jagnut66

As an update to this topic, I have now replaced both the needle, which I felt was 'overfuelling' the engine (changed from a standard 1275 needle to a rich 1098 needle, code DL), plus the air filter, which (as stated in another post) I found to be too noisy and 'raspy' for my liking, to something more 'standard' and quieter, namely the ex-Marina air filter pictured above. I got round the fitting of this using an inverted and adapted SU filter elbow (not pictured in the above post). Some on here will be fans of the how the embossed pancake looks no doubt but looks aren't everything, so in all likelihood I will be advertising the pancake for sale on here at some point, should anyone be interested. Best wishes, Mike.

Well I have now fitted a rich 1098 needle (ref: code DL for the HS4). Also I have changed the air filter back to something nearer standard. The Chromed SU pancake looked good but it turned a quiet running engine into a noisy 'raspy' one, which I didn't like. So I now have the set up below. The air filter is a Morris Marina one with an inverted SU filter elbow. This meant filing a pair of fresh channels in the filter elbow to match a couple of vent holes on the SU but it wasn't a big problem to overcome. It started, ran and revved on the driveway okay, plus there was a noticeable improvement in how it sounds. I'm going to take it for a run out tomorrow (Thursday), so I'll let people know how this goes. There is a small 'lip' on the section of inner wing attached to the bonnet that is slightly bent inwards, this just scrapes the metal lid on the air filter, hence the scrape marks on it. Providing the run out goes okay I'll alter this so it misses the air filter lid in future. Best wishes, Mike.

Thanks all. 1 division on my torque wrench = 0.74 ft lbs, therefore I have made a note to set it to 44.3 + 1 division = 45.04 ft lbs, when tightening the cylinder head nuts. Best wishes, Mike.

Thanks Pete, there is a setting on my torque wrench of 44.3 ft/lbs (normally you add sub-divisions to achieve the correct torque) which would seem to fit with what you advise. Does someone know the setting for the 1300? Best wishes, Mike.

Hi, Thought I might as well as about both engines whilst I was at it......... In my Herald manual it states that the cylinder head nut torque setting should be between 42 to 46 lb / ft, so which do members recommend from their experience? I also have a (ex-Spitfire) 1300 engine sat in the wings, should I need it, what should the cylinder head nuts be torqued to on that engine? Many thanks, Mike.

Interesting stuff. I have an overdrive box and the bits needed to fit it already but that's for another day / post. Best wishes, Mike.

As an additional bit of trivia, the 948cc, 1098cc and 1275cc A series engines, fitted to Austin A30 / 35's, Morris Minors and MG Midgets, all use the same size exhaust / inlet manifolds, so you could, if you wanted, interchange between them. Triumph engines exhaust / inlet manifolds all seem to be different, so no interchangability............ C'est la vie........... Best wishes, Mike.

As an aside I have a spare 1300 engine from a spitfire (Canley Classics confirmed this by the engine number when I made an unleaded head inquiry) which has a similar side entry inlet manifold to that. However, as above, no use for my 1200 engine, as it won't fit it. The 1300 engine was too good to miss price-wise but it is only a standby, in case the 1200 ever develops a terminal (rebuild required) problem. Best wishes, Mike.

Nice run out to Stanton in the Peak / Stanton Moor yesterday, I also managed a pleasant walk on the moor before the weather deteriorated again. However I think she's overfuelling with the 1275 needle installed and she has never liked the choke being out for too long, even when cold it has always been pretty much pull it out, start her up, push it in again. So I'm going to try a 'rich' 1098 needle and see how that goes. Best wishes, Mike.

The suns come out for a bit, so I think I'll go for a run in the Peak District then....... Like I said, it's a standard 1275 needle at present, so we'll see..... Best wishes, Mike.

I also have a standard 1098 needle for my HS4 (though I would need a 'rich' needle from what Pete says above), which I may try if I start to think that the engine is running too fast. What I can confirm is that the engine runs very well on the carb itself, so it's just down to fine tuning and being sure I don't cause premature wear, hence my questions about the pancake filter I have fitted. Of course the other thing that dictated my choice was that I had already refurbished the SU, making it E10 proof (as much as you can anyway). Refurb kits for the solex are generally in the £70 to £80 range!! 🙄 Best wishes, Mike.

