The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

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 Post subject: Dolomite 1500HL SDT655S
PostPosted: Fri Jul 01, 2016 12:30 pm 
Hi,

A while ago I was keen on buying a dolomite and after signing up got lots of really useful information very quickly, I didn't end up getting that particular car but now am the proud owner of "Florence" (the name was not my idea). Its got an MoT till may 2017 and behaves very well so I'm not too worried about restoration but the paintwork is fairly abysmal (the bodywork is very sound apart from the front wing wheel arches) and the interior (though not damaged) could do with a bit of work (new seals on the windows, new gearstick cover etc). I aim to do a repaint, tidy up the interior (including putting a radio in) and possibly put a bit more soundproofing in/replace the old stuff if it's degraded. My main aim at the moment is the repaint, I'm a student so aim to do it for the least amount of money possible. Online theres a lot of different opinions but hopefully someone could clear it up here:

Bare metal or just sand the paint thats already there smooth and BASCOAT/an isolator layer? over the top
what filler to use
2k or cellulose or some other paint I don't know about
Whether I can do all the prep work and primer etc at home and send it to just get top coated at a paint shop?

I'm a bit confused as this article http://www.classicbritishcars.online/re ... the-cheap/ is pretty recent and seems to say it would only cost £600 ish to get it painted with me doing the prep work, but other forums go as high as £7000!

any help would be much appreciated :)


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PostPosted: Fri Jul 01, 2016 3:06 pm 
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Your car is carmine red so looks to be well oxidised and looks flat.
Carmine is not nice paint in that original form.

You really need to flat it all off and then isolate and repaint in 2k. I cant see you getting back to bare metal without far too much work and cost.

Others will disagree....it depends on how much work and kit you can invest.

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.


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 4:33 pm 
Image


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 8:13 pm 
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I've removed your test post.

If you can, take it back to bare metal especially if the paint history is unknown. Another advantage of going back to bare metal is that you will uncover any damage, rust and previous repairs. You can then sort them out before you paint. Isolator will prevent any reaction with existing paint. Remove as much of the trim as possible for better results. 2K isn't really a DIY proposition so cellulose will be your paint type of choice. You will need a compressor and a spray gun. It won't be cheap but it is a lot less than a professional respray.

Is "Florence" a reference to a certain band by any chance?

_________________
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


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2016 11:33 am 
Hi,

Yes I think the car is named after the band :) Thank you for the advice on paintwork, I think I will go for celluloid in the end. Unfortunately I'll have to put paint off for a while, I was driving the other day and a very loud ticking/grinding noise came from the engine, I had to pull off the motorway and at a traffic light it stalled. After starting up again it was much worse, louder and a real dragging feel like the handbrake was on, and after getting it to a car park I saw loony tunes levels of white smoke coming from the exhaust.I checked the oil and water which were fine,let it cool down for 40 minuets and started it up again to the exact same result. A couple of starts later it started coming out from under the rocker cover with a big bang as well. It got towed home and doesn't seem too bad now when I started it up on the drive, a lot less white smoke coming out the exhaust/ sometimes none but I'm not convinced and worried the whole unit will need reboring or something else expensive, not great considering the 1500 engine seems to be the worst engine in the dolomite range and not really worth spending money on. Im going to try tuning it (it was lumpy in low revs when I bought it, it didn't idle for very long before stuttering and stalling) and will replace the spark plugs which were very oily, the other option I thought of was switching it out with a MX5 engine and gearbox.For lots of other cars there exist restoration guides but I couldn't find one on the dolomite, does anyone know of any or something close that can be helpful? also in relation to 2k paint, i got a quote from a local paint shop for £300 to paint the topcoat in 2k paint, but that was just for the top coat (not clear coat as well), didn't include the paint (id have to buy that myself for whatever reason) and id be doing all the prep and masking up myself. They were also keen to stress they wouldn't be responsible if anything went wrong and the car came out looking awful.

cheers again for your replies :)


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2016 1:02 pm 
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Oh dear, this isn't good. White smoke points to a head gasket failure but I reckon you've got other problems besides. At the very least, the cylinder head will have to come off. A replacement engine is probably the most cost effective option to get you going again.

Hope you can get it sorted. We're here to help so get asking those questions.

_________________
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


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2016 2:04 pm 
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Location: The Old Asylum
Quote:
i got a quote from a local paint shop for £300 to paint the topcoat in 2k paint, but that was just for the top coat (not clear coat as well), didn't include the paint (id have to buy that myself for whatever reason) and id be doing all the prep and masking up myself. They were also keen to stress they wouldn't be responsible if anything went wrong and the car came out looking awful.
Yes for £300 it will look awful. Why would someone quote you to do half a job? What they are telling you is no we're not interested in painting your car.

