The Triumph Dolomite Club - EzBoard Archive

Some dollies seem to do this anyway. If mine do it I just make sure I give them a good spin before pulling the choke to fire up. A better indication is if the oil pressure will build to the relief valve cutoff and this should happen at 3000 rpm or so cold and 50-60 psi. If the guage reaches a peak reading at 30 then its likely to be misreading. At motorway cruise you should be near the cutoff prwssure on a healthy engine.<br>
On a worn or clapped engine you will hear big end noise on hard acceleration at about 3000 too...<br>
Thats just about the point you will get away with new shells in my experience. I have a well clapped TR7 lump here that used to rattle at much over 2000 and it needs a regrind...<br>
<br>
On the expanison side you dont want it more than 1/3 full at cold. If you do it will vent as it warms up. You should be good at getting the air out by now. How bad are the bubbles? The odd one or 2 is okay but a steady stream increasing with revs means head gasket is leaking.<br>
<br>
Jonners<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>


<p></p><i></i>

if you have combustion gas coming into the expansion bottle then if you have a god sniff (not a fetish) of the water present you should be able to smell petrol fumes <br>
etc.. some are bad enough for this just done a 230k<br>
that drove from london with h/gasket failure no need to test the coolant could easily smell it in the water but he still managed to drive the 180 mls or so to here with a water loss not much more than you have untill it arrived here !!!

<p></p><i></i>

The 1.4 K series engine makes 105hp and his had a larger throttle body on it. Oh and a body kit and 17 inch wheels <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :b --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/tongue.gif ALT=":b"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END-->

<p></p><i></i>

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>How bad are the bubbles? The odd one or 2 is okay but a steady stream increasing with revs means head gasket is leaking.<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br>
<br>
The bubbles are intermitant really. Some times there is a steady stream. Especially when the engine is cold. When things heat up there are none at all, even when I rev the engine. Maybe things seal a bit better when hot?<br>
<br>
<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>On the expanison side you dont want it more than 1/3 full at cold. If you do it will vent as it warms up.<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br>
<br>
Because I loose so much water, I'm tempted to add as much as will stay in the expansion bottle even when hot. <br>
<br>
Is it bad to just let the excess water flow out the overflow, thereby ensuring I've given the car the most water it can hold? I really don't want to risk anymore overheating.<br>
<br>
I notice that when the engine returns to cold I am retaining more than one third water in the expansion tank. Possibly this is an indication that their is an air lock. And that my extra water plan is not valid.<br>
<br>
THanks for all your suggestions.<br>
<br>
Chris<br>
<br>


<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p206.ezboard.com/bthetriumphdolo ... ckinson</A> at: 7/9/06 7:20 am<br></i>

Are you filling up from the expansion tank each time Chris, if so all you may have is a recurring air lock...

<p></p><i></i>

no I learned my lesson on that one. Im filling from the plug above the thermostat, with the heater valve open. Then I run the engine for a bit and fill again, repeat....<br>
<br>
However... with all the water I am loosing, I reckon that I am never really able to keep the system completly full for very long. If Im putting in a litre or so of water in every week, I would guess that there would be a fair bit more air in the system than there should be most of the time. So, I bet there are small bits of water developing into pockets all over the place.<br>
<br>
Thanks<br>
<br>
Chris

<p></p><i></i>

It seems to me you have nothing to loose by tightening the head studs and bolts middle out. I would drain the block and then back them right off and retorque. Some may disagree...but you are supposed to do the angled studs first I think. Like I say its in the manual...<br>
The idea is not to distort the head with the angled studs.<br>
<br>
Having done that then refill as you are doing through the stat cover. You can tell when all the air is out by squeezing hoses. Eventually you get to a stage when squeezing the top hose forces air out in to the expansion tank and then that should pull fluid back from the expansion tank as you let off the squeeze. Repeat this until no more bubbles come out in the expansion bottle. Run the engine a minute or too and see if you get bubbles as the engine runs. <br>
<br>
The idea of the expansion tank is just that...to let the coolant expand. If you dont have the expansion space you put all the other joints under more pressure so having it over full is not a good idea.<br>
<br>
A combination of the temp guage and heater will tell you if you have a proplem....no hot air from the heater means you have lost too much coolant and damage will soon follow.<br>
<br>
If you can do 200 miles and only loose a pint I would just keep topping it up....and find a good TR7 engine in the meantime.<br>
<br>
Jonners<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>


