Knowing when

The elctronic ignition has made a big difference and although there may be some advantage in further adjustment to the timing the car is running the best it has in a very very long time.

So today I decided to move on to something else.

There has always been an oil leak from the sump plug area and this is also in close proximitiy to the infamous clutch slave cylinder and it's couplings so today I got the car up on axle stands again and worked on both.

Having drained the oil I cleaned the sump plug, got two copper washers for it and applied some liquiid PTFE as advised by a Club Triumph friend, Rob Southern. With this done I put the sump plug back in and refilled with oil.

At the same time I checked the hydraulic hose coupling to the slave cylinder and there still seemed a slight weep here. So I removed the coupling, cleaned and dried it all as well as found a new copper washer that fitted more snugly. Then after applying the liquid PTFE I re-assembled it and bled the system with fresh hydraulic fluid.

Then I drove tthe car for an extended test of 35 miles.

1. The car never missed a beat with the engine pulling storngly, making gorgeous noises from 3000RPM and the overdrive working too!
2. The clutch worked fine thorughout and when I got back no hydraulic fluid hasd been lost - result!
3. From what I can see the oil leak from the sump plug has been fixed.

I was well pleased with all that and I know toquit when I am ahead!

That's enough for this weeknd and maybe the 10CR will be OK after all.

Clutch fixed, engine running fine. Confidence level 30%

Copper washer in place

I have returned to the ungrateful PMW today and fitted a copper washer to the clutch hydraulic pipework at the slave cylinder as advised. Then after refilling and bleeding the hydraulics I took it for a run on my usual route.

I can report that 8 miles were completed with the clutch working correctly and the engine running just fine which is great as far as it goes. I have been "bit" many times before though so I am reserving judgement and at this time would only say I am 30% confident in the car.

Meanwhile, the curious electric fan issue has returned in that it comes on as the car is started, cuts off later and then refuses to cut in when the engine temperature rises and it's needed. It will restart though if I turn the car off and then immediately put the ignition back on.

If and it's a big if, the clutch is now OK then I need to be reassured that the engine problems are resolved. To this end I have bought an Aldon Ignitor electonic ignition kit which should arrive next week. Yes I know there are cheaper kits out there but I have always had good experiences with Aldon's goods so I am taking no chances (or at least as few as possible).

When that is fitted and the engine running is sorted (as well as the clutch problems) I will move on to the overdrive switch, the electric fan problems and at some point the seized heater valve. Higher on the priority list though is an MOT this month as in theory I am using PMW for the North Yorkshire Triumph Weekend although I did day that last year too and couldn't!

Where's the nearest scrapyard?

Just about had enough of this car now.

Took it out for a run to check out the various issues.

Clutch worked fine - so that's a good thing but I haven't yet checked the integrity of the slave cylinder couplings.

Overdrive worked with the switch nicely in position on the top of the gearkob - then it stopped working. Faffing about with it in a layby didn't help, the connections are too long/falloff/the wiring is too long holds the switch out of the top of the gearknob and then when I finally gave up the top of the knob flew off somewhere into the recesses of the car.

If I keep this car it will get a proper switch somewhere else. I used to have a TR3 overdrive switch on my Vitesse years ago and that would look good - or maybe one of those rally type ones on the gearlever but with a proper toggle switch.

Meanwhile, whilst in another layby I tried to sort out what was happening with the heater thanks to some tips from my mate Andy Pearce only to find the linkage on the heater valve on the inlet pipe is entirely missing! What joy. More faffing about there then.

There should be a linkage on the centre of the circular brass valve!

Finally to cap it all off when I left the second layby the car started hesitating and backfiring - now it was a case of if I could get it home. With much revving in low gears I got the car home and now it is under the car port in shame waiting for when/if I can be bothered to look at any of these different problems.

10CR in 2015 in this car looks a long way off right now.

In fact, why don't I sell my Triumph sand buy a reliable Z4 or something instead?

