Herald Estate

[iana]

Im going to try Patricks suggestion to repair the light to start with, it may well produce the desired result.

We took the car out today, theres one or two clunks and bangs to investigate.

My immediate items to fix are:-

windscreen washers - barely work so Im tempted to fit a modern washer bottle and pump.

the radiator has a small seeping leak on the top connection - can this be fixed with JB Weld or am i best getting it properly fixed?

mirrors - a simple refit but need some new washers

reversing light

headlights - its running a dynamo - does this stop me fitting a halogen conversion ( I will install relays first)

i need to move (or remove) the radio as i keep hitting it when i put it in first gear

a repaint of the bulk head, there is a bit of rust but generally ok, just looks poor - need to find a paint supplier local

but it was great to be out in the car today - lots of interest as we drove through the village

 

[NonMember]

12 hours ago, iana said:

headlights - its running a dynamo - does this stop me fitting a halogen conversion

No, no problem with that at all. Halogens don't (necessarily) draw any more current than sealed beam, they just use it more efficiently. And your headlights draw about 10A of the 18A your dynamo can deliver, which is all part of the original balance.

[iana]

Just been working on the herald, going through my list of bits to sort, but mainly trying to get the windscreen washers to work, there is water getting through, but having checked in the washer bottle the end is missing - should this end have a non return valve? If so did I read a post on the forum about a cheaper alternative? Or am is just better cutting my losses and installing an ebay sourced washer bottle kit?https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403259953844

[68vitesse]

It should have a non return valve, I used one from an aquarium pump system, also the jets should have a small ball bearing in which also acts as a non return valve.

Found the ones that did not use a spring worked better.

Regards

Paul.

 

[Colin Lindsay]

Widely available for all sorts of cars:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282617840288?hash=item41cd5602a0:g:DFAAAOSwA3dYNYsz

The rubber bellows just pumps, in both directions; if a valve is fitted to one pipe then the pressure all goes to the other hence it pumps to the screenwashers. Make sure when fitting one that it's not against the bottom of the screenwash bottle, keep it half an inch or more off the bottom, otherwise it will stick to it every time the button is pressed and you'll get no water. Found that the hard way...

[Paul H]

On 17/10/2021 at 15:46, iana said:

We have viewed a couple of cars and have now purchased a relatively local car that we will collect next weekend. Im now on the look out for a manual or two, a new rear chrome over riders, rear valance (it maybe repairable) and the rear side window rubbers could do with replacement so i need to try and find a pair along with a few other seals. The bulkhead is solid but tatty so a repaint is in order.

The car has a new dynamo, battery and control box so we will see how this performs before a change to an alternator.

Now to sort the insurance.

Saw this on gumtree 

https://www.gumtree.com/p/car-replacement-parts/triumph-herald-estate-/1399718947

Paul 

[daverclasper]

On 30/10/2021 at 21:56, iana said:

the radiator has a small seeping leak on the top connection - can this be fixed with JB Weld or am i best getting it properly fixed?

Hi Iana. Good your enjoying the car.

I had a small leak on the top surface of rad top section. Cleaned it up with coarse paper (keys better). Still ok 6 years later.

One thing I have noticed with my JB weld (still got my original tube, don't now if it it has a shelf life?), is it's a bit runny, so say, on a side/bottom repair it tends to run off. So maybe remove rad to re orientate, if needed. 

[iana]

started to clean up various bits of the car when weather permits, cleaned the wing mirrors that came with the car - can anyone recommend a supplier for rubber washers there for a 16mm bolt. Also need new rubber washers for various bits around the engine bay (eg air filter box). Ive found nylon washers but theres no flex in them.

[Colin Lindsay]

https://texautomotive.com/product-category/mirrors/mirror-stems/

Tex don't have the round ones listed but they're used on their stems, so should be available.

I'd be inclined to bring the mirror arm to a local plumbers supplies; they'll have all kinds of rubber washers and seals and should have something that'll fit.

[iana]

washers now fixed (thanks for the part link Colin), now just need to give the car a quick service, our local europart lists a bosch oil filter gfe105, but it doesnt list an air filter option is there any alternatives to the gfe1015? If not i will have to see if Fitchett has them in stock when i call in next month.

[andybeau]

The club shop sells all you need for a service

[Colin Lindsay]

5 hours ago, iana said:

washers now fixed (thanks for the part link Colin), now just need to give the car a quick service, our local europart lists a bosch oil filter gfe105, but it doesnt list an air filter option is there any alternatives to the gfe1015? If not i will have to see if Fitchett has them in stock when i call in next month.

Plenty about; I just bought a FRAM CA642-PL for my 1200 for £5 but they also fit the 13/60, despite the fact that the air box looks a lot smaller. It's sneaky that they claim it fits the Estate as the engine is the same regardless of the model...

