. Is this another minor detail that got changed round at some build point? I think I'd go with what @Colin Lindsay said. David PS. @NonMembermy boot lock suffered a breakage in exactly the same way.

Quinton Hazel brake hoses are still supplied with the anti-chaff spring if originally fitted. Bought some recently when I needed new hoses because I had one black plastic spring and one metal. David

Is this clip from the factory WSM any help to tie in with Pete's' wire colours above? David

Thanks Pete you've convinced me; the write up seemed so good was all.... David

Has anyone tried one of the Track Ace wheel alignment tools?; bit more than trackrite, but sounds pretty good for a tempting price. David Track Ace

Having had to use MS at work, I've always stuck with Ubuntu Linux at home. The only thing I can't do is connect the SatNav to get updates, but heyho, I've got a road atlas and a navigator. David

For my car I've got commission number, engine number (still has that) and body number; factory fitted equipment was heater and Dunlop C41 tyres. There's no record of key numbers, gearbox or back axle numbers. David ps. Just fished out my copy of Spitfire ang GT6 A Guide to Originallity; I notice on page 109 there's a comment about the MK1 GT6 commision plate being so large it covered the body number plate. MK3 plate is much smaller.

The heritage certificate I obtained for my car lists the number on the small plate as 4) body number. Saying that I expect factory records are not totally complete. I believe that on some models the commision plate was so large that it did cover the body number, why didn't the factory drill the plate holes more central? David

OK; slightly outside the box. I've experienced this on a new competition Mini engine which sat on the bench for months after the brand new oil pump was primed. Much churning on the starter and no oil pressure - sweaty moment. In the end decided to back fill the pump as @poppyman suggested and hey presto oil pressure - big sigh of relief all round. I would inject as much oil in the outer ring as you can, wait a moment fill it some more and then spin it over on the starter (plugs out). David

Gallant job on a cold winters morning I must say. I'm still scratching my head over your figures. NPT taper is 1inch change in diameter or every 16inches of thread length for all thread sizes; which as it's a simple ratio can be expressed as 1mm in 16mm. So to my way of thinking:- For a plug length of 13mm the change in diameter from start to finish should be 1/16 x 13 = 0.8125mm For a boss depth of 11.5 the change in diameter from start to finish should be 1/16 x 11.5 = 0.71875mm Seems strange to me that a sump thread would be parallel as the sealing would only be on the very first thread of the boss, unless the idea was that the boss being mild steel would distort in preference to the case iron plug - odd. Something "below the water line" (you know what I mean) surely needs a half decent seal? (Random thought: is it an easier manufacturing method to use a parallel first tap and follow it up with the taper finishing tap but not all the way through - just enough to provide a seal, thus distorting the measured figures. It's the sort of thing I'd do to cut a taper fitting - hard work with just a finishing tap)? David PS. Have a soft spot for the other end of the world (reference to the book by R.K.Dean); when a whippersnapper my family emigrated to NZ for a time; still have my crossing the line certificate.

Bush removal tool made from 5/8 silver steel turned down and threaded 3/8 unf and a silver steel t-bar ; all hardened. Scrap alluminium hollowed out to to metalwork and some brass washers turned. (no stock steel that size under bench) Only thing not made from scratch is Mini head stud nut. Assemble one way for insertion the other way round for removal. David

OK, @Pete Lewisand @Colin LindsayI'm trying to get to a fifth page. Unsurprising I haven't got a 3/8 NPS bolt; so thinking about your comment I made up a GO NOGO gauge for the internal IDs' of NPT and NPS because curiosity got the better of me. I've got an FD axle with no drain plug and measuring the casing threads in that it's definitely straight i.e. NPS. Now, I've got a really odd early alloy gearbox with Spitfire ratios fitted (some PO might have had aspirations to racing?); measured the casing threads on that and it's definitely tapered i.e NPT. Even to the naked eye you can see it's tapered! I didn't want to test the engine sump drain plug as I've only recently changed the oil; but I suspect it will turn out straight perhaps when I get a chance to measure it. So I've got a mix of straight and taper casing threads but the same plug fits all of them!!!! This then goes back to my comment about bean counters; did Triumph start using the straight thread a) With the cast iron casings? b) When the diff drain plug was dropped as an additional cost saving? ( I haven't got an early one to measure) c) Is the gearbox always different anyway????! (I haven't got a later one to measure.) The other thing I found was that the one original plug I've got is 3/8" square whereas all the replacements I've bought because they'd been badly mangled are 7/16 square. do'oh! I remember coming across a thread on another triumph site where an owner had fitted a straight plug in a taper alloy casing hole and stripped the thread by over-tightening it. The fit of straight plug in a taper casing is all wrong! The bottom line is I think you need to know exactly what you've got before you depart from the taper plug Triumph specified. But if you're after something different, a search for 3/8NPT plugs in general threw up Advanced Fluid Solutions they've got all sorts and they have an eBay outlet. https://www.advancedfluidsolutions.co.uk/solid-hex-or-allen-key-male-blanking-plugs-481-c.asp So rather than completely answering this I've thrown up more questions. Going for that fifth page! David

