john.r.davies
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Posts posted by john.r.davies
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Quite agree that 'ideal' tyre pressure differs depending on all the factors quoted.
But how to determine what is best for you?
I suggest careful and frequent mesurement of the tread depth.
A simple tread gauge can measure to half a millimeter (1/50")
It should be equal across the tread, or a gradual and linear change across it, as some like more camber than others and camber is a different Q.
Over inflation leads to more wear in the centre, under inflation more wear on the shoulders.
Hope that helps!
John
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Richard,
I have a non-standard fuel filler, and one of those flush fitting caps, that I had to drill.
But then it was pointed out that hard cornering lead to a spray of petrol out of the cap!
It was "sealed" (thanks Chief Engineer Binman) by a split pin!
No spray now!
How do you end fuel spray misery?
John
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Complete guess, BP, but just cap it off - no point in trying anything fancy - it's doing nothing now except provide you with that "Eau d'Triumph".
JOhn
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Welcome Paul, and what a nice looking car too!
I fear your DPO confused bigger with better - HS8s are, IMHO, just too big.
The chokes/venturis are designed for a 3.8 or 4litre engine. With the air velocity that a 2.5 can produce, the needles chosen will always be too thick or too thin. You'll never get a good mixture right across the range of revs.
Triumph used HS6 SUs on the non-Pi 2.5 Saloon, and I've used them with no probs.
Strombergs are just SU knock-offs, redesigned by Triumph with a diaphragm instead of a sliding seal on the piston to get around the SU patents! They work in exactly the same way but, again IMHO, suffer from diaphragm failure which cannot happen to an SU.
John
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Jon,
Are Minilites the only option?
Revolutions look good - IMHO.
See: http://www.revolutionwheels.com/classic_fourspoke.shtml
(might be cheaper than Quiller, too)
John
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6-to-1 only works at unfeasibly high revs for a six cylinder - without steel everything.
6-3-1 most effective
6-2-1 NBG.
Just MHO.
JOhn
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Last year, Halfords had a free list available of many countries and the various legal requirments for kit that they expect you to carry, but you might not - eg HiViz jacket, for Spain, First Aid Kit (with contents specified - and its not just a bandage and an elastoplast.) for Germany.
See also the RAC site:http://www.rac.co.uk/web/travelservices/european_motoring_advisor/
John
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Video of good race at Brands.
Splendid dice between two TR4s(?)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7266323492186420779
John
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Adam,
Oil burning (blue smoke) on a newly built engine means poorly bedded-in piston rings. Allowing the bores to glaze will ruin the seal for the life of the engine, unless you go back and re-hone the bores again.
The usual routine is to use a mineral oil without anti-wear additives (ie cheap supermarket oil - I use B&Q!) and run it with regular and frequent throttle closure, allowing engine braking to slow the car. This increases vacuum and draws oil up into the bores. Then after 50-500 miles (depending on how keen you are), drain while hot and replace with a good quality oil and a new filter.
John
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I changed the engine, model and the body style (Triumph, but not a TR) and all it needed was a visit to the local DVLC - and that was only because it was faster than the post.
John
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Ron,
Silly answer - can you get up as quick from your bed in the morning, as from your desk when coffee time calls?
Serious - with a Pi setup the injector lines, indeed the whole system, can drain down and have to be refilled from the tank by the pump(s). You have a carb setup and filled the float chambers, but I suspect that the same applies - the fuel system needs to be filled by a working, not hand cranked fuel pump - or do you have an electric pump with a switch seperate from the ignition?
Another idea - fuel is a blend of many compounds with differing volatilities. The lighter ones evaporate, so stored fuel may lack the necessary elements for easy starting, especially that fuel contained in the fuel system, rather than the tank. You can get fuel storage additives, but maybe run the tank nearly dry before the winter and top up with fresh in the spring?
John
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All,
Kas Kastner claimed 218bhp from his 2 litre sixes, by going well into 8000+ revs.
He wouldn't consider trying anything like that for a 2.5. Crankshaft "was a piece of rubber".
John
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I'd like to echo that with my sincere thanks to the TRR (and TSSC) members who organised this meeting, and the good if cold weather.
Yes, it was fun, meeting old friends again and having a track bash.
It also revealed my car's weaknesses and suggested some solutions, which has to be the purpose of a track/test day.
Luckily, the cars last suggestion, that one wheel less might further reduce aerodynamic drag, did not lead to the usual consequence of spinning off, digging into the grass, instant death roll. Just a spectacular (from the inside) triple Salchow. Sorry, guys in the second to last session.
Less fun was the inexperienced and aggressive behaviour of some entrants.
