Iain T

Hi Simon and welcome to the forum! I've always had a soft spot for Fulvias (and Flavias) is it a 1300 or 1600? Never owned one but on my wish list for the future. I had a 1500 Spit in the mid '70s with optional hard top. I really enjoyed it but it did need more grunt. An overdrive gearbox makes for easy overtaking, just flick a switch and off you go. Cheers Iain

Pete, I know, this is the second time, different guys, that Burlen have been less than helpful when getting info about Strombergs. When I said their CDSE starter looks exactly the same as my CDS he insisted it is a different part number for a CDS so wouldn't fit and they don't have one of those. I explained I know I have to change the disc as their starter disc only has one set of graduated holes but he suggested I just re-bush and I lost the will to argue. The conversation was all very pleasant but unhelpful! Iain

It's like everything in life once you've done it multiple times it becomes easier! The problem with changing UJ's yourself is the different thickness circlips that are sometimes required to take up any end float (mine did) and they are something most of us don't have in our 'magic' boxes. As Johny said the prop will require balancing after fitting new UJ's to ensure smooth running. Best take it to Propshaft Services. The other thing some people don't consider is driveline angles. If you draw a line from the centre of the diff and output shaft of the gearbox the angles should be the same ie parallel within +/-3 degrees. This applies in side and plan views (some diffs are offset from the car centreline). Google driveline angles and all will be revealed. I have a Type 9 conversion in my Vitesse and when inspected both the diff and g/box output shaft pointed down, not ideal if one points down the other needs to point up to be parallel. I couldn't raise the gearbox any higher so my guy managed to adjust the diff up to get within 3 degrees. In plan everything was ok. In theory if the driveline isn't parallel within 3 degrees vibration and UJ wear can/will occur. Not normally a problem if you have a standard car but if you change gearbox/mounts etc something to consider. Iain

Mmm 150CDS starter chokes....mine still leaks and Burlen were reluctant to sell me what looked like a similar part from a 150CDSE as they said it may not fit. I'm going to rebush to see if it reduces leak. Paula, excellent work could this be a new income stream?? Iain

it wasn't one of your 'purple rinse' long hair wigs then?

What annoys me is the water pump, it's too powerful and sucks the water out so fast it overfills the standpipe! I've ensured the standpipe height is within spec but on occasions it still bubbles out the top. WHY make it so powerful??? Our 12 year old Bosch was a third of the price and performed much better. Same with our superdooper Siemens dryer, looks great but the moisture sensor is bo****ks. My wife has 'dead' fingers which won't activate the touch controls. It's quite amusing to hear her giving the dryer a royal mouthful....better it than me! Iain

Doug, I'm not allowed to use the washing machine, it has too many flashing lights and options. Customer review, never get a Miele too expensive and doesn't get the washing any cleaner or untangled than makes costing half as much!

John, I did the wet test just for my own peace of mind. As to domestic duties I know my place...I make the tea! English breakfast brewed for at least 6 minutes and for her two spoons of sugar.

Doug, I know but she doesn't like the 'aroma' of my car (what's wrong with old car and oil?) plus it was a bit windy on the 5th floor in the multi storey car park. I do wind her up a lot but on her plus side she does like Wheeler Dealer...TR6 tonight.

Doug, Dry:- 1=130, 2=128, 3=130, 4=132, 5=128, 6=135 Wet:- 2=150, 6=152, I didn't test the others wet as the light was fading and my wife was fed up cranking the engine!

I will test mixture by lifting the piston and if it seems rich I'll weaken it off a bit and retest. Perhaps it just needs it's throat clearing by a blast round the lanes, difficult in London!

As number 1 plug is the correct colour and I have had the engine rolling road tuned I hope the front carb mixture is sort of, probably, hopefully ok. The difference between the colour of 1 and 2,3 plugs is enormous, 2,3 are black soot.

