The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

had fifty fits when my engine and box are united and hanging on the chain ready to go in, I thought had better prime the oil using Jonners drill and socket technique to find no oil getting to cam then I realised that it has to be spun anticlockwise suddenly we have oil in the uper galleries
Overdrive wiring is now going to get a makeover before insertion

Do you think its a bit big for a key ring?

If a keyring is a device you attach keys to in order to make them harder to lose than that has to be pretty ideal for the job I'd say.

Tracker do you do anything to the Zaust Manilfold?

newguy wrote:Tracker do you do anything to the Zaust Manilfold?

No its standard but I have welded a lambda sensor in to aid the guy who will set up the engine.
I do not think the manifold is near as bad as it looks and keeps the gas seperate long enough for good power, I have fitted a short flexible coupling ala modern cars to keep the comfort at reasonable levels.

After 8 months of being sprintless the motor fired up easily and despite n choke idled fairly well.
Later Iwill retorque the head down and attend to some little jobs and its back on the road again.
A short video of it will be added tomorrow.

Dont be too unkind as the motor is cold and has no water in it so it is a little noisy the timing has just been set static too.
But its GOING AT LAST



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPwV6hmRuAU

a sigh of relief huh !

But should you really blip the throttle on first start up? I would have thought it should be held at a constant fast idle.

There seems to be no real rules on this one camp says as its OHC rev it to get oil in quickly, another says do not let it idle at all but I see no reason because the cam and followers are all the same and I use Kent sticky cam lube whenever I have built a head up.
I guess if its a Pinto it would ruin it's cam, cos thats what they do.

New or reground cams should be run in at 2000-2500RPM for a period of about 20 minutes. This is essential as it work-hardens the lobes and prepares the cam for the rest of it's life.

Ideally you should never use mismatched top ends (i.e. old rockers and buckets with new cam) because the assembly never beds in properly - but it's hard to avoid these days with the scarcity of some parts.

About the sole worst thing you can do is let a new cam sit at idle.

The most critical part of the rebuild process is starting the engine for the first time and this is where many well meaning mechanics go fatally wrong. You MUST NOT let a newly fitted cam run at idle speed for the first 20 minutes of operation. Always keep the rpms up at about 2000 during this period. At idle speed the loadings on the cam 'nose' (that's where the cam is at full lift) are at their highest and the new cam can suffer permanent damage if it is allowed to idle before it has bedded in and work hardened properly. Sitting on the driveway with your foot on the accelerator for 20 minutes can seem like an eternity. Also if the engine starts to overheat it may be necessary to switch off, let things cool down and split the process into several shorter intervals.

Hope that's some help

Then once that's done, start pounding on that motor - well, not pounding on it but giving it some good revs and acceleration whilst not loading it up excessively. Haven't got long to get some pressure on those rings and get them bedded in nicely.....a gently run in motor equals a lower compression, potentially higher oil consuming, sluggish little thing. Run hard from new or rebuilt and you get a nice, tight, powerful unit .

Just like using the woman in your life then? treat it well but give it a little bother

Sounds Good mate real good, carn't wait to see it while it getting tuned?

Dave doing it?

Finally after 8 months my car is on the road again and seems fine. It is a tiny bit hesitant but starts to rev very easily (but I do not allow it to) as these engines need the head retorqued at about 100 miles of fairly gentle use.
The engine is better if I use 16 deg advance (11 is std) I suspect the dizzy needs to have a different advance curve.
Although I should have more confidence I find it difficult to trust the engine even though I built it!
Sprints are a little crude after the Mondeo that I have been using.
But soooooooo much more entertaining as I headed straight for some twisty roads.
Not having to go to work is so nice after 40 years of being caged in an engineering firm of some description.

Your on leave?
Quit or Holiday Time?

I have insider information - Bites lip.