Jump to content

johny

Forum User
  • Posts

    7,610
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    43

Posts posted by johny

  1. 2 hours ago, Rijidij said:

    Thanks. We were considering dipping our toe in the world of classic ownership with a tidy Spitfire. But we are dog owners, and the GT6 has at least a small amount of space.
    I wanted a TR5 but they're outside our price range, and I'm not as keen on the TR6.

    What is the general opinion on Spitfire bodied GT6s? Or do they lose that tiny "rear seat" space?

    For a dog I think its got to be a GT6 as the 'boot' area would suit a small to medium sized one. I certainly used to get a mate in there many moons ago, laying on the flat area, but even I wouldnt have put him in the boot of a Spitfire😲

  2. 30 minutes ago, Paul H said:

    That’s Pete and Johny for the explanation. So my description “hesitancy “ was knocking ? Are knocking and pinking the same thing ? 

    Great forum this 😄

    Paul 

    If I remember right your hesitancy was produced at higher speeds whereas knocking/pinking tends to be worst when accelerating at low revs in a high gear. I think its a really noticeable sound but some people seem to find it hard to diagnose perhaps mistaking it for something mechanical.....

  3. Result! Cant explain exactly why too advanced did that except the timing is set up so that the explosion starts before TDC and allows enough time for the combustion to produce the maximum pressure just at the right moment ie. after TDC. If you now have pinking (knocking) the mixture is igniting in another area of the combustion chamber because its too explosive and being set off by the pressure wave from the initial spark induced ignition. The best solution is to decrease the ignitability of the fuel by increasing its octane or a poorer alternative is to reduce the advance of the igntion timing.... 

    • Thanks 1
  4. 13 hours ago, hank said:

    Thanks to OPs for replies.

    I can remember filling up with 101 octane as I bought my Vit  in 1974 -this weekend celebrates 45 years behind the wheel 

    More recently, I have been using BP Super , Sainsbury Super ( said to be supplied by BP ) and Tesco Momentum ( claimed 98 octane) .

    As I mentioned, I filled up with Shell Super by chance and found that it improved the  running on issue. Then next  time I reverted to BP Super and the problem returned so I have filled up with Shell Super  again.

    There seems to be a lot of mystery about petrol  - who supplies what petrol and extent of ethanol dilution .The recent Courier article recommended Esso  Super but this seems to be unobtainable around here ( Derbyshire ).

    I'm going to start using Millers VSPe to  increase the octane rating.

     

    +1 for VSPe which I found reduced run on and pinking although now that I have the engine running cooler both have improved a lot just on standard 95 and I save the additive for longer, higher speed runs.

  5. Hi Craig, great choice of car but you do need to be fairly nimble getting in and out of them😂 Unfortunately the price of these, especially with the desirable overdrive, has shot up just recently so be prepared to pay a considerable sum if you want a restored one. They are now getting close to some TR6 prices which seem to have fallen back possibly due to an influx of ex USA models. Let us know what your plan is as you'll certainly get loads of tips and info on here....

  6. I see in the original post the timing is 'set 2 - 3 degrees more advanced than the white line' and I wonder why this is? Presumibly the white line was marked by the previous owner to indicate the standard timing position to use a strobe and if correct I cant see that it should ever be set more advanced than that. Normally you set the timing to this point and then retard it progressively to get any knocking to an acceptable level....

    • Thanks 1
  7. The gear levers seem to be hard to come by but do come up on ebay from time to time but obviously arent cheap.

    Why not try some experimenting with the clutch before replacing everything. You can also check under the master cylinder rubber covers for a leak and then carefully watch the level in the reservoir while an assistant presses the pedal (if it increases at all then the mc has a problem)..... 

  8. A clutch thats not disengaging fully is certainly something which could produce symptoms like yours although I would expect it to give problems in all gears especially 1st when stationary. Theyre not adjustable but obviously you should check the clutch reservoir fluid level if you havent already done that and also try pumping the clutch pedal a few times quickly before selecting or disengaging a gear. Its possible you have a seal in the system thats not doing its job properly (getting worse with use/temperature) and by pumping you can temporarily get sufficient pressure for the clutch to separate enough to allow the gear change. Let us know if this works and if not we'll have a think as to what else it could be.....

