| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| Single rail gearbox -Spitty 1500 | 10/12/2009 |
Q: Do you happen to have gear counts for the spitfire 1500 single rail box. I have a mixture of gears ...
A: Roger, Sorry, I don't have the tooth counts for the single rail gearbox ratios. You might try some ...
|
| accent 99 prime oil pump | 10/12/2009 |
Q: I want to start a rebuil motor but how to prime the oil pump?
A: Cesarin, 3 ways that I know of: 1) Fill the oil pump with petroleum jelly (aka Vaseline) before ...
|
| drive shaft oil flinger | 10/10/2009 |
Q: You gave us good advice in 2008 about removing the tub. Well its being painted at this moment and ...
A: Chris and Roger, It sounds like someone may have had that axle out of the trunnion at some point. ...
|
| 1976 triumph spit 1500 | 10/9/2009 |
Q: i have just had my car krypton tune and it backfires when pressing the gas,it pops through the air ...
A: Tony, If you're in the UK and it's a "home market car" then it should have twin HS4 SU carbs. ...
|
| 77 spitfire wheel stud adapters | 10/9/2009 |
Q: I have a 77 spitfire with what i believe are american racing rims - after mkt. These have a ...
A: Rick, I'm not really familiar with the aftermarket rim setups. You might try searching the online ...
|
| Spitfire 1500 trunnion lube | 10/5/2009 |
Q: How do you get 90 wt grease(oil)to stay in a greese gun? I mean doesn't it leak out before you ...
A: Jan, The gun I use is one of the ones that takes a small diameter short cartridge. Picked it up ...
|
| 1976 triumph spit 1500 | 10/5/2009 |
Q: i have just had my car krypton tune and it backfires when pressing the gas,it pops through the air ...
A: Tony, Not familiar with Kryton tune.. but it doesn't matter. Your car is running rich. Stock ...
|
| 77 spitfires fuel sender float | 10/4/2009 |
Q: Is there a "easy way" to replace the old unit with a new one? I get no measure at all on the gauge. ...
A: Darren, Drive the car until the gas tank is almost empty. Then you can pull the sender unit from ...
|
| Spitfire 1500 Trip Odometer Reset | 8/31/2009 |
Q: Just acquired a 1978 Spitfire 1500 in close to original condition. Very drivable, which I'm doing ...
A: Kevin, The Spitfire has a trip odometer reset that is a black plastic twist knob with a black ...
|
| 1500 j type with over drive | 8/30/2009 |
Q: I have got a gearbox from a 1500 spitfire its a laycock J type with overdrive on 3rd and 4Th gears, ...
A: Geoff, As a swap it's usually easier to take the complete engine and trans as the flywheels and ...
|
| Spitfire 1500 | 8/30/2009 |
Q: I am able to start my car but as soon as I set the key to the run position it stops. The car has nut ...
A: Noah, If the oil light is going out as the engine is trying to start, it's not likely to be a an ...
|
| Spitfire 1500 | 8/29/2009 |
Q: I am able to start my car but as soon as I set the key to the run position it stops. The car has nut ...
A: Noah, The late Spitfires had an ignition system with a 6V coil and a ballast resistor in the wiring ...
|
| 1980 spitfire u joint flange removal | 8/29/2009 |
Q: Lost an axle shaft u joint which damaged axle flange how do you remove, is it a press fit and is ...
A: Jerry, The axle flange is held in by a roll pin, and typically 30 years of corrosion. Not sure ...
|
| Seats for Spitfire | 8/27/2009 |
Q: MY seats in my 78 Spitfire were worn out. I didn't want to pay the money for new foam and covers ...
A: Dan, Sorry to say, there aren't a lot of alternatives to the stock seats as most automakers build ...
|
| steering column | 8/24/2009 |
Q: I have substituted the two bearings (upper and lower) and the flexible joint (refer to Anglo Parts ...
A: Carlo, You don't mention which model year, but despite the steering column change near the end of ...
|
| Rocker shaft dissasembely | 8/23/2009 |
Q: on vitesse do you know how to get the pin out to replace a rocker arm as one of mine has broken? i ...
A: Jonny, According to the factory manual the rocker shaft assembly is held together with a "Mills ...
|
| Spitfire Differential | 8/12/2009 |
Q: Have found the drain plug at the bottom of the differential; however, cannot locate the filler plug. ...
A: Greg, There is a fill plug on the right side rear mounting ear. Look for a 7/16" square head plug. ...
|
| door panels | 8/9/2009 |
Q: How do I remove a door panel from a 73 Tr6 without destroying it?
A: Randy, The door panels are held in place with metal clips around the perimeter, and the door ...
|
| Spitfire ignition timing | 8/8/2009 |
Q: I have a 1980 Triumph Spitfire. (California model) The car has ALL of it's pollution control devices ...
A: Ed, It's going to be a question of how well the carb is setup. Hopefully the jets in the DGV are ...
|
| Spitfire ignition | 8/8/2009 |
Q: Jim, This is a what's better question. I'd like to know what the benefits are or installing a ...
A: Mack, Figure that any of the original distributors are 30 years old. The Lumenition did not have a ...
|
| 73 Spitfire Catb Heat Shield | 8/7/2009 |
Q: Jim- I am trying to fit a carburetor heat shield in my spitfire, and I can not figure out how it ...
A: Ross, Sorry, the US spec 1500 does not have a heat shield for the carb. Looking at manuals for the ...
|
| Clutch Problems | 8/6/2009 |
Q: I have replaced the master and slave clutch cylinders and bleed completely but I still do not have ...
A: Paul, First off, any wear on the end of the clutch pedal, clevis pin, or the push rod end will lose ...
|
| 1976 Triumph Spitfire 1500 | 8/5/2009 |
Q: I am going to make this short and sweet. I have no clue what I am getting into, but I adore the ...
A: Jennifer, Hmmm.. the "short and sweet" questions make for the most difficult answers. It helps to ...
|
| Triumph Repair | 8/2/2009 |
Q: I have a 1967 Spitfire and am having a trans problem. I was trying to shift into reverse and it ...
A: Matt, The shift lever is held in place in the transmission with some plastic pieces. With age the ...
|
| Ignition | 7/2/2009 |
Q: I have a 73 TR-6. I have replaced plugs, coil, distrib. cap, rotor wires etc. Set the dwell. ...
A: Joe, There is an electrical switch connected to the ignition lock assembly. Usually held on by 2 ...
|
| battery | 6/29/2009 |
Q: what is the proper battery and cranking power for the 1973 triumph spitfire 1500? thank you,paul
A: Paul, Stock car? No earthshaking sound system (other than the muffler ;)? And running the car in ...
|
| 1979 Triumph Spitfire | 6/29/2009 |
Q: Would you have detailed instructions on how to reupholster my seats? The ones that came with the ...
A: Tim, I've been looking around, I thought at one point someone had published a good set of ...
|
| Turn Signals, 1977 Spitfire | 6/26/2009 |
Q: I have been restoring a '77 Spitfire and am currently working through the electrical gremlins. Your ...
A: JC, There should be a light green/brown wire between the hazard switch and the turn signal flasher. ...
|
| Starting A 1500 Spitfire- No spark | 6/25/2009 |
Q: I have a 1976 Triumph Spitfire. The other night whilst driving the tachometer fluttered with no ...
A: Kyle, ? "the on terminal"? I'm guessing you mean one of the battery terminals was bad? Or a ...
|
| spitfire has no spark | 6/21/2009 |
Q: I changed the distibutor to a pertronix in my 78 spitfire and rushed and hooked the coil backwards ...
A: Jeff, First off, if you're running a ballast resistor then you should be running a 6V coil. Have ...
|
| Right Rear Suspension Sag | 6/21/2009 |
Q: After lowering the car back down, I noticed that the suspension height on the passenger rear of the ...