I bought a compression tester before Christmas and have been itching to use it on my Vitesse MK2. I know unless calibrated the actual values can vary but I wanted to know if all the cylinders were within the ideal 5% of each other. I ran the engine up to normal temperature (only around 70F as that was as hot as it would get), took all the plugs out, lifted the carb air piston and tested with the throttle fully open...I've been reading the instructions on the Forum!!! Values were 128-135psi dry and increased by 15-20psi with a teaspoon of oil down the plug 'ole. Question, is this increase acceptable or an indication that the ring/bore is not in perfect condition? I did notice plugs 2 and 3 were soot black and 1 was normal colour. Plugs 4,5,6 were all ok. As 1-3 cylinders are fed from the front carb I would assume given all things equal they should be the same colour so the carbon must be coming from valves or rings on 2 and 3. FYI the engine does not smoke on acceleration or in fact any other time. Thoughts please. Iain

Pete, I looked at taking my prop on my Vitesse to the company at Feltham. When I phoned them they said they send all the props to Bailey Morris for refurb and balancing. I took mine direct to BM and by arrangement they did the ujs/balancing while I went and had a pub lunch! If you are close to Feltham it would be easier but I was on a mission.... Overall excellent service.

I'll take a look. Happy Christmas all

Daimler only made 250'ish the most famous being the Docker's Daimler Green Goddess. He has accumulated 3 engines and all have slight differences typical of post war 'what's on the shelf and can we use it' practice. All are 5.4L and with his bespoke pistons giving 9:1 CR, it was 7:1 as standard, it has massive grunt whatever the revs. With the current gearing it easily tops the ton and cruises all day at 80, all a bit scary in a car that weighs 2500kgs with drum brakes! John, good explanation of compression ratio calcs on sideways forum, if you are going to play with CR you might as well do it properly. Iain

My friend who rebodied his Daimler DE36 from a hearse to a brooklands racer had to go through hoops and a year of grief to keep his original number plate. A monster of a car, started off at 6 metres long and even though he took 1m out of the chassis it still dwarfs my Vitesse.

Yes I understand the comfort factor of have an MOT but my last test was all clear then when I examined the track rod ends they were shot! It seems to depend on the examiner and if your car presents well then perhaps they take a more cursory look. On the other hand as my car has the cv joint convertion with gas struts and type 9 gearbox it could be argued it has 'substantial change' therefore mandatory MOT. Iain

I thought all historic cars over 40 years old are exempt from MOT's?

Is that you Dr Kilmore, Mr Bigger needs an enema...I'm off to rub my injection castings!

Finally in the correct format!!!!!

I hate Apple products with a vengeance, this is the picture. The part in question is the one with the two brass valves. choke.pdf

Colin, it's the part in the square which isn't flat. This fits between the outer part of the choke (with the spring and lever) and the carb body. If the face that the disc pushes against isn't perfectly flat then fuel will leak out although as he said there is fuel in the chamber behind the flat disc which can still seep out through the ill fitting shaft/outer body bush. choke body.pdf

Spoke to a very helpful guy at Carbex and he said they often see quite a bit of distortion on the intermediate body ie the one the disc rotates against. He suggested to push the brass tube out and finely lick over the faces with a mill. I'm going to do that as I still have access to milling machines where I used to work. He said it may still dribble out of the worn outer body which they sometimes re-bush. Plan B is next year to possibly install a kit from Classic Car Fuel Injection at Chelmsford. I spoke to the guy today and he said he has done around twelve 2000/2500 Triumphs and the results have been very good with a lot more lower and mid range grunt. The advantage is it retains the original carb body look with just an insert between the carb and manifold for the injectors. The plumbing if done correctly doesn't look to be too horrendous in the engine bay and you get the advantage of fully programmable fuel injection and ignition. Has anyone on the Forum used the kit or the company? Iain

Hi Donal, Welcome to the Forum. It's been a while since I stripped an engine down, I used lots of containers plus sealable sandwich bags for the smaller stuff. I just wrote what the items were on the bags with an indelible marker. I put the bags in containers but you can put multiple bags into one container. Don't forget to mark up the mains and big end caps, rods, pistons up 1, 2, 3, 4, and just incase I had a senile moment I think I wrote 1F for Front and 4R for ???? I can't remember..... As Colin said take loads of pictures. Have fun! Iain