The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Having corrected subframe and engine mountings, a blocked float valve and replaced a supposedly NOS rear shock that wasn't doing much
and relocated the exhaust a bit, the car is now running much better.

Has now gone to an extremely good home and the new owner Mike will shortly be carrying this torch forward.

I'm very pleased with the way things have turned out. Finding the right owner for a car this good is very important.

Jonners

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Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.

Thank you,

Just got home with it - 120 miles up the Motorway to Birmingham where it will join my Stag, TR5, and FF 4x4 2000 Estate.

It certainly went up the motorway well, 3500 rpm in Overdrive top the whole way (not sure how fast this is as the speedo is not functional. )

However it did disgrace itself 1 mile from home by overheating - this was caused by coolant loss from the thermostat housing, because one of the retaining bolt threads is stripped, luckily I spotted the temp guage rising and stopped quickly. I will helicoil this.

It still has a few handling issues, going over bumps causes the rear to step out - I suspect the other rear damper is also shot (NOS from Rimmers), but I am going to fit Gaz adjustables.

The steering has that clunk we found and there's too much play, so rack out and inspect, it could be the rack mounts or its wear, it doesn't seem to be the steering coupling, but I am changing that for a new solid one from Chris Wittor. I'll have to source the 2 missing lower plates from the rack mounts too.

And you are right about the brakes, there's too much travel, although they do finally bite, but they don't inspire confidence. I'll check if they are plumbed correctly first, otherwise its servo or master cylinder

Headlamps will be changed for halogens via relays.

I need to get the wiper motor out and fix the parking switch, and find why the rear window demister ellement isn't demisting

The indicators are intermittent too, which will be the flasher unit - I will change this for a solid state one as the new replacements seem to be made of cheese.

I need to make it a little more refined, so i'll be replacing the missing bulkhead grommets, and fitting the gear leaver grommet thats missing which should make it a little quieter inside.

Door seals which were replaced need the corners cutting and a 90 degree joint making as theres a lot of wind noise from the corners.

Door cards need refitting with the water proof sheets behind the cards

Oh and the speedo needs to be made to work too.

I suspect I will find a few other little things as I go.

Otherwise ii is a fine car, Lee did a really nice job, and I know with these niggles sorted out (and to be fair you always get issues like this on a rebuild) it will be a top class Sprint, just needs a good shake down - I am taking it to Stoneleigh if anyone wants a look at it, or you are welcome to see it at home.

I'll keep everyone updated on progress.

Glad you got home okay Mike.

I hadnt had any issue with coolant loss but I guess I never drove it more than 10 miles in one go. Sorry about the threaded bolt. Again I hand't needed tp look at those, but I did tighten the inlet manifold a bit and the heater hose clips because there was a bit of staining and a damp core plug when I got it home from Slough.

The rack will be okay I suspect. It will come good with the locating plate fitted and you can do that by just pushing up the clamp and u bolt. You may need to jack the engine up just a tad but the engine mountings will come loose easilly - all new...

I set the tyres at 28 all round yesterday and it seemed a bit better with the rears even - 1 was 5 psi over inlated and the other was 3 down.

Have a word with Alun. I'm sure he can find you one but worst case is they arent hard to make from a bit of plate. I am sure we can get a pattern if needed.

I think its 24 or so per 1000 in top o-d so you weren't hanging about....

The minty lamb site has the gearing figures....here
http://www.mintylamb.co.uk/gearspeed...show

Brakes I got used to. But its worth checking that the end union goes to the front brakes. Easy enough to swap if its wrong.

Keep us posted and good to meet you. I'm sure our paths will cross again.

Jonners

_________________
Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.

Check out the wiring and switches in the steering column first - much easier than taking out a wiper motor if it's not necessary.

Quick update after a little time on the car today.

Heated rear window does work it a fialed lamp in the warning cluster.

Removed wiper motor - its easy with the instrument panel out. Replaced parking switch and cleaned overspray off it - will paint it tommorrow.

