24 years restoring a Sprint in New Zealand

[Edin Dundee]

...
Robert also suggested that a wheel alignment place could get it bob on by adjusting the tie rod ends while they do the alignment.

stu

Well I can confirm that adjusting the TREs can knock the steering wheel centring off!

[Robert 352]

Several have now raised the issue about getting the steering wheel in the right position so that the car is tracking straight ahead.

I have attempted to do exactly as the workshop manual tells us what to do in and I shall quote directly from the manual itself but I have missed describing a step which I undertook when I cleaned and overhauled the steering rack.

The instructions from the workshop manual are as follows:

1. Locate the car on level ground and position the front wheels in the straight-ahead position.
2. Using wheel alignment equipment, check the front wheel for toe-in. Four requirements should be met:
a) Steering wheel centralised.
b) Steering rack centralised.
c) Front wheels parallel to 1/16 in (1.59 mm) toe-in.
d) Front centres of both tie-rods equal.

In order to meet requirement a) the little metal tang that clips onto the steering column, seen in the photo in my previous posting, the right hand arrow, needs to be sitting at that three o’clock position if the indicators are to cancel correctly. The steering wheel should and can now be mounted as if the car is pointing straight ahead.

To meet requirement b) the steering rack was centralised before I installed it back in the car and it was locked in that position using a bolt screwed in temporarily into the rack housing.

Then the intermediate shaft was installed.

So the position of the steering wheel in relation to the centre of the rack should be correct. In doing so I will have satisfied requirements a) and b).

What I have neglected to do is to explain that prior to installing the steering rack into the subframe I mounted the tie-rod outer ball joints and set them at what I determined the correct measurement was, as shown below.

20121204Pw Steering rack.JPG (44.08 KiB) Viewed 4457 times

The workshop manual describes this in an earlier instruction. Quite how we are expected to measure the nominated centre to centre distance of 9 and 3/16th of an inch is a little beyond me but if even if you get close and get the same dimension side to side then it is very likely that the car will track straight ahead even if the toe-in measurement is incorrect.

I rather suspect too that when the cars were assembled on the assembly line the steering racks were set up with the outer tie-rod ends installed and would have been done in some form of jig which would have given the measurement shown.

I think the important thing to note though is that once the steering column has been centralised and connected to the steering rack, in its centralised position, any adjustments to centre the steering wheel and to correct the toe-in are done by loosening the locknuts #1 and the gaiter clamps #5 in the factory illustration and winding both inner tie-rod ends in or out an equal distance (to correct the position of the steering wheel) or in or out on either side to adjust the toe-in.

If you disturb the relationship of the intermediate shaft couplings to the steering column and or the steering rack then the steering rack will not necessarily be in its central position when the car is tracking straight ahead.

I believe all adjustments should be made on the inner tie-rod ends only.

I will check the toe-in manually when the car is complete and full of fluids and the suspension has settled down to its normal ride height. It can be a fairly time consuming task but I will, in due course, take my car to an alignment specialist who will check not only the toe in but also the castor and camber and to see, in my case, just how accurate Brian’s welding was when he joined the two car halves together. If the specialist has to make any adjustments they will be made on the inner tie-rod ends, leaving the steering wheel set at the straight ahead position.

[Robert 352]

Some years ago I had the opportunity of getting some parts shipped out from the UK in the boot of a car which was being imported into this country. It was a way of saving the cost of shipping. Included in that batch of parts was a Rimmers Stainless Sports Exhaust system.

The component parts have been moved around the store over the years so it was no surprise to realise that when I came to start the installation a couple of days ago that I could not find the fitting instructions. However a search on this Forum turned up a link to the proper Rimmers fitting instructions (thread [solved] Fitting Rimmers’ S/S Sports Exhaust). But the Forum also turned up a couple of other threads in which people had commented about the problems associated with fitting this sports system.

I had no problems at all in following the instructions and all the component parts fitted without any modification what so ever.