Not specifically for an 1147 sized engine no. So you can either go for a 1098 needle or a 1275 one. I have been running Hetty on a standard 1275 one. So far so good. The main things that started this experiment was, one, necessity, I wanted her up and running again, the Solex needs rebuilding as it is 'blowing bubbles' around the diaphragm at present. This has occurred since I have been running her regularly, so I am putting it down to E10 fuel. As an aside, I have been unable to get super unleaded, synergy supreme etc. for some time, it seems as if as soon as the local garages replenish their stocks, everyone piles in and drains them down again (I'm talking moderns here). With all the negative reports circulating, I think they are running scared of E10. Two, I prefer SU's, I've experienced Solex before and my opinion of them isn't that high. That said, she ran okay until she didn't................... And three, curiousity, I wanted to see if I could adapt the manifold to take an SU and how it would run on one. I have sourced a standard Herald 1200 manifold to go back to if I decide I prefer this and the Solex will be rebuilt in due course. Best wishes, Mike.

Interesting, so I need a 'rich' needle, rather than a 'standard' one then? Best wishes, Mike.

Hi Colin, I have just updated my 'Engine problems' topic. Basically I have skimmed a few mil off the inlet manifold and this has allowed the SU carb to sit under the bonnet, however I then had an issue with finding an air filter housing that fitted and didn't impact on the bonnet itself. In the end I used an SU pancake, though I read a worrying post recently that stated that these type of filters can bring on engine wear in the long term. Is this true? My main problem with getting to this stage though wasn't the above, what really held me up was getting the correct manifold to downpipe gasket, long story short, GEG702 which is supposed to be for late Heralds doesn't fit, as it's too big, it appears my late Herald (1970) is fitted with an earlier manifold that requires GEG717. Your cars date to the lates sixties don't they? So I wonder which they will need...... Best wishes, Mike.

Sometimes it's the little things that hold you up. To get over my height issue I removed the studs and skimmed a few mil off the inlet section of the manifold. However, to achieve this without metal shavings getting into the engine I naturally removed the manifold, eventually....... All the metal nuts resisted me, some more than others..... So first on my shopping list was brass nuts. Also required and not included in any of my head gasket kits, is the manifold to downpipe gasket. And so it began..... I had a look on ebay and found a seller with one that appeared the right shape and was listed for a Herald/Spitfire etc. etc........ This went inder the code GEG701, which turned out to be too large and is for a 13/60, shame he didn't put that little detail in his advert title..... So I went back to him, "no problem, it's actually GEG702 that you need for a late Herald 1200 sir, send the others back and we'll issue a refund"........... So I bought GEG702's, as my car dates to 1970, problem solved?.......... Actually no...... These were a size too big also. It appears my 1970 car is fitted with an earlier manifold, which requires gasket ref: GEG717..... which he doesn't stock....... Fortunately Rimmers does, so I bought some from them in the end and they fitted first time. These arrived this morning and I was finally able to bolt everything back together again. So problems over? Well not quite....... Although my SU carb now sits under the bonnet, without trying to push through it (just), because of its height and angle I am having trouble to get a 'normal' type of air filter housing to fit. I was going to use a Morris Minor 1000 one, I have one restored and ready to fit, however upon fitting this it sat too high and I was back to being unable to close the bonnet.... So I tried a Morris Marina style one, same issue. In the end I robbed my project Series 2 Minor of it's rather fetching SU pancake filter. This is fine I'll fit the Minor 1000 one to it instead and 'keep it in the family'....... Time for a test drive. I am pleased to report it no longer hisitates and stutters, obviously the Solex needs a complete overhall with E10 proof diaphragms etc. Performance is about the same, though a bit more 'rorty'. Took her up to 70 on a bit of duel carraigeway near me. Not as noisy as I thought the pancake might make her though, I notice it mainly because before, with her standard air filter fitted, she was almost silent by comparison. One thing I have heard that worries me though, I noticed someone commenting on the MMOC site that pancake air filters can bring on an engine rebuild..... Are they really that bad for the engine long term or was the guy talking out of his a***.............. ? The last picture shows some of my 'alternative' air filter fittings, that sit too high, does anyone have a suggestion for a more standard type air filter arrangement that may sit lower and fit? Best wishes, Mike.

