water temp out of radiator

[Anglefire]

I'm very much in favour of viscous fans as they take no load from the engine when the temperature is within limits and are nice and progressive in action, so you get less of the swings from incorrectly sized fans (two fans is a good option though as that gives better control).

But they can't be overridden (Well the ones that you would fit to a Triumph anyway!) - which is a positive advantage of electric fans. 

[SpitFire6]

Hi,

 I have a 88c thermostat.

At motorway speeds the temp gauge in the thermostat housing reads 80c.

If your not sure where to fit the thermo-switch; install both, just wire the contacts in parallel.

Simples?

My temperature sender is in the normal place and connected to the ECU. Around town & after switch off; 80c it is not.

Cheers,

Iain.

[Clive]

Iain, The bits have arrived, or at least at the post office waiting for me to collect. 

Interesting about your temperature being 80 when moving, I would have expected it to be nearer the thermostat opening temperature.

I am having grief on my spitfire (the car referred to here is my wifes spit) calibrating the temperature sender. I have tried several times but never get the same curve, really irritates me! Maybe I should just buy a new one with a data sheet attached. But in reality it is only an issue during warm-up, running it reads 80-90 so no enrichment. Something to look at again. One day.

[SpitFire6]

Hi Clive,

 the 80c surprised me too. I guess the radiator is plenty big enough. Golf aluminium.

I always run with with the heater blower on & I have no valve in series with the matrix. I also need to fit the digital temperature gauge I bought a couple of years ago..

The temperature sensor should not change its resistance @ x temp every time you check it. PM me.

Cheers,

Iain.

[Clive]

To report back,new rad in, and new fan switch. The one Roger suggested works brilliantly.

But the flippin car is cursed! the Revotec fan made dreadful noises. Took it off to discover the blades were touching the housing in a small area. A grinder with blending disc sorted that. The heater is now working as it actually has flow through it. And now the water pump has started to weep...

On the plus side the lovely weather gave an opportunity to tighten up the roof I recently fitted.Very nice now.

The car MAY make it to Leatherhead....(and may be up for sale)

[rogerguzzi]

1 hour ago, clive said:

To report back,new rad in, and new fan switch. The one Roger suggested works brilliantly.

Hello Clive

                Glad to be of help

Roger

ps I still think the bottom of the rad or outlet is the best place for the thermostat!

[Guest]

2 hours ago, clive said:

And now the water pump has started to weep

Clive.

Might be worth sending the water pump to the rebuild company I flagged some time ago. Colin has had his pump(s) done and says it is a top job - also lifetime guarantee.

Regards.

Richard.

[Clive]

tempting, but as I want he car back on the road ASAP, and at leatherhead, a Rimmers jobbie has been ordered. 

If the car was a "keeper" that may have been different. But having sorted out all the issues on it, and it is just about there, it is time to part with it. Couldn't sell it while there were still problems. Just the passenger seat adjusters to sort out now. (And the pump, all the grommets (none fitted in the engine bay at all) plus an oil/filter change) Get a valuation done at SEM too.

[Guest]

Makes sense, Clive.

Good luck.

Richard.

[thescrapman]

I think you just need to put a more sensible engine in it, make it a lot more usable.... :-)

 

As an aside relating to the start of the thread, you can can get a combined temperature sensor and thermal fan switch that screws in place of the existing sender, nice neat solution.

[Clive]

Just now, thescrapman said:

I think you just need to put a more sensible engine in it, make it a lot more usable.... :-)

 

As an aside relating to the start of the thread, you can can get a combined temperature sensor and thermal fan switch that screws in place of the existing sender, nice neat solution.

I didn't know that! Please elaborate....

(the engine is pretty good, I reckon it is quicker than most GT6's, and the dellortos don't drink much fuel on a run. Bit less around town though. Not sure I like the roller rockers either, but they probably help get the car moving nicely.Still not as good as my spit though, but then again not much love for that car  on here.

[Anglefire]

Not sure I've really seen your Spit Clive - but whatever you have done is your choice and whilst others may not like it, essentially tough! I think to do engine changes and the like often takes a good deal of proper engineering to get it right so hats off to you for doing it.

 

[thescrapman]

I think it is from something Italian, I will find out what.

[Clive]

5 hours ago, Anglefire said:

Not sure I've really seen your Spit Clive - but whatever you have done is your choice and whilst others may not like it, essentially tough! I think to do engine changes and the like often takes a good deal of proper engineering to get it right so hats off to you for doing it.

 

Cheers Mark. I appreciate your sentiment. I am thick skinned, but I do worry that as the cars become more valuable, we will see people with cars that are either modified beyond what is from the club catalogue, or anything but very good condition, will not feel as if they fit in. Enough cars have disappeared from the club, and it is getting more difficult to attract new members with the free forums/FB groups that are going mainstream attracting younger people. RetroRides is a good example, what was a forum a few years ago is organising something the TSSC could only dream of thesedays (their Goodwood Weekender, I am booked to do some track sprint laps, keeping the Triumph end up) and yet one reason my car was selected is BECAUSE it is modified. The yoof like all that stuff. I may do a report for the Saturday, sadly I cannot attend the Sunday which is the clubs display day, though NO Triumph club has booked in. The Clubs need to be more forward thinking and accept the future is younger people, not all us old gits.Well, maybe it is just me.