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Mark

1961 Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier Sportswagon
1980 Dolomite Sprint project using brand new shell
2009 Mazda MX5 2.0 Sport
2018 Infiniti Q30


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2016 4:35 pm 
hi guys,

updates, I cleaned the spark plugs a bit and tried them again. The white smoke is back in big plumes, having taken the rocker shaft off you can see it coming up from the connecting rods.

I can't seem to find many engines for sale and the ones I did find were pretty expensive and untested? Where would you suggest I look/ if anyone knows where theres a spare id be very interested :)

before:
Image
after:
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Image
Image


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2016 6:40 pm 
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Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:45 pm
Posts: 11179
Location: Middlesex
I would have the head off. If you have no bottom end knocks and previously the oil consumption wasnt too bad it should be obvious
if its just the head gasket that's gone.

New ones aren't dear and readily available for OHV cars. Just be sure to get the right one as some have recessed blocks and some dont and the
gasket has to match. If its been done recently that could well be why its gone now....wrong h/g.

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.


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2016 6:52 pm 
hi

cheers Jonners, doing a compression test all cylinders are at 150 psi apart from cylinder 3 so my father thinks it will be the head gasket. Im ordering one tonight so ill be sure to check if its recessed or not


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2016 6:56 pm 
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Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire
Have you checked the engine oil and coolant? You'll probably find that they they're mixing. The white smoke is steam which is the water in the coolant boiling away. Take the cylinder head off and then try to rotate the crankshaft by hand and see what it is like. It is worth having a go at fitting a new head gasket. Just be careful where you buy a gasket set as they're not all created equal as Jonners has just pointed out. You did the right thing by doing a compression test before you remove the head. This will give you a general idea of the health of your engine. Check out Series 6, Episodes 1&2 of Wheeler Dealers which feature the Spitfire 1500 which has exactly the same engine as your Dolly. Edd China had to take the head off so it will give you a good idea of how it is done. All you need in addition to your normal toolkit is a torque wrench and a workshop manual (even a Haynes will do). You can download the parts catalogues & factory workshop manuals from my BT Cloud

_________________
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


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2016 9:27 pm 
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Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 2:52 pm
Posts: 2303
Oh dear; sorry to read about this. That is a good photo of the white smoke. Have you noticed how its hanging in the air ? That looks more like oil smoke sadly. ( Water vapour disperses quickly ). Its burning a lot of oil . Couple that with the fact that smoke is coming out of the push-rod holes means its probably burning in the cylinder and then getting down into the crankcase and then up into push-rod holes. So that, with the fact that pot no 3 has low compression I reckon means there is a hole in no 3 pot.
Don't worry, it's all fixable. Get the head off and put up a piccy of what you find.
Tony.


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2016 10:11 pm 
Hi

i started work getting the cylinder head off. My Haynes manual wasn't too informative and I couldn't find any definitive pictures of the inlet/exhaust manifold. I hope there are only the 2 bolts for the exhaust and the 4 visible ones for the inlet as they came off easily, however one of the bolts on the exhaust downpipe refused to come off and i managed to round off the edges of the bolt :/ I left it at that and am going to try gaffa tape over the bolt tomorow. Also when I jacked it up about 2 pints of water ran out the back end of nearside sill, weirdly none from the other side :/

Image

Image
it was at the back of the left side just infront of the wheel, btw it hasnt rained for a few days so im worried its sitting around, it was clear


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 1:04 pm 
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Posts: 7566
Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire
If it is on the original sills then the drain holes will be blocked. The end of a cable tie is perfect for unblocking them. Did you follow the link I posted to my BT Cloud? There's all the parts catalogues and BL factory workshop manuals available to download. There's also a Sandard-Triumph Hardware Catalogue which lists all the various fixings (nuts, bolts, screws, etc) which can be handy if you need to source replacements from a nut & bolt place. If you think the Haynes ain't all that great you should see the ones for the modern cars. They're not any better.

_________________
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


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 8:15 pm 
I managed (with loads of help from my dad) to get the cylinder head off. The exhaust manifold has some really inaccessible bolts so I'm not looking forward to reinstalling that, I had to take the carburettors off the inlet manifold just to access them with a socket. I took ages so by the time I'd washed my hands to take pictures it was dark, Ill be sure to take more in the morning.

Image
garbage picture of the water pump off

Image

the carbs off the inlet manifold

Image
the gasket, my dad couldnt see any tracking so I dont think that was the part that failed

the cylinder head
Image

Image

here comes the problem

Image

cylinder 3 looks weird

Image

no piston????????

Image

it still spins, thats my best attempt at a picture of the crankshaft

Image

its got this gouge aswell at the bottom, not sure if its bellow were the non existant piston would sit

more pictures of the cylinder, you cant leave the flash on on my phone so I was shooting blind, hence the lack of focus

Image
Image
Image


i vaguely think i saw what looked like a broken connecting rod at the side but i cant see it any of the photos


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