All mine have a 7/16 square head so I picked up a Martin Tools 265H 4 point wrench from ebay.

OK, sorry - with you now. Your quite right there's a right mix of plugs being sold, some don't fit. The female filler and drain threads I've got are all appear tapered; could be deformation caused by years of taper plug fitting maybe? - but I would hope not. The ASME standard recommends both sides taper. Or is this another case of Triumph bean counters? Putting a straight plug with a sealing washer in a tapered hole results in the thread fit changing progressivly along the engagement length. David

Grease in the steering rack seems to be a Triumph thing, don't know why ???. Mini, MG etc lubrication for the steering rack states fill with 1/3 pint SAE 90 oil, the top up usually being by releasing the gaitor clip and injecting there (no grease nipple). Equally messy job and difficult to gauge 1/3 pint content when you've got a leak! David

NPT threads (both male and female being NPT) are classed self sealing but are not pressure rated without sealing in some way, therefore ok for sump plugs and the like. Some classes of NPTF (F for Fuel) are completly self sealing because they form a complete interference fit and therefore do not need any sealant. David

Paul, Is the thread straight NPS (non self sealing) or taper NPT (self sealing)? Got my last lot of plugs from ANG Classic Car Parts plus a few spare and the fit a treat; but I notice their website picture of the plug has changed so presumably a new supplier? Hope they fit as well as before. Taper threads do not need to be gorilla tight to seal. David

I'm also puzzled by Canleys' offering; there's no picture on their web site to show what it's about. Taper threads seal by an interference fit which is achieved just beyond the "finger tight" point along the whole length of thread engagement. (This is why a BSP plug in NPT doesn't seal properly because the threads bind at certain point along the engagement length therefore not forming a proper interference fit seal.) Straight threads do need a sealing washer - mixing straight and taper threads is unusual! David

It's just a case of removing your existing filter and the 5/8 male-male adapter currently fitted unless you've got a real original style filter as per the photo of one for a Spitfire which incorporated a male 5/8 thread instead of the female thread and didn't require the adapter. Any existing adapter should be just finger tight. I'm sure someone will tell you to screw the adaptor into the block but these wix24037 adaptors were originally supplied with the oil filter eg 51312 for Spitfire in the link below. The intension was to screw the adaptor into the filter with a large flat bladed screw driver to replicate the original filter fitment. I'm with @yorkshire_ spam I fit 713/9 to Spitfire. David https://m.wixfilters.com/Search/PartDetail?PartID=25605 &Source=ASR

There should be a rubber seal 616187 along the front edge of the header rail. David

An electrical panel shouldn't be certified without having the correct crimps.To operate a correctly calibrated ratchet crimp tool for those you need to have had a good hearty breakfast in the morning and a couple of sausage rolls on standby to keep you going! Got to agree with you there Richard, but if you're using the crimp version you still need to use the proper crimp tool for them. David

+1 Absolutaly, all the rear lights on my car use that style. The later crimped bullets are to small to fit If you manage to find a genuine NOS Lucas light fitting (period red/black or red box, not the later green ones) there's often a set of hollow bullets wrapped up in the box. David

I think the one you posted is called a japanese bullet; there are many different styles and critically sizes!!! And I've seen many unfortunate wiring incidents where someone has tried to fit the wrong one and used pliers to squash the mating half down to make it fit. David