What didn't you understand about the drivers briefing? - "OVERTAKING IS ON THE LEFT".
I'm proud of my car, both for its engineering and its appearance. To be run into by a shed, even one with more horsepower than sense, is not pleasant. To get the two fingers on the next lap is just rude.
I'm NOT a race or track day virgin. In fact, these remarks may be considerd by some to be typical old f*rt. In racing such behaviour may be acceptable, just, we're all human and we go racing for the challenge - it happens in the heat of the moment. But on a commercial track day, you would be escorted off the park for behaviour like that. No arguements.
We were lucky to have a wise MSA Clerk of the Course in charge, but he has no authority over people without a race licence. For the continuation of this event, and so that non-racing members will continue to enjoy it, I hope that in future the TSSC/TRR will take more authoritative action. In particular, may I suggest that they take a tip from the commercial track day organisers and rule that overtaking shall NOT occur on corners, only on the straight?
John
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Good point from jerry - WAS it rebuilt??
And also that roller rockers are wildly overpriced for a road car, that hasn't got hilift cams and no need for the highest revs.
The Clickadjust suits some people, not all. It works by closing up the gap completely then opening it again by a ratchet mechanism that allows you you move the screw by so many clicks. You translate the 'book' gap to clicks, the number per thou depending on the thread of the screw, but it comes with a crib sheet that used to mention Triumphs.
It also incorporates both the spanner to hold the locknut and the screwdriver to adjust the screw in one tool. Still a two handed job, but no need to use the feeler gauge.
Problem is, it's seems like black magic, and many prefer to adjust with a feeler gauge, to give them the confidence that the gap is 'right'. And, the minimum that it can adjust to is one click. Can't remember what that translates to for a Triumph.
The time when this tool can set gaps more accurately than feeler gauges is when the tip of the rocker is worn. Typically, the end of the valve stem wears a pit in the head of the rocker. When you set the gap, the feeler bridges the pit, so that the gap set is the feeler thickness PLUS the depth of the pit. Because the Clickadjust closes the gap right up, then opens it by a prescribed amount, it can adjust the gap accurately despite the pit.
BUT, using this tool when the wear has occurred is a bodge! Open up the gap completely and feel the underside of the tip with a fingertip. If you can feel any wear, it is too much - your finger tip is a feeler gauge that can detect one thou! - and that means the tip hardening has gone, wear will accelerate, and if it has occured to that extent, there must be wear elsewhere, if only of the rocker shaft, that needs replacing as ron suggests. And a new shaft with worn rockers? False economy to my mind.
Advice? IF, and only if the rocker tips are worn - new rocker assembly, complete.
If not, seek the noise elsewhere.
Hope that helps,
John
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If your engine runs okay on 97, how can 99 make any difference?
If you had to adjust the ignition timing to get it to tolerate 97, it might.
If you increased the compression ratio to take advantage of the higher octane number, it might.
Otherwise, no way!
The octane number is a measure of how knock-resistant the fuel is, not of the energy it can provide.
Modern engines with electronic, mapped ignition are designed to run as close to pre-ignition as they can, without actually knocking. They will benefit, but not a Triumph six!
John
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The problem with measuring the point of max lift of a valve or TDC of a piston lies in the natureof reciprocal motion. As either reaches the top of the stroke, the moevemtn per degree of shaft rotation beocmes less and less, until at TDC it becomes zero. A dial gauge is designed to measure very small movements, but not zero movement. So despite the accuracy of a dial guage, using one is a skill that the occasional engine builder cannot easily acquire.
Triumph wrote the workshop manual (the Bentley is a facsimile), not for engine builders but for garages that maintained the cars where mechanics and engineers would have little more engine building experience than the owner/mechanic. So we should not be surprised that they chose to recommend a method that deos not use a dial gauge. That is not to say that the 'Lift on Overlap' method is inferior - it is equally as accurate.
Lift on Overlap also has two advantages. First, it measures the valve or cam lift at a point in the cycle where the movement for each degree of rotaton of the shaft is high, and does so by seeking an equality of height, rather than an absolute measurement, so it may be done with a simple vernier depth guage. Second, it does not need a protractor.
To complete the setting, crankshaft TDC must also be found, and a similar method is extremely accurate. make up a simple tool to stop the piston about halfway up the bore. If the head is off, a piece of angle iron drilled for the head studs and for a long bolt in the middle will serve, or else if the head is on, an old spark plug with a long bolt glued in place of the porcelain. With a protractor in place on the crank nose, turn the crank until the piston is stopped. Note the angle. Turn the piston the other way unti it stopped again and note the second angle. TDC is exactly halfway between the two angles. See pic.