With one exception. The bracket for holding the rear silencer hooks over the lip of the large inch and a half hole under the petrol tank into which a rubber bung is inserted. The bottom seam of the inner wheel guard and rear quarter panel of the car is then drilled and the bracket attached to it. All this can be done without removing the fuel tank.

This bracket had a captive nut inserted on its top face into which the rubber bobbin that attaches to the rear mount on the rear silencer is screwed. This captive nut was metric, the bobbin supplied had a 5/16 UNF thread. The captive nut too prevented the bracket from sitting hard up against the floor of the boot.

20121204-3840Ptw Rear silencer exhaust brackets.jpg (84.07 KiB) Viewed 4393 times

I took the petrol tank out and fabricated a simple little bottom bracket onto which a 5/16 UNF nut was welded and also fabricated a small top plate onto which two ¼ UNF bolts were tack welded. The photo above shows this bracket and top plate with the bobbin attached. The boot floor was drilled and the top plate placed on the fuel tank side and the bottom plate bolted in from under the car. A small bead of Dumdum sealer was run round each hole to form a water tight seal. Then with the rear silencer bolted up into place, the other exhaust clamps were tightened after making sure there was enough clearance over the rear axle and where the exhaust passes close to the fuel line.

Some have questioned where and how the intermediate mounting sits. I show a photo here of the intermediate bracket attached to where the original bracket sat and I have arrowed the little turned up lip on the metal cross piece.

20121204-3847Ptw Intermediate exhaust bracket mounting.jpg (114.48 KiB) Viewed 4392 times

The last photo shows the rear silencer mounted in position.

20121204-3856Ptw Rear exhaust bracket mounting.jpg (103.48 KiB) Viewed 4392 times

Getting the fuel tank in and out of the boot is a bit of an art for the fuel outlet pipe which is curved through 90 degrees and which points forward to pick up the under body fuel line prevents the tank from being lifted straight out. So the tank must be lifted and pulled over as far to the left side of the car as possible and held while the rubber bung surrounding the pipe is pushed out of the way so that a spanner can loosen the outlet pipe fitting. It was either a two man operation when the tanks were installed in the cars originally or else they devised a means of holding the tank up in the air while the fuel outlet pipe was positioned correctly and tightened before being lowered onto its mounting points.

[gmsclassics]

Hi Robert

I have to rebuild racks on the race car with monotonous regularity and I also did the Mimosa car recently. All I do is centralise the steering column (and then steering wheel if necessary) and set the rack to the centre position. I then fiddle with both track rod ends so the wheels look approximately straight. The guy who does my wheel alignments, also a Triumph owner, then simply aligns the wheels (and caster/camber) based on the steering wheel pointing straight ahead. He subsequently checks my part by ensuring the final set up has same number of turns in each direction. Never been any issues so far. Any adjustments to caster and camber chnage the toe measurements of course.

Make sure the bottom long bolt securing the suspension to the subframe is longer than you think you need - that is where all of my cars have needed the largest spacers inserted to get the caster / camber correct. I then prefer to use or later change these to washers to avoid those slotted spacers that alignment shops use. I have had one side come out once - everything then gets very loose!

Geoff

[Robert 352]

Geoff

We are in agreement on the matter of setting the steering alignment for I have followed both the manual and what you recommend. The steering column and the steering wheel are in the centre position. The wheels are now close to the recommended toe-in and I have measured the length of thread from the end of the outer tie-rod ends to the end closest to the gaiters and both are about equal. And I have equal turns left and right to full lock so I must be close!

My alignment specialist can do his thing when he fine tunes it all and checks the castor and camber and I shall make sure I have that long bolt you suggest.

Everything gets very loose you said. I once broke the bead on what I now suspect was an under inflated left rear wheel when I turned sharply to the right. The spin was quite, well you might say, lurid! Very loose it was. But I am used to driving on gravel roads which act like ball bearings at times so the handling getting a little loose can be the norm.

