It's been 10-years...

[hoops]

...Since I have owned a Dolomite!

The first car I purchased was a Pageant Blue Sprint (HTO 464V), back in 2008 and then a second, after a TR7 in between, another Pageant Blue car, this time an 1850HL (XCG 345V) which was sold in 2013 as I needed something boring and reliable for the daily commute to work.

I was a member here (and the club at the time) but the account appeared to be invalid so registered again.

I'm now in a position for another, now a second car and able to garage it, values have risen a lot since those days so my budget of ~£7k does not seem to go very far for another 1850 as Sprints appear to be well out of range!

I had a question, on the 1850, I fitted a 123 electronic ignition conversion (123GB-4/6-R-V-CCW-NEG) which was an excellent upgrade but I was wondering in those 10-years, is that still the one to go for?

Cheers, Rob


1980 Triumph Dolomite Sprint by Robert Seymour, on Flickr


1979 Triumph Dolomite 1850HL by Robert Seymour, on Flickr

[Carledo]

The 123 dizzy is still virtually without parallel. Nothing else but crank sensor & EDIS or Megajolt (both of which involve a degree of fabrication) offers the same degree of control over the advance curve.

But a good halfway house for little money can be had in one of the cheaper EI systems these days if the mech advance is OK.

Steve

PS welcome back!

[hoops]

The 123 dizzy is still virtually without parallel. Nothing else but crank sensor & EDIS or Megajolt (both of which involve a degree of fabrication) offers the same degree of control over the advance curve.

But a good halfway house for little money can be had in one of the cheaper EI systems these days if the mech advance is OK.

Steve

PS welcome back!

Good to know, I was very impressed with them last time, especially as you essentially get a new distributor rebuild back with the service at the same time!

[hoops]

Also wondering if anyone thought of using MGF spare wheels, 14x5.5 (ET35) on Dolomites?

Good source here, although might be smarter in silver...
https://www.mgobsessionparts.co.uk/prod ... el-orange/

[hoops]

Also wondering if anyone thought of using MGF spare wheels, 14x5.5 (ET35) on Dolomites?

Good source here, although might be smarter in silver...
https://www.mgobsessionparts.co.uk/prod ... el-orange/

Looking at these still, they are ET28, compared to the ET35 13x5.5 standard on Dolomites. I gather a normal Spitfire/Herald wheels ET25 13x6 won't fit in the rear arches without rubbing?

[Carledo]

Also wondering if anyone thought of using MGF spare wheels, 14x5.5 (ET35) on Dolomites?

Good source here, although might be smarter in silver...
https://www.mgobsessionparts.co.uk/prod ... el-orange/

Looking at these still, they are ET28, compared to the ET35 13x5.5 standard on Dolomites. I gather a normal Spitfire/Herald wheels ET25 13x6 won't fit in the rear arches without rubbing?

There is a BIT of leeway in the ET35 stock wheels, My 5.5 x 14 Fake minilites are ET20 and that definitely doesn't work, I chopped a load of arch away and still rubs on big bumps. MGF alloys at 6x15 are ET 27 (allegedly) as are TR7 alloys and work OK so long as you don't go for anything wider than a 185/55/15. You do sometimes come across the odd car that doesn't like them but I think that's more body production tolerances than anything else. But I know a handful of people who are running the MGF steel spares as road wheels without any worries at all. I have one as a spare on my own Sprint auto and it seems to be within limits on both sides at the back. Personally and for purely aesthetic reasons, I don't fancy the MGF steel spares.

I'm still looking and still unable to find ANY satisfactory aftermarket wheel that isn't a) ugly multispoke pattern. b) 13" diameter and c) on the wrong side of at least ET30! I need 14" wheels or more to cover my oversize TJs 254mm discs.

Steve

[hoops]

Also wondering if anyone thought of using MGF spare wheels, 14x5.5 (ET35) on Dolomites?

