The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

The Number One Club for owners of Triumph's range of small saloons from the 1960s and 1970s.
It is currently Tue Mar 19, 2024 4:42 am

All times are UTC




Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ]  Go to page 1 2 Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2020 2:06 pm 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2009 10:26 am
Posts: 249
Hello all,
Not sure if this should go in the motorsport bit or not?
I’ve got a track day planned in early Sept with the plan of using my Dolly. I’m just finishing off repainting the rear arches before which I completed a tracker Jack brake conversion. Also had to change both rear oil seals as they were leaking and the rear shoes as a consequence. I fitted the better gearbox seals in the place of the normal ones.
I took the car off the road in November last year with the plan of completing the conversion and being road ready by the end of the year! 😆
So I haven’t done any miles this year yet.
I'm thinking about what I need to do to help me get the best experience from the track day and get the Dolly as ready as possible. I’m not after setting new lap records just having fun and getting the best from the day.
Can you guys think of the best prep? Things to think about?
I’m thinking get it back on the road and get as many miles under it’s wheels as possible to shake down any issues. She ran well before her lay up so I hope I won’t have too many issues engine wise.
Give it a good service and look over with a fine tooth comb?
I have AVO coilovers and poly bushes fitted.

Any thoughts/info would be great.

Alex


Top
   
PostPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2020 8:05 pm 
Offline
TDC Shropshire Area Organiser

Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:12 pm
Posts: 7005
Location: Highley, Shropshire
You seem to have done the necessary!

TJ brakes and some poly plus adjustable shox is pretty much all you NEED to go out and enjoy yourself, but it helps a LOT if the car is reliable, coming home on an AA wagon certainly puts a downer on your day!

So yes, drive it whenever possible and give it a bit of stick too (within what is legal and sensible) It's not fair to a car that has always been babied to suddenly be exposed to a good thrashing! I know from experience, just how rapidly the red mist can descend on a track!

Another observation, at all the trackdays I have been to (mostly the TR register organised ones) the cars that ALWAYS seem to be driven at 110% are the Dolomites, they just LOVE to be driven hard.

Steve

_________________
'73 2 door Toledo with Vauxhall Carlton 2.0 8v engine (The Carledo)
'78 Sprint Auto with Vauxhall Omega 2.2 16v engine (The Dolomega)
'72 Triumph 1500FWD in Slate Grey, Now with RWD and Carledo powertrain!

Maverick Triumph, Servicing, Repairs, Electrical, Recomissioning, MOT prep, Trackerjack brake fitting service.
Apprentice served Triumph Specialist for 50 years. PM for more info or quotes.


Top
   
PostPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2020 9:46 pm 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:53 pm
Posts: 1696
Location: Harrow Middlesex
Ive not done a track day myself but would like to ,one thing to check have you baffled the sump or on the day over fill the oil

Dave


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Jun 17, 2020 9:27 pm 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2009 10:26 am
Posts: 249
Thanks for the replies. I like your thinking Steve! Give the old girl a good thrashing! :D

Just to check did you get my recent PM?


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Jun 17, 2020 9:29 pm 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2009 10:26 am
Posts: 249
Dave, do you think it's necessary to have a baffled sump? Just worry that over filling the sump might lead to more problems than it solves?


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 4:17 am 
Offline
TDC Shropshire Area Organiser

Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:12 pm
Posts: 7005
Location: Highley, Shropshire
Quote:
Dave, do you think it's necessary to have a baffled sump? Just worry that over filling the sump might lead to more problems than it solves?
I think you're right Alex, at the level you will be running all should be well without baffles. I wouldn't overfill either, that could open a whole new can of worms, just make sure that it's full and check before every session on track to make sure it's stayed that way!

Steve

PS yes I did get the PM, i'll message you back tomorrow (or rather later today)

_________________
'73 2 door Toledo with Vauxhall Carlton 2.0 8v engine (The Carledo)
'78 Sprint Auto with Vauxhall Omega 2.2 16v engine (The Dolomega)
'72 Triumph 1500FWD in Slate Grey, Now with RWD and Carledo powertrain!

Maverick Triumph, Servicing, Repairs, Electrical, Recomissioning, MOT prep, Trackerjack brake fitting service.
Apprentice served Triumph Specialist for 50 years. PM for more info or quotes.


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 6:30 am 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 7:26 am
Posts: 2470
The one thing that I would add is oil quality.
Using normal "classic" type oils in a 1500 cost me a crank at Goodwood. When they get very hot (as happens on a trackday) they seem to fall off a cliff and provide little protection. I found using Millers css 20-60 made a massive improvement in the situation, but not sure what people would recommend for a slant engine.

Apart from that, tyres that are not ancient and decent quality help, if the day is wet it can be "exciting" and some tyres excel while most don't. And read the regs/instructions for the day. At the moment I think there is no food/drinks available at most venues? so go prepared. Likewise something to keep all the stuff dry you take out the car when you arrive. I used a kiddy tent, or a small tarp.
I also suspect that track days won't feel quite as friendly as usual with social distancing in place, which is a shame. But understandable.