A: Adam, You've got the KYB regular shocks and not the pneumatic "helper" shocks? If you disconnect ...
|
| Triumph TR6 excess brake peddle movement | 6/20/2009 |
Q: Noticed you had this problem on your TVR some time ago. I have it on a TR6 belonging to a customer, ...
A: John, I suspect you're thinking of one of the other experts, but I'll toss out some ideas anyway. ...
|
| Spitfire Overdrive | 6/3/2009 |
Q: I have a 78 spitfire. My overdrive won’t engage until it “warms up” or about five miles if I turn ...
A: John, The overdrive on the Spitfire uses an electrical solenoid to move a mechanical lever that ...
|
| rear end noise | 6/3/2009 |
Q: I have a clinking noise in the rear end of my 75 Spitfire which is speed related - reduces or ...
A: Ron, The absolute best way is to open the diff case and count teeth on the pinion and ring gear. ...
|
| No low beam but have high beam on headlights | 6/2/2009 |
Q: I have a 1978 Spitfire and my headlights dont work on low beam but they work on high beam. What do ...
A: John, Power for the headlights goes directly from the battery to the headlight switch, then to the ...
|
| Mixing and matching spitfires | 6/2/2009 |
Q: I have several parts cars. I think this will work but thought I would ask the experts first. I ...
A: John, One of the neat things about the Spitfire is that with a big of careful research and ...
|
| fuel gauge | 6/1/2009 |
Q: Jim...my fuel gauge keeps reading full...have a new voltage regulator, in fact the sending unit is ...
A: Chris, Empty the tank below the level of the sender unit and make sure the sender is moving freely ...
|
| rear end noise | 6/1/2009 |
Q: I have a clinking noise in the rear end of my 75 Spitfire which is speed related - reduces or ...
A: Ron, Check with the parts suppliers. I haven't seen a differential rebuild kit as such, but the ...
|
| TR6 | 5/30/2009 |
Q: Can you please advise on the best way to replace the speddo cable in a 1973 tr6 (with over drive)? ...
A: Bill, The best way is to pull the transmission tunnel, that way you'll have easy access to remove ...
|
| Ignition light | 5/27/2009 |
Q: I was messing around with my 67 triumph spitfire speedo (still not working), had the dash partially ...
A: Paul, The ignition light is connnected to the top fuse on as the "power feed" and grounds through ...
|
| Herald | 5/26/2009 |
Q: Also looking at putting on extractors for my herald 1200. Is there anything I can use e.g spitfire ...
A: Brett, I suspect the Spitfire Mk 1/2 parts will fit without major modification. One way to check ...
|
| Herald | 5/25/2009 |
Q: I have a herald 1200 and would like a bit more performance. Can you please tell me the manifold I ...
A: Brett, Best suggestion is to go find a manifold with carbs from (or for ;) a 1962 thru 1966 ...
|
| Reverse gear spacer | 5/24/2009 |
Q: I am reassembling a 79 spit transmission that was not taken apart by myself. I am installing reverse ...
A: Dean, From the sound of it, whoever pulled the transmissions apart weren't able to find the correct ...
|
| Ballast resistors | 5/23/2009 |
Q: My GT6 MK3 is, I think a 'mixture' of parts,and could have a loom from a n other vehicle,(1)how can ...
A: Nick, Regardless of coil installed: All measured at + terminal on coil: With Ballast Resistor- ...
|
| Ballast resistors | 5/23/2009 |
Q: My GT6 MK3 is, I think a 'mixture' of parts,and could have a loom from a n other vehicle,(1)how can ...
A: Nick, The ballast resistor is used to lower the voltage that the coil sees under running ...
|
| Ballast resistors | 5/22/2009 |
Q: My GT6 MK3 is, I think a 'mixture' of parts,and could have a loom from a n other vehicle,(1)how can ...
A: Nick, Let me take them in order: 1) ID the loom? I've seen the loom maker's tags on some looms ...
|
| jacking a 1971 TR6 w/floor jack | 5/20/2009 |
Q: Where are the correct points on the frame when using a floor jack to raise my 71 TR6. I have looked ...
A: Mike, As long as the frame is sound, you should be able to jack under the suspension pickup points ...
|
| Distributors/Camshafts?Carbs/Inlet manifolds | 5/20/2009 |
Q: I am running SU H6 carbs on a TR6 eng,(presumimg a 125Bhp cam) with a Lucas 41202B dissy.(it has a ...
A: Nick, Here's a quick list I found online of TR6 cam specs. Part # Application Timing ...
|
| Distributors/Camshafts?Carbs/Inlet manifolds | 5/18/2009 |
Q: I am running SU H6 carbs on a TR6 eng,(presumimg a 125Bhp cam) with a Lucas 41202B dissy.(it has a ...
A: Nick, I see listings for both vacuum advance equipped and not vacuum advanced equipped 123 ...
|
| clutch Problems | 5/17/2009 |
Q: I have a 1976 spitfire, I recently bought the care and it needed care from not having been driven ...
A: Kent, It does sound as if you didn't get the clutch push pin into the slave cylinder. Best bet is ...
|
| tr6 | 5/17/2009 |
Q: my 1972 tr6 with twin stromberg carbs has aslight misfire and pinking both when accelerating and ...
A: Les, Twin carbs? US spec model? The '72 US Spec TR6 was equipped with a vacuum retard unit. ...
|
| Fuel doesn't want to go into the gas tank | 5/15/2009 |
Q: I've got a '78 Spitfire 1500, CA car. When I try to put gas into the tank it back washes out again. ...
A: Mark, Does the problem only happen at one gas station, or all the gas stations you go to? In the ...
|
| Tires for 1977 Triumph Spitfire | 5/11/2009 |
Q: The tire I currently have on my Triumph are 155R13... there's no middle number. The tire store here ...
A: Omar, The original tires on the '77 were either the 155SR13 or a 155/80-13. The first number in ...
|
| turn signal on spitfire | 5/11/2009 |
Q: its all running well except for the left turn signal is not working. when turning right all is ok ...
A: Mark, If it's just one side not working, the problem is likely either the turn signal switch ...
|
| Core Plug (freeze) | 5/10/2009 |
Q: I just had the engine of my TR6 rebuilt. The engine has zero miles, but as I was breaking it in, ...
A: Carl, I doubt you'd be able to seal it with anything short of epoxy, although epoxy might work. ...
|
| 1974 Spitfire Bleeding Brakes | 5/8/2009 |
Q: Jim- I hads to replace my rear brakes includinghte calipers and I cant get any of them bled now. ...
A: Ross, You'll get air from the bleeder via the threads.. there's a bit of clearance between the ...
|
| 1974 Spitfire Bleeding Brakes | 5/8/2009 |
Q: Jim- I hads to replace my rear brakes includinghte calipers and I cant get any of them bled now. ...
A: Ross, Rear calipers? You mean brake cylinders, correct? Is the brake warning lamp lit if you ...
|
| brakes | 5/5/2009 |
Q: 1979 triumph spitfire 1500..has new master cylinder and brake shoes look good. They were bled out, ...
A: Paul, Not quite clear on what you mean by "not working". Brakes don't work at all? Soft/spongy ...
|
| 1978 Triumph Spitfire 1500 shifter | 5/4/2009 |
Q: I recently purchased the Spitfire listed and need to know if the shifter behavior is normal. It is ...
A: Gary, There might be some dirt/corrosion built up in the area where the cap sits. A small wire ...
|
| Oil Leak - out of dipstick | 5/2/2009 |
Q: I have a 73 Spitfire that has an oil leak. When the engine is hot I noticed that oil was actually ...
A: Darryl, I had the same problem on my '73 1500. In my case it was a ring failure, allowing too much ...
|
| electrical | 5/2/2009 |
Q: I have lost all gauges in my '78 spitfire 1500. I replaced the voltage stabilizer which did not ...