<p></p><i></i>

Thanks Again Jonners<br>
<br>
I will tighten the head bolts as reccomended. Don't laugh, but I need to find them first. I am very new to mechanical things. I have only very recently felt confident with this type of thing to have a go at replacing my thermostat and fan belt on my own. Hanes manual flopped open under the bonnet.<br>
<br>
I like the idea of the TR7 engine as a long term solution. Maybe I can get through the winter on the lump I have now. <br>
<br>
I would be very intrested in both the offer of a TR7 engine for sale, and of any reccomendations for someone to fit the thing for me. I'm not confident to ask my garage to fit a replacement engine, as they have overcharged me for labour on several occasions now. <br>
<br>
I would particulary be intrested in paying a club member to do the swap for me. If it makes things easier, I'm sure I could hand over the car for a few weeks. I live in Leeds, but I'm willing to travel a good distance and pay a fair price to get the transplant done properly.<br>
<br>
Any takers?<br>
<br>
Please let me know if this type of request is innapropriate for this forum. <br>
<br>
<br>
Chris

<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p206.ezboard.com/bthetriumphdolo ... ckinson</A> at: 7/9/06 4:52 pm<br></i>

Remind us where you are again Chris. I don't have a TR7 engine but I might be able to help with fitting if you brought car and engine to me.<br>
<br>
David

<p></p><i></i>

I'm in Leeds. Where do yo Live David?<br>


<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p206.ezboard.com/bthetriumphdolo ... ckinson</A> at: 7/9/06 4:54 pm<br></i>

Loughborough.<br>
<br>
David

<p></p><i></i>

David<br>
<br>
Robsport have quoted me what sounded like a good price for a recconditioned TR7 engine. I need to dig out the details to confirm. It was a while ago. <br>
<br>
If this does work out. I might need some assistance in making sure that what is included with repalcement engine is complete/appropriate etc.<br>
<br>
Chris

<p></p><i></i>

I am moving up to Leeds area in November. I will have facilities and tools available near Castleford, at my dads place where I did the engine change for my sprint. Let me chat with my Dad about it first, but I can't see it being a problem. Wouldn't you prefer to do the engine change yourself, but with an experienced pair of hands next to you?<br>
<br>
ps: there is a pub over the road......

<p></p><i></i>

Water loss appears to be getting worse now.....<br>
<br>
Are there 5 head bolts to tighten? Are they the onese that are in line with the spark plugs? Do I need a torque wrench to tighten them, or do I just snug them down a bit?<br>
<br>
Okay. I had a look back through my emails. It looks like Robsport supply TR7 reconditioned engines for £900 plus VAT.<br>
<br>
That's actually quite a bit more than I remembered. And more than I can afford. Possibly, I need to approach this in a different way. I'm going to start a new thread on this.<br>
<br>
Thanks<br>
<br>
Chris<br>
<br>
PS: David can you email me at chrisdotdickinsonateurope.com so that we can have an exchange of ideas on the replacement engine thing? Thanks<br>
<br>


<p></p><i></i>

...or there is the Restoration Show?<br>
<br>
Get Robsport to deliver the engine there for you in return for good publicity from the potential winning stand?<br>
<br>
See thread in meetings and events/talk to Jeff Lane...<br>
<br>
(and get a list of what needs doing/buying from Jonners)<br>
<br>
Maybe worth getting Robsport to define the scope of refurbishment to avoid disappointment later...

<p></p><i></i>