_________________
Clive Senior
Brighton


Top
   
 Post subject: Oh.....
PostPosted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 10:31 am 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 1:22 pm
Posts: 6474
Location: Caithness, Scotland
Quote:
The one thing that I would add is oil quality.
Using normal "classic" type oils in a 1500 cost me a crank at Goodwood.
Were you using an oil cooler Clive?



I don't know if this is relevant to the four cylinder ohv engine,
but the six can get very hot causing the oil to breakdown (boil).
In the T2000 Register, Chris Witor has written quite a bit on this subject.
He found Mobil One oil worked without the need for a cooler.


Ian

_________________
TDC Forum moderator
PLEASE help us to maintain a friendly forum,
either PM or use Report Post if you see anything you are unhappy with. Thanks.


Top
   
 Post subject: Re: Oh.....
PostPosted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 12:50 pm 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 7:26 am
Posts: 2470
Quote:
Quote:
The one thing that I would add is oil quality.
Using normal "classic" type oils in a 1500 cost me a crank at Goodwood.
Were you using an oil cooler Clive?



I don't know if this is relevant to the four cylinder ohv engine,
but the six can get very hot causing the oil to breakdown (boil).
In the T2000 Register, Chris Witor has written quite a bit on this subject.
He found Mobil One oil worked without the need for a cooler.

I have mobil 1 5-40 oil in my (zetec) spitfire. A few trackdays, been around scotland and a chunk of Europe twice since last changed. Still a nice light brown colour, not as clear as when new but still no sign of black. Dread to think what a std oil would be like.
I also happily use shell Helix oils.


Ian
No cooler fitted at that point, one was after.
But as you point out, a quality synthetic oil will cope with trackdays and so on, normal mineral or suchlike does not.

_________________
Clive Senior
Brighton


Top
   
PostPosted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 12:52 am 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:57 am
Posts: 669
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Back to the original question. I remember vividly my first trackday in a Sprint, as the brake fluid boiled and I lost the brakes completely! I assume when you upgraded the front brakes you flushed all the fluid, even to the back. If not do it. If you go onto using on the track a lot, consider a higher boiling fluid – I used Motul 660.

Raise the tyre pressures 2-4psi to reduce tyre roll on corners. Double check front wheel bearings as they can take a hammering. I always tried to get as tight as possible but of course still running free. Other thing I remember from ‘racing’ a road car was trying to stay in the seat when cornering, especially turning right as the standard seat offers little help and you can tend to end up almost in the passenger seat. Fine if you have static belts, but otherwise a trick is to get the retractable ones to lock – push yourself back hard into the seat, pull the belt tight feeding the strap back over your shoulder, then pull it sharply. It should lock and then as you relax in the seat it stays locked.

I use Penrite HPR30 (20W-60) very high zinc mineral oil in both my road cars and it maintains good pressure. However, in my dedicated race car Motul 300V 15W-50 ester based fully synthetic cannot be beaten. Expensive and I only used it in a fresh, clean engine, but it maintained good oil pressure at high operating temperature better than any of the other brands that I ever tried. I think it would be overkill for a track day car, but if you want the best….

Hope this helps, have fun
Geoff


Top
   
PostPosted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 10:45 am 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2009 10:26 am
Posts: 249
Hi Geoff,

Cheers for the info. It must be great minds think alike - I've changed the brake fluid for Motul RBF 600 including the rear.
Even when I used the original brake set up I used the same brake fluid as I wanted give the system the best chance of stopping me!
I use Fuchs Titan Race 20-60w fully ester oil which I've found very good. As you say it's expensive but I think it gives the best protection.

Good thinking on the seats and seat belt. I'd like to change the seats for something better but I don't think I'll get the opportunity.


Top
   
PostPosted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 9:30 pm 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 07, 2006 8:23 pm
Posts: 1173
Location: East Staffordshire
What track have you booked ?

_________________
Mike

1980 Vermillion Sprint - 174bhp


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:14 am 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2009 10:26 am
Posts: 249
I've booked for Abingdon. I'd not heard about until recently so I don't know what it's like, a friend who's been before was pretty keen on it.

https://www.motorsport-events.com/produ ... -track-day.

There's still spaces! I'd imagine they'd be pretty surprised to see two Sprints there!


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 10:02 am 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 5:48 pm
Posts: 8445
Location: Winscombe, North Somerset, England
It's great fun. Trackerjack & I have done a few Motorsport events venues in our Sprints...a few years ago now. Should be some vids still on youtube.

_________________
Sprintless for the first time in 35+ years. :boggle2: ... Still Sprintless.

Engines, Gearboxes, Overdrives etc. rebuilt. PM me.


1997 TVR Chimaera 450


Image


Top
   
PostPosted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 9:57 am 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2009 10:26 am
Posts: 249
Mart, just thinking about tyres. What pressures did you run on track? Did different pressures make a lot of difference?


Top
   
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ]  Go to page 1 2 Next

All times are UTC


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited