The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Once, every first Tuesday of the month. A mix of CT, TSSC and TDC people there.
Some attendees coming from Guildford and one from (iirc) Staines just before Christmas!

Just a little update guys,

Since buying the car, the engine seems suffers from a lack of compression which really stunts performance. Having been told by the previous owner that the compression went low on one of the cylinders, i have decided to take the engine out and rebuild it. Now the bottom end is all fine fine so, i'll just replace the rings, skim the head, home the bored, regrind in the valves and fit a new gasket set and that should restore the engine back to its original performance. Also, the engines producing quite a bit of mayo on the oil cap, so the rebuild will hopefully stop this.
Also, i found that the clutch seems to bite rather high so while the engines out i can change the clutch plate at the same time.
This evening i checked and adjusted the valve clearances and they all seems fine, apart from one or two being a little tight.

Also, just wondering, whether anyone has a spare outer weather strip for the rear door, as one of mine is missing, if not does anyone know the best place to get one from?

More updates asap

All good, but... Skimming the head is a pointless exercise unless it is actually warped, get a straight edge on it first to find out. Though on one of these OHV lumps, it'll have to get very very hot to warp.
It may be worth getting hardened valve seats fitted if it hasn't already, then you won't need to use additive in the fuel.
Don't forget, mayo can also be caused by lots of short journeys and isn't always a sign of definite head gasket failure.
Good luck with the rebuild, Jod is your man if you get stuck...

I don't wish to dampen your enthusiasm for getting in about at the engine, but don't forget to add the cost of shells (ends at the very least, ideally the whole darned lot) to the total since you'll have to take the ends apart to get the pistons out and once they're out, the shells must be replaced unless you want to take the risk of the old ones' running as they could well do if refitted. Better the cost of a set of ends than the cost of the regrind too, after the reused old shells have run and caused the crankshaft to need a regrind as a result of starved bearings. You know it makes sense.

JPB wrote:I don't wish to dampen your enthusiasm for getting in about at the engine, but don't forget to add the cost of shells (ends at the very least, ideally the whole darned lot) to the total since you'll have to take the ends apart to get the pistons out and once they're out, the shells must be replaced unless you want to take the risk of the old ones' running as they could well do if refitted. Better the cost of a set of ends than the cost of the regrind too, after the reused old shells have run and caused the crankshaft to need a regrind as a result of starved bearings. You know it makes sense.

Hi, to be perfectly honest, the engines bottom end seems all fine! I'm not planning on getting rid of the car any time soon, so if the bottom end do eventually start to rumble, i dont mind wipping the engine out there and then. Having looked at it, the engine should be out within an hour or two, There made so simple and the access is excellent

Oli_88 wrote:All good, but... Skimming the head is a pointless exercise unless it is actually warped, get a straight edge on it first to find out. Though on one of these OHV lumps, it'll have to get very very hot to warp.
It may be worth getting hardened valve seats fitted if it hasn't already, then you won't need to use additive in the fuel.
Don't forget, mayo can also be caused by lots of short journeys and isn't always a sign of definite head gasket failure.
Good luck with the rebuild, Jod is your man if you get stuck...

Thanks for the advice mate!!!!
Regarding the hardened valve seats; I've ran my Vitesse with no additive for as long as I've owned it and there's never been a problem with valve seat recession. Also, as far as im aware the owner of the Toledo before me never used a lead substitute either and again there's no sign of recession on this car either.
I've been told by many old time mechanics that Triumph Dont really suffer valve seat recession and that they've known of many triumph OHV cars do thousands and thousands of miles without any problems. However, the mechanics said that recession really does suffer the BMC and Ford units, as there valves are made of weaker stuff apparently.

Maybe it's a case of "lead memory" that I've read about, some think it's folklore but the theory is that if the seats haven't been interfered with since the withdrawal of lead from fuel then it is still retained and still does it's job.

I can assure you it does happen on our engines. I adjust the tappits on mine roughly monthly and ex 1&4 are always tight, if I don't do them often enough the gap closes up entirely. I've a photo somewhere of when I did a valve change on the old engine which did much the same.

Jordan T wrote: Having looked at it, the engine should be out within an hour or two, There made so simple and the access is excellent

Spitfire's easier!

Aar0sc wrote:

Jordan T wrote: Having looked at it, the engine should be out within an hour or two, There made so simple and the access is excellent

Spitfire's easier!

Well the Vitesse is even easier!!!!!! So nah nah nah nah nahhhhh

Aar0sc wrote:

Jordan T wrote: Having looked at it, the engine should be out within an hour or two, There made so simple and the access is excellent

Spitfire's easier!

Well the Vitesse is even easier!!!!!! So nah nah nah nah nahhhhh

Here you go. Different head to the one on the car now but just like the current engine it was always E1 & E4 that were tight at the tappits. No2 above pretty much matched the height of the inlet, no 4 below was almost flush with the chamber crown.

Hhmmm thanks for the pics pal, i think have to do an unleaded conversion then.

Ace car but, seriously, replace the shell bearings. As these engines are prone to 'dry starting', it is well worth it and is not an expensive exercise.

Various bits languish in the TDC Toledo Spares section, which I am cataloging now, including a brand-new speedo for pre-1975 cars. More to follow, although, with impending Fatherhood around the corner, things may slow down on that front...

R

triumphtoledo wrote:
Various bits languish in the TDC Toledo Spares section, which I am cataloging now, including a brand-new speedo for pre-1975 cars. More to follow, although, with impending Fatherhood around the corner, things may slow down on that front...

R

ohhh im looking forward to seeing this catalogue!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a little update today guys.

I've had a look at the windscreen wiper motor today as when it stops raining and you turn the wipers off, they seem to carry on working for the next 5 minutes and then all of sudden stop. I checked for water leaking onto the motor but it looked all dry, has anyone else had this problem with there car???