johny

I've always wondered how, if your engine is running hot, putting a lower temp thermostat is supposed to make it run cooler! Assuming the original is good to me the only difference seems to be it will open sooner on start up and start cooling earlier....

Manual is available PDF format online and free!

why not try testing your mixture with the plunger on the side of each Stromberg. With the engine up to temperature I lift one with a finger and then release it after a second while listening to the engine response which shouldnt change. If the revs rise - too rich and fall - weak however its the immediate response your interested in as if you hold the plunger up too long the revs always tend to drop off. Always thought the Lucas was supposed to be the better dizzy but maybe thats just down to its build quality....

you might be able to confirm this by pulling the choke out a little while driving to see if the richer mixture that gives helps....

could be mixture a shade weak and as the weather warms up it gets worse and shows as engine hesitation at constant speed while acceleration is ok due to the mixture being enrichened then.....

I think the biggest cause of head and exhaust gasket failures could be down to the correct fixing bolt torque not being maintained over time. With usage the heating and cooling of components seems to reduce the clamping force and I wonder if this is why modern design has gone to stretch bolts. However for us the only solution would be to periodically re-torque bolts (which of course in some cases isnt easy) and this certainly seems to have worked on my exhaust gasket......

oh god if Payen's qualities gone what are we going to be able to use!

John, I wouldnt go into panic mode😁 I had a tank rust problem after leaving my Vitesse off the road for quite a while but it stabilised with regular use of the car. I know in the Herald/Vitesse the outlet pipe comes in from the top so doesnt suck right from bottom of the tank but once the initial heavy layer of rust comes off the inside the process slows down a lot. Why not just keep an eye on the filter and/or replace it at regular intervals - theyre cheap enough at 70p each from Euro Car Parts!

From where exactly is the oil coming from on the engine? Also whats the serial number stamped on the engine to confirm what it is?

recessed/non recessed refers to a recess around each cylinder bore that later engines had. Dont think any Vitesse had the recess type (although a later engine could have been fitted of course) which was an attempt by Triumph to stop head gasket failures as the cylinder is where the highest pressures are so the most likely point of failure. However from what Ive read these engines didnt have a particular failure problem although perhaps Triumph were trying to preempt issues from increasing power outputs in some of the 2.5 models.....

Payen seems to be the most sought after but personally I think the Triumph 6 engine isnt particularly prone to head gasket failure and as long as its installed correctly any gasket from one of the main suppliers will be fine....

sounds like the PO put the bumper section onto the valance while the whole thing was off....

Im afraid I think you really need to find where your timing setting is either using Petes method above or if possible with a timing strobe light. With a bit of luck you can run your engine on 98 at the standard timing so avoiding any retard but note: theres no use in advancing more than the recommended value even if theres no knocking....

Pump check is easy enough, just disconnect the fuel line from the carbs and manually operate pump. You should get a good squirt of fuel into a container on each stroke however I dont think it'll be your problem as normally the pump just loses performance as the non return valves dont seal properly. This shows up as fuel starvation under high engine load so It would have to be very poor to not even pump enough to maintain a tickover. Now I think dirt is unlikely as well because you would have seen it in the filter but the other suggestions sound possibles......

certainly sounds like it! I wonder if anybody else has got near that figure or if its a record....

I dont like your comment about the filter being empty. Once fuel has come out of the tank to fill the filter I would think it'll stay filled even if the pump isnt working properly. I wonder if you havent got a lot of debris in the tank which may have come off the interior once you put it back into service and now is blocking the outlet pipe. When you leave it a while some of the debris dislodges and fuel can get through only to sucked back in again when the flow rate increases. Can you check the filter for dirt?

yes your calculations are correct however are you sure your speed/mileage reading is true? Has the car had an overdrive gearbox or non standard tyres fitted?

Think my favourite for a GTIII, easily obtainable wheels, are these JBW offerings:

you sure on that fuel consumption as that sounds amazing! Have to agree with NonMember on the wheels though (think also about the cleaning) as Id prefer period alloys although maybe not minilites.....

Its just a couple of plastic pipes that go from the inlet connections on the standard airbox to a bracket on the RH side of the rad so that the air drawn in is cooler than that in the engine bay. This is particularly helpful when moving slowly when high intake air temperature can cause poor running.....

I can see the welding being quite difficult to get correct and of course much harder to dismantle if its not correct. I think the selector shaft tube will need to seal against the face of the single rail casing (using its normal gasket) and ideally you want to achieve this without having to machine/file the tube flat on the sealing face of the bell housing. You could do this by cutting the necessary clearance hole in the bell housing, preparing the tube with a perfect true end and then bonding it in place while the bell housing is sitting on a completely flat surface....

Clive, I take it the hole in the bell housing has to be drilled/filed out and the area where it goes is a bit irregular isnt it?

Well I dont suppose it'll be as easy as replacing the coil, wheres the fun in that? However at least thatll be one thing to cross off the list and then you can work methodically through the other possibilities. Let us know how you get on.....

Have you considered epoxy metal to bond in the seal tube? If the aluminium is well prepared Ive found it a very effective way of joining it and much easier to carry out than welding. Course its not as strong but in this application I would have thought it more than sufficient....

Yes you could try a direct feed to prove it runs but be careful as the only way to stop the engine if it takes off will be to kill the temporary supply.....