For other cross reference NOS numbers use: Beck-Arnley 042/0083, Crossland 816, Coopers AG148, TJ B10, Motaquip VFA171, UFI 30.805.00, Luber finer LAF702.

If you want, you can replace the paper filter with a wire version; might be harder to find but they just clean with petrol and so are reuseable indefinitely.

[PeteH]

Couple of "goldilocks" pan scrubbers?. Pack of 4 Local Pound shop.👍

Pete

[daverclasper]

Those the shiny metalic ones?

On Stroms wonder if you could use these? remove the old, dirty, factory impregnated paper from the filter/s and use a cable tie on the outer area to hold in place. Not sure about the inner area?

Also would it upset the standard required air flow for the mixture?.

[iana]

On 24/10/2021 at 16:19, Colin Lindsay said:

Looking good! Let us know what spares you need, as and when; I like the detective work and the satisfaction of finding them. 

(White bumpers would match that side stripe nicely?)

Is that a light tan interior I spy? I need bits in that colour, but thankfully only the more common bits...

Colin as you clocked it has a tan interior - i need to buy some new door seals as the footwell is damp (main leak was down side of window (no splash screen behind door card) also the carpet is due to be replaced, the carpet Im guessing should be brown, what colour should the door seals be (or do i have no choice but black)

[Colin Lindsay]

It's possible they all ended up in black for the later cars, but I'll have to check as most of my models had black trim anyway; I did have a set in red many moons ago for my own Estate but have no idea where they are now. Rimmers, for one, sell beige seals if you want a colour match.

The carpet is referred to as 'biscuit' by more than one supplier but I'm not sure if that's just the companies I checked, or the official Triumph colour. I'm actually going for a darker brown (Autumn Leaf) in my light-tan convertible as it's a nice contrast and might be easier to clean. I bought mine from Coverdale Carpets who will happily send you out small samples. My samples were Autumn Leaf (top, darker) and the lighter Ochre which looks very close to the original they're sitting on.

 

[iana]

Thanks Colin, I have requested samples, with the darker colour the black seals would look better anyway. I’m tempted with the darker colour as the boot will be lined with matching carpet for the dogs. 

[iana]

The carpet samples look good, just need to decide which looks best / most practical.

I’ve been trying to sort the leak around the window seal, the seal isn’t properly fixed which I can sort but there’s a lot of movement on the glass, it’s like there’s no resistance between the inner and outer seal. 
 

Also when cross checking to the vitesse the outer seal on the vitesse is a mastic seal and the rubber seal is only on the main window, the passenger door on the herald is a rubber seal but it’s been trimmed around the quarter light.

What’s the best way of sealing the doorframe inner apertures, I have tried dpm and tape which failed (I suspect as too much water is getting in) would a mastic be a better option than the tape? Or can anyone point me to a previous thread. Ideally the car needs to be weathertight as it’s being stored outside until a carport is built. The only other option is a cover but we live in quite an exposed location and I note the adverse comments on the forum to weather covers but note the club sell one that seems well regarded.

[iana]

Managed to get one of the rear side window seals (now just need to find  right hand side). Still trying to workout why the dash interior light doesn’t illuminate when the door is opened - I’m suspecting it’s a wiring issue on the door switch. 
 

Also I was checking the tyres - they are legal tread wise but I can’t find a date of manufacture on the rears so I’m assuming very old (no cracking or the like) but I’ll sort a pair out.
 

Is the recommendation still to use Ngk bp6es?

Is it worth adding an expansion bottle to the cooling system or just remember to top up the radiator periodically? I’ve noted the level is stable but I’m going to swap the coolant so I know the age etc.

[Colin Lindsay]

15 hours ago, iana said:

Managed to get one of the rear side window seals (now just need to find  right hand side). Still trying to workout why the dash interior light doesn’t illuminate when the door is opened - I’m suspecting it’s a wiring issue on the door switch. 

Well done in finding one of those - was it from a supplier?

Courtesy light switches have a habit of coming undone or being disconnected in behind the a-post; if the light works when manually turned on then you'll know it's a switch. Easy enough to check by pulling it out of the post, if the lead is connected then earthing that will tell you if there's power at all, and point to the switch being dirty or faulty. The dash light itself can be a faff to fit and keep the three bullet connectors in place whilst doing so, and sometimes the connectors pull out. I'm currently working on three short extensions to the light connectors so that I can connect it behind the dash where the connections can be seen, not up in behind the trim.

[Josef]

23 hours ago, iana said:

 

Is the recommendation still to use Ngk bp6es?

The club shop sells the NGKs and I don’t remember ever using anything else (I’m pretty sure the last time I bought Unipart ones they were NGKs in a Unipart box)