NWL – Project Concours Carmine Sprint

[Jon Tilson]

Sweet!.

Jonners

[Mahesh]

Glad to see your back to the job, with more useful pics.

[James467]

Thanks!!

I have pressed in the new shaft bushes.



They went in easily, the trick is to get them flush with the outer casing on both ends, I'm also not sure how strong the casing is which is why I decided to press them in.







The body had had a wash and been placed inside a sealed ziplock bag before final reassembly.

I also found what looks like the manufacturing date stamped on the body, this being 0780. One one of the other bodies I have it is stamped 1976 so I can only assume that this was made in July 1980 which is perfect and corresponds with the age of the car.



Something I'll add about this is that as the shaft is lubricated from the engines oil system I am treating it as I would when reassembling the engine, keep everything scrupulously clean. The last thing I want is for something to contaminate the engine from the shaft of the dizzy.

Just waiting for some bits to arrive and I'll finish reassembly tomorrow.

[James467]

That's interesting, let me know what you find. It may prove that there is a significant difference between the early and late vacuum advances.

Quickly on leaded petrol, I know we don't have to run lead replacement in our Sprints and 1850s but I have always used TetraBOOST with any really high octane fuel (mainly Shell because they are closest) in my Midgets since the fuel station in Hindhead stopped selling genuine 4 Star. I recently ran out and instead of ordering more tried some Castrol Valvemaster Plus and noticed a huge difference in the way the car drove, loads of pinking and it was really down on power.

http://tetraboost.com/

I'm no chemist but maybe there's a difference in the way fuel burns with lead.

[Toledo Man]

Which fuel do you use? I'm converted to super unleaded so no more of the stuff from the local Asda (I only use it in the Astra). I'm using either the Esso Synergy Supreme or the Sainsburys super unleaded both of which are 97 RON. I've set the ignition timing as per the book figures.

[Mahesh]

When I got the car out of Southern Triumphs it was on std unleaded, and very rough.

On the return on the motorway, put BP Super Unleaded in and have used it since. (havent driven much but still).

I need to sort out the timing and carbs on mine, but Super Unleaded seems to be fine.


PS. let me know James when you go into production cleaning and restoring, I'm sure I cant be the only
forum member waiting to send you some parts for a deep clean. (especially the dizzy)

[James467]

I don't believe that sticky float needles are anything to do with supermarket fuels. I think there are a lot of myths surrounding supermarket fuels as all fuels sold in the UK have to comply with the relevant British standards.

Yes, I know, your neighbours best friends cousin who knows a bloke down the pub used to use basic Asda fuel then one day decided to fill up with BP Ultimate or VPower and their car flew. Well that's due to them being a 'premium fuel' and are not the same as regular petrol or diesel. You get a more sophisticated package of additives for cleaning and lubrication as well as a higher octane rating.

The problem is that our cars have a fuel system that needs lubrication especially at the carb end. I think that the added Ethanol in modern fuel (up to 10% apparently) tends to wash away the dashpot oil quite fast so you need to top it off a lot. Using a premium fuel on an old car gets around this due to the additional lubricants included.

Another problem is that Ethanol causes the ferrous internals of your fuel system to rust, inside of the fuel tank etc... especially if the car is left standing for long periods as well as attacking the rubber components. This isn't generally a problem in modern cars as most of the fuel system is manufactured from plastics designed to cope with this.

One way to deal with this is to use an ethanol stabiliser when you fill up, most of the LRP products have one included.

I also think adding ethanol to unleaded must affect the way that it burns somehow, makes it more volatile.

[Mahesh]

Not done any testing with supermaket petrol and BP, ESSO, but diesel, definitely a difference.

My 730LD was solely filled with Tesco std diesel, and the engine over time became rattley,
one fill up at BP and a totally different car. Fill up at Tesco or Sainsbury's and rattley again.

BP or ESSO only now, but thats on diesel, same for our company vans.

[James467]

I'm trying to find the article still but it was published that the supermarkets get their fuel from BP/Esso/Shell wholesale but just have a different blend of additives. I remember seeing a photo in it with a Morrisons tanker at an Esso filling station.

I'll try and find it.

Edit: I'll fill up the Skoda with some posh expensive diesel (I normally use the Esso on Reading Road South for clubcard points!!! ) when I go down to Taunton and see if it makes a difference.

[Mahesh]

Ahh, but only will make a difference on the diesel if you been filling up at supermarkets for a while.

Mine literally sounded like a black cab, power difference notable.

[sprint95m]

I think that the added Ethanol in modern fuel (up to 10% apparently) .

Indeed that is so.
Americans have had to contend with this for quite a while now, so luckily for us, we can learn from their experiences.

If the fuel is left too long in the tank it separates allowing its water content to gather at the bottom of the tank (where the outlet is )......
Components in carbs (and early injection systems) can be compromised, improved parts are being made to combat this,
eg ethanol proof floats are available for Strombergs, Bosch fuel pumps for TR6s, etc.

I have been given a recommendation for a plastic tank that should fit a Dolomite (and possibly a Toledo as well),
one which is both readily available and very cheap.
Coincidentally, I am in the process of buying one, if it is satisfactory I'll start a thread in due course.



Ian.

[tony g]

I have been given a recommendation for a plastic tank that should fit a Dolomite (and possibly a Toledo as well),
one which is both readily available and very cheap.
Coincidentally, I am in the process of buying one, if it is satisfactory I'll start a thread in due course.

Ooh interested in this

Tony

[Mahesh]

Can positively say it does corrode the old rubber lines, and put bits into the carb and float chambers.

[Toledo Man]

I noticed a difference even before I adjusted the timing. No more 95 RON unleaded for the Dolly. The higher octane stuff is worth the extra it costs.

[James467]

These arrived this morning. Again, thanks to Martin who has been a great help and a wealth of information.



I got another set of bushes as I have enough spare bits to make another dizzy as a spare, although I'm not sure I really need a spare.

The two red bits are replacement cam retainers, the plastic bits that hold the cam and the mechanical advance to the shaft assembly.

I didn't realise this but Tony (MIG Welder) has stripped a dizzy as well. His solution was to use some washers and a circlip to hold the cam on, this then allows you to adjust the free play f the cam, especially good when you are fitting electronic ignition.

Here's a link to this post viewtopic.php?f=4&t=29056&p=275720&hili ... or#p275720

I found some brass washers of almost exactly the right size:
O.D. = 10.00 mm I.D. 4.78 mm ( or 5mm ).
Circlip I.D. = 0.153 mm or 3.92 mm. ( Probably 4mm will be O.K. ) O.D. < 10mm )

Thanks Tony, that's a really useful post.

I'll be using the plastic retainers for originality, but that's just me!