A: John, The white/slate wire is the sense lead (signal wire) from the coil to the tach. There ...
|
| 64 Herald 1200 Convertible US | 5/1/2009 |
Q: I saw another question from someone with the same car as I am restoring. I need to replace the rear ...
A: Peter, Rear wheel cylinders are measured inside the cylinder bore. Sometimes the size is indicated ...
|
| Is my clutch slipping or worse? | 4/27/2009 |
Q: I have a 1980 Spit 1500, the engine was replaced with a new Ivor Searle 1500 engine in 2004, I ...
A: Tom, Sounds like two potential issues. The first issue sounds like a clutch slip. A typical way ...
|
| 1978 Triumph Spitfire 1500 shifter | 4/27/2009 |
Q: I recently purchased the Spitfire listed and need to know if the shifter behavior is normal. It is ...
A: Gary, In a car in good shape the shifter pattern is not a perfect North -South but off by a few ...
|
| 1976 triumph spitfire steering rack | 4/18/2009 |
Q: I have just rebuilt the steering rack and found that I could turn the wheels left to right in ...
A: Tom, The factory didn't have any provision for limiting the steering rack travel, other than the ...
|
| 1976 Spitfire Steering Rack | 4/18/2009 |
Q: Hope you can help me as I have now dismantled the steering rack several times and the same promblem ...
A: Tom, Not sure how you define "extreme turning radius"... Triumph was quite proud that the ...
|
| Sport Windshield | 4/2/2009 |
Q: Jim, Do you know where to get a sport windshield, these are the ones that look like half of a ...
A: Ron, Are you thinking of the Brooklands windscreens, small glass half ovals in front of the driver ...
|
| Rear suspension | 4/2/2009 |
Q: I'm restoring a 1969 MK3, I'm reading about the wheel tuck problem, can a leaf spring from a MK4 be ...
A: Ron, The factory solution for wheel tuck in competition is a camber compensator. Joe Curry has a ...
|
| Idle spit, won't turn over | 3/29/2009 |
Q: hey Jim, my '75 triumph spitfire has been in my garage all winter, and when i tried to start it up ...
A: Harold, Have a friend try to start the car while you put the voltmeter on the battery. If you see ...
|
| 77 spitfire 1500 gears grind | 3/29/2009 |
Q: Also there is a when I push down the clutch pedal there is a small space where there is no ...
A: Kyle, The clutch on the Spitfire is hydraulically operated. In the engine compartment there is a ...
|
| Idle spit, won't turn over | 3/28/2009 |
Q: hey Jim, my '75 triumph spitfire has been in my garage all winter, and when i tried to start it up ...
A: Harold, First off, you've got to have a good battery to get things working. After "charging for a ...
|
| Spitfire steering rack | 3/28/2009 |
Q: I will need to refurbish a steering rack in a 1968 TVR Vixen. I am told they use a Triumph steering ...
A: Bob, Yes, the Vixen used the Spitfire steering rack, which itself was shared with the Triumph ...
|
| Carburetor | 3/27/2009 |
Q: I have a 1976 Triumph Spitfire. Does anyone manufacture a California Street Legal Carburetor for ...
A: Jim, There is a street legal carb for the '76 Spitfire in California. It's the Stromberg CD150. ...
|
| 1979 1500 Transmission refitting | 3/27/2009 |
Q: I have recently purchased a 1979 1500 and found that the clutch disk had rusted to the flywheel as ...
A: Jamie, The 20 spline clutches setups used with the late Spitfire single rail gearboxes make final ...
|
| 74 TR 6 | 3/25/2009 |
Q: after being in storage for 2 years,car is cranking over but not starting.where should I start ...
A: Tom, Keep in mind that you need basically 3 things in order to get the car running: Fuel Fire ...
|
| Triumph keys | 3/22/2009 |
Q: I have a 78 spitfire,and I lost the keys a year ago.Could you PLEASE let me know if you find someone ...
A: Tom, A good locksmith should be able to make a key for you. It's worth calling around and getting ...
|
| loss of power | 3/22/2009 |
Q: I have a 1974 Spitfire. Just getting it to the point to drive on the street after sitting for ...
A: Shields, Several possibilities. Fuel passages blocked in the carb or the float/needle sticking. ...
|
| Summer time going out! | 3/21/2009 |
Q: I was wondering how can i put oil in my Triumph TR6 differential! If you can explain the steps that ...
A: Oli, Assuming a North American market car, the oil fill plug is on the differential casing on the ...
|
| transmission substitutes, re: 1966 to 1980 | 3/8/2009 |
Q: Jim: Good Morning. I have a 1966 Triumph Spitfire 4, MK II, that has a 4 speed manual ...
A: John, I suspect that you're thinking of the overdrive transmissions fitted to the Spitfires, there ...
|
| Identification numbers | 3/4/2009 |
Q: My car is a Spitfire 1500, 1975, USA spec, There is a spot welded plate on the chassis just below ...
A: Jeff, I've never seen a reference of the frame ID numbers to know which year a particular frame was ...
|
| spitfire running odd | 8/27/2008 |
Q: I have a 1974 spitfire IV everything was going good so far until this morning, My car started right ...
A: Mark, Having to keep the choke pulled out is a sign that there is a some form of fuel delivery ...
|
| spitfire blowing fuse | 7/25/2008 |
Q: Jim, I have an 77 spitfire project car. It is blowing the top fuse in the bank of three when the ...
A: Scott, Then I hope the blue factory wire for radio power feed is properly insulated? According ...
|
| speedometer cable relacement | 7/23/2008 |
Q: I want to relpace the speedo cable on my 1979 Spitfire. My book states I can remove the old one from ...
A: Jan, What's possible is that the speedometer cable isn't pushed all the way up into the ...
|
| 74 Spitfire Timing | 7/23/2008 |
Q: I have a 74 spitfire 1500 that I am finishing up the rebuild on. I had a local machine shop ...
A: Wes, There is a 2:1 ratio on the Cam to crank gears. So when the crank is at #1 TDC the ignition ...
|
| Front Bumper Mount | 7/22/2008 |
Q: How should I mount a GT6 '63-65 front bumper to a 1979 Spitfire 1500 so that the hood hinges will ...
A: Terry, If you truly have a '63-'65 GT6 bumper you should get the rest of the car and restore it, as ...
|
| speedometer cable relacement | 7/22/2008 |
Q: I want to relpace the speedo cable on my 1979 Spitfire. My book states I can remove the old one from ...
A: Jan, Easiest way to work on anything transmission related is to pull the trans tunnel cover and do ...
|
| More information required re: Replacing the distributor | 7/19/2008 |
Q: I have a stupid question...I need to replace my distributor what are the correct steps to complete ...
A: Josephine, Ok, glad we're clear on the terms. As to replacing the plug wires, there's a ...
|
| More information required re: Replacing the distributor | 7/18/2008 |
Q: I have a stupid question...I need to replace my distributor what are the correct steps to complete ...
A: Josephine, Let's review and agree on some basic terminology so I can be sure I understand what your ...
|
| More information required re: Replacing the distributor | 7/17/2008 |
Q: I have a stupid question...I need to replace my distributor what are the correct steps to complete ...
A: Josephine, I need some more information before I can attempt to answer this question. Which model ...
|
| stranded | 7/16/2008 |
Q: I have a 73 1500. Once in a while it won't start, I just get the "click" similar to a dead battery. ...
A: Dennis, There are basically 5 different problems that will cause the problem you describe: 1) Low ...
|
| Steering wheel column | 7/15/2008 |
Q: I have a major problem with my steering column and I hope you can help! I bought a new steering ...
A: Kevin, The late Spitfires (1978-1980) used a larger diameter steering shaft, similar to what you ...
|
| Rear engine mount replacement | 7/12/2008 |
Q: I have a '74 Spit that needed new engine mounts. My grandson and I replaced the front ones easily ...