Perhaps I could bring my car up to your alignment specialist if he is another Triumph man. That might be a smart move. A bit of a drive though!

Thanks for the advice.

Robert

[Robert 352]

Following the fitting of the exhaust system last week the last big job was to fit the propeller shaft. I have a new one which I have fitted as the original with two constant velocity joints, one at the mid point and the other at the differential end of the shaft needs new boots and because it has been run with the back boot in tatters it is likely that the joint itself will need some remedial work.

The propeller shaft differs from the original for it has two universals, one at the front and one at the rear of the shaft. Hopefully there will not be a great deal of vibration for most of the angular movement takes place at the centre joint which is a proper constant velocity joint.

It was interesting to note that both the parts book and the Rimmers website list bolts for the propeller shaft and for the rear anti-roll bar that do not follow the standard part numbering sequence. So it was difficult to locate the correct length of bolt even amongst the now dwindling selection I have. I think I have fitted the right ones.

With the propeller shaft in place the next job was to install the clutch slave cylinder and make the connection back to the clutch master cylinder and then fill both the brake and clutch reservoirs and bleed them.

I had both master cylinders and the clutch slave cylinder resleeved and new seals fitted recently but the front callipers and rear brake cylinders were fitted with seal kits many years ago and had been left to sit dry. So although I was able to bleed the system satisfactorily it did not take long before the rear wheel cylinders started to leak. I have now removed the callipers, the rear wheel cylinders and the load sensing valve and will take them into Christchurch in the next day or two and will locate and fit new seals again before reinstalling them. It is a bit of a set back but the system has had a good flushing. It is imperative of course that the brakes work in the manner in which they were intended to do.

I located the original 15C6 Lucas coil which was fitted in the car and mindful that it too has been sitting on a shelf unused for a number of years I had that tested last week by one of the older and more experienced Auto Electricians in Christchurch. He pronounced the coil to be in excellent condition when he checked it under load and remarked that those Lucas made coils gave and continue to give very few problems unlike some of the more modern coils and transformers fitted to newer vehicles.

I asked his opinion too on the fitting of some form of electronic replacement for the distributor points. His advice was to stay with what the car came out with originally and only change if I suspected or knew that the distributor was worn. So I will stay with the original set up in the meantime and change only when it becomes necessary to do so.

The gearbox has been filled with the correct measure of oil, an EP90 GL4 grade. Because the gearbox cover has not been fitted at this stage I filled it by removing the bung

20121210-3878Pw Gearbox filler.jpg (127.43 KiB) Viewed 4238 times

on the top of the gear selector cover and will leave it for a couple of days before checking to see that the oil reaches up to the filling bung which is mounted below the clutch slave cylinder.

The differential oil level needs to be checked before the car is lowered to the ground and the back axle remains the one suspect item on the car for it sustained a very heavy load when the back of the car was crushed. I have been able to locate another Sprint axle assembly and am in the process of stripping it, repainting and fitting new seals so that I have a spare if needed.

[sprint95m]

It was interesting to note that both the parts book and the Rimmers website list bolts for the propeller shaft and for the rear anti-roll bar that do not follow the standard part numbering sequence. So it was difficult to locate the correct length of bolt even amongst the now dwindling selection I have. I think I have fitted the right ones.

Mad Mart has also encountered this......


PROPSHAFT BOLTS (for a Sprint)
Serial Dolomite Sprint restorer Mad Mart asked
“I need to get some propshaft bolts for PUS. My local store has 1" long ones but they are set bolts. I know they should have about a ¼" shank on them (ie. bolts) but was wondering if it would be ok to use set bolts?”

Sprint95m replied
“No.
The shank is needed to take the load.
A threaded section will deform.”

Which led Mad Mart to ask
“That's what I thought Ian but the shank is only about ¼" long so will only go through the prop flange & not the gearbox/diff flange?”

This question made Sprint95m investigate further and he posted
“ '76 Parts book shows 144961 for the diff and 107960 for the gearbox end.
I am unable to find a cross reference for these bolts to determine the size.