Not convinced

Slave cylinder now fitted the correct side of the bracket

So, returning to the clutch saga here's the slave cylinder fitted at the rear of the bracket  giving more of a "push" and maybe helping the loss of fluid problem.

I did take the car for an 8 mile run and the clutch worked just fine but will the fluid stay in the system?

Well, I have all the connections as tight as I can get them. I have cleaned them off and then left some kitchen towel tissue around them to see if there's any seepage visible in a day or so.

Leak detection system!

Meanwhile, there is visible leakage from the sump plug area too!! 

Now actually I don't think it's the sump plug itself especially as I have PTFE round it.

I think there may be a problem with the brazing on the threaded insert that the sump plug goes in to.

I could do without that really.


















Having had enough of that though I then ventured inside the car to try and get the overdrive switch on top of the gear lever fitted properly. It just won't sit down as it should though so now I know why I have seen a fair few cars with insulation tape holding the switch on!

I thought a combination of pulling the wiring down the gear lever and pressing the switch into place would sort it out but no matter what I do I can't get it to co-operate. Thoughts of a normal gearknob and wiring another switch start to come to mind or buying a different type altogether as used to be fitted to works cars but that seems a bit drastic right at the moment.

Did I mention the heater still doesn't work?

Oh, and how about the fact that the weld broke on the bonnet stay so it went further forward than it should and marked the paint on the bonnet and slam panel?

Don't you just love classic cars?

Clutching at straws

Yes, the clutch problems continue.

There's a pool of hydraulic fluid under the slave cylinder area which looks to me to be the connections - no matter what I do I can't seem to sort it out.

Thanks to help from friends on the Club Triumph forum and a Triumph Facebook page I have a number of things to try next though.

The slave cylinder with pool of huydraulic fluid in evidence on the floor!

It has been pointed out that the slave cylinder is fitted the wrong side of the bracket which could give a risk of the push rod dropping out. That's another problem, never mind the fluid loss. It also probably explains why the clutch feels at the bottom of the pedal's travel so this will be one thing I'll deal with when I get to work on it over Christmas.

The view of the connections from underneath.

 

 

 

 

Into Overdrive - then!

Last week I had fitted a new overdrive gearlever wiring harness but the overdrive didn't work  :-(

This week I patiently worked through the wiring with my digital analyser as most overdrive probelms are electrical.

First check - power to the switch - yes.

OK - now time to dismantle the gearlever gaiter so I could get to the top of the gearbox.

That allowed me to check if there was  power from the switch. Yes.

OK good so far. I could see wiring to the inhibitor but that wouldn't be easy to get to and I didn't feel like pulling the connectors off to check if power was there as it wouldn't be easy to get them back on.

No matter - I could check if there was power reaching the solenoid with the the ignition on and the car in 3rd or 4th by jacking the car up and getting it on to axle stands.

This accomplished when I got under the car I saw the earth lead to the solenoid wasn't connected. Putting that back on and then checking the power said everything should be OK.

Whilst under the car I noticed the clutch slave cylinder connection was weeping as was the sump plug so I tightened them up a tad. Note this for later reference.

With the car back on the ground I carefully reassembled the gear lever gaiter and associated trim, even replacing a missing clip and screw.

So, the moment of truth - would the overdrive work?

Out on a test drive and I can report yes it does - hurragh!

Which is just as well because the clutch failed but I managed to jam it in third and switch between third and overdrive third to limp back home.

The 2000 is now back under the car port in shame until next weekend. I think I will take a long hard look at the whole clutch hydraulics again and see if I can sort that one out next.

I am absolutely convinced there's a great car lurking behind all this grief and I'll get to it eventually.

2 Triumphs in 2 days

What great weather we are having so yesterday Deana and I went out in the TR7 for a 40 mile drive through the country. Top down in the sun with a stop off at the Anchor Inn in Gargrave - can't get much better than that.

Then over the two days I have been trying to fix the clutch on PMW and it seems like I might just ahve done it!