A: Smokey, Yes, you'll need to pull the trans cover in order to access the rear mounts. It'll mean ...
|
| brake master cylinder | 6/27/2008 |
Q: I am trying to restore my 62 TR4 and am having trouble removing the piston from the brake master ...
A: Gene, What you might try is to push the piston all the way up into the m/c and use some steel wool ...
|
| Reverse gear | 6/27/2008 |
Q: One of the teeth of the reverse gear of my laygear of my 1500 is damaged (it misses a piece). For me ...
A: Michel, As long as most of the gear tooth is still there it should be ok. Just keep in mind that ...
|
| engine | 6/22/2008 |
Q: i have a 1975 spitfire and it wont star every thing electrical is good it terns over its getting gas ...
A: Joe, Keep in that for ANY gas powered engine you need to have 4 things to get it to work: 1) Fuel ...
|
| 1980 Triumph Spitfire 1500 frozen engine | 6/21/2008 |
Q: 1980 Triumph Spitfire 1500 left sitting for three years. Pistons "frozen" in the cylinders. What ...
A: Joe, Keep in mind that the small furry critters love to make nests in Spitfires.. especially up in ...
|
| 1980 Triumph Spitfire 1500 frozen engine | 6/21/2008 |
Q: 1980 Triumph Spitfire 1500 left sitting for three years. Pistons "frozen" in the cylinders. What ...
A: Joe, Was the car running when "left to sit" 3 years ago? That'll be a big factor when it comes ...
|
| voltage stablizer | 6/18/2008 |
Q: Jim: Thanks for all your advice. Here is a new conumdrum. I have a 1965 Spitfire Mk2. The gas ...
A: Jeff, All the documentation on the Spitfires indicates that there was a voltage stabilizer for all ...
|
| Repairs to Triumph Spitfire 1500 | 6/17/2008 |
Q: Jim, I have owned my 1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500 since 1984. When I bought it it already had a few ...
A: Marigold, Actually the floor pan repair is fairly straight forward, assuming the rocker panels are ...
|
| J - Overdrive | 6/17/2008 |
Q: I have a 77 Spitfire, the overdrive works up to 50 mph; once I go over 50 mph, it slips in and out ...
A: Howard, The overdrive works by using gear oil pumped into the engagement pistons, with an ...
|
| valve lash clearance. | 5/28/2008 |
Q: I have a 1960 triumph3A I need to check the valve lash clearance on. How do I do that? thank you. ...
A: Steve, I'm not an expert on the wetliner engines but I'll hazard a guess that they're similar to ...
|
| 76 TR6 coughs | 5/27/2008 |
Q: My 76 TR running standard carbs, coughs as Im driving. Usually at lower rpm like when Im driving up ...
A: Mark, If the car responds better with the choke pulled... it's running too lean. It can be either ...
|
| Spitfire 1500 water temp and oil pressure | 5/26/2008 |
Q: Jim, I recently refinished my dash and replaced the stock temp gauge and sending unit with a new ...
A: Steve, Your oil pressure readings are spot on for a Spitfire 1500 in good health. The water temp ...
|
| tr6 not charging | 5/25/2008 |
Q: hey jim, i have a 74 tr6 and i cant seem to get it to keep a charge on the battery. i have a new ...
A: Bernie, When you turn on the ignition, does the ignition light come on? The alternator works by ...
|
| 1978 Triumph Spitfire 1500 | 5/24/2008 |
Q: While hitting about 3000 rpm, I felt some bucking and loss of power. Thought it was fuel issue but ...
A: Bob, Is the car fitted with the original Lucas electronic ignition, or a points type distributor or ...
|
| differental oil seals | 5/23/2008 |
Q: I have a question I am going to tackle the oil seals on my differental axles and pinion. do you have ...
A: Mark, If all you're doing is replacing the pinion seal, simply count the number of turns/partials ...
|
| differental oil seals | 5/22/2008 |
Q: I have a question I am going to tackle the oil seals on my differental axles and pinion. do you have ...
A: Mark, Changing the seals is a fairly straightforward process, providing the side axle bearings ...
|
| Down draft Webber conversion | 5/21/2008 |
Q: I bought a car with the Webber conversion all ready done. My question is there are a few things ...
A: John, The best bet is a Robert Bentley manual. I don't know of any online diagrams of the vapor ...
|
| Triumph Spitfire Rear Trunnion | 5/20/2008 |
Q: I'm rebuilding the rear suspension of my 1976 Spitfire 1500, and am having a heck of a time trying ...
A: John, The best I've come up with over the years is to use a sawz-all (or similar) and cut the bolt ...
|
| overdirve for my spitfire | 5/20/2008 |
Q: I own a 1975 Triumph spitfire 1500 and I was wondering if it is possible to add overdrive to it and ...
A: David, It's a fairly simple install to fit an overdrive trans. First off, you'll need to get an ...
|
| shift knob | 5/19/2008 |
Q: I have a 1976 spitfire and we are trying to get the shifter knob off .it has a slide lockout in the ...
A: Jeff, That's an aftermarket piece of junk and you need to send it to me immediately. My home ...
|
| disc brake conversion | 5/17/2008 |
Q: I have a 1978 Spitfire. I am doing an off frame restoration. I thought it would be nice to put disc ...
A: Shawn, You might take a peek at PRI Race (www.prirace.com), last I'd heard they either had a kit or ...
|
| vitesse non starter | 5/14/2008 |
Q: i can't get my 2 litre mk1 vitesse(with luminition electronic ignition) to start. I've got ...
A: Chris, Get a can of starting fluid (starting ether) and spray a shot into each carb. Put the air ...
|
| water choke on 79 spitfire | 5/11/2008 |
Q: Jim, The choke is flooding out the carb. when the car is running more on the hot side(which seems ...
A: Clarence, Let me put in my plug for the Robert Bentley repair manual, if you can find the late ...
|
| 1977 Spit 1500 | 5/9/2008 |
Q: So I read up on back end sagging and have launched into my first project with my "new" Spitfire. My ...
A: Linda, Interesting... I've never had issues getting the "stock" shocks installed. One idea is to ...
|
| fuel pump | 4/24/2008 |
Q: Recently I have had some troubles fixing up some minor problems on my 1978 1500 spitfire. It would ...
A: Anson, Obviously you want to check the line from the fuel pump back to the tank. There might be a ...
|
| GEARSHIFT KNOB REMOVAL | 4/18/2008 |
Q: I have a 1980 EUROPEAN SPECS Spitfire (no mods). I am attempting to replace the clutch slave ...
A: Andy, Don't remove the gearshift knob from the gearshift lever. Remove the carpet and undo ...
|
| Installing a MK1 Vitesse 2ltr engine into a 1500cc spitfire! | 4/16/2008 |
Q: I am just about to buy a 6 cylinder Vitesse MK1 2 litre engine with the intention of taking out my ...
A: Kevin, The Spitfire + 6 cylinder engine swap is common and there are some good online resources. ...
|
| Brake Fluid for Spitfire | 4/16/2008 |
Q: Jim, I have a 1979 Spitfire 1500. I have experienced the brake petal traveling all the way to the ...
A: Bill, If you're not going to rebuild the entire brake system then I'd recommend going with DOT4 ...
|
| TR6 Inspection | 3/28/2008 |
Q: Jim, I am looking at a TR6 in Sandy UT. I am trying to find some one to go look at the car for ...
A: Stephen, Best bet is to look at the chapter listing at the Vintage Triumph Register website ...
|
| Triumph Vitesse 2 litre MK 1- non starter | 3/19/2008 |
Q: After fitting a recon gearbox(with D typeoverdrive)on my Vitesse, i can't start the engine.The ...