However the T2000 workshop manual states 3/8"UNF x 1-1/8" bolt for the diff
but doesn't mention what is used at the gearbox end.
Will this type be a better fit?
(I don't have a 2000 parts book so don't know the number. Sorry.)”

and later followed this up with
“ Looking at an old advert from Chris Witor,
107960 is indeed 1-1/8" long.
He has had these remade,
60p for each bolt,
24p for each nyloc nut or
£3 per set of four nuts & bolts.

As both the diff flange and propshaft flange are the same on a 2000 and a two UJ equipped Sprint, I can see no reason why 107960 cannot be used.
Is it possible that 144961 was only used on the early two CV joint propshafts?”

Mad Mart bought the bolts from Chris Witor and then reported
“Ok, I have fitted the bolts I got from CW. On the gearbox end there is plenty of room so no probs. On the diff. end, however, the bolts are a tad long and just touch the end of the diff. housing. So I fitted 1/16" washers under the bolt heads & that's done the job.”

PUS is Mad Mart's latest project. It is a Sapphire blue Sprint that has had an interesting history. West Scotland TDC rep Calum Anderson restored this car in the 90s and later sold it. Unfortunately since then it had fallen into disrepair.
Mart's last Sprint restoration, (the Magenta coloured) THJ 27N was on the front of Dolly Mixture no.137.



Hope this helps.

(It is worth noting too that deeper nyloc nuts were used on the T2000 range and Sprints (other Dolomites had normal nylocs)
but the Sprint parts books don't make that very clear. I suspect that the normal type will be fine unless the car is subjected to
heavy use.)




Ian.

[Robert 352]

I am very grateful to Sprint95m/Ian for taking the time to summarise the comments made in an earlier thread (Propshaft Bolts) about the prop shaft bolts.

This afternoon I have been under my Sprint again and have withdrawn one of the bolts which holds the prop shaft to the diff flange and have measured it and compared it with the bolts fitted to the gearbox/front prop shaft flange.

I can confirm that I have fitted the correct bolts, 107960, 3/8 x 1 1/8 UNF to the gearbox flange and I have fitted shorter 3/8 x 1 inch UNF bolts to the diff flange. I had tried the 1 1/8 bolts in the diff flange but like Mad Mart I too had discovered that they touched the diff housing but rather than add a washer under the heads of the bolts I have opted to fit a slightly shorter bolt.

I found in my stock of bolts three versions of the 3/8 x 1 inch bolt, they were as follows;

3/8 x 1 inch, thread length 3/4, giving a shank length of 1/4 of an inch (0.250 of an inch)
3/8 x 1 inch, thread length 11/16, giving a shank length of 5/16 of an inch (0.3125 of an inch)
3/8 x 1 inch, thread length 5/8, giving a shank length of 3/8 of an inch (0.375 of an inch)

I have fitted these last bolts for the length of the bolt is just sufficient to reach all the way through a standard nyloc nut and the shank reaches well into the diff flange.

I have taken some measurements of the diff and rear prop shaft flanges which were as follows;

Thickness of diff flange plus rear prop shaft flange, 0.565 of an inch, (which is close to 9/16 of an inch)
Thickness of diff flange, 0.350 of an inch
Therefore the thickness of the rear prop shaft flange is 0.565 – 0.350 = 0.215 of an inch

The bolts are passed through the thinner rear prop shaft flange which has a thickness of 0.215 and through the diff flange so in using the bolts with a shank length of 0.375 of an inch there is around 0.160 of an inch of shank of the bolt passing into the diff flange. It is, I suspect, more than sufficient to locate in the holes accurately.

Mad Marts solution was to use the 3/8 x 1 1/8 bolt which on those I have here have a thread length of 5/8 of an inch and a shank length of 1/2 an inch (0.500). However in order to stop them protruding and touching the diff housing he fitted a washer under the head of the bolt. I measured a standard washer which had a thickness of 0.065 of an inch, a fraction larger than 1/16 of an inch. Had I opted to do the same it would allow the shank to reach into the diff flange by another 1/16th of an inch. I am not sure that it will be any better than the solution I have chosen.

