Dolomite Sprint OAD

[WoodleySaint]

Hi all,

I've just joined the forum as I'm now the proud owner of a Dolomite Sprint. We think the car has been garaged for about 40 years! My father in law was the owner and it's been in his garage hidden away for all this time.

We managed to clear a path to it, and with a couple of dollys under the rear wheels, quite appropriate, we managed to get it out. After sitting in it for 5 mins I fell for her.

Now comes the task of getting her back on the road.....


She's in remarkable condition for her age. Fortunately the garage was water tight so no issues with the car interior, it's mainly the rubber components and the exhaust that need replacing.

I've yet to try turning the engine over. I took the spark plugs out earlier today, they were all incredibly tight. For some reason there was what appears to be oil in each of the spark plug 'tunnels', so the threads all had oil on them.

I'm a useful DIY mechanic but have no specialist knowledge of Sprints that most of you guys have so I'm hoping for loads of advice.

Cheers Mark

[new to this]

Looks a nice find, while you have the spark plugs out but some oil down each spark plug hole, and then see if the engine will turn over by hand first

[WoodleySaint]

Thanks for the suggestion. With the plugs out and oil left for a few hours in each cylinder we turned it over, almost completed a full revolution when it got tight. A mate depressed the clutch and that freed it up. Not sure why that would have an affect? (It was out of gear)

[xvivalve]

The original plug tubes in which the plugs sit are friction fit and always had a poor seal at the bottom allowing oil to seep into them; they are simple aluminium tubes with bonded plastic seals to top and bottom. I find that it's plugs that have been sitting in an oil bath are ones that seem to be tight. The club sell machined aluminium replacements with proper 'O' rings that resolve this issue.

I'm surprised, given the passage of time, that you were able to depress the clutch; I'm currently recommissioning a 1500 HL that has only sat in a dry garage since 2011 and its clutch fluid had fully crystallised!

[WoodleySaint]

Thanks for your insight into the oil at the bottom of the ali spark plug tubes.

Both the brake and clutch reservoirs are liquid fortunately. (The caps were incredibly tight.) Why would depressing the clutch free up the crank? (It was out of gear.)