The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Hi folks,

I have what’s left of a ‘78 Sprint sitting on my drive, bought by me for spares after a 10 year spell of silently “Rusting in Peace / awaiting restoration” on someone else's drive. Long story short: I’ve decided to save rather than break (I’ll never be rich...), and have managed to get the engine to run. It starts real quick and runs OK-ish, considering a lack of tuning ...all apart from a horrible loud ticking noise :

Starting:
https://youtu.be/NZmY8cKfGrI

Running:
https://youtu.be/HQ-dztbOJiQ

Exhaust:
https://youtu.be/Kvh3yHjnnK0

On my 1850’s resto thread, some of you guys have mentioned valve clearances, sticking valves, chain tensioners, blocked oilways and slipped shims on valves. All good pointers (thank you!), and plenty for me to check out, but I’m posting here just in case there’s anything else it could be ready for when I next attack the engine, and... do you think it’s safe to drive the car the short distance in / out of my garage, or will this cause further damage (if not already done so)? Will sticking valves damage the head or piston assembly? I’m guessing the engine (not original) is from around ‘74 from the block number (VA8xxxHE), if this makes any difference?

Consider me a noob on these engines please (very much the truth... )

Cheers! Mike.

You might add this to the list of things to check:
I had a Sprint engine where one of the two screws holding the chain wheel on the front end of the cam had fallen out. It made a similar noise, that wasn't that obviously just at the front, till the second one sheared off, and the cam stopped. After replacing the bolts, etc., it had reasonably compression on all cylinders, and ran well enough. But I was worried.

Graham

Sound like the timing chain to me, best whip off the cam cover and take a look at it, what dampers are fitted to those carbs , they don't look like the originals

GrahamFountain wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2019 7:44 am You might add this to the list of things to check:
I had a Sprint engine where one of the two screws holding the chain wheel on the front end of the cam had fallen out. It made a similar noise, that wasn't that obviously just at the front, till the second one sheared off, and the cam stopped. After replacing the bolts, etc., it had reasonably compression on all cylinders, and ran well enough. But I was worried.

Graham

Thanks for the tip, Graham! I’ll be checking those, too then... Cheers, Mike.

mahony wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2019 8:56 am Sound like the timing chain to me, best whip off the cam cover and take a look at it, what dampers are fitted to those carbs , they don't look like the originals

Righto, I’ll do that!

I do like your attention to detail I’ve no idea where these dampers came from . The ones on my other Sprint engine (and my 1850) are the normal non-dustless vented cap type (like flat discs on the top with a small breather hole), but these look like dampers off a “dustless” or vented body type (unsurprisingly, with such knowledge of damper types, I don’t get invited to many parties ). Looks like I need to check the carbs are actually HS6’s, and that there is 1 (not 0 or 2) vent hole somewhere in the body or damper cap before ordering up any rebuild kits

Cheers!

Mike.

Sounds like two noises going on there, the light tapping sound might be nothing to worry about, 3 years ago I worried about it, 20 thousand miles later it sounds no different... https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QR7c ... pMZmM/view

mahony wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2019 8:56 am what dampers are fitted to those carbs , they don't look like the originals

Look like ones off HIFs not HSs.

Graham

Galileo wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2019 7:37 pm Sounds like two noises going on there, the light tapping sound might be nothing to worry about, 3 years ago I worried about it, 20 thousand miles later it sounds no different... https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6QR7c ... pMZmM/view

Right, I see what you mean! I can hear the lighter tapping amongst the heavy one now you mention it. I’ll worry about that next . Cheers, Mike.

GrahamFountain wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2019 7:59 pm

mahony wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2019 8:56 am what dampers are fitted to those carbs , they don't look like the originals

Look like ones off HIFs not HSs.

Graham

I’ve just had to google what that meant
It looks like my carbs are HSs though, from the float chamber being at the side rather than underneath. They’ve had the waxstats replaced with a non-waxstat conversion by a PO, so perhaps they bought new (wrong) dampers at the same time. They are surprisingly expensive I’ve just discovered . I may just drill a small hole instead... When I’ve sorted the tapping Cheers, Mike.

Hopefully it's not this,but a jackshaft which has worn the hole at the front of the block in which it runs can be noisy. Usually accompanied by a drop in oil pressure.
Probably not that but worth feeling for movement if you take the timing cover off.

James

red&black wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2019 10:26 pm Hopefully it's not this,but a jackshaft which has worn the hole at the front of the block in which it runs can be noisy. Usually accompanied by a drop in oil pressure.
Probably not that but worth feeling for movement if you take the timing cover off.

James

Oo-er... I hope it’s not that too, that’s a dead block if it’s worn out there, I imagine? Another one for my check list... Cheers! Mike.

A decent machine shop can machine the block and fit a bearing-as it should have been originally. Not cheap though.
I have a block with this problem stashed somewhere.

James

red&black wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2019 11:33 pm A decent machine shop can machine the block and fit a bearing-as it should have been originally. Not cheap though.
I have a block with this problem stashed somewhere.

James

Thanks, James - good to know! And I agree: a plain bearing seems crazy, for the cost of casting a block to accept a roller bearing, but then Triumph never expected the engine to be running 45 years on I guess?

This car in general is in pretty bad shape (read: long term project whilst I enjoy my 1850), so I’m happy to take my time to get it right. It would save a lot of back pain however if this car could power itself backwards / forwards as she’s a heavy old girl: Do you think this engine could do that, sounding as it is, or should it be really be fixed first? I probably need to identify the problem first, eh? Cheers! Mike.

If it was me I'd make sure that it wasn't something that's likely to bring the timing chain off before I ran it regularly.
The deeper noise does sound to be coming from the front to me,and the ticking noise is probably the valve clearances.

It's easy enough to take the timing cover off,and you can undo the crank pulley bolt easily by putting your socket on a bar and wedging it somewhere it can't move. A quick turn on the starter should have the bolt loose. Socket size is 1 1/2 inch or 38mm.

James

red&black wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 8:05 am If it was me I'd make sure that it wasn't something that's likely to bring the timing chain off before I ran it regularly.
The deeper noise does sound to be coming from the front to me,and the ticking noise is probably the valve clearances.

It's easy enough to take the timing cover off,and you can undo the crank pulley bolt easily by putting your socket on a bar and wedging it somewhere it can't move. A quick turn on the starter should have the bolt loose. Socket size is 1 1/2 inch or 38mm.

James

Brilliant, and good tip on the socket + bar, thanks James! If it’s not raining here on Sunday I’ll have a good poke around... Cheers, Mike.