The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

I put that Sprint OD box into my TR7 powered Toledo which previously had an 1850 OD box.

It’s was relatively straight forward - I think these were the main snags:

- Sprint and 1850 OD crossmembers look identical but aren’t. It won’t fit with an 1850 one.
- Needing a full set of engine > adaptor ...

Oh I really like the 3 hole plank dash! That really cool.

I didn’t want to cut the plank so fitted a motorbike gauge (Koso TNT04) and made a custom panel for lights. Both fit inside gutted speedos in the standard holes.

Koso does tach, speed, mileage, temp, volts, indicators, high beam has some ...

Yeah, looks a little different to the Saab auto radiator I have but that’s where I have drain plug is.

Am I right in thinking the feed from the header tank needs to be after the radiator for the water pump to be working properly, at least on the slant engines? I’m sure I read that.

Regarding the Vauxhall Valve, I think Steve previously mentioned it was a MK3 Cavalier 2.0 one he used.

So I think it would be one of these . But I'm not sure which one.

I can find one on ebay here but it's a set of two from Italy so quite expensive and might be the wrong one.

There is also ...

Testing

I had a few leaks initially, but a tightening of hoses and using better clips sorted that. I still have a little leak where the line goes into the top of the radiator tank, I need a better clip or a slightly smaller diameter pipe.

On the test drive, with a 74 degree temp switch in the ...

Oil Cooler

Perhaps foolishly I had bought the rad with the built in oil cooler. I started to realise this oil cooler is probably not the best option if I wanted one, and out of the cost of a kit a proper cooler itself isn’t that expensive - it's the stuff to fit it to the engine.

So what to do ...

Rad fitment

Initial fitment was using the plastic flanges on the radiator onto the mounts for the horn and battery box. Passenger side was via a new hole in the flange, drivers side involved a random bit of metal (I think it was previously an exhaust mount) that I planned to replace with a larger ...

In a hope to end the messing about trying to get it to run cool, I decided to bite the bullet and just buy a new radiator. I went for the Saab 9-3 YS3D 98-03 rad, which is known to fit with minimal modification. I got the auto one with the built in oil cooler, which I wouldn't necessarily recommend ...

Yeah, it definitely made a difference. When stopped it still helped a little, even running backwards but would have been working against me at speed.

I’ve got a 95 degree switch for the fan, which I might fit if I keep it in the top hose, or I might fit 90 or 92. 95 is perhaps a little high for ...

Flushed it with a hosepipe, much better than my poxy battery powered power washer, found it was struggling to take all the water when I piped it in via the engine side of lower heater hose connection, then it suddenly starting flowing better - not sure if doing that knocked a blockage loose. I’ll do ...

Well done! It’s a pain of a job. I had my father in law helping who is an ex RAF aircraft mechanic and we still barely managed it. I remember it being easier but still a pain on when I did the 1300, but that was with the subframe off the car so at least we had access.

I bought this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172670424543

No idea if it’s correct, but it fits!

Edit: I have a Toledo but I assume it’s the same just shorter?

Now you mention it that might be how we got it on. Top nuts and bolts through the subframe to mount hole, but just on the bolt and no more for wiggle room. Position the engine so you can put the engine side in, as before bolt just on and no more. Then tighten the top subframe bolt as far as it’ll go ...

I had the same issue but assumed it was the mixture of 1850 subframe / tr7 engine / sprint box/ stiff mounts. Wish I could remember how we finally got it in, but I think these are things we tried - which ones worked, which ones were red herrings I can’t remember!

- Only partially fitting the mounts ...

Got the plug out, no delicious jelly however. Flushed it with water, got plenty of muck out - I took the top heater hose off and flushed from either side of that too.

It’s still running hot, possibly a bit better though. I’ll do some chemical flushes with a good clean with water in between and see ...