The Triumph Dolomite Club - EzBoard Archive

Started a new contract at Heathrow in August, 350 miles a week of fun fun fun M25 driving. I'd have gone mad if I hadn't been enjoying driving Blue quite so much. Two weeks ago I drove home as usual on Friday evening, parked up and forgot about it.<br>
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Come Monday morning I went out at some awful hour of the morning and it wouldn't start. Not the slightest hint of firing. Oh well I thought, I can smell petrol and I did pull the choke out a bit too far, I've flooded it and now shes sulking. Go go gadget GT6. <br>
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Monday evening I tried again and again she just wouldnt have a bit of it. Raining tho so whipped the battery off and left it. Same story Tuesday (Rain) Gave it a go with the fresh battery but nowt. Wednesday between the showers I checked everything. Spark? check. Timing? check. Fuel pump? check. Fuel in carbs? check. Plugs? Good colour but put some new ones in anyway. Cam gear bolts? still there. Compression? 140 in 1 then the rain set it. The new plugs resulted in a few coughs and farts but not a lot else. <br>
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Finally got the fanimold for orange back and fixed that last weekend.<br>
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Just got back to it today and completed the compression test, this time with all the plugs out (read somewhere thats a better way). 180, 190, 150 (uh oh) and 100 (oh @#%$). So basically it's rebuild time. Bolx.<br>
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What I still don't understand is how I can drive home on the Friday in a car that's absolutely happy, going like a trooper and then not be able to come close to starting it a few days later. Sure the compression is awful and the engine is definately in need of serious attention but it's not even trying. Think I'll whip the cam cover off.<br>
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Oh well, time to inspect the two spare engines I have in bits. And possibly the one in VA41 but more on that subject later.<br>
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Tinweevil<br>
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<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p206.ezboard.com/bthetriumphdolo ... omiteuk</A> at: 1/11/06 10:56 am<br></i>

Bugger. Sorry to hear of your woes. Good luck with it mate.<br>
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Ken

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Know the feeling only too well Tinweevil when my engine decided to stop on the way up to the Santana show in May. Ran great from Plymouth to Reading then, after a break for a p1ss, wouldn't fire up again. Thought it was my new leccy ignition so refitted the original set up but no joy. Continued on to Wembley on the back of a low loader and, the following morning after the show, back to Plymouth again on a low loader - 7 hours - not to be recommended!!<br>
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Mike

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Damn, that's a shame - here's to hoping it's fixable with the bits you've got! Have you tried the old oil down the bores trick to establish wether it's rings or valves yet? <br>
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I remember the first time my 1850 broke down, came out of Maplins and got in - damn thing wouldn't start, not a sound, not even a click from the solenoid.<br>
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Letting it cool for a bit, I figured that it must just be a loose wire or somesuch to have stopped the car working after I'd parked it - popped the bonnet and spent a good fifteen minutes poking around, checking connections, still nothing.<br>
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Sitting rather despondantly in the cab, I reached for my phone to ring home and get my dad to come out.....<br>
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.........when I noticed I'd left it in "Drive" and not "Park", so the inhibitor was on.<br>
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Fired up right away and left in a cloud of slightly embarrased tyre smoke <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :lol --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/laugh.gif ALT=":lol"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END-->

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Check your leads and cap. When I first got XAA running, drove down to Beale Park TDCIR, all was fine. Started up and drove into the 'Arena Field' all fine. Hour or so later, XAA fired momenarily and then died. No way would it restart. I tried points, condenser, coil, spark plugs, checked float bowls, checked fuel pump and wiggle every connection in sight. NO GO <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START >: --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/mad.gif ALT=">:"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br>
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Borrowed the cap and leads of Alan Clarkes Sprint and it burts into life <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :rolleyes --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/eyes.gif ALT=":rolleyes"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br>
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Warmed it up, then swopped cap and leads back to 'my set' and all was well.<br>
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Even though your compressions are not great, it should still run. Leads, Cap, Rotor Arm, bet ya

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I agree, there is sufficient compression on at least three of those to get it running (albeit badly perhaps) if all else is ok...