A: Chris, Verify battery voltage with a voltmeter (should be greater than 13v for a "good" battery) ...
|
| Gas Tank Removal | 3/18/2008 |
Q: I have a 1979 Spitfire that has been sitting for a while. It looks like the gas has all evaporated ...
A: Fred, Typically the rubber filler neck piece "glues" it's way onto the metal of the tank and filler ...
|
| spitfire body removal | 3/17/2008 |
Q: I'm about to remove the body from the frame of my 79 Spitfire. I have everything unbolted but I'll ...
A: Matt, You could leave the doors in place and rely on them to keep the shell from crumpling. Or ...
|
| dry and wet test | 3/13/2008 |
Q: Jim, 1974 spitfire IV..I have just done a dry and wet test on my engine. Dry I got readings of 135 ...
A: Bruce, I'm guessing that it was the same cylinder with lower readings both times? There are no ...
|
| 76 Spitfire | 3/12/2008 |
Q: I was googling a possible solution to a starting problem when I came across your correspondence with ...
A: Dave, With the ignition turned on (engine off) if you can't keep voltage to the coil then the car ...
|
| Roll bar/cage Vitesse | 3/9/2008 |
Q: I quick question about roll bar/cages for a Triumph Vitesse convertible, as their is no expert on ...
A: Chris, I've never seen the roll bar setups for a Vitesse, so I have to base my experience on what ...
|
| engine cutting out | 3/7/2008 |
Q: I really need your help on this one I am so stumped. 1972 spitfire IV with a 74 1500 engine. My ...
A: Mark, Fuel in the air filter housing is a sign that the float level is set too high, or the needle ...
|
| engine cutting out | 3/7/2008 |
Q: I really need your help on this one I am so stumped. 1972 spitfire IV with a 74 1500 engine. My ...
A: Mark, Odd set of symptoms. Hard cornering/braking sounds like a float sticking, but the Stromberg ...
|
| Transmission and clutch | 3/5/2008 |
Q: Jim- It is Ross again. I was able to get the new transmission into the '74. Everything looked ...
A: Ross, "when I put into gear I can not turn the driveshaft by hand like I can when it is in ...
|
| diff qstion | 3/3/2008 |
Q: i have a 77 spitfire and i have to change the differential , i just get a used diff. in good shape. ...
A: Manuel, You're correct, the FK differential is a 4.11 ratio and your car should have a 3.89. The ...
|
| Transmission and Drveshaft Questions | 2/29/2008 |
Q: Jim- I have a '78 spit (parts car) and a 74' spit restoration project. My transmission does not ...
A: Ross, First question. Count the splines (ridges) in the center of the clutch disc. And measure ...
|
| D204 distributor in a GT6 | 2/28/2008 |
Q: Jim, I have a 1973 GT6 drivetrain in a 1980 Spitfire body. The PO had a shop do the conversion and ...
A: Bob, From what I've been able to discover, the D204 Spitfire distributor is essentially the same as ...
|
| 76 Spitfire | 2/26/2008 |
Q: I was googling a possible solution to a starting problem when I came across your correspondence with ...
A: Dave, The quickest test is to get a basic voltmeter and connect the positive lead to the + power ...
|
| Transmission and Drveshaft Questions | 2/25/2008 |
Q: Jim- I have a '78 spit (parts car) and a 74' spit restoration project. My transmission does not ...
A: Ross, If no one has tinkered with the cars previously, the '74 should have a 3 rail transmission ...
|
| diff. qst | 2/24/2008 |
Q: .. when i buy my 77 spit.. has a big noise at the rear end . like a click click when the tires are ...
A: Manuel, If you've replaced all 4 u-joints (driveshaft and side axles) and you're still getting a ...
|
| Flasher units | 2/24/2008 |
Q: Another query about flasher units. On a Triumph Herald when the indicator switch is activated the ...
A: Chris, I have be honest, I've been fighting that battle with my '78 Spitfire also. One blink... ...
|
| mark 111 | 2/23/2008 |
Q: I own a 1968 triumph spitfire mark 111, I live in winnipeg canada, where in this neck of the woods ...
A: Rick, Best bets..... Look on the Vintage Triumph Register website (www.VTR.org) to see if there is ...
|
| exhaust manifold | 2/20/2008 |
Q: Jim, I have a 80 spitfire 1500 with a cracked exhaust manifold. I am looking at headers from spit ...
A: Daniel, I guess my take on it would be... if you're going to stay "original" then you need to find ...
|
| TR6 Pollution Equipment | 2/20/2008 |
Q: To get the car running, the previous owner fiddled with the pollution control equipment on my 75 TR6 ...
A: Cam, Some of the emissions gear reduced performance, but some other parts of the system actually ...
|
| 79 Spitfire cold starting problems | 2/19/2008 |
Q: I frequently have to charge the battery on my spit during winter (once or twice a week). The car is ...
A: Joe, If the electrical system is showing 14v with the engine running then the issue is not the ...
|
| Spitfire choke? | 2/17/2008 |
Q: I have a 1980 1500 Spitfire, is it meant to have choke? there is one spare item on the dash that ...
A: Tom, The 1980 Spitfire was equipped from the factory with a water temperature controlled automatic ...
|
| crown wheel and gear | 2/17/2008 |
Q: I have a 1972 spitfire IV the engine was replaced with a 1500 motor. and I still have a 4.11 rear ...
A: Mark, Unless you have a good tool setup replacing the ring and pinion yourself successfully isn't a ...
|
| Flasher unit | 2/16/2008 |
Q: i've purchased a half restored Triumph Herald, and have fitted a indicator/flasher unit. With the ...
A: Chris, I'm guessing it's a negative earth (ground) system? You might check all the ground points ...
|
| spitfire 1500 clutch problem | 2/15/2008 |
Q: our recently purchased spitfire 1500 1979 has been running fine, if a little bit notchy on some gear ...
A: Peter, It's a bit of a coincidence that both would fail at the same time. Not impossible.. just ...
|
| Prop shaft alignment | 2/14/2008 |
Q: Jim , first you may recall you gave us advice (all good) about removing the tub. Well its off. We ...
A: Roger and Chris, While you've got everything apart it's not a bad time to check the frame for ...
|
| another question | 2/13/2008 |
Q: by the way already check that ligth and it doesn't turn on when a start ignition, and I check the ...
A: Manuel, In order to fit a Spitfire Mk II bonnet/bumper on you car you'd need: Spitfire Mk II ...
|
| tuning 1500 | 2/12/2008 |
Q: I have just brought myself a colourtune kit as it worked wonders on my friends mg, where on my 1500 ...
A: Thomas, If your car is still fitted with the factory HS4s then the adjuster is in the traditional ...
|
| in 72 the TR6 was split in two. how do I know which part mine is | 2/12/2008 |
Q: Is there actual date that a difference in car parts for the TR6 happened. and how can I tell which ...
A: Antonio, The most obvious change in the TR6s that occurred in the early 70's was a change in the ...
|
| triumph 1979 spitfire | 2/9/2008 |
Q: I am going to change out my us rubber bumpers with the chrome. One of the articles said I need to ...
A: Lee, The easiest thing to do would be to find someone locally with a chrome bumper car and look ...
|
| 1974 Spitfire 1500 | 2/7/2008 |
Q: I have a general Spitfire question. I grew up on Triumphs, and MG's and loved them, but never had a ...
A: Don, I hate to have to say this... but it sounds like you need to find another mechanic. At least ...
|
| heat insulation | 2/5/2008 |
Q: Jim: To continue our conversation about installing heat insulation. A few web sites talk about ...
A: Jeff, When you say "transmission housing" I'm guessing you're referring to the transmission cover? ...
|
| heat insulation | 2/5/2008 |
Q: Jim: To continue our conversation about installing heat insulation. A few web sites talk about ...
