The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

veloce_rosso wrote: ↑Mon May 04, 2020 12:51 pm Presumably no-one has thought about making an upgraded pump for the slant 4, or could you use one from a Saab on a Dolly?

Fuuny about Saab. They always advertised their cars with a slogan we built aircraft blah blah, yet very few of their front-line jet fighter use Saab engines -- mostly made by Volvo. And for a period they used and improved a Triumph power plant on their cars.

Saab changed the water pump design for the 99 (when the turbo model made came in), however this won't fit a Dolomite,
but the Saab water pump immediately preceding it will fit (if you use a Triumph 12 vane cover).

There is someone who sells an external belt driven water pump conversion for the Stag (uses a Ford Essex water pump)
but, looking at photos of this pump installed on a Stag, I don't think it will work on a Sprint because of the engine mounting location.

The other external option is an electric pump.
Stewart Pumps in the USA make a suitable unit (200 litres/minute flow rate).



Talking of jackshafts,
German Ford V4 engines have a counterbalance shaft. Saab used these in their 96



Ian

There is also the Aussie Davis Craig electric water pump, somewhat cheaper than the Stewart Warner offering and can be quite good if you a) alter the heater hoses layout so the heater works (aussies don't need heaters) b) lash out on the computer control module too, this makes it quite versatile, quick to warm up and avoiding overcooling too and c) employ a header tank.

I'm not 100% convinced of the need for electric pumps etc, as others have said, keep the system maintained and it WILL work fine. But I think if I was dailying a slant the way I do my Vauxhall powered cars, i'd have one. It's more reliable and decent quality parts for the originals are ever scarcer. Plus it will lessen the load on the weak jackshaft bearings.

In purely psychological terms it's probably a good thing too, I'm getting past the stage where I want to drive with one eye constantly on the temperature guage, ever alert for the tiniest quiver over normal and paranoid about expensive and time consuming replacement (AND HGF)

My 2 pennorth, Steve

By the sounds of it these so-called upgrades can cause more issues than they solve. As I mentioned before really good regular servicing, flushing coupled with distilled or any non-tap water** worked a treat with my Dollies.

** I occasionally used cold boiled water from the kettle.

Everytime a cooling issue is discussed here the main reason isn't mentioned. Most castings have a too narrow waterpump hole into the engine block. Some you can put through two thumbs and some a toothstick hardly gets through. Grinding the waterpump hole to a reasonable size approxx 2x3cm will be less restrictive and a far better flow than std.

Second is that most heads don't fit the the engineblock. Waterways casted in the head don't line up with the corresponding in the block. 20 years ago I made a template and put this on the blocks first and grind the holes to it. Then the template on the head and repeat. All lines up correct now and no cooling issues. Tested many times towing caravans with sprints and 1850's at 35 degrees celsius outside temp over the Brenner Pass into Italy.

These are the main reasons of the cooling issues, same as the stags. Some never overheat and some always whatever you do. Some are lucky to have a good casting and accidentally matching heads and some don't have.

Jeroen

soe8m wrote: ↑Tue May 05, 2020 12:08 am Everytime a cooling issue is discussed here the main reason isn't mentioned. Most castings have a too narrow waterpump hole into the engine block. Some you can put through two thumbs and some a toothstick hardly gets through. Grinding the waterpump hole to a reasonable size approxx 2x3cm will be less restrictive and a far better flow than std.

Second is that most heads don't fit the the engineblock. Waterways casted in the head don't line up with the corresponding in the block. 20 years ago I made a template and put this on the blocks first and grind the holes to it. Then the template on the head and repeat. All lines up correct now and no cooling issues. Tested many times towing caravans with sprints and 1850's at 35 degrees celsius outside temp over the Brenner Pass into Italy.

These are the main reasons of the cooling issues, same as the stags. Some never overheat and some always whatever you do. Some are lucky to have a good casting and accidentally matching heads and some don't have.

Jeroen

Presumably BL didn't know the meaning of quality control. Looking at it realistically, though, most - if not all - cars have their distinct issues, whether it's mechanical or structural. Oddly the worst car for reliability I've owned was a Audi A4 1.8 T-Sport.