Good source here, although might be smarter in silver...
https://www.mgobsessionparts.co.uk/prod ... el-orange/

Looking at these still, they are ET28, compared to the ET35 13x5.5 standard on Dolomites. I gather a normal Spitfire/Herald wheels ET25 13x6 won't fit in the rear arches without rubbing?

There is a BIT of leeway in the ET35 stock wheels, My 5.5 x 14 Fake minilites are ET20 and that definitely doesn't work, I chopped a load of arch away and still rubs on big bumps. MGF alloys at 6x15 are ET 27 (allegedly) as are TR7 alloys and work OK so long as you don't go for anything wider than a 185/55/15. You do sometimes come across the odd car that doesn't like them but I think that's more body production tolerances than anything else. But I know a handful of people who are running the MGF steel spares as road wheels without any worries at all. I have one as a spare on my own Sprint auto and it seems to be within limits on both sides at the back. Personally and for purely aesthetic reasons, I don't fancy the MGF steel spares.

I'm still looking and still unable to find ANY satisfactory aftermarket wheel that isn't a) ugly multispoke pattern. b) 13" diameter and c) on the wrong side of at least ET30! I need 14" wheels or more to cover my oversize TJs 254mm discs.

Steve

Thanks for the information, that's really useful! I liked the idea of the 14" MGF steels as its more of a 'pepperpot' style hole like the TR6, rather than the standard dolomite steels. Especially if repainted in a nice silver.

It's a shame Revolution no longer make the classic 5-spokes in 14" any more (although you can get the more modern RFXs), and that the only fittment for Triumph in the 13" is the ET25 Spitfire/Herald etc size.

[Carledo]

An edit to my search, I've just been on the Compomotive site and they are now supplying a 15" x 5.5 rim in the 8 spoke Minilite style, it says 4 stud only with an ET range between 30 and 45. The part number is ML 1556. It doesn't specifically say it can come with a 95.25 PCD but the next nearest ML1555 which looks identical but has an ET range from 2-18 does state pcd range from 4x95 to 5x130.

I'm tempted to give them a call, they are only up the road from me in Telford.

Steve

[hoops]

Hi all, well its taken a while but I a now the pleased owner of YHA 584S thanks to Phil the previous owner.


Triumph Dolomite 1850HL by Robert Seymour, on Flickr


I had some trouble driving though and ended up getting recovery back home.

There were two seperate issues, first after I filled up with fuel (to the brim, which may have bought up some crud from the bottom of the tank) and then it started running poorly from then on. It was stuttering under acceleration and could not get above an indicated 30mph in 4th on the A46!

I pulled over to trouble shoot and found a few problems.

• Fuel filler breather pipe was degraded so when I filled up, it spilled some petrol into the boot but not related to the poor running as far as I can tell

• Breather hose from Vacuum advance to Carb was degraded and the rubber elbow disintegrated, I did a temporary fix with a section of the windscreen wash pipe

• Fuel filter had some 'bits' in it, swapped out with another new one that came with the car but under running it would only have a dribble of fuel in it, not filling up the filter when in use

• It starts pretty much on the button first time, every time and idles very well, little odd missfire but nice

• When revving in neutral its quite good, gets a bit lumpy but seemly OK

• Under load its very lumpy and splutters, so can drive on the flat ish but lumpy and would not drive up the recovery lorry bed at an angle

• Seem to be getting fuel into the carbs as both float chambers were full

So initial thoughts could be sticky vacuum advance? (dizzy weights move freely), could be blocked carbs in the jet possibly? as there was not much fuel in the carb pistons on the air box side, even with choke on

Other problem was a seized rear right drum, seemed to come on after I pulled over as it was not at all warm to the touch and the pads were scored lightly but not as if I had been driving it for 10min down the road, no pad dust inside really either so I think just a seized piston.

I have sent over the renewal for the club membership as mine ran out in March I think. Is there anyone local to Faringdon (Swindon/Oxford) who could help me trouble shoot at all please?

Cheers, Rob