And Triumph did rather well to provide the offset bolt holes on the cam sprocket. turn through 90 degrees for a 1/4 tooth change, turn righ over for a 1/2 tooth and through 90 again for a 3/4 change. That allows you to adjust the cam within two degrees, another skill that needs experience to aquire and better, even with a vernier sprocket!
John
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Length of pipe to be covered in tape x 2 x radius of pipe x Pi. (length x Circumference = area)
Divided by the width of the tape. (= length of eqivalent rectangle)
Multiply by 2 if you want to cover with a double layer, overlapping each turn.
That's how much tape you need.
John
PS For a setup like Unclepete's, you'll need to estimate the circumference.
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You CAN shim rocker pedastles - just make sure that there is a hole in the right place - but with two joints rather than one, leakage must be more likely.
If you have your camshaft reground at the same time, this may not be a problem at all. The grinder will reduce the diameter of the base circle, so that the follower and pushrod lie lower in the block.
John
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Howard,
And a very happy Christmas to you, too.
(Chilling with a coffee while the rest of the family get up)
I'm sorry that no one has answered your previous, as this has to be THE message borard for TRs, and there should be gurus here to answer you. I can't answer from personal knowledge, but I suspect that this is just a serial no./part no., as a +80 overbore sounds over the top.
Best wishes
John
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LJB,
DON'T connect two batteries in series! That means in a line, or with the positive terminal of one connected to the negative of the next. The result with two good batteries would be 24V into the car's system and probably blown coil, bulbs, whatever.
Try with two batteries in parallel - positives connected, negatives connected. Connect one pair of positive and negative to the car and the result will be only 12V to the car, or to the charger. What's more, once the good battery is charged, the old, discharged one will continue to be charged. HOWEVER, if you have a 'trickle' charger, that may be confused by the two batteries and contiue to put a higher voltage into the system tyhan the 'good' one needs and cause fluid loss by electrolysis.
I fear there are two causes of dead batteries. 1/ Old age - each time they are used and then charged some metal is lost from the electrodes, and then put back, but not so securely and not perfectly, there is always some loss. The lost metal ends up on the floor of the black box. Eventually an electrode breaks - no circuit, infinite resistance - or shorts out the remaining electrdes - short ciruit, no resistance. And 2/ complete discharge - the current from a battery comes from the acid attacking the metal. If the battery is allowed to discharge, even by a small curent for a long time, the above can happen, because all the metakl is dissolved and their is nothing left to recharge onto.
I don't alledge that you left the lights on - a worn wire to some lights can do this. Suggest you put an ammeter in line with the battery when the car is switched off, and see if there is a current leak, If there is, follow it through the loom to find the cause.
A lead acid battery will live a very long time if it is kept fully charged and not used. A perfect impractical situation, but one helped by a trickle charger for a car used only occasionally.
God luck with your leak hunt!
John
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Bryan,
I've been successful in limiting leaks from a (pressed steel) cover by:
1/ Fettling the cover, so that it is flat at the rim (place it on a flat surface like a table top and see if it wobbles) and at the studs (light blows with a round headed hammer)
2/ Use of close fitting washers on the studs, with o-rings under them and nylock nuts over. The O-rings need not be a close fit on the stud. Only tighten until you see the cover give, JUST.
3/ getting rid of the external oil supply!
John
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Taff,
Another safety technique is to wire the fuel pump via the oil pressure switch. Engine stops - no oil pressure - volts to fuel pump cut - no fuel pressure either. You need a bypass to override the lack of oil pressure on starting, that could be your dashboard switch, but make it a 'momentary' switch that goes off when you let go, like a starter.
But "crimp AND solder"? Not IMHO, or rather in the opinion of my electrical engineer friend and of Formula One practice, who recommends/which uses, crimp only. By capillary action, solder will creep up the wire away from the connection, making the wire stiff and prone to vibration loosening, metal fatigue and fracture. A crimping tool can be cheap, useful for a small wiring job, or expensive, a professional's constant companion for many years. You pays your money.... Just don't try with ordinary pliers.
John
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Try a print preview of that webpage - mine puts each print page on three sheets of A4, chopping the text away from diagrams and illustrations. You may decide that the paltry sum of £5 for a perfect facsimile of the original is worth it.
John
(NFI in Wheatsheaf Press - just a satisfied customer, who likes to learn from books, not looseleaf folders!)
SU HD8's on 71?
in TR6 Forum
Posted · Edited by john.r.davies
Cinnobar,
I'd hate to try and impose my mere opinions on you, so you might like to troll over to the Ten Tenths site where an active thread is discussing choke/venturi size. See: http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82568
The opinion of many, not just one, is that too big a choke/venturi will be a disadvantage.
Education, education, education.
John