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Ran VA41 last night so I know the ignition bits on that are OK. I'll go nick 'em later and give it a go. Ironic really because they are old bits off Blue.<br>
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Ta guys.<br>
Julian

<p>1978 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/704">Dolomite Sprint</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> Blue, a bit tetley. - Current daily drive.<br>
1972 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/754">Spitfire IV</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> No name, in bits.<br>
1968 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/705">GT6 II</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> Little blue, nice!<br>
1973 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/755">Dolomite Sprint</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> VA41, seriously tetley.<br>
1980 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/864">Dolomite 1500HL</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> Orange, really quite tidy.</p><i></i>

Put the old cap, leads and arm on, no change.<br>
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Looking more and more like something squiffy with the valve timing. When I turn it over on a fresh battery now instead of farting in the exhaust it now keeps stopping dead.<br>
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Tinweevil<br>
<br>


<p>1978 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/704">Dolomite Sprint</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> Blue, a bit tetley.<br>
1972 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/754">Spitfire IV</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> No name, in bits.<br>
1968 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/705">GT6 II</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> Little blue, nice!<br>
1973 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/755">Dolomite Sprint</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> VA41, seriously tetley.<br>
1980 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/864">Dolomite 1500HL</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> Orange, really quite tidy. - Current daily drive.</p><i></i>

May be worth dropping the rocker cover then? <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END-->

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Whats it likw with the plugs out, does it turn OK then? If the Head gasket has fgone west it could be hydraulicing

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I strongly suspect its been like that for ages and there is actually nothing wrong with it.<br>
You probably didnt get the compression tester to seal properly and in a depressed state of mind beleived the worst.<br>
Its .... the bakllast feed terminal at the starter. I've lost count of the times my Sprint has failed to start on me cos of this. If the starter motor terminal looks okay then it will be the gerabox loom connector.<br>
Just short it out...12v from batt + to get you going.<br>
If it doesnt burst into life and run sweet...<br>
well you have my sympathy.<br>
<br>
Jonners

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It has been low on pot 4 a while. When I rebuilt it 22k ago the bores measured at pretty much max tolerance but I simply could not afford new pistons and in those pre net days replacement engines weren't so easy to find. It got a full top and bottom end job, it was just the bit in the middle that got less than it needed, just a new set of rings (stepped) and a de-glaze.<br>
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<!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="font-family:courier;"><br>
.......... Miles .. 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4<br>
Apr '97 .. 0 ..... 145 . 120 . 165 . 140<br>
Feb '03 .. 1845 .. 122 . 141 . 139 . 123<br>
Oct '05 .. 17064 . 150 . 160 . 161 . 122<br>
Oct '06 .. 21846 . 180 . 190 . 150 . 100 </span><!--EZCODE FONT END--> <-All plugs out<br>
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(aside: Anybody reading this who thinks sleazy board wasn't so bad and doubts php is worth the effort and current hassle, just try making a table like the one above. Ezboard <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:red;font-size:large;">SUCKS</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--></strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->)<br>
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I did remove and reseat the tester after getting a bad reading on pot 4. Got exactly the same value twice. I also checked the voltage at the coil on the Wednesday. Apologies for forgetting to mention these.<br>
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Rocker cover will have to wait a fortnight I think.<br>
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Tested VA41 with the plugs out yesterday and got 189, 198, 190, 195.<br>
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Cheers<br>
Julian

<p>1978 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/704">Dolomite Sprint</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> Blue, a bit tetley.<br>
1972 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/754">Spitfire IV</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> No name, in bits.<br>
1968 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/705">GT6 II</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> Little blue, nice!<br>
1973 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/755">Dolomite Sprint</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> VA41, seriously tetley.<br>
1980 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/864">Dolomite 1500HL</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> Orange, really quite tidy. - Current daily drive.</p><i></i>

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Tested VA41 with the plugs out yesterday and got 189, 198, 190, 195.<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br>
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That's in fine fettle then, not all doom and gloom! <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END-->

<p><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.antchip.com/sig2.jpg"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><br>
<!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="font-size:xx-small;"><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>Crazy! I mean like so many positive waves, we can't lose! You're on!</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></span><!--EZCODE FONT END--></p><i></i>

you have some ignition problem somewhere. I also had a sudden breakdown on a perfectly fine running sprint once that turned out to be the rotor arm shorting out to the spindle...fine spark at king lead but nothing from dizzie cap, which given the nature of sprint leads is a bit hard to daignose cos they tend to be quite hard to spark out to earth for testing...<br>
Condensors we all know about...<br>
<br>
Jonners

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