Iain T

Me too and I'm only 66! I seem to have lost a lot of muscle mass over the last 2-3 years? I have lost 3-4kg in overall weight but it all seems to be muscle.....the fat's still there! I hate exercising and only do a couple of minutes a day mainly for my back. Time for another glass of red🍷a nice 2012 Cantemerle.

Checked the timing marks on the pulley and tdc is where it should be. Bisecting the two piston stop points on the pulley corresponds to the tdc line. Top tip. Loosen nuts on rocker assy or as your valves open they can hit the piston stop! I have a small nick in the side of the stop.....then the penny dropped why! Hope the valve is ok🤞 It seems so far all is where it should be but I haven't checked the cam timing. The engine was put together by a guy who has assembled hundreds of engines so I'm hoping that will also be fine. I'm going to put everything back and run it up to 2000rpm and see if the vac gauge is stable (I think that's another test for manifold leaks). Then take it for a spin and see if 20 degrees btdc pinks!? Iain

Hi Paula, yes they might be! I've dug out the brackets and lamps that were fitted to my car. It's a two part assembly and requires two slots in the Ali grille. If you want to copy I could measure them or send to you. To be honest I'll probably never fit them so they could be on permanent loan! Iain

Arrives tomorrow, I'm disconnecting the battery first and putting a note there! I'll take the plugs out and also thinking of taking the rockers off so the engine turns over easily as I don't want to cause any damage to the piston. Whole the rockers are off I'll check the head torque. Off to change the engine oil and install new choke cable. Lovely day for it, the car park should be nice and dark🕯️

I've always fitted dry but following other sites posts some have indeed used sealants. I only bring this up as you know I'm playing around with the intake manifold vacuum gauge posted in the Tools Topic. A sealed intake manifold is a happy manifold! Iain

Slight thread drift but is there any case for using a sealant ie Wellseal on any of the joints? I know this will make dismantling a problem but perhaps if not on all the surfaces? It could minimise potential leaks as the carbs only have two fixings. Iain

I installed in this order from the manifold:- Gasket, insulator block, gasket, heat shield, gasket (I think, I'm going to check), carburetor. Make sure all surfaces are clean and flat as you don't want air being sucked in the joints. Iain

Ta, I'll try it!

Is there a WSM link on the forum?

How about roof mounted! I took my spots off as I thought it restricted airflow. They did cover a lot of the grille! The lamps were rear fixed onto brackets that pass through the grille. The grille has a couple of the Ali links cut to suit. I never used the lamps and thought it better to cool the engine as much as possible and upgrade the existing lamps with relays and possible halogen bulbs. Them's is big lamps! Iain

I'll try that tomorrow, it was nearly 4pm after I'd tinkered and the traffic around here is not conducive to calm test driving! Iain

Been tweaking today. I pulled the vac hose off the dizzy and it made no difference to the timing left to atmosphere or with my finger over the end. I advanced the timing until the vac gauge read 18-19 then backed it of to a reasonably steady 17. I checked the afr gauge and tickover and all seemed fine at about 13.5 and 750rpm. When I checked the timing its about 25btdc. The piston stop should arrive on Saturday and all will be revealed as to if the pulley timing marks are correct! The only other thing I'll do is the valve clearances which according to Newman Cams has to be done cold. I would put the post in say the Engine section but not sure how to do it! VID_20220309_153443.mp4

Doug, To satisfy my paranoia I've ordered a piston stop plug to check if the tdc pointer and pulley marks line up. The vacuum did just go up to 22 if I set it at 20 the timing, according to the pulley, would be over 20degrees btdc! When I set at 17-18 on the vacuum gauge it definitely pinked under load. I want to check the pulley calibration before I proceed. If the pulley marks are out I'm wondering if the cam is set correctly? I'll do another check tomorrow with the dizzy vac hose (it's thick wall vac hose) blocked as I had it connected when I took the readings. I'm going one step at a time! Please look out for updates! Apologies the max reading was 21! Thanks

The C spanners are sold at various places, I don't know if the club sell them. They do come in different sizes so be sure you get the ones for your gaz shocks. I believe ride heights to even corner wheel weight is normally done with about 80kg on the drivers seat. I have a spanner but you're in norf Yorkshire I'm in London. Iain

There shouldn't be much of a vacuum at the ported takeoff by the carb but I'll try it out Wednesday, the wife want to go uptown tomorrow! I'll also check the tappet clearance. Cheers

I left the dizzy vac hose connected. I could try clamping the hose (it's rubber not the hard plastic pipe)? Driving to the petrol station the engine pinked when at low revs in high gear and then WOT. Put it back to just over 13 degrees and 14hg vacuum but the needle does shake a small amount. Check the compression or disconnect a plug lead? I can't hear any air going into the manifold and the gaskets are all new. Iain

I thought so and currently have it at 17-18. I need to get some petrol so I'll take it for a spin and see if it pinks. According to the timing marks it's about 20 degrees.....?! Iain

So todays fiddlin. I warmed up the engine and hooked up the gauge on the manifold vacuum hose (pcv end). It showed a low vacuum at 15-16 which on the gauge says late timing. I fitted a strobe and according to the indicators timing is 13 degrees. I advanced the timing and the revs increased until the gauge read 22. However the timing was probably 25 degrees....on the indicator! The engine is fully reconditioned with gas flowed head and only done 5-600 miles. I'm wondering if the timing marks are if fact correct? I've heard stories about the pulley moving. Camshaft out a cog? Any other suggestions? Check the tappet clearances? Iain

I've given it to my friend who has helped me with bits on the Vitesse. He has a crazy Daimler special, an mgc and is currently building a Sebring mgb v8. One good turn deserves another.

At work we used to have a floor standing hydraulic machine to form single and double flares. Pretty foolproof providing the end of the pipe is clean and burr free. Iain

Great, I thought it would be OK as my TR3A just vented the crank to atmosphere. I'll try it out tomorrow. Thanks for your help Iain

Thanks, is it better to try and use a Tee or is it OK to leave the pcv outlet open to atmosphere? I don't have a servo tapping.

Time to try the vacuum test and which hose to use, I'm thinking the snake like curly hose from the manifold to the pcv? I think one of the adaptors that came with the kit might push on at the manifold but failing that on the hose at the pcv end. Another option might be the dizzy vacuum hose connector on the carb? I want the engine to run evenly at idle to get a steady reading. Iain

I have the 1" spring spacer on my Vitesse and 1 click on the rears feels OK. A hard rear end isn't comfy or nice to drive😂. I tried one click on the fronts and it seemed a bit floaty and disconnected with the road at speed. Iain

The fuel pressure is fine at 2psi, I'm waiting until it gets a bit warmer to check the vacuum🥶