The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Hello,

I've been absent from the forum for a while due to sorting out some Mk1 Zephyr issues.
I had been preparing the Zed car for a big car show in Berry, about 170 KMS away, last weekend, but due to an old Zenith Carb problem, it failed to proceed.
So, up stepped the mighty SPRINT......again.

We drove Daisy up there and back, without problems, apart from some shuddering when hot, but I'll get onto that later.
While there she had a "Merit Award for Outstanding Presentation" thrust upon her and considering there were just 10 awards, and over 1,000 cars, I reckon that's pretty impressive.
SPRINT's are rare in Australia, so I was surprised to find 2 others at the show. One wearing a 135 badge.

The weekend went so well that we've decided to spend a bit of time and money on Daisy, sorting out a few problems, mainly the shudder that I mentioned above.
The shudder only happens when the whole car, not just engine temp, is fully warmed up. To me, this indicates its probably not a clutch problem as it doesn't do it when its cold and the clutch is new. Its been suggested to me that it might be the new-ish repro, Indian made, rear engine mount and/or the original drive shaft centre bearing.

Years ago I half addressed the problem, but due to mostly short trips, where it didn't shudder, I did nothing about it. I had bought one of the Volvo rear engine mounts and now wonder if anyone can advise me on the modifications I need to do to it, in order to make it fit, please? Just so I have it ready for when the exchange happens.

I'll replace the centre bearing at the same time, too, but need advice on sourcing a good one.

Cheers,
Rob

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"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it". HENRY FORD
1915 Ford "T" Speedster (Evangeline), 1921 Ford "T" Tourer (Anastasia), 1955 Zephyr 6 (Purdey), 1975 Dolomite SPRINT (Daisy), & a couple of moderns.

I also have that problem with judder when the engine and box, etc., are hot.

However, I've found that, once it starts, if I set off from stopped with lots and lots of revs, and bags of clutch slip, not only do I get to 30 rather quick, but the juddering goes away for quite a while. I've tried to see whether there's a less brutal solution, except letting it all cool down, but not found one yet.

So I think my problem is contamination of the clutch, possibly from the rear oil seal leaking. What I'm not sure about is how the heat of the engine plays a role in that, e.g. is it that the contaminated friction surface only gets sticky when it and the flywheel are hot, or is it fresh contamination that only gets to the clutch when the engine oil is hot?

Graham

_________________
The 16v Slant 4 engine is more fun than the 3.5 V8, because you mostly drive it on the upslope of the torque curve.

Factory 1977 TR7 Sprint FHC VVC 697S (Now all of, but still needs putting together)
B&Y 73 Dolomite Sprint UVB 274M (kids!)
1970 Maroon 13/60 Herald Convertable (wife's fun car).

Thanks Graham,

As usual I've jumped the gun.
I should have searched for this first, to find those Volvo gearbox mount dimensions. https://forum.triumphdolomite.co.uk/vie ... =4&t=29990. So, I've now got that all sorted, thanks.

But any advice on the propshaft centre bearings would be helpful.
I notice both Robsport and Rimmers sell them, but with only Robsport offering a warning about the current batch having the wrong mounting bolt sizes. I'm about to buy one anyway, but my only concern is that they are probably made in the same Indian factory as the horrible gearbox mounts, using the same hard bituminised rubber. I had a massive problem with rubbishy bonded Indian rubber in those damned awful Rolon timing chain tensioners a few years back and I cant trust any of that stuff again.
Are there any other sources for the centre bearings?

Cheers,
Rob
Down-under

_________________
"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it". HENRY FORD
1915 Ford "T" Speedster (Evangeline), 1921 Ford "T" Tourer (Anastasia), 1955 Zephyr 6 (Purdey), 1975 Dolomite SPRINT (Daisy), & a couple of moderns.

I don't think so. I had to replace mine, and ended up using a genuine Ford part on the basis ist was still cheaper than the repro triumph part, and worth spending the extra over a repro ford part.
Fitting was pretty easy, just involved laking all the rabber part off the original, chopping the mounting lugs off th eford part, then using tiger seal to glue the new one inside the original. It works a treat.
The part is from a transit van.... This is what I bought https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253332532698

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Clive Senior
Brighton

How would a heavy start fix the problem with the mounting then? At least in my case it definitely fixes the problem, at least in the short term, and I think until the engine temp has been cycled at least once.

Come to that, how does the mounting problem cause the clutch to grab and brake contact at a constant or slowly decreasing pedal pressure? Wouldn't it have to bend the axis the clutch plate moves on?

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=305483

Graham

_________________
The 16v Slant 4 engine is more fun than the 3.5 V8, because you mostly drive it on the upslope of the torque curve.

Factory 1977 TR7 Sprint FHC VVC 697S (Now all of, but still needs putting together)
B&Y 73 Dolomite Sprint UVB 274M (kids!)
1970 Maroon 13/60 Herald Convertable (wife's fun car).