RUK - Project Recommission 1972 'Dolomite' Auto

[Mahesh]

Robsport one on mine reads correctly, (no I don't work for them)

[Jon Tilson]

On ERO which has two clamps they are very close together....

Your pics show to me that your old downpipe would have sufficient length for 2 clamps.

Anyway lets see what happens when they come back...

Why not go for a midget/MGB type capilliary bulb temp sender and a dual oil gauge? Non original but a good upgrade...


Jonners

[James467]

On ERO which has two clamps they are very close together....

Your pics show to me that your old downpipe would have sufficient length for 2 clamps.

Anyway lets see what happens when they come back...

Why not go for a midget/MGB type capilliary bulb temp sender and a dual oil gauge? Non original but a good upgrade...

Yes, lets see how it is when it comes back and I'll take some better pics to explain, you may be right and I'm not doing it correctly. I have one of those units in the garage from when the Midget was a 1500, the Frontline conversion uses sensors so it's just sitting there at the moment.

In the meantime I have been researching Bosch Alternators. It looks like a Bosch (Part number 0 986 030 760) 55 Amp unit will fit with a small spacer or some washers, I can also get one for £109 plus delivery. A 'Lucas' unit from Euro Car Parts is £78 and I don't know where that is made.

Bosch one looks good but it does have to come from Germany, will probably outlast the car!

[new to this]

On ERO which has two clamps they are very close together....

Your pics show to me that your old downpipe would have sufficient length for 2 clamps.

Anyway lets see what happens when they come back...

Why not go for a midget/MGB type capilliary bulb temp sender and a dual oil gauge? Non original but a good upgrade...


Jonners

Jonners

About to fit the dual gauge on the sprint,just trying to work out what thread the sensor is ?

Dave

[new to this]

Have now found the thread size for the temp sensor on dual gauge 5/8 unf

Dave

[GTS290N]

+1 for Robsport temp sender as fitted to TR7.

[tinweevil]

On a 1500 using the OE design exhaust clamp at the gearbox bracket makes it sit absolutely perfectly positioned. Using a traditional 2 nut U clamp leaves a little bit of strain in the system joints upstream [eta] and in the bracket fixings [/eta]. I've not found a supplier for that design in stainless yet so I use oe clamps with stainless fixings.

[Reg]

Bosch one looks good but it does have to come from Germany, will probably outlast the car!

Where possible, made in Germany quality for me now..it is superb ..I even now own a 1995 BMW!..lovely thing .

[James467]

A couple of little updates...

The replacement exhaust system arrived Monday, I rushed to fit it before the rain came. Both the downpipe and the rear box were remade to my patterns and as expected they now fit. Some of my hangers need re-positioning as they are a bit bent for some reason. I did just throw the system on so when I start up the car the rear box hits the boot floor where it's too close and needs some adjustment, it looks like the centre section rotated when I was fitting it and has pushed the up and over axle section down which in turn had pivoted the rear box up. It doesn't knock when driving it so as soon as I have resolved the other issues then I will pull it off and refit it properly. It also sounds better, so that leads me to believe that it's no longer blowing at the manifold joint, I think it needs a coating of carbon and soot on the inside just to soften the tone down a bit.

Before.....



After....



I have fitted a new fuel pump, has it made a difference? Well I don't know yet as I haven't been able to get the car up to speed because everyone seems to drive so damn slow around here. On the two occasions I went down the A331 I got stuck behind someone bumbling idiot in a Hyundai doing 60 and despite flashing headlights they wouldn't move.

After speaking to a friend who owns a Rover with a BW box the other thing I did was to check and adjust the kickdown cable so that the little crimped section is 1.5mm away from the cable outer. I don't know a huge amount about these boxes and if I am completely honest I don't really like autos but after adjusting the cable it has a made a huge difference to the way that the box performs. It now waits slightly longer to change out of first and at lower 'around town' speeds always feels like it's in the correct gear so I can pull away a bit better. As I understand it, the kickdown cable is not just a kickdown cable, it actually controls when the up changes happen and some other things so I just need to check the changes correspond with the correct road speed and throttle position as per the workshop manual and I can tick another thing off the list.

The next thing to do is a road test and see if we still have that fuelling problem which I think we do, if it's still there then I'll replace the diaphragms first before pulling the carbs just in case I have a pinhole.

I got all the dash lights working, the bulbs were blown, it seems that I need glasses because they look fine to me!

Looks like we are on the home straight with the last little problem to locate and fix.

[James467]

Whilst I am thinking about it I have been doing the school run this week since I fitted the exhaust. It's a pain because normally I would walk, it's only a mile and a half each way but I have to get from one end of Fleet to the other in less than 10 minutes so I have no choice but to use a car 3 days a week which I absolutely hate!

The car is only just coming off choke and this is summer so in winter on a cold January morning it's probably not really going to warm up which isn't going to do it much good so I need to find a way of getting her to heat up faster. I'm going to remove the fan and replace with an electric one which should help for starters, another thing I was thinking of is some sort of radiator cover and a hot air feed into the carbs from the manifold.

Anyone have any other suggestions?

[GTS290N]

I used to use a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator for the first few miles. When it got past it's best - another piece of cardboard.

[tinweevil]

Anyone have any other suggestions?

Circe Helios:

[xvivalve]

Start it up and leave it idling on the drive whilst you give them breakfast?

[sprint95m]

The car is only just coming off choke

Anyone have any other suggestions?

Why are you using the choke?
There is something not right.
With Strombergs on an 1850 you should be able to drive without any choke once underway.


If you haven't already, fit an 88 degree thermostat.



Ian.

[James467]

Why are you using the choke?
There is something not right.
With Strombergs on an 1850 you should be able to drive without any choke once underway.


If you haven't already, fit an 88 degree thermostat.

I have to use the choke otherwise it stutters and will not pull, plus I have to sit in traffic. I'm about to pull the carbs back off and have another look at them.

I have found a solution for the winter... a preheater. So I have managed to get my hands on a Kenlowe Hot Start, much prized by the Land Rover crowd!!

Have also got one of these not that it will make any difference...



Plus some new front seatbelts, nothing wrong with the originals which I will keep, they just arent long enough for one of the car seats.