Project 337 (1979 Brooklands Green Sprint)

[desmk11]

Colin

Not really advice as such, but i have done a couple of these and such like gearboxes, on my 2000's and spittys, they nearly always, as with many things leak from the weakest points, which are on the whole from the front oil seal, this then gets blown all over the gearbox from underneath.
Our spitfire leaked badly from the bellhousing and the rear o/d seal although this was pretty much down to being over filled with oil, so bad maintenance was to blame.
This gearbox had some kind of sealant used around the black spacer type piece you speak of, i think to substitute a gasket, i changed as many gaskets as i could and luckiy it never leaked from where the sealant was. Phew

Reading this thread has put my recent triumph works into insignificants, but i will be holding you to your word, so make a good job of it ready for my first sprint experience, i can't wait.

Des.

[zombeh]

Has anyone else got through this stage before then?

Yes. Didn't get much further than that before realising that it was almost as cheap to get someone else to do it as it was to rebuild it myself. If you're just cleaning it and changing gaskets then keep going, if you're replacing clutches and things then probably easier to get a professional to do it.

The black bit is the brake ring, the outside of the cone clutch presses against it. Undo the four nuts that hold the bridge pieces on (blue arrows)then the cone clutch should all slide out the back(green) and then the brake ring will come off(pink). There's next to no pressure on the springs when it's not engaged so nothing will go flying across the garage.

[tonybsa]

on the subject of gearbox oil leaks,ive just changed the oil seal in the front of mine today and noticed the half round hole next to the gearbox front bearing,and the corresponding blister in the oil seal housing,is this a splash oil feed for the front of the main shaft?and if so,the oil in the bellhousing just excess oil blown out from between the mainshaft and front oil seal housing?

[Sprintinbits]

Cheers guys, thanks for the diagram zombeh (Steve isn't it?). I knew someone would have been here before.
This board really does have most of the answers, most of the time

Tony I must admit I have no idea about the blister in the seal, I just replaced it all without really appreciating how it works

Just for the record, it is possible to insert this gasket without removing the brake ring. See pics below, it is fiddly but definitely possible.
I was too scared to take the brake ring off in the end. Although I think it is quite straight forward to do it this way too.











So, it's just a club cross shaft that I'm waiting for and the gearbox is done
Now the engine and gearbox are out of the engine bay, I've moved on to my next job







If it's not one thing, it's another

Why do we do it?

[Sprintinbits]

So, big update time...
I didn't get to take many decent pics but you'll all get the idea.
All the work was done 100% by me








So that's the engine bay suitable spruced up.
The emphasis was on welding in the new metal and then getting rid of surface rust.

Next update v.soon

[Sprintinbits]

So, last weekend.
All on my lonesome, using the homemade engine hoist, 2 cheap (girlie) trolley jacks and one proper (mans) trolley jack.






The whole lot was slid under the car.
The bodywork was lowered using the engine hoist



Then the subframe raised until the two met somewhere in the middle...




And all bolted up






And dropped back down




Some interesting ways of holding the tools in place when working on your own




So all the ancillaries and plumbing still need to be done but that'll get done another day.

[David6214]

Excellent work that man......and there was me thinking you were short of time, that looks like plenty of progress

[Purplebargeken]

Colin, how many times have I offered to pop over and give you a hand, eh?

Mind you , looks like you're doing ok on your own.

Ken

[Mad Mart]

Great job Colin, & that colour is awesome!

[Sprintinbits]

David, you cannot begin to understand the lack of time around here! I did this in about 4 hours. OK so it's slow by pro standards but this is only the second time I've fitted an engine. The first time completely on my own though.
Ken, I had about 10 minutes advanced notice of said 4 hours. I didn't even have the starter painted so I'll have to try and fit it later
Saying that, I really should take you up on your generous offers. You'll be helping people out south of the river if I'm not careful

Mart, get another one man! Brooklands Green kicks butt!!

As you can all probably guess, I'm well chuffed.
I thought I was only any good at taking stuff apart

Running by August? I hope so!
Might even get some summer use of of it!

[David6214]

David, you cannot begin to understand the lack of time around here!

Colin I was just joshing you...and I do understand...I have been there! sort of

[Sprintinbits]

Colin I was just joshing you

It's cool, I know the score

...and I do understand...I have been there! sort of

Is there something you're not telling us?

[Howard81]

Wow, what progress - the last time I read this thread, the Sprint was looking rather "empty"!

Looking great

[Jon Tilson]

Getting it all back in in those conditions in 4 hours is a result mate...

Well done

Jonners

[Sprintinbits]

OK bit of a pause during procedings there....

Happy to say I still have both Sprints but some things have changed a bit.

1, Moved house in Sept 2009
2, Spent all of 2010, 2011 and 2012 renovating the house (including building a brick workshop and a five car drive -no garage though )
3, Had another littl'un.

So onto the more serious and important matter of this car.

I lent it to a good friend whilst we moved house and built a decent driveway, once returned, it has sat on it ever since.
I had turned the engine over every once in a while but that was it since probably Feb 2010

So today it had a new battery and I cranked the engine for about 20 seconds.
Fresh juice in the tank, sucked up by the manual method into the fuel pump (yuck).
Fresh juice poured into the carb reservoirs.
Turned it over again and it started straight away with 1/2 choke
Was running like a peach at about 1500 rpm but then developed a big misfire.
Not sure what the issue is but probably something silly.

So far, we need new wiper blades and to look at the headlamps/switches.
All else seems to be OK but I didn't move it although the clutch it not stuck.
My biggest concern is the state of the tyres, they have not turned in over a year now so may have had it.

Will update soon