I rebuilt my 2000's engine and whilst putting it all back together also fitted braided hoses for the clutch, and brakes.
Anyway, the engine sounds real sweet but I had a real problem with the clutch which stopped engaging after about 100 miles.
I spotted a pool of clutch fluid under the slave cylinder so I have replaced that today.
Still having problems but on placing my foot on the clutch I have spotted clutch fluid spraying from where the braided hose mounts to the master cylinder - where there's a brass washer.

Thanks to everyone on Facebook Triumph 2000 page, the 2000 Register forum and Club Triumph's forum for various contributions. I think I have fixed the problem. Strange but when a kit is supplied with two brass/copper washers I tend to think they are to be used! Yet it was these washers that were not allowing the clutch hydraulic pipe to seal at both the master clylinder and the slave cylinder. Taking them both off, refitting the braided hose and then bleeding the clutch means I now have one! I have also comleted a 10 mile test drive and all seems well. Now we'll see if it stays that way.

Meanwhile, how about some nostalgia?

With this car I am not going the modified and improved route, well not overtly. I am going to do a tongue in cheek nostalgia theme so I have a 1960s "car coat", a trilby and various publications in the car like a guide to "the new decimal currency"
Here's a couple of photos though with more nostalgia - a 1960s AA badge just fitted to the front grille and a camping gaz set with kettle etc as well as a picnic basket.
These should come in useful at shows or on the 10 Countries Run in 2015, after all, why not stop for a brew like a true Brit instead of paying mega bucks for well known modern coffee at the various motorway service areas etc?
In the photo you can see the original supplying dealers sticker in the rear window too.

 

 

7 & 2000

With the clutch problem on the 2000 I decided to walk away from it for a while but I need a car for the North Yorkshire Triumph Weekend coming up soon.

Also Club Triumph Pendle and Pennine area are organising a 2 day tour on August 2nd and 3rd  called the Border Raiders (you can probably tell who is on the organising team LOL). Deana will join me on this event if we use the TR7 so it's UNJ's turn again.

After last year's European run I have pretty much sorted everything so I put it in for it's MOT last Friday. It needed some work doing on the brakes due to brake imbalance across the axles which I asked the Vicarage Car Company to do for me and with that it passed.

What I hadn't got round to doing was fit an electric fan after the second viscous coupling I have had on the car failed so driving it for any distance was still a nervous experience.

Anyway I used UNJ to go to the Pendle and Pennine meeting Friday night which was fine as it's only 2 miles away but then later we went on a 10 mile run driven in an enthusiastic manner. I began to wonder whether this was wise in a car rhat had just passed it's MOT having not been on the road for 7 months and without a fan fitted!

It was fine really and I have now fitted and wired in an electric fan. I always find it satisfying when having fitted it the fan cuts in just when you would want it to and cuts off again after a sensible time. Then with a bit of general tidying UNJ is back ready to put some more miles on it - I hope I don't have problems again like last year on the NYTW.

Meanwhile, over the weekend I have spotted a stain under the 2000 suspiciously close to the clutch slave cylinder and sure enough, there's no clutch fluid in the master cylinder. Looks like a new slave sylinder wouldn't go amiss and then I can see if the 2000's clutch problems are solved.

Outside the Old Stone Trough having done 2 miles after it's MOT

The photoshoot on our run out


 

Engine's great, clutch not so!

An update on PMW.

After 100 miles I have changed the oil and filter, retorqued the head and set the tappets.

The rebuilt engine sounds lovely.

I do have another problem though, it's getting more and more difficult to select gears.When I do have gears the car can stall even with the clutch depressed - in this situation in first for example the car will continue to move slowly forward and then stall.

Similarly, I can have a problem getting reverse when the engine is running.

I have tried a number of things such as making sure all the pipework is tight and also bleeding the clutch hydraulic system but it's not helping.

It has been suggested to me that if the push rod and clutch link arm(not sure if that's the right term) are 90 degrees or less in relation to each other that indicates that it's very likely the taper pin has broken.

Judge for yourself!