I suspect that the part number 144961 possibly related to either a bolt with an overall length of 1 1/16 of an inch or it was a bolt with an overall length of 1 inch but with the shorter thread length of around 5/8 of an inch. They would have been used with a stover type nut which tend to be shorter than a nyloc nut.

In due course I will purchase either some 3/8 x 1 1/2 or some 3/8 x 1 1/4 high tensile bolts. I will select to get a shank length of at least 1/2 an inch and will shorten them to 1 1/16 for this will ensure that bolts pass all the way through the nuts, and reach well into the diff flange. In shortening them though it will be necessary to do so in a manner that when finished they are all identical in length and therefore in weight.

As a little aside I have a spare Sprint axle which had been rather crudely removed from the car it was installed into by someone cutting through the prop shaft. I removed one of the four bolts this afternoon which was holding the remains of the prop shaft. It measured 3/8 x 1 inch and had a thread length of 3/4 of an inch. If it was an original fitting then I suppose it would have worked satisfactorily for the shank would have still be long enough (just) to reach into the diff flange.

[Robert 352]

I have spent quite a lot of time over the past couple of years reading some of the topics on this Forum and following some of the threads, all relating to the restoration of Dolomites. Last week I finished reading Howard81’s story of “The resurrection of KSF404T – 1978 Sprint” and was marvelling at his perseverance as he slowly worked through a series of problems which followed the initial resurrection of his car several years before. His last posting, just under 6 months ago, covered the rebuild of the carbs. I hope Howard81 can follow up this posting with a happy ever after story. We all like a fairy tale story with a happy ending.

But reading his thread has been extremely timely for me for this week, as I contemplated the finish of my restoration – and the thought that there was not a great deal more to do, everything I seemed to touch went wrong. I have Irish forebears so perhaps there is a bit of Murphy’s Law evident here. “If it is going to go wrong it will………..”! Indeed it has.

I mentioned in my last posting that upon trying to bleed the brakes that there were leaks in the rear wheel cylinders. I spoke to CBC - Brake Resleeving Specialists here in Christchurch early last week, who had rebuilt the clutch master and slave cylinder and the brake master cylinder a few weeks ago and told them that I was experiencing problems. They stated that brake and clutch components do not store dry well so acting on their advice I stripped the front callipers and rear wheel slave cylinders and the load sensing valve off the car and took them in for a service. They provided a very rapid service, they resleeved (fitting stainless sleeves) the rear wheel cylinders, rekitted them and rekitted the front callipers and supplied a couple of new calliper pistons and overhauled the load sensing valve. It took them less than 24 hours to complete the work.

Upon fitting and bleeding the brake system again another leak became evident. This time it is at the little male to male fitting on the brake line close to the underside of the handbrake lever. I am not sure what I am going to do here. I have run out of brake fluid so I must purchase more before I do anything.

20121215-3887Pw Leaking brake line.jpg (125.01 KiB) Viewed 4033 times

However I think what I will do is to break the connection, slide the female nuts back and check that I have not trapped some dirt under the flared end of the brake pipes, and perhaps fit a new male/male coupling.

There is also a weep of fluid coming under the Dowty type washer on the clutch slave cylinder. So I will have to break the pipe there and replace that washer, perhaps this time with a soft alloy washer.

20121215-3889Pw Gearbox leak at the exhaust mount.jpg (146.26 KiB) Viewed 4033 times

I have filled the gearbox with the nominated quantity of oil and I notice that I have a weeping of oil out of the bolt hole arrowed in the photo above, which is running down the exhaust bracket and dripping onto the floor. I am not quite sure what to do here either. I think I will loosen the bracket itself and work a trace of gasket sealant on the face between the gearbox and bracket and the smear a trace of sealant on the other face and fit plain washers between the spring washer and the head of the bolt. And see what happens.

