Nigel Clark

By 1972, Triumph sixes were all recessed block with fire rings on the gasket. Guy your car has its original engine, it will have a recessed block. My '72 Mk3 GT6 had engine number KE 14xxx with recessed block. Nigel

Start with the workshop manual static setting of 10 degrees BTDC. Make sure valve clearances are correct (10 thou cold), the spark plugs are in good condition and there are no air leaks around the carbs (carb to manifold gaskets, vacuum hoses and manifold to cylinder head gasket). The ideal ignition advance for your engine depends somewhat on the condition of the engine, and the octane number of the fuel used. 97 RON super unleaded works well, 99 RON Shell V-Power or Tesco Momentum is even better. Using your chosen fuel, the optimum ignition timing is best found by trial and error. Most of our engines run best with a degree or two more advance than specified in the manual. With the engine warmed up and the ignition timing set as per the manual,try advancing the timing slightly, usually the idle speed will increase. Go out for a drive and - where safe to do so - floor the accelerator at around 2,000rpm in top gear. Listen for the characteristic sound of pre-ignition or pinking. The aim is to find the most advance the engine can take without quite pinking. Take care though, too much advance will damage the engine, while the optimum setting will give crisp performance and good fuel economy. Nigel

The 1300cc Spit Mk3 really won't see any benefit from bigger carbs, unless you go for an upgraded cylinder head and hotter camshaft. As Pete has pointed out, simply fitting bigger carbs will probably cause difficulty in setting up. For 20-30 extra bhp, the engine will need a full rebuild, with aforementioned cylinder head and cam modifications. Bigger carbs alone won't won't achieve anything like that kind of increase in power. Nigel

I've never needed to lift the poppet valves on my TR6's injectors to bleed the PI system, even after replacing the injector pipes and fitting new seals to the metering unit. Nigel

No need to lift the poppet valves to bleed the injectors. Remove the spark plugs and coil power feed (the wire from the ignition switch). Take out the injectors and raise as high as possible then point them into a pot to catch the fuel. Crank the engine on the starter until fuel pulses from all six injectors. Put everything back together and the engine should start first time. Nigel

Don't worry about laying up a PI Triumph for a few months during winter. My TR6 starts okay after being dormant for a couple of months in winter. However, to get enough fuel moving through the injectors needs a good quality battery that's well charged. It may start on only a few cylinders at first, but they all chime in soon enough. With Lucas PI, I've enjoyed both the driving experience and the learning curve of maintaining the system. It's a wonderfully idiosyncratic way to get fuel into an internal combustion engine! Nigel

The pads for Type 16 calipers only vary between the imperial and metric sizes, with different diameter holes for the retaining pins. Your Vitesse should have imperial calipers, metric didn't start to appear until 1972. If in doubt, buy the pads and fitting kit from the Club Shop, they will ensure you get the right ones. Nigel

Colin's method is exactly what I did when swapping the diff on my GT6. Nigel

I was told by a reputable Triumph trader a few years ago that Payen gaskets were no longer made to the same standard. Chris Witor and Canley Classics stock high quality gaskets which are not from Payen. That said, it seems very unlikely that a new Payen head gasket would fail to seal from the moment it was installed. As has been suggested, I would be looking for another cause than the head gasket. It's a pain, but the head will need to be removed again. Nigel

Sorry, I can't access the advance curve right now as the car, workshop manual and my notes are about 100 miles away! From memory, static advance was 12deg BTDC. The workshop manual quotes a range of acceptable advance at different rpm, defining the advance curve for the distributor within tolerance limits. The ideal rolling road setup was very similar to the maximum advance specified in the WSM. Nigel

Perhaps I should has been clearer. The static ignition timing and advance curve in my GT6 were optimised on a rolling road. Previously I have found by trial and error that our engines usually run a little better with slightly more static advance than the workshop manual states. The trial and error method for ignition timing has been mentioned in this forum before. Nigel

That's one reason why I said on Thursday that fine tuning of ignition advance really needs to be done on a rolling road. The other reason is that too much advance will cause pre-ignition and possibly serious engine damage. On a rolling road, the drop in power with excess advance can be seen, even if pinking cannot be heard. Nigel

I meant a steeper advance curve. When it comes to static timing, I take the workshop manual setting as a starting point then advance a bit further, until it's almost linking under load at about 2,000 rpm. Nigel

That's interesting. It was over 5 years since I fitted the Amethyst and had the engine set up on the Aldon rolling road. Nigel

I've fitted the Aldon Amethyst, which gives programmable advance with rpm and vacuum, similar to the Accuspark box you're considering. I've found that with modern 99 octane fuel (Tesco Momentum or Shell V-Power) the engine can take a bit more advance than the factory curve. This kind of fine tuning really needs to be done on a rolling road, by an experienced operator. Too much advance and pre-ignition can wreck the engine. The GT6 runs very well with the Amethyst, and the extra advance gave a few more bhp on the rolling road. Nigel

You're right of course, my mistake, bigger studs on the later engines. Nigel

A KE engine number means the block is from a Mk3 GT6, which I would expect to have domed pistons. Is it possible that someone has fitted an early Mk1 engine and fraudulently re-stamped the engine number? Measuring the diameter of the cylinder head studs should throw more light on the situation. 7/16" studs for the Mk1 engine and 3/8" for the Mk2 and Mk3. Nigel

I'm also a fan of Strombergs on the GT6 and Vitesse 2 litre engine, and agree with what Pete said above. If your car has running problems with both SU and Stromberg carbs, it's probable the carbs are not the cause. It's been said before.... Most fueling problems are ignition problems, and vice versa. Nigel

Simple answer is NO! Nigel

With Triumph factory camshafts, I've only ever set the valve clearances when cold. I would only suggest adjusting hot if an aftermarket cam supplier specifically recommends doing so. Nigel

I agree about the GT6 Mk2 and Spit Mk3 bumpers not looking the best. At the time, it was a quick fix to comply with new US legislation on bumper height. I like the bumperless look of your race styled Mk2. Looks stunning with the royal blue paint and Revolution wheels. Nigel

+1 I've had the gearbox in and out of my GT6 several times over the years. Removing the H-frame centre console and tunnel cover is tedious but not difficult. Remove the passenger seat then pulling the 'box and overdrive out through the cabin is a one man job. The rear of the engine needs to be supported with a jack, using a piece of wood to spread the load on the back of the sump pan. Raise the back of the engine slightly to enable the 'box to clear the transmission tunnel. Refitting is the reverse procedure, as Haynes manuals like to say! However a gearbox with overdrive is heavy, and care is needed to align the input shaft and clutch splines. A helper at this stage is useful, though it can be done alone. Nigel

That's also my experience. The leading edge of the roof rusts from the inside outwards due to condensation. If the trim strip on the seam is fitted well (paint first, then quality sealer), it won't be the first point to rust. Nigel

As has been said, the timing chains on the OHC Triumph engines last well, and will start to rattle when either chain or tensioner is worn and needs replacement. Make sure you get a good quality chain, New Old Stock if available. There are German timing chains available for Stag engines and they have a good reputation. Don't know if similar are available for the TR7. Cheap eastern chains should be avoided. A TR7 specialist like Robsport or S&S should stock a decent chain. Nigel

I fitted silicone hoses to both my Triumphs more than 10 years ago, using quality stainless clips. They still look good.... Good enough for another 10 years or more! As has been said, if you're planning to keep your classic long term, silicone hoses are well worth the money. Nigel