A: Jeff, Let's back up a step or two. Have you made sure that the trans tunnel is sealed completely? ...
|
| vitesse Gearboxes | 2/4/2008 |
Q: Recently bought a 1968 mk1 2ltr Triumph Vitesse and the gearbox is incredibly noisey(it whines). I ...
A: Chris, I haven't had the pleasure of working on a Vitesse (they're fairly rare on this side of the ...
|
| Spitfire 1500 Engine Rebuild Questions | 2/3/2008 |
Q: I have a 78 Spit 1500 with flat top pistons, a Kent Cam (slightly hotter than stock, but not a race ...
A: Cy, If you're just using the "stock" 9:1 flat tops the standard head gasket should be ok. If you ...
|
| 1976 Triumph Spitfire Clutch | 2/2/2008 |
Q: My specific question is in regards to the clutch disingagment from slave cylinder. How far should ...
A: Wayne, I don't have the exact number but 3/4" sound about right for the slave cylinder throw. Keep ...
|
| Engine Replacement | 1/30/2008 |
Q: I have a 1964 Spitfire triumph with a useless engine. I would like to replace the engine with ...
A: Michael, Are you saying the engine is shot, or that it doesn't have the performance you want? The ...
|
| firewall insulation | 1/29/2008 |
Q: Jim: as always, thanks for all your great advice. I have a new challenge for my 1965 Spitfire. ...
A: Jeff, In the footwell area? Peel back the carpet and make sure that nothing has been rerouted ...
|
| firewall insulation | 1/29/2008 |
Q: Jim: as always, thanks for all your great advice. I have a new challenge for my 1965 Spitfire. ...
A: Jeff, I've never dealt with installing insulation... in Texas we just accept the heat and bear it. ...
|
| Spitfire Engines | 1/27/2008 |
Q: Jim- I am also restoring a 1971 Spitfire that has a frozen engine. Is there another type of engine ...
A: Ross, The only non-Spitfire engine that is a direct drop in for the Spitfire engine is.... an MG ...
|
| line on carb | 1/25/2008 |
Q: I was looking at my carb. today stromberg 1972 spitfire IV. I found a line at the the bottom of the ...
A: Mark, Sorry, there's no email associated with this account. If you can post it on one of the ...
|
| line on carb | 1/25/2008 |
Q: I was looking at my carb. today stromberg 1972 spitfire IV. I found a line at the the bottom of the ...
A: Mark, There are no external fittings on teh bottom of the carb or mount on the stock Mk IV ...
|
| tr6 wheels | 1/24/2008 |
Q: i'd like other options besides panasports, wires, or stock wheels. i'd like to go to 15x7's and i ...
A: merle or rusty, Keep in mind that when you're talking about wheels and offsets, it's related to ...
|
| tr6 wheels | 1/24/2008 |
Q: i'd like other options besides panasports, wires, or stock wheels. i'd like to go to 15x7's and i ...
A: merle or rusty, One option for custom wheels for the TR6 is Diamond Racing wheels ...
|
| spitfire transmissin | 1/19/2008 |
Q: Last year a friend and I rebuilt the transmission in my 79 spitfire( witho/d). We put it together 3 ...
A: Kurt, I highly recommend the Bentley manuals for the Spitfire. Make sure you get the manual for ...
|
| 1976 Spit | 1/17/2008 |
Q: Jim, My husband is trying to set the ignition points. Can you tell him what they should be set to?
A: Donna, The '76 Spitfire should have had the Lucas electronic ignition setup. Do you know which ...
|
| engine not shuting off | 1/16/2008 |
Q: 1972 spitfire IV this just happened today never had troubles like this in the past. I haven't ...
A: Mark, This is an odd one. As delivered from the factory there was no connection between the ...
|
| 79 Spitfire differential | 1/15/2008 |
Q: Jim, I rebuilt a 79 Spitfire but didn't refurbish the diff. It has been fine until recently. It ...
A: Fred, You don't need a diff case spreader to remove the back cover (back casing) portion. You need ...
|
| TR7 differential problem | 1/14/2008 |
Q: I know this question might be a bit outside your specialised areas, but looking at your great ...
A: Fernando, 4 speed or 5 speed? Is it better or worse when you accelerate? Back off on the gas? ...
|
| 79 Spitfire differential | 1/12/2008 |
Q: Jim, I rebuilt a 79 Spitfire but didn't refurbish the diff. It has been fine until recently. It ...
A: Fred, Before you disturb the pinion flange pull the back diff cover off (you need to remove the ...
|
| 1500 journal measurements | 1/8/2008 |
Q: I have a customer restoring a rubber bumper Mg Midget which as far as I know shared the same engine ...
A: Since I'm geared towards helping the enthusiast, I suspect you won't mind paying my consulting rate ...
|
| pulley nut removal | 1/7/2008 |
Q: Jim, Sorry, but after I re-read my letter to you I noticed that I left out a key word. The ...
A: Chris, Couple of different possibilities. Even without the engine locked via the trans it's ...
|
| 1979 1500 Valve Adjustment | 1/6/2008 |
Q: I've done VWs and V8s. I guess it is different than I'm use to. Could you explain?
A: Jerry, I'm not sure what you don't understand. I'm looking at the Haynes Spitfire manual now and ...
|
| State Emissions Test | 12/10/2007 |
Q: The reason I am asking this question to a non-jeep owner is that my situation would seem at least to ...
A: Mike, What I'd suggest is get the vehicle warmed up and look at the tail pipe. If it's still a ...
|
| POP NOISE REAR END? | 12/9/2007 |
Q: Glad to see your back.. I am having problems with pop noise on my 1972 spitfire IV. I have looked at ...
A: Mark, If the prop shaft bolts were loose for a while it's possible that either the bolts are worn a ...
|
| POP NOISE REAR END? | 12/9/2007 |
Q: Glad to see your back.. I am having problems with pop noise on my 1972 spitfire IV. I have looked at ...
A: Mark, It sounds like something is getting torqued under acceleration... then moving back when you ...
|
| Spitfire cam timing | 12/8/2007 |
Q: I am going crazy! How can I set the cam/crank timing on a Spitfire 1300 motor? I have checked and ...
A: Benjamin, You need to put #1 at TDC and with .050 clearance on both the intake and exhaust valves ...
|
| Gas Smell | 12/5/2007 |
Q: My 1977 Triumph " Project" Spitfire smells smell like Gas...how do I narrow down the solution? I'm ...
A: Brad, There are several types of supports available. Of the axle stands, there are two main types, ...
|
| Rear Bearing | 12/3/2007 |
Q: I have a 1976 Spitfire 1500 and there is a clicking noise coming from the rear when I am driving. ...
A: Florian, Aft of the transmission the Spitfire has 4 u-joints (or three if the driveshaft has the CV ...
|
| Gas Smell | 12/2/2007 |
Q: My 1977 Triumph " Project" Spitfire smells smell like Gas...how do I narrow down the solution? I'm ...
A: Brad, Keep in mind that the fuel filler cap is only about 3 feet away from the driver's seat. If ...
|
| Gas Smell | 12/1/2007 |
Q: My 1977 Triumph " Project" Spitfire smells smell like Gas...how do I narrow down the solution? I'm ...
A: Brad, Is it while you're driving? Sitting still? Just walking into the garage? Look for obvious ...
|
| Oil specifications | 12/1/2007 |
Q: What type oil should be used on a 1973 triumph tr6
A: Glen, Personally I don't recommend using any oil ON a TR6, use a good wax instead. As to motor ...
|
| 1979 triumph spitefire | 11/15/2007 |
Q: I'm restoring my 79 spitefire and need a front overrider bumper, and I would like new original seat ...
A: Dennis, There is a good list of vendors on the Vintage Triumph Register (www.VTR.org) website. ...
|
| Will a 1500 engine fit? | 11/15/2007 |
Q: Greetings! Thanks in advance for the assistance! I have a 1971 Spitfire that I'm attempting to ...