There are other leaks evident too. I filled the engine with oil! And as I contemplated filling the radiator I noticed small pools of oil on my clean floor. All in preparation of fitting a battery and turning the engine over.

I have two oil leaks in the engine. The first between the head gasket and the timing cover in the position marked with the arrow.

20121215-3882Pw Leaking head gasket.jpg (113.22 KiB) Viewed 4033 times

I fitted the head gasket dry. There is no sealant on the front where it sits over the timing cover. There is oil evident already and I have not even attempted to start the car! It may seal up but the fact that it leaked as I filled through the oil filler directly above makes me fear the worst. Replace the head gasket perhaps?

There is another oil leak from somewhere around the rear of the sump. And that one has me truly baffled – pardon the pun! More on that shortly if I can get my camera into a position where I can take a meaningful photograph to show where the oil is.

Oh frustration when I thought I might have the car mobile by the end of the month.

Any suggestions, from those of you who have done this all before?

Robert

[gmsclassics]

You have to like a challenge if you are restoring a Sprint, otherwise you go mad!

Headgasket
The obvious question is was the surface of the block absolutely flush with the top of the camchain cover before fitting the head? I also presume the two lugs were in place so that the cover was securely in place and not able to move around slightly on the bolts? If they weren't then loosening the head bolts/nuts and the bolts holding the cover and starting tightening with the head might improve matters. Long shot though. It does seem strange that oil is coming out just on filling.
I always use copper gasket spray liberally on both sides of the head gasket - helps too with the movement due to the different expansion rates of head and block. I think I would try re-torquing the head again before resorting to a head off job, which you can do in situ.

Oil leak
Snap. I still haven't cured the leak on the Mimosa car which has been there since I put that together, now some 650 miles ago. Mine is on the offside rear 'of the sump' which in fact means it could come from the sump gasket, or a cracked sump, or a bent sump, or the oil pump or the rear engine oil seal around the crank. So far I have changed the sump gasket (in situ) and used lashings of silicon sealer and changed the oil pump, all to no avail. Please let me know the answer to this as it is on my list of jobs for the Christmas holidays!

Clutch and brake leaks
I have found that most can be cured by simply tightening up even more so that the metal surfaces form a proper seal. Especially where washers or flared unions are concerned. I would persevere before taking apart.

Let us know how you get on.

Geoff

[soe8m]

The oilseals at the rear have a too weak spring. I alway's cut about 5mm off the spring and then fit it again. Do not cut more otherwise the cranckshaft does wear in. (250.000 testing km's)

Jeroen

[Mad Mart]

The oilseals at the rear have a too weak spring. I alway's cut about 5mm off the spring and then fit it again. Do not cut more otherwise the cranckshaft does wear in. (250.000 testing km's)

Jeroen

That's a good tip.

[gmsclassics]

Jeroen
Looks like I will be sorting my oil leak out so, so could you explain how you go about rejoining the spring after cutting out 5mm so that it doesn't break. Sorry, but my technical skills are somewhat limited. I would hate to try, then find the spring breaks and I have to remove the gearbox yet again!

thanks
Geoff.

[soe8m]

This way, you can unscrew them.

[sprint95m]

Upon fitting and bleeding the brake system again another leak became evident.

There is also a weep of fluid coming under the Dowty type washer on the clutch slave cylinder.

There are other leaks evident too.


I have two oil leaks in the engine. The first between the head gasket and the timing cover.
There is another oil leak from somewhere around the rear of the sump.

Robert,
No. 1, I agree with Geoff, try tightening the unions/adapter up a bit more.

No.2 For the clutch slave I would a employ copper washer. It needs to be 7/16" or 11mm bore, 12mm is too big.


No.3, the gearbox, I would try some Hylomar (or similar) on the threads.


No.4, the engine. I am not sure what to make of this, but am sure it won't be the head gasket to blame.




Ian.