[Anglefire]

Facebook is killing forums - and its fabulous that this one is still active and long may that be the case. Facebook is totally the wrong media for technical discussion and answers - well answers at least - how many times does the same thing come up on facebook because finding a post from an hour ago can be a challenge? 

The club does have to change - does have to attract the young - but there are lots of things for the young to do and running an old classic car is not the cheapest hobby (and Triumphs have to be one of the cheapest to run around? )  

[Clive]

Agreed that advice offered on fb is usually contradictory, or something the poster read about on another post, and good responses actually disappear into the mire.

But the fb type format is something clubs need to wake up to, forums need to be simple to sign up to, simple to use. And the software needs to be fast. This one is a good example of current "best practice"

Youngsters like mx5's and lots of alternative cars. Ours are getting expensive to buy, and there is something about shiny car shows that appeals to older folk, but the young peeps are more lighthearted about everything, and are interested on how wide they can band their wheels, or how rusty a car can be but still be legal.....

[Adrian Cooper]

33 minutes ago, clive said:

but I do worry that as the cars become more valuable, we will see people with cars that are either modified beyond what is from the club catalogue, or anything but very good condition, will not feel as if they fit in.

 

34 minutes ago, clive said:

The Clubs need to be more forward thinking and accept the future is younger people, not all us old gits.Well, maybe it is just me.

Well said Clive,

I have just spent two very happy days with my imperfect Spitfire at the 'Magnificent Motors' show in Eastbourne where I had numerous conversations with people who were ex-spitfire owners with fond memories or just appreciative of its charms. I was parked next to a Shelby Mustang 500 that drew a great crowd and I was bowled over when the owner of this stunning car told me that he thought my Spitfire was possibly the prettiest car he had seen all weekend and would I be interested in selling it! Contrast this with the conversation I had with the owner of a ultra low millage Spitfire 1500 who looked at my dodgy paint job, extra gauges, lengthened gearchange with short stubby lever and MotoLita steering wheel and said "I bet that steering wheel is worth more than the rest of the car" At this same show last year, I was parked next to an immaculate Spitfire and the owner was so scathing about the non-standardness of my car that my son, who helped me to restore our car and took the criticism personally,  has refused to come to any more shows. Both these gentlemen are TSSC members.

Your second point struck a chord too Clive because it was very noticeable that the vast majority of car owners at the show were my age or older and the youngsters in the crowd were chiefly interested in cars like the Shelby Mustang or the RatRods.

Adrian

[Anglefire]

Unless I was invited to criticise someone else's car (Or anything else), I wouldn't dream of making comment if i didn't like it. I might say nothing and move on or pick on something that I liked, but nothing else.

 

[Clive]

I wonder if I know of the people who made the comments? I may, but hopefully they are not anybody I would regard a friend. Dreadful to make comments like that.

Maybe you should bring your son down to Goodwood? Regain some faith in enthusiasts.

 

[Gully]

There are a few rude people around at shows, but fortunately they are a small minority in my limited (past 5 years) experience. The one who really took the biscuit was the chap who leaned down to my window whilst I was queuing to get into Kimbolton show and informed me "My brother has one of these, and it's better than yours", before walking off! As the line of traffic move on I caught him up and asked where his brother's car was - apparently it wasn't used... 

Enjoy your car whatever the condition / mods - some will not get it, others will appreciate any older vehicle for what it is, whatever it is.

Gully

[thescrapman]

On 06/05/2018 at 1:48 PM, thescrapman said:

I think it is from something Italian, I will find out what.

I was mistaken, it is a Daihatsu Charade. Just waiting for the years to come through

[Clive]

Damn clever the Japanese....

(Charade alternators are a lovely bit of kit too. In fact I am becoming a fan of Japanese cars,they just do what they say on the tin and seem super-reliable and well screwed together )

[Anglefire]

Early ones rusted worse than British cars - but they soon learnt and they are very good now. Wife has a Honda Jazz - 8 years old ( not many miles to be fair ) and has had no issues apart from the airbag recall that seems to be affecting millions of cars of all sorts of manufacturers.

just not very exciting. 

[thescrapman]

4 hours ago, clive said:

Damn clever the Japanese....

(Charade alternators are a lovely bit of kit too. In fact I am becoming a fan of Japanese cars,they just do what they say on the tin and seem super-reliable and well screwed together )

I have only ever had 1 Japanese car, Nissan Primera in the late 90's. Utterly reliable, did 35k in the year I had it, utterly boring though.

A revelation compared to the Ford Escort TD I had prior to it. That was 5 seconds of turbo lag, then 2 or 3 seconds of noise and smoke and it was time to change gear. Horrid thing.

[Anglefire]

I had a vectra 2.0 TD company car - dreadful thing. I didn't have AC in mine but one of the salesmen did - drove it a couple of times - you had to turn off the AC before pulling away otherwise it was painful. Also handled like a three legged dog. Was awful.