Engine cleaning & fan replacement

It took 2 hours to steam clean all the 2000 engine components but at least it's a good base to start from.

Also, the flywheel fits in the lathe so we can machine it down from the current 13kg to a target weight of 8kg thanks to advice from the Club Triumph forum - that's one heck of a reduction and it should make a difference to low speed pick up.

That was yesterday but today whilst doing a check over UNJ back at home I decided to sort something else out.  There has been rather a strange noise develop which led me to believe the viscous fan was failing and it certainly did not rotate freely as it should. My plan had been to spend £100+ on an electric fan kit but then I remembered a viscous fan assembly I had removed from a Dolomite Sprint engine.

Best part of an hour later it was swapped over and all appears to be well. Subject to a roadtest that's a good way of earning £100 an hour!

I also rejoined Facebook today (against my better judgement) but here's a photo from my daughter Michelle's page showing me and PMW in the Alps last year which brings back happy memories.

PMW looking great with a tremendous background - not sure about me though!

Stripping on a Friday

A racy title but actually 3 1/2 hours of stripping the 2000 engine down.

All very satisfying and it's now stripped right down to it's component parts ready for inspection and cleaning before further work to recondition it.

There should have been plenty of photos but due to a camera malfunction here's just the one that survived.

Here's the cam removed and sat loose on the sump. There's some marking on the lobes which is just about visible in this photo but as I am planning a new cam it's not of any concern.

Friday is Triumph day

A day off work and what can you do but spend it with Triumphs and Club Triumph - can't get much better than that.

First off down to ATS Euromaster in Colne to have a new Michelin fitted to the spare for UNJ. At last I have 5 of the same OE type wheels with 5 Michelins fitted. It gave me a chance to sort through some of the wheels and tyres I have and get three of the old tyres scrapped at the same time. Meanwhile ATS stripped and hopefully fixed 2 slow punctures which are down to 30 year old wheels. If this doesn't do it then refurbished wheels will be needed or I think Rimmers still have "new" ones although I doubt they will be cheap.

Next was over to Bryce's to start work on PMW's original engine, here seen on a pallet along with the original non-overdrive gearbox and cylinder head, rockers etc.

It took a while to lift the engine and get it secure on an engine stand but then we got the sump off for inspection. The crank looks pretty good with probably only shells and thrust washers needed. Having said that there was a fair bit of swarf in the oil pump pick up filter and I have decided to do a "proper job" so Bryce and I are going to strip the engine down completely and get it thoroughly clean first off.

Swarf in oil pick up pipe just visible

Bryce is fine with lightening the flywheel as he has a lathe etc available and then we'll get all the bottom end balanced. Enough for today though as I needed to get home ready for leg 3 of Triumph Friday!

It was 10CR video night at the Pendle and Pennine Area meeting so the projector, audio leads etc had to be found then transported down to the Old Stone Trough in UNJ for setting up before everyone arrived. Thanks to Andy Flexney for helping with this at the OST and Jenny of course for giving us the function room and reserving a table for us all to eat before the evening's entertainment began.

Another good night had by all but I was glad it was all over when my head finally hit the pillow!

I had to spend a fair bit of time on Saturday tidying away from the previous day's activity but did find time for one of those rare events, a small quick job that actually was small, quick and satisfying! There should be a gear lever shroud grommet but this was missing in UNJ which was a bit of a niggle. Rattling around in my loft though I found one, dismantled the shroud and fitted the grommett - cracking job!

Helping the country out of recession

Or - how to keep buying bits for old cars.

Recently I have ordered a spare tyre for UNJ - A Michelin of course due to be fitted on Friday. While I am there I'll get ATS to switch a couple of the existing tyres onto better TR7 alloys I have in an affort to stop two slow punctures.

I have also recently bought a "new old stock" distibutor for PMW and it certainly does look to be in excellent condition so I am really hoping for no more dizzy moments LOL.
Also I have been buying workshop manuals, service sheets and parts manuals like they are going out of fashion so that I must surely have all the information I need to rebuild the original engine. Thanks Mike Charlton for collecting the latest treasures for me.

Not least, I have just bought from ebay 2 seats for UNJ in the right colour which is not easy to get hold of. The driver's seat in the car is broken and ripped/worn so I plan to swap the new one in and keep the others as spares.

There you go you see, there's me doing my bit to keep the UK going!