A: Dave, Externally the Spitfire blocks are all the same, from the first 1147s to the last 1500s. ...
|
| '74 Spitfire catch bottle | 11/9/2007 |
Q: Jim, You recently gave me some advice for installing a catch bottle on my '74 Spitfire. I ...
A: Tom, If you're getting that much blowby then it's a sign that something is quite worn in the ...
|
| TR6 | 11/5/2007 |
Q: Jim, Kevin again regarding my TR6. Thanks for the quick answer to my question about quick reving ...
A: Kevin, Ok, that's a bit different. Fast idle is normally 2000-2500 rpm... what you're describing ...
|
| TR6 - Choke Sticking | 11/5/2007 |
Q: The weather has turned a little cold here (-2 Celcius) in Calgary, Alberta. When I start my TR6 ...
A: Kevin, Hmmm... any thoughts eh? How about moving somewhere warmer? Nah... just kidding. ...
|
| 77 Spitfire Ignition problem | 11/4/2007 |
Q: I have been chasing sparks on my 77 Spit for a while. I'll break this down to make it easier to ...
A: Mark, The electronic ignition unit replaced the points in the old style ignition setup. In the ...
|
| 77 Spitfire Ignition problem | 11/4/2007 |
Q: I have been chasing sparks on my 77 Spit for a while. I'll break this down to make it easier to ...
A: Mark, There should a ballast resistor in the system. Typically they were mounted near the ...
|
| Clutch Problems | 11/1/2007 |
Q: Jim, I recently brought a 1980 Spitfire 1500 RHD, a month or two after having the car I experienced ...
A: Thomas, There are several things that could be causing the problem. First off... when you bleed ...
|
| spitfire indicators | 10/31/2007 |
Q: i have a 1979 1500 spitfire, when the lights, or a lot of power is being drained from the ...
A: Glyn, One other thing it could be is the flasher unit itself. Just about any autoparts store ...
|
| seat retrofit | 10/31/2007 |
Q: we have a 1979 spitfire 1500 and the seats need to be replaced/reupholstered. I have seen Miata ...
A: John, I've heard from several people who have fitted the Miata seats. From the comments made: 1) ...
|
| spitfire indicators | 10/30/2007 |
Q: i have a 1979 1500 spitfire, when the lights, or a lot of power is being drained from the ...
A: Glyn, When you turn the turn signal the light does light up? Just not blink? Or no light ...
|
| triumph spitfire 1500 | 10/28/2007 |
Q: Hey. So I have a spitfire 1500 and have some weird problems that my mechanic claims arent there. ...
A: Daniel, If you remove the rubber seal at the soft top header (the part that attaches to the ...
|
| TR7 wiper motor wiring | 10/28/2007 |
Q: Hey Jim I have a strange question. I am working on a friends car that has a TR7 wiper motor ...
A: John, Got me confused. There should be a wiring harness with connector on it for the wiper motor. ...
|
| Water Pump leak | 10/27/2007 |
Q: My water pump start to leak slowy from about two days ago, but I still drive to work and carry water ...
A: Leon, Keep in mind that you have a cast iron block and head. After a day or two you'll have orange ...
|
| Spitfire 1500 78 tub removal | 10/27/2007 |
Q: My son Chris and I have disconnected everything (we think) and the 12 bolts are out. How do we lift ...
A: Roger, You should be able to remove the tub without bracing the door openings, as long as the ...
|
| Spitfire 1500 78 tub removal | 10/26/2007 |
Q: My son Chris and I have disconnected everything (we think) and the 12 bolts are out. How do we lift ...
A: Roger, Don't forget to unhook the parking brake cable at the rear wheels, or undo the entire cable ...
|
| Spitfire Diverter Valve | 10/26/2007 |
Q: I live in California and have a stock 79 1500 Spitfire. All the smog equipment is in place. The ...
A: Brian, I don't know of anyone making a GM diverter fit... it doesn't mean it can't or won't work, ...
|
| Spitfire catch bottle | 10/22/2007 |
Q: Jim, Thanks for your recent help regarding my 1974 Spitfire 1500 distributor. You have also been ...
A: Tom, No problem, I just blame it on the cold rainy weather that just arrived. What the catch ...
|
| triumph spitfire 1500 | 10/21/2007 |
Q: Hey. So I have a spitfire 1500 and have some weird problems that my mechanic claims arent there. ...
A: Daniel, It could be the ignition switch itself giving problems. Another test is to put a voltmeter ...
|
| triumph spitfire 1500 | 10/21/2007 |
Q: Hey. So I have a spitfire 1500 and have some weird problems that my mechanic claims arent there. ...
A: Daniel, The vibration on the highway at 3500 rpm is likely caused by more than one thing in the ...
|
| 1974 Spitfire distributor | 10/20/2007 |
Q: Jim, I am restoring a '74 Spitfire 1500. It has a Delco D204 distributor. When I got it after ...
A: The catch bottle can be made from just about anything, keeping in mind that it's got to fit into ...
|
| 1974 Spitfire distributor | 10/20/2007 |
Q: Jim, I am restoring a '74 Spitfire 1500. It has a Delco D204 distributor. When I got it after ...
A: Tom, From the factory there was a hose from the valve cover and a hose from the carb fitting that ...
|
| 1974 Spitfire distributor | 10/19/2007 |
Q: Jim, I am restoring a '74 Spitfire 1500. It has a Delco D204 distributor. When I got it after ...
A: Tom, First off, proper point gap is .015 As to the orientation of the plug wires in the ...
|
| tr250 head gasket leak | 10/18/2007 |
Q: I installed an aluminum[TRF] valve cover[with vent tube] and now oil is heavily seeping from the ...
A: Tom, Carefully de-oil the engine. Once it's dry either put a chalk mark all the way around the ...
|
| Triumph Spitfire transmission | 10/17/2007 |
Q: It helped a lot. My Spitfire is an MKIV manufactured in 1970 as a 1971. First gear is not ...
A: Wes, Keep in mind that you'll need some specialized tools for the rebuild and that while you're in ...
|
| 22'radiator | 10/17/2007 |
Q: Question I have a 1972 spitfire 4 with a 15" radiator on it that was old and leaking need to be ...
A: Mark, It sounds like either the lead from the temp sensor is disconnected or shorted, or the wiring ...
|
| 79 Spit Carb Issues | 10/15/2007 |
Q: Jim, I have a 79 Spit with a Stromberg carb (converted to a manual choke) and had troubles in ...
A: Don, Blue smoke is a sign that oil is getting burnt in the combustion chamber. Is the smoke on ...
|
| Spitfire transmission | 10/15/2007 |
Q: Recently I was descending a steep route and my transmission popped out of 2nd gear. It has been ...
A: Wes, The gears ride on the mainshaft on bronze bushings and are "locked" into gear with spring ...
|
| Spitfire engine swap with Datsun/Nissan | 10/14/2007 |
Q: My son recently purchased a used Spitfire from a local used car dealer, not sure if '76 or '77 with ...
A: Carl, What was the extent of the damage? One or both valves bent? Did it crack the rocker arm(s)? ...
|
| 73 TR6 engine into a Spitfire | 10/12/2007 |
Q: can you put a TR6 engine and trans in a spitfire without any major modification? and what all is ...
A: Wes, I guess it depends upon your definition of "major modification". The Triumph factory ...
|
| ignition wiring? | 10/12/2007 |
Q: I just bought a '77 spitfire with a rebuilt engine and Weber carb. It ran great until one morning, ...
A: Adam, US Market car? If so, the white/blue wire is the feed from the drive resistor to the ...
|
| TR# rear shock replacement | 10/11/2007 |
Q: I have recently purchased a 1960 TR3. I noticed the car had a list to one side and now I find a ...
