johny

its the internals that are the important bit and its always a gamble but at 20 quid you want a new box? You can pay a lot more and have no more guarantee other than its been cleaned on the outside.....

If anyone is interested theres what I believe to be an 1850 3 rail gearbox (unfortunately non OD) for sale used on ebay in Bideford. Its listed as a 'Triumph Herald gearbox' and has failed to sell at 20 pounds previously but is collection only. I think its is the same as a late GT6 type and by changing the bell housing can be used directly in any GT6 or Vitesse 2L giving the benefits (and this has to be confirmed) of the later quieter gears and larger synchro rings. Im nothing to do with the seller but it might do someone else a turn as unfortunately its too far for me......

+1 for new cheapy Landy m/c although I used mine to replace the brake one and yes does give more pedal pressure👍 Gave up on rebuilding old one.....

must have been tea time on the production line!

John, first lets confirm once and for all if yours is a ballasted system: measure the voltage to earth at the +ve side of the coil with the ignition on, engine off and points closed.

And I thought mine was a rant!🤣

you need a strobe to check the dizzy operation so that, with the vacuum pipe disconnected, when reving you should see the timing advance from the action of the weights (I think the WSM even has the correct advance at various revs). Also as Pete says a partially working fuel pump can produce fuel starvation when theres high demand and the only way Ive found of testing its two non return valves is by reversing blowing through each of them individually.....

What was the actual problem in the end Colin?

I took it the misfire was when driving in which case one test I always do is pull out the choke slightly when the engine does it. This is to discount the possibility thats its fuel related as weak mixture can cause symptoms similar to yours.....

so to recap, it ran ok to start with so you put a new coil on and it random misfired? You then put the old coil back and changed the plugs and it now misfire at high revs? If so its now pointing to a problem with the plugs or you disturbed something with the ignition leads when changing plugs/coil. I would go back to the old plugs and have a close check of the leads and dizzy cap.....

well I think I might have been another victim of false news as I cant find any mention anywhere of plans for the UK to have centralised, government operated MOT testing stations so I take my rant back🤐

I suppose you have to ask yourself Bob how much hassle in the past has normal brake fluid been in terms of bleeding the brakes and paint damage from leaks/spills....

Yes luckily my Vit won't start from cold without choke even in summer so I can spin it for as long as I like👍

Still worth checking them isn't it? If they do loosen off it doesn't help keep these boxes dry.....

I'd also add checking the tightness of all the gearbox bolts as mine always seem to be loose. I should probably replace all the spring washers to stop this happening....

No I find that tends to lift the car off the axle stands so with the wheel off the ground I just get the screwdriver between the wishbone and fixing bracket to lever the wishbone around to see if it's excessively easy to move.

Ok but I take it if you get battery voltage while running it's got to be a non ballasted system?

If the coil -ve doesn't show 0 you've then got to close the points or short it to ground which is why I suggested measuring running. Is there a problem doing it like that?

As a definitive answer to whether you have a ballast system or not you need to measure the voltage at the positive terminal of the coil with the engine running. Anything under 12v indicates a ballast system which needs a coil with a resistance of around 1.5 ohms. The resistor reduces the supply voltage to the coil after starting so a 3 ohm type would give a weak spark

Lift the MC rubber cover, could be leaking there so an easy repair.....

Fraid that fluid must have gone somewhere Paula. It's either along the master cylinder operator rod under the rubber cover and down the hole into the carpet or along the slave cylinder rod into the bell housing☹️

Iain perhaps they've changed the spec because the one I find on the Penrite site for their Classic Light (mineral) 20/60 shows API SF....

Can you explain a bit more Iain as just saying something is kak isn't very convincing😳

The ball race bearing is the only locating point so a lot of wheel side thrust must be taken by the u/j and diff. The bearing is press fitted on to the shafts parallel section not the taper which is for the hub and I don't remember there being a shoulder for it to go up against either so I think it's just done by measurement. Best to look at excellent diagram in the free to download work shop manual.....

I look for side play in the trunnions by pulling on the wheel when off the ground (up and down not so important as my wheels are not often airborne when driving😩) and a large screwdriver to lever with for rubber bushes.