If it's slimmer then it may be a HS2: 1.25"? Mine is an ex-Mini HS4. Burlen is a good source for needles, I've gone for a 1275 standard needle, code 'DZ'. For a HS2 I believe you would need an 'M'. I've attached the chart I use below. Best wishes, Mike. SU needle chart.doc

Pictures of my set up below. Two things to note, firstly that the adapter was originally intended for a (larger than the solex) stromberg............ with a shorter neck...... And secondly the staining on the underside of the bonnet around the point where the plastic top of the SU damper impacts on the bonnet must relate to my solex carb, as I haven't run the SU with the bonnet closed yet. Having confirmed it is the top of the SU impacting the bonnet, if anyone has or knows where I can get one from, I am seriously interested in acquiring a short necked chamber. Best wishes, Mike.

Hi Colin, I am just about to upload some pictures into the Engine problems topic, as to running, if I can sort out the height issue (and I have a couple of ideas -- one of which is a short necked chamber), from what I heard it runs much better with the SU. I need to sort this and take it for a drive out though. The adapter was originally intended for a (larger than the solex) stromberg............ with a shorter neck...... If you're interested the abutment plate I used is a Mini one, as the accelerator, choke cable and throttle return spring locators are on the correct side for the Triumph set up. All I had to do was loose a small section of the metal sheathing on the choke cable. Link to one below: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284357009110?hash=item4234ff9ed6:g:7ikAAOSwHGZdkPo1 Best wishes, Mike.

Very possibly, I'll take another look (and a picture) in the morning. Though I hope a short neck will be enough, as I'd rather keep the SU. Best wishes, Mike.

I now have the Solex removed, so I will check to see if it has a ZIC tag on it. However, having heard the engine run with the SU I'd rather stick with this, as long as I can resolve the bonnet closing issue -- see my 'engine problems' topic. Best wishes, Mike.

Finally got away from the Moggy to have a look at this, there is a good 'spurt' when I crank the engine over, which looked like it would fill the jar quite quickly if I had continued cranking it over. What I also noticed was damp and bubbles leaking past the square plates gasket on the side of the solex, diaphragm? I hadn't seen this before....... 😒 So, as I don't have a rebuild kit for the solex and I had a freshly rebuilt SU HS4 with adapter ready to fit, I took the solex off and fitted the SU. Once it was all plumbed in it ran like a dream, trouble is the SU is too high, so I can't take it for a run to test it properly. A short necked SU HS4 chamber might clear / cure it but it's finding one.............. The hunt is on...... Meanwhile any other suggestions on how to overcome this and get the bonnet closing properly again are welcome. I will attach a picture in the morning, it's too dark to take one now. Best wishes, Mike.

It didn't sell, so now's the time to contact the seller if anyone on here is interested. Best wishes, Mike.

I don't know if anyone on here would be interested or not but I just spotted this on eBay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234232882839?hash=item36895e2697:g:xVAAAOSwUQNhZffF I believe the 'S' was base spec and that not many were built in the first place, so, whilst not worth a fortune to anyone, it might have some rarity value?? Please note that I am not connected in any way to this car or the advert. You will need to contact the seller if you want to haggle over the price. It has 8 hours left to run, so, if it fails to sell, that may put someone in a stronger position over the price. Best wishes, Mike.

Hi, I have a couple of items that need new homes. So they are free to anyone on here that needs them. Firstly a good working side entry 25D distributor cap, I replaced it with a top entry version when I snagged one of its leads. Up to that point it was working fine, however my preference is for the top entry cap with push fit leads, so I took the opportunity to change both and it is now gathering dust and going spare. The old leads have been removed and binned. Secondly a pair of Triumph Spitfire oil cooler pipes, these are brand new. They came as part of a kit but are not long enough to reach where I have sited the cooler on my Herald, so having replaced them with longer (MG Midget) pipes these are now also gathering dust and going spare. Neither will be required by myself. The distributor cap is a small item and therefore can be completely FOC, I will just need the name, address and postcode of anyone interested. The oil cooler pipes will need a bigger box, so, if anyone is interested, I would just ask that you cover the postage for these. Best wishes, Mike.

Hi, My new dash, purchased at our joint show with MG at the Malvern showground, has now arrived. My old dash is looking a little tired and the veneer is lifting all across it, so I chose a replacement burr elm one from Classical Dash, who had a stand there. https://classical-dash.co.uk/ I've always loved a good burr and the figuring on my new one is great, all that I have to do now is, very carefully, fit it. Best wishes, Mike.