The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

cleverusername wrote: ↑Fri Nov 17, 2017 9:09 am Out of curiosity, I know people have put different manual gearboxes in Dolomites, could you fit a modern automatic box?

Modern autos are far superior to the 3 speed boxes of the 70's, less transmission losses and better ratios. Could it be done?

You can.... but most of the modern boxes made after about 1988 have 2 major drawbacks:
1) No mechanical speedo drive.
2) Require electronic ECU including things like TPS and road speed senor.

You can get aftermarket controllers like the CompuShift, bit it's not cheap!
http://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk ... shift.html

That's why I mentioned the "rare as hens teeth" ZF 4 HP22 from a Sherpa (note: not just any ZF 4HP22 - they are dead common!)
It has no ECU and a mechanical speedo drive.

yorkshire_spam wrote: ↑Fri Nov 17, 2017 9:44 am

cleverusername wrote: ↑Fri Nov 17, 2017 9:09 am Out of curiosity, I know people have put different manual gearboxes in Dolomites, could you fit a modern automatic box?

Modern autos are far superior to the 3 speed boxes of the 70's, less transmission losses and better ratios. Could it be done?

You can.... but most of the modern boxes made after about 1988 have 2 major drawbacks:
1) No mechanical speedo drive.
2) Require electronic ECU including things like TPS and road speed senor.

You can get aftermarket controllers like the CompuShift, bit it's not cheap!
http://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk ... shift.html

That's why I mentioned the "rare as hens teeth" ZF 4 HP22 from a Sherpa (note: not just any ZF 4HP22 - they are dead common!)
It has no ECU and a mechanical speedo drive.

I'm currently in the process of fitting a 2.2ltr Omega engine and it's accompanying 4 speed 3 range Aisin/warner autobox in my Dolomega project. It has fly by wire throttle, electronic speedo, a humungous ECU and more wire than you can shake a stick at! I don't have any problems making the trans fit the engine as both came from the same donor car. It's still not simple by any means, but i'm making progress, hopefully I'll end up with something that works! If anyone has a 4" Electronic speedo that works for sensible money, please get in touch!

Steve

And how long have you been working on that project Steve!

Oh and the so called 'rare' gearbox rubber mount is actually the same as a stag subframe bush which is what I put in.

Well hopefully the PO may have just been offered a very nice 1850 auto!

Although if he doesn't want it the seller wont be offended!

BTW all of the parts for the box can be bought from JPat (JP Automatic Transissions) in Bristol including an oil cooler.

I have used JPAT in the past but I have found them to be expensive although they are good for over the phone advice.

I removed the oiler cooler on my sprint as I was advised that the flex houses are a week point and if they spilt you loose all your ATF. only essential if the car does a lot of towing.

James467 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 17, 2017 10:21 am And how long have you been working on that project Steve!

Oh and the so called 'rare' gearbox rubber mount is actually the same as a stag subframe bush which is what I put in.

Well hopefully the PO may have just been offered a very nice 1850 auto!

Although if he doesn't want it the seller wont be offended!

Well i've had a lot of tea breaks! I only get to work on mine at weekends (when SWMBO has nothing else arranged) and warmer evenings than we get at this time of year. But i'll get there! The main loom is made and now i'm partway through rebuilding the engine/trans loom.

I never said the gearbox mount was rare and I think Alun meant the metal crossmember was the rare bit.

I don't think it's a good idea to run a Sprint auto without a cooler, it was a cost option on 1500 and 1850 models and, as said, only really needed for towing. But it was standard equipment on the Sprint. I had a Shogun that I cooked and ruined an autobox on because I didn't realize the previous owner had bypassed BOTH trans coolers. And I never towed with it!

GLWTS on RUK!

Steve

xvivalve wrote: ↑Thu Nov 16, 2017 7:15 pm The hardest part to find might be the auto cross member that supports the back of the 'box...except I happen to have a spare sitting in the kitchen that I'd been wondering what to do with!

If nobody wants it Alun, I'll buy it.

I should be able to use it with a T9 'box Sierra mounting (because the mount sits on top of the cross member).
Said mounting can be used in a modified o/d cross member, but I am rather loathe to cut up one of these
since I know from time time folk are searching for such.


thanks,
Ian.

There are more OD crossmembers than there are auto crossmembers so why cut up something that's rarer?

James467 wrote: There are more OD crossmembers than there are auto crossmembers so why cut up something that's rarer?

Is that question aimed at me?





Ian.

sprint95m wrote: ↑Sat Nov 18, 2017 11:09 am

James467 wrote: There are more OD crossmembers than there are auto crossmembers so why cut up something that's rarer?

Is that question aimed at me?






Ian.

Yes, and anyone who feels like they want to contribute...

I did wonder because I didn't mention cutting the autobox crossmember,
which is not surprising since, as I said, the mount would sit on top so no cutting is necessary.

If there was a demand for they crossmembers then this question wouldn't have arisen.
Is it not better to recycle by reusing than to spend resources making new?




Ian.

It's all the interpretation! Your English is correct Ian, but on first read I also thought you meant to modify the auto cross member!
I'm glad English is my first (only) language, makes life easy..........

I did wonder because I didn't mention cutting the autobox crossmember,
which is not surprising since, as I said, the mount would sit on top so no cutting is necessary.

Ahhh I see, I assumed that because you were modifying the od crossmember that you would have to modify the auto one as well.

To quote Ellen DeGeneres (or Dory!)

"You should never assume. You know what happens when you assume. You make an ass out of you and me because that's how it's spelled."

James467 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 17, 2017 10:21 am

Oh and the so called 'rare' gearbox rubber mount is actually the same as a stag subframe bush which is what I put in.

I thought they fitted but were not 'the same'?

James, the late great Benny Hill beat her to it about 30 years ago. It reminds me of another quote in a similar vein: "assumption is the mother of all f***-ups."

Sorry for keeping the thread off topic!