Operation Orange - 1980 Sprint restoration

[Flyfisherman]

Mark

When you have adjusted the ride height to your desired height - just nip those locknuts together dont over tighten them or you will never get them undo.

Paul

[SprintMWU773V]

Just a little update following discussions on the Dolomite Related page to do with bushes for your Load Sensing Valve.

The little arm which operates the valve has 2 rubber bushes in it which if yours are like mine are past their best. You cannot buy the bushes new so I needed to improvise. I purchased some 'Universal Washers' from Powerflex, part number PF99-201. As you can see they are very similar in size to the original rubber ones.



However they were slightly too big so I attached one to the drum sander mandrel of my Dremel and mounted it in the vice.



Then using a sharp chisel I used the Dremel like a lathe and skimmed off about 1.5mm of material, sufficient to make it possible to fit, whilst still being quite tight and secure.



As you can see they fit OK, cost was just under £10 via Amazon.

[Jon Tilson]

Another very sweet idea....

Nice.

Jonners

[SprintMWU773V]

My seal kit arrived today so decided to spend this evening stripping my load sensing valve.

I had previously temporarily attached it to the car so whipped it off for a proper strip down. I actually bought it on Ebay several years ago as one that had been 'refurbished' but unsure whether that just meant it had been painted I stripped it down and gave it an inspection.



Clearly it has been apart before and it had been cleaned, though I don't think the seals had been replaced.





I carefully removed the old seal and O rings and replaced them before re-assembling using a little rubber grease.



The unit was not supplied with the arm, pivot and coil thing so I used the ones from another valve. I'd already refurbished those so I joined the two together to make one new valve assembly. Not an especially difficult job to do but it all looks nice and clean, it's got new seals and O rings so it just needs to go back on the car now, that'll be a job for tomorrow.

[SprintMWU773V]

Now I've fitted the handbrake cables and various other bits and bobs my attention has returned to the engine. A good couple of years ago I started work on the bottom end but before I get onto finishing that I decided to start looking at the head.

Whilst I would prefer to finish the bottom end before starting the top I'm concious that time will tick away and before you know it it'll be September and the top end will still be wrapped up. I work for a classic car & race team with extensive machining facilities and I'm hoping to get my head into the very long queue rather than leave it for ages. I therefore figured now was the time to start taking it apart.

The head was as it was when it came off the engine back in 2013 so it was pretty filthy but nice and oily so as to protect it.







First job as to remove the rockers and cam, these were easy to undo and remove.










You can see some wear to the camshaft and what looks like some kind of oily muck. Only these lobes seem to be affected like this.



The rockers seem pretty good with no pitting on the tips nor any significant wear marks to be concerned about.





Next up, remove the valves. I have to say I cheated and knocked the collets off with a socket and hammer, it's quick and easy.





The valve stem oil seals on the exhaust side were very hard and broke up very easily.



I've kept everything together in an order, though most bits will be replaced.



Cam followers have some wear but don't look too bad, though they do have some mottling to them



Valves are best described as filthy, here's the exhaust ones



And then the inlet





So that's everything off the head, here's some close ups of the bare head. Valve seats look good, nothing to be concerned about there I don't think. As you can see some ports are really gummed up.





The next job will be to get the head cleaned and the valve guides checked. I did some wiggling of the valve stems and on the whole they didn't feel too bad but one or two did seem to have some play in them but I'll only know for sure when they are measured properly. If I need new guides then i'll also need to recut the seats, maybe even fit new ones but that will follow once I know more.

[SprintMWU773V]

Took the head into work to show the boss. His conclusion is the exhaust valve guides are OK but the inlets are a little marginal. Otherwise he thought the condition was good. I think if I'm going to do the job properly then it's worth changing the inlet guides but leave the exhaust ones alone.

Sadly we're far too busy to do the work here so will have to find someone else to do it! He suggested I try Peter Burgess who we use for some work we outsource so will make contact and see what he says. I know he's highly regarded in MG circles in particular, though whether he wants to work with a Triumph part I don't know.

[new to this]

I know its all down to price,but seeing what you have done to the car so far,if it was me id get both inlet and exhaust guides changed,then its fit and forget

Dave

[GTS290N]

I know its all down to price,but seeing what you have done to the car so far,ifit was me id get both inlet and exhaust guides changed,then its fit and forget

Dave

+1. Or at least chat with the prospective contractor and get their take on it, which you are probably planning on doing anyway.

[Jon Tilson]

Sorry to rain on your parade but have a closer look at the cam end of your rocker fingers. Looks like the cam has worn through the hardening on one of them in the pic. They do work hard. You can still get new ones for half of then as they are common to 2600's but I'd have a word with Alun if the law of sod says its the wrong ones that are worn.

you can use the valve stem seals from a SAAB 9-3 if needed too....

Also dont loose the collets. Easilly done. I have a few still to find on my garage floor and they mustn't be confused with the very similar but slightly different and more common 8V ones...

Jonners

[SprintMWU773V]

The arms need a proper clean, they don't photograph well. It looks like there's some pitting on the fingers but actually they are pretty clean, what you see is actually muck rather than pitting. I'd always banked on needing some new ones and fortunately I have 2 sets in stock, good used ones. I'll clean these up though and see how they compare.

[red&black]

He suggested I try Peter Burgess who we use for some work we outsource so will make contact and see what he says. I know he's highly regarded in MG circles in particular, though whether he wants to work with a Triumph part I don't know.

Peter Burgess did some work on an 1850 head for me several years ago. Did a fine job. He is usually busy though.

[Carledo]

He suggested I try Peter Burgess who we use for some work we outsource so will make contact and see what he says. I know he's highly regarded in MG circles in particular, though whether he wants to work with a Triumph part I don't know.

Peter Burgess did some work on an 1850 head for me several years ago. Did a fine job. He is usually busy though.

The best ones always are!

Steve

[SprintMWU773V]

Sorry to rain on your parade but have a closer look at the cam end of your rocker fingers. Looks like the cam has worn through the hardening on one of them in the pic. They do work hard. You can still get new ones for half of then as they are common to 2600's but I'd have a word with Alun if the law of sod says its the wrong ones that are worn.

you can use the valve stem seals from a SAAB 9-3 if needed too....

Also dont loose the collets. Easilly done. I have a few still to find on my garage floor and they mustn't be confused with the very similar but slightly different and more common 8V ones...

Jonners

Aren't the 8 rockers all the same?

[tinweevil]

Aren't the 8 rockers all the same?

No.

[lazeruspete]

I wonder if making them different was genuine design to try and bunch all the valves up or it was just Triumph being Triumph. to have the lobe runners running offset on the lobes doesn't seem like a great idea.