Parking fault is column switch - I have a spare - but will replace it when I remove the column later

Speedo is not the cable, the cable is Ok - I think its the lack of an angle drive on the gearbox (of which I have a spare) as the cable rotates freely in the gearbox drive - needs the angle drive so all dimensions are correct.

Propshaft has not been fitted with nylocs on the drive flanges so these need doing

Removed the headlamps for a halogen conversion, the driving lamps had been fitted with those awful repro plastic bowls, luckily again my existing spares will resolve that.

Stripped rear brakes - these are ok and correctly assembled so not the cause of the pedal issues, and the master cylinder is plumbed correctly so need to look at other things

Poor steering is the rack mounts - its moving a lot - these are now on order.

A fuller write up will be on my blog

Mike, where did you order the rack mount from? I hope it was the Super Flex ones that Chris Witor sells. I might have to do mine if they need replacing.

Glad you're getting the niggles sorted out.

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Toledo Man

West Yorkshire Area Organiser & forum moderator
Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 8.00pm at The Old Brickworks, Wakefield Road, Drighlington, Bradford, BD11 1EA

1972 Dolomite 1850 auto (NYE 751L - Now for sale)
2003 Volvo XC90 D5 SE (PX53 OVZ - The daily driver)
2009 Mercedes-Benz W204 C200 CDI Sport (BJ58 NCV - The 2nd car)
1991 Toyota Celica GT (J481 ONB - another project car)
Former stable of SAY 414M (1974 Toledo), GRH 244D (1966 1300fwd), CDB 324L (1973 1500fwd), GGN 573J (1971 1500fwd), DCP 625S (1977 Dolomite 1300) & LCG 367N (1975 Dolomite Sprint) plus 5 Acclaims and that's just the Triumphs!

Check my blog at http://triumphtoledo.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel with a bit of Dolomite content.

"There is only one way to avoid criticsm: Do nothing, say nothing and BE nothing." Aristotle

oops

Sorry I didnt spot the nylocs lacking on the prop. I would have sorted that if I had seen it.
Did you notice the nylocs on the carb mounting flanges...maybe they should have gone on the prop.

The rack mounts are best done with the blue poly ones. These are impervious to oil leaks and available from Moss among others and pretty reasonable too.
The locking plate under the near side mount is missing. Think we new that.

I'm surprised the wiper parking is down to the switch. The park circuit has its own supply direct from the fuse box to the motor on older dollies and this was the first thing I looked at -its all new but was wired up wrong. I suppose later ones may be done differently? The flick wipe doesnt always work on the columns stalk I agree.

I think there is a dodgy earth point in the dash loom as the indicators are more reluctant with the side lights on. Also there is a duff bulb in the fuel gauge.

Good progress....

Jonners

_________________
Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.

Saturday's update.

Manifold now helicoiled for thermostat housing bolts and leak cured. Thermostat did not have poppet valve so 1mm hole drilled to ease air bleeding when filling

Repainted wiper motor fited plus column switch, now have parking wipers

Rack mounts replaced - they were shot.

Lower steering joint replaced - I did have play in the couplings

Steering column indicator canceller now in correct position

Headlamp bowls replaced and correctly mounted on rubber gaskets, they should be pop riveted in, but the self tappers used by the PO had rendered that impossible so I used rivnuts - also means I can replace the bowls easily.

Excess brake pedal travel identified as too much end float in front wheel bearings - driver side would rock about 13mm top to bottom, passenger side not much better, so that would nock the pads off a little ! New wheel bearings to be fitted tomorrow.

When doing rack found that engine (oil pump actually) was sitting on the driverside rack mount ! - corrected driverside engine mount (again extra holes drilled and mount fitted incorrectly) - the cockpit is a little quieter now!

Hope to do propshaft bolts tomorrow as well.

Noticed brake and clutch push rods secured in pedal with nuts and bolts - will replace with clevis pins

Also noticed that if the nuts aren't nyloc there's only washers fitted so another project is to remove and refit where possible using locking washers as well.

More updates to follow, I should get this on the blog tomorrow

New Goodies arrived today - should be a busy weekend