  9. theres two in each mechanical pump, both of which have to seal well and they come in the repair kits but are a bit fiddly to change. You can test them individually by removing the pump filter cover then blowing back through the outlet pipe and next sucking on the inlet. In neither case should air flow but I bet in yours as in mine it will so the easiest option for me was a replacement pump which has worked perfectly although Ive seen recent posts complaining that some produce too much pressure.....

  10. That sounds perfectly normal although the drain back on the engine side should only reach the same point in the fuel line as the level in the tank. It happens because the carb float chamber has a vent to atmosphere through the air filter which allows air out when filling the chamber plus overflow if the float valve doesnt close properly.  I dont think a tap in the line is necessary as if the non return valves in the fuel pump are good it should quickly refill the carbs but its true a higher level in the tank will help....

  11. 1 hour ago, Badwolf said:

    So, do I, don't I???  Do I just leave the spring to settle, for the mileage I do, is it worth it. But, while the spring is out should I do it??!! If I need to replace damaged parts should I order one and if so what size. Is the world flat or the moon made of green cheese (those last two are not serious questions, its bank holiday, the tv is off to avoid the news and the sherry is open!)

    Is there anyone else out there who has changed their leaf spring, did you use a lowering block, did it work/improve things or cause problems of any kind. Do I really want the extra agro... pass the bottle please.

    I think this thread a little while ago was about a very similar problem: 'Rear swing spring conversion dangerous due to camber?'

  12. 2 hours ago, Adrian said:

    Hi all

    Prior to the carb issue I put the timing light on cylinder 1 and got an uneven 'flash'. It's perhaps not much but wondered if it pointed to and issue with the HT leads or distributor?

    Not much in the way of sideways movement on the shaft. No carbon / burning on the cap - looks almost new.

    Or could it be associated with the mixture being too rich.

    Adrian

    PS also wondered about converting to electronic ignition - what would you do - new distributor or just but a conversion kit and if so which one?

    I think the strobe should light up at same timing mark on number 4 as on 1 then. If the dizzy shaft doesnt have much play I cant see anything else wrong with it would explain the erratic idle sparking (that doesnt discount the points, cap and leads etc) so dont think you should replace it or get electronic ignition yet. I would sort this issue out first before introducing more variables. Fuel mixture will of course cause poor running but the spark should still be pretty regular because the crank and flywheel have a lot of inertia that help to smooth out any misfires.

  13. Looks like the end of the saga is in sight but I dont think I'll be going down the same route anytime soon! Going back to the question of the tube I think you did the right thing sealing it as Im not sure the gearlever rod has o-rings as was suggested. It looks like it just runs through holes in the ends of the main casing with no form of sealing.....

  14. 18 minutes ago, clive said:

    Best to be pragmatic about this stuff. For most people the usual 20/50 will work fine but doesn't like a hard life. Change it annually or 3000 miles and it won't hurt the engine.

    Agree especially as our oils are usually subjected to much more contamination from fuel and combustion products than a modern engine and which no filter or oil, no matter how good they are, will protect against.  

  15. 9 hours ago, Pete Lewis said:

    I would think a modern 5-30 being lets say skinny would flow but with our old clearances would escape a bit quicker than we need 

    Just  a thought,   triumph had a spec so if we stick close to it it does what it says on the tin,  after all its done use proud for  40- 50 years 

    Pete

    yes apparently its the smoothness of the surface finishes that comes into it as well. Now that these are machined smoother compared with the old days surfaces can run closer together without the microscopic peaks coming into contact so clearances can be smaller and oil films thinner. Rougher surfaces have to be held further apart so a thicker oil film is needed and this is achieved by using a higher viscosity oil....

×
×
  • Create New...