johny Posted February 18, 2023 Report Share Posted February 18, 2023 Its an engine oil and should be thicker than yours when hot so giving a higher minimum oil pressure which may or may not reduce the noise. Once this test has discounted the bearings as the problem or you have replaced them you can change to any oil you wish👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted February 18, 2023 Report Share Posted February 18, 2023 I've not tried that particular oil but Millers are generally good, and the Penrite 20W60 definitely gives better pressure (and longevity) than any of the 20/50 oils I've tried. I don't recall what oil @cliff.b is currently using - Castrol Classic? Personally I haven't used any oil sold as "Castrol" since the early 1990s when I concluded that all of the Triumphs I had at the time ran far better on Duckhams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted February 18, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2023 39 minutes ago, NonMember said: I've not tried that particular oil but Millers are generally good, and the Penrite 20W60 definitely gives better pressure (and longevity) than any of the 20/50 oils I've tried. I don't recall what oil @cliff.b is currently using - Castrol Classic? Personally I haven't used any oil sold as "Castrol" since the early 1990s when I concluded that all of the Triumphs I had at the time ran far better on Duckhams. Yes, Castrol Classic which I believe is marketed as being as good as it always has been. Also, to prove its heritage, I presume, they sell it by the gallon, which as we all know is less than the 5 litres the can holds lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted February 19, 2023 Report Share Posted February 19, 2023 9 hours ago, cliff.b said: marketed as being as good as it always has been Yes, well... as I said, in the early 1990s I concluded that Castrol GTX was no good for Triumphs, Duckhams Q being far better, so I wouldn't regard "as good as it always was" as a recommendation for Castrol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted February 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2023 1 hour ago, NonMember said: Yes, well... as I said, in the early 1990s I concluded that Castrol GTX was no good for Triumphs, Duckhams Q being far better, so I wouldn't regard "as good as it always was" as a recommendation for Castrol. I will report back with my observations when I get around to changing it. Meanwhile, I will have to remember to drive more sedately 🥱 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted February 20, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2023 Just a further update, the noise was apparent today and as I was close to a well known classic vehicle restoration company I took it in and asked if they would have a listen. Other than agreeing that the noise seems to be coming from the middle of the engine block, they seemed as confused by it as I am. They did say they could fit the car in to investigate further in maybe 3 months though. Interestingly, they are working on another Spitfire which the mechanic said was a LeMans racing car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted February 20, 2023 Report Share Posted February 20, 2023 What did they think of the suggestion of worn crank bearings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted February 20, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2023 9 minutes ago, johny said: What did they think of the suggestion of worn crank bearings? I asked specifically if they thought it might be that and they said it didn't obviously sound like it but couldn't be certain without taking the sump off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted February 20, 2023 Report Share Posted February 20, 2023 do some of the easy do have a quick look at the PRV to eliminate the cheap and simples you dont have end float and you dont get any knocks or growling rumbles when pulling hard it revs with out any clattering its something being unsympathetic at less than 1500rpm whats in the centre of the crankcase .............. have you checked the dizzy drive gear endfloat ????? that can clatter Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foshi Posted February 20, 2023 Report Share Posted February 20, 2023 to be honest in my opinion a decent mechanic should be able to tell main / big end bearing noise in minutes . i could for sure paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted February 20, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2023 2 hours ago, Pete Lewis said: do some of the easy do have a quick look at the PRV to eliminate the cheap and simples you dont have end float and you dont get any knocks or growling rumbles when pulling hard it revs with out any clattering its something being unsympathetic at less than 1500rpm whats in the centre of the crankcase .............. have you checked the dizzy drive gear endfloat ????? that can clatter Pete I am certainly going to check out the PRV. I haven't checked the distributor end float but once set, is this something that can change? The noise has only recently become obvious. Guess it's something else I can check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted February 20, 2023 Report Share Posted February 20, 2023 just dreaming of what else can creat a clatter then camshaft bearings popped into the frame just more ideas Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted February 20, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2023 10 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said: just dreaming of what else can creat a clatter then camshaft bearings popped into the frame just more ideas Pete I'm sure I will have a good laugh when I find out what is actually causing it 😒 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted February 20, 2023 Report Share Posted February 20, 2023 What about a sticking pushrod or cam follower? At tick over do the pushrods rotate freely by hand. Be Careful!!! Try pushing on the top of each rocker, again at tickover. Any change in sound? Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted February 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 Been too busy to look further at this problem but have invested in these to monitor temperatures at various places under the bonnet while I am driving. Says they work up to 110C and were £3.47 the pair on eBay, including batteries and free delivery. Once I have resolved the problem I might just use one as an ambient temp gauge, maybe the other as a cheap oil temp gauge with probe clipped to the oil filter. I know it wouldn't be accurate but would give an indixation if temp rising or not 🤔 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted February 22, 2023 Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 think you are worrying too much your driving style and oils used is not going to make your clatter its a mechanical clatter so something somewhere is loose or worn unfortunate but i dont feel you will get to the bottom of this until things get stripped down who said happy new year ????? but start with the bits you can unscrew and check before removing the lump to dive in side Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted February 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 Just now, Pete Lewis said: think you are worrying too much your driving style and oils used is not going to make your clatter its a mechanical clatter so something somewhere is loose or worn unfortunate but i dont feel you will get to the bottom of this until things get stripped down who said happy new year ????? but start with the bits you can unscrew and check before removing the lump to dive in side Pete Yes, that's the plan 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted February 22, 2023 Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 i was thinking ....... get on with it .......... we have 6 pages and no solution we all want to know what the !!!!! is it keep smiling Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted February 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 40 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said: i was thinking ....... get on with it .......... we have 6 pages and no solution we all want to know what the !!!!! is it keep smiling Pete I would love to get on with it but I have other work to do on the house which is unfortunately more pressing at the moment. Or at least Mrs Cliff thinks it is 😒 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted February 22, 2023 Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 I'm sure Pete's right - it sounds mechanical and rattly - but why does it only happen when hot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted February 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2023 Just a question while I am checking things out, how much vacuum advance should I be getting at tickover? Difference between pipe disconnected & then connecting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted February 23, 2023 Report Share Posted February 23, 2023 Not much as its main use is at cruising speeds when it works to improve fuel economy although it is recommended to disconnect it when setting the dynamic timing. The workshop manual has the figures for checking with a vacuum gauge if its operating correctly.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted February 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2023 Ok, I'm even more confused than normal now. Changed the oil this afternoon to Miller's Classic Sport 20w60 and as I went out to warm her up, I could see that the oil pressure was immediately much better, but then I got a really bad misfire with the car barely driveable. Then it cleared, then it came back again so I stopped to investigate. Sounded like it was running on 3 cylinders and removing plug lead 1 kept things the same, so assume the issue is with that cylinder. But I have a spark there and swapping to a spare dist made no difference. So decided to limp home, a difficult even to pull away, then it cleared again until almost home before re-occurring. Unless this is a huge co-incidence this has only happened since I changed the oil. Could it be affecting the valve operation in some way? Had the rocker cover off and everything is moving with plenty of oil spraying about. VID_20230223_160834.mp4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted February 23, 2023 Report Share Posted February 23, 2023 Cant be the oil and unlikely to be anything you did changing the oil so its a coincidence. Could it be a carb affecting two cylinders? Spark plug wet of cylinder(s) thats not firing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted February 23, 2023 Report Share Posted February 23, 2023 think you need to stop , dont relate an oil change with any misfire rocker box off have you disturbed the breathers ? and there is the dreaded rubber slivers from fuel hose meddling jams the float needle brings a good misfire to go with it Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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