Think if you like a car enough you deal with their foibles.

soe8m wrote: ↑Tue May 05, 2020 12:08 am Everytime a cooling issue is discussed here the main reason isn't mentioned. Most castings have a too narrow waterpump hole into the engine block. Some you can put through two thumbs and some a toothstick hardly gets through. Grinding the waterpump hole to a reasonable size approxx 2x3cm will be less restrictive and a far better flow than std.

Second is that most heads don't fit the the engineblock. Waterways casted in the head don't line up with the corresponding in the block. 20 years ago I made a template and put this on the blocks first and grind the holes to it. Then the template on the head and repeat. All lines up correct now and no cooling issues. Tested many times towing caravans with sprints and 1850's at 35 degrees celsius outside temp over the Brenner Pass into Italy.

These are the main reasons of the cooling issues, same as the stags. Some never overheat and some always whatever you do. Some are lucky to have a good casting and accidentally matching heads and some don't have.

Jeroen

Is that going to affect the flow rate enough to make any real difference? I imagine that allot of engines of that period had loose tolerances and poor finishing, by modern standards and they didn't over heat.

Yes. Some castings have a waterpump into engine hole that is about 1cm2. Most of these are early castings and later castings are better but a non matching head is very common. Solving these issues will run an engine not particulary cooler but will stay cooler in hot conditions.

An extra bonus is less strain on the jackshaft. Oilpumps are also non matching and making the oilsystem also restrictive causing extra stress on the jackshaft. Solving these will flow more oil into the engine. More oil doesn't mean more pressure. A restrictive oil system can give a high oil pressure reading and having less oil into the engine as a lower reading free flowing system.

Jeroen

Carledo wrote: ↑Sat May 02, 2020 12:59 pm

matt of the vivas wrote: ↑Sat May 02, 2020 12:36 pm Has Triumph World stopped now then?

Sorry mate but yes! The publishers announced it would be dropped quite recently though there may be a possibly twice yearly book/mag to replace it in part.

Steve

Just looked into this since I have a subscription.
My subscription is still active and the next issue is "Spring/Summer".

So maybe all is not lost?



Ian.

sprint95m wrote: ↑Thu May 07, 2020 10:21 am

Carledo wrote: ↑Sat May 02, 2020 12:59 pm

matt of the vivas wrote: ↑Sat May 02, 2020 12:36 pm Has Triumph World stopped now then?

Sorry mate but yes! The publishers announced it would be dropped quite recently though there may be a possibly twice yearly book/mag to replace it in part.

Steve

Just looked into this since I have a subscription.
My subscription is still active and the next issue is "Spring/Summer".

So maybe all is not lost?

Ian.

This would accord with what I heard, ie a twice yearly offering, the one after presumably being "Autumn/Winter!

Not a lot, but better than nothing! I still have a soft spot for TW!

Steve

I bought the "April May" issue today. Inside it says next issue due May 15th. No indication they are stopping publication.

matt of the vivas wrote: ↑Thu May 07, 2020 8:48 pm I bought the "April May" issue today. Inside it says next issue due May 15th. No indication they are stopping publication.

That's encouraging. Used to be able to buy mine from the local petrol station, but after refurb about 18 months ago they've stopped selling all magazines.

Anyhoo, back on topic.

Before I changed the rear dampers on the 1850 the rear was sitting high. Usually you would expect the back to sink. Once changed, though, it sat beautifully.

Changing the dampers wont change the ride hight, that is down to the springs/

Tony.

dollyman wrote: Changing the dampers wont change the ride hight, that is down to the springs/

Tony.

Yes they can. There are a lot of diffences in lower springseat heights of aftermarket shocks for Dolomites. The orientation where the lower seat is welded on the tube related to the lower fitting eye. This will cause the car to be lower or higher using the same spring.

Jeroen

soe8m wrote: ↑Thu May 07, 2020 11:09 pm

dollyman wrote: Changing the dampers wont change the ride hight, that is down to the springs/

Tony.

Yes they can. There are a lot of diffences in lower springseat heights of aftermarket shocks for Dolomites. The orientation where the lower seat is welded on the tube related to the lower fitting eye. This will cause the car to be lower or higher using the same spring.

Jeroen

Can't remember changing the springs... pretty sure I didn't. But purchased Spax adjustable shocks. That leveled the car out IIRC