The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

It is good to make a job list. I've still got a few jobs left on my list. Hopefully, I can get some more of them crossed off before too long.

Before you spend a fortune on your overdrive I suggest you completely eliminate electrical issues.

Have you got volts at the solenoid? You can try this with the car in 3rd or top and the car on axle stands.

If not then why not. While underneath you can look at all rubber joining sections on the fuel pipe. If the smell is bad enough
that you notice it in the car when driving then the cause will be visible. It needs finding pdq or your car will become a mobile
petrol bomb.

Also look at the carb float valves. Dirt under the valves will stop them seating and cause the smell and rough running and poor economy. The maladjusted or worn throttle linkage could be causing your bad performance. It could also be down to flexing of the bulkhead, which is prone to cracking from the throttle pedal to the hole for the wiring loom. Dive under the dash and have a look.

Shame I'm so busy. I reckon I could transform this car in half a day...

Jonners

The overdrive solenoid is making a clicking sound in 3rd and 4th, however there is a reverse gear issue of grinding noises unless put into neutral and selecting reverse again. Once the fuel problem is resolved, I intend to take the car to overdrive repairs, they reconned the whole gearbox and overdrive.

Nearly all of the fuel lines have been replaced, but I suspect the float chamber overflow to be the fuel smell/loss culprit.

The pedal seems fine from flexing, again a proper inspection is needed, easy as the front shelf is not in.

Is it possible your car is staying permanently in overdrive?

They do make nasty clicking and grinding noises if overdrive remains in when reversing.

Jonners

I once had a similar problem with my carbs. Fortunately, I was at S&S Preparations and their resident carb guru was there and they found a sliver of rubber in the float chamber valve keeping it open causing overflowing. I got them to fit some replacement fuel hoses in the engine bay and the problem hasn't returned.

Jonners, you're the man to work your magic on this car and he ain't a million miles away...

I couldn't look into the overdrive or reverse problems this evening, I'm sure the overdrive isn't engaged as in 3rd and 4th the RPM is higher.

But I did manage to look at the fuel leak.

The fuel is coming out of the front float chamber around the lid gasket.

I was hoping to find some sort of debris inside, but it's as clean as can be.
Took the lid completely out, the float isn't punctured and there is no dimple on the float where it meets the valve.

Cleaned out the valve to be sure, it was clean anyway (soaked in petrol, it would be), refitted the float and then I blew through the fuel inlet toggling the float, the valve was able to stop the airflow, it would have no problem in stopping fuel.

The pin holding the float is not bent, the float is not punctured, the chamber is clean, the valve is functioning, the lid gasket is new (burlens) the float chamber and lid rims clean, so I put the lid back, tightened up the screws and reconnected the fuel line.

Start engine, still leaking through the gasket

I have ordered a service kit from Burlens and a couple of new floats and a seating valve kit as well, but I still seem to remember (2 decades ago) that the float valve gaskets were more internal in the lid, which would have meant the float would have sat further down by nearly 2mm. Can anyone shed any light on this ?

Did you order the right parts? You will need to give them the number that is stamped on the tag on the float chamber (just visible in one of your photos above). I don't know why your new gasket is leaking. Are the mating surfaces clean and even? I can't think of any other reason for it not sealing properly.

Thanks, I did give them the details from the carb tags,

I did check the surfaces, will double check when the kits arrive today.

The gasket sort of sits around the rim of the chamber lid and the inner part of the lid locates in the bowl. They almost never leak
even if in pretty manky looking condition. I rarely need to change them when I have the lids off...
Even when they break on occasion away from home I've refitted them with no leaks...

So this makes me think you have a hairline crack in lid or bowl...or that your fuel hose is the leak source and it just looks like the gasket.

If the floats float and the valve isn't ridged or dirty they seal. The usual cause of flooding is small particles of rubber from disintegrating fuel pipe sections getting stuck under the valve. Sometimes I've had to take the brass valve body right out to get it
to seal again. If yours pass the blow test you should be fine....

At least you have identified the problem and the cure is not far away. I'm sure a spare float chamber lid can be found if you are still stuck. Float level has a big influence on idle mixture so will also cause your lumpy idle. Dont be tempted to try and tune it out until you are sure the level is fixed.

Jonners

Looks like your water pump is leaking as well, the slot in the block under the pump cover looks very wet.

Mahesh wrote:Collected car today from Dorset, and managed to get back to London without any stopping problems.

There is a long list of to do on the car,

Overdrive does not work (have to go to overdrive repairs in Sheffield)
Reverse gear makes a noise, ( to be looked at by overdrive repairs at the same time)
ng.

Hi Mahesh, Having had a bit more of a think about this and assuming they did fill it up with the correct oil, did someone forget to replace the oil-pump drive cam on the back of the output shaft ? This should have been done by whoever mated the overdrive to the gearbox.
Tony.

To echo Jon's comments, I would check that the hose is OK. I had this problem, it looked like the the gaskets but it turned out to be the hose.

Another thing to try is remove the float valve seats, clean them and clean the area on the float bowl lid that they mate to.
When you put them back make sure that they are tight. (I've had problems with fuel getting through there as well !).

Hopefully things will be put right when you get the valve kit.

Good spot Tony...

Quite common sadly on infrequently used cars...

Jonners

Is that a gold seal engine Mahesh?