A: Tim, Basic advice: Good jack stands and make sure the car is well supported before crawling under. ...
|
| 1981 Triumph TR7 | 10/11/2007 |
Q: My car won't start. I took it to a mechanic and he replace the Electric Fuel pump, the gas filter, ...
A: Carlos, The plug with the 3 white wires are necessary to make the distributor actually deliver ...
|
| Spitfire Convertible top window seal | 10/8/2007 |
Q: Jim, I have read through the post and did not see one with the same issue. I have a couple ...
A: Bob, Some of the tops had a flap of vinyl attached to the underside that clipped around the top ...
|
| Distributor & Ignition Switch | 10/3/2007 |
Q: I am restoring a 74 Spitfire 1500 and want to upgrade the distributor from stock. I also want to ...
A: Kris, If the bushings in your stock distributor are ok then the quick upgrade is to fit a Pertronix ...
|
| Blown engine | 10/2/2007 |
Q: I had a DCOE 45 carb installed in my 1975 Spitfire. On the way home from the shop an engine rod came ...
A: Frank, Bolting a carb that will flow more gas such as the 45 DCOE will definitely put more stress ...
|
| Rear Suspension | 10/1/2007 |
Q: I have a 1975 spitfire 1500. The rear wheels look very bowed out. the rear leaf spring was replaced ...
A: Ken, As the springs "de-arch" the wheels will gain negative camber (bottom of wheels "out"). Not ...
|
| Triumph spitfire disc brake removal | 10/1/2007 |
Q: I would like to know how to remove the grease caps from the front hubs of my '71 spitfire. I have ...
A: Alex, There are a couple of different methods that'll work. Some of the grease caps had a hole ...
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| ignition light stays on over heating | 9/10/2007 |
Q: Can you tell me what I should look for My ignition light stay red all the time in my 72 spitfire 4. ...
A: The part you're looking for is a "Voltage Stabilizer". At Rimmer Bros (www.rimmerbros.co.uk) it's ...
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| new spitfire owner advice | 9/9/2007 |
Q: Jim, I recently purchased a 78 Spitfire 1500. I do not plan on maintaining it on my own, as I have ...
A: Kristen, Partly it will depend upon the shop. Since repair shops also make some money on selling ...
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| ignition light stays on over heating | 9/9/2007 |
Q: Can you tell me what I should look for My ignition light stay red all the time in my 72 spitfire 4. ...
A: Mark, What is the voltage at the battery with the engine off, and with the engine running? The ...
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| 1979 spit | 8/27/2007 |
Q: I recently bought a 1979 spitfire for my wife, and it does not get spark from the coil all of the ...
A: Jarod, It's possible to verify that all the mechanical parts in the choke assembly are clean and ...
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| 1979 spit with no fire | 8/26/2007 |
Q: I recently bought a 1979 spitfire for my wife, and it does not get spark from the coil all of the ...
A: Jarod, The late Spitfires used a 6v coil and a ballast resistor in the wiring harness for running, ...
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| 1979 Spitfire EGR valve | 8/26/2007 |
Q: Jim, I am in the process of replacing the original Stromberg carburetor with a Weber DGEC ...
A: Lance, I guess it depends upon what your goal is. The EGR valve lets exhaust back into the ...
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| carb | 8/18/2007 |
Q: I own a 74' spitfire, what would be the best carb? Also i am a novice mechanic- i bought the car ...
A: Earl, In an perfect world the timing should be independent of the carb used. In reality the ...
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| 77 Spit Diff ratio | 8/18/2007 |
Q: Jim, I have a 77 Spit which I believe has had the differential gears changed. The differential ...
A: Mark, The typical overdrive unit ratio is approx. .79. So adding overdive to the original 3.89 ...
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| 1968tr250 | 8/17/2007 |
Q: my car was running fine and just died now i have no spark. the car has a new distributor coil points ...
A: Chris, Work through it logically, go for the basics first. 12v at the + terminal on the coil with ...
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| 1972 TR6 PDWA Issue | 8/14/2007 |
Q: I'm restoring a 72 TR6 and was bleeding the brakes when I discovered that the PDWA switch was ...
A: Ken, If it's leaking through the switch then it's possible that replacing the switch itself may ...
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| twin SUs on a 1500 engine | 8/14/2007 |
Q: I have been helping my cousin with her 70 Spitfire MKIII. The engine needed to be rebuilt so she ...
A: Keith, If the car is a true '70 model then the single Stromberg was the correct carb for that year, ...
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| startermotor problem ! | 8/13/2007 |
Q: I have bought a MK 1V 1971 Triumph Spitfire, the engine is a 1500cc engine with a 1300 gear box, it ...
A: Mark, All years of Spitfire used the same starter motor. The clutch disk did change and in order ...
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| twin SUs on a 1500 engine | 8/12/2007 |
Q: I have been helping my cousin with her 70 Spitfire MKIII. The engine needed to be rebuilt so she ...
A: Keith, What I'm suspecting is either the timing not being correct or the carbs not balanced or ...
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| sending unit | 8/9/2007 |
Q: I have a 1976 Spitfire 1500. I replaced the stock temperature guage with an Autometer Z series 2 ...
A: Matt, Using the upper radiator hose for a measuring point sounds like the best compromise you can ...
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| Carb adjustment | 8/8/2007 |
Q: I bought a 1977 Spitfire and I am trying to get everything tuned to the best possible fuel and power ...
A: Mark, One thing I wonder is if the engine was ever rebuilt... if so it could have the high ...
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| Carb adjustment | 8/8/2007 |
Q: I bought a 1977 Spitfire and I am trying to get everything tuned to the best possible fuel and power ...
A: Mark, Gray/white smoke on the overrun is a lean condition. Black soot on the bumper is either the ...
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| brake master cylinder | 8/7/2007 |
Q: I Jim, I rebuilt my brake master cylinder about 6 weeks ago and now it has begun to start to leak ...
A: Mark, A lot of the brake rebuild kits these days are coming from one manufacturer in Australia. I ...
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| sending unit | 8/4/2007 |
Q: I have a 1976 Spitfire 1500. I replaced the stock temperature guage with an Autometer Z series 2 ...
A: Matt, One idea for the thermostat housing would be to drill/retap the housing to take a larger size ...
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| ignition ab14 lucas | 8/4/2007 |
Q: i just recently bought a 74' spitfire. I am a novice mechanic but i greatly enjoy learning and ...
A: Earl, There are a couple of things you can do without opening the block. Most basic is to improve ...
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| No fire at distributor | 8/3/2007 |
Q: I just purchased a real nice 1978 Spitfire with 37,000 actual miles that has not run for about 6 ...
A: JD, A problem with the electronic ignition system is that the unit either works or does not work, ...
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| spitfire ignition | 8/1/2007 |
Q: I ahve a 78 1500 spit that I have had for several years and never driven. my sone and i have begun ...
A: Bucky, The next step is to figure out which ignition system is installed in the car. Originally it ...
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| ignition coil | 7/24/2007 |
Q: Jim On a triumph tr-4, does the + or- terminal on the coil go to the distributor? ...
A: Jerry, Basic rule of thumb: whichever way the car is grounded, connect that lead from the coil to ...
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| Spitfire hardtops and softtops | 7/24/2007 |
Q: The first question is in regards to my softtop for my 66 Spitfire Mk2. I have recently sent it in to ...
A: Phil, I'll have to profess ignorance when discussing tops on Spitfire4 and Mk2s. The best manual ...
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| Triumph Power Problems | 7/21/2007 |
Q: I own a 78 Triumph Spitfire 1500 that I've had for three years. I am an extremely novice mechanic. ...
A: Ryan, The needle on the Stromberg CD150s should be spring loaded and move fairly easily in the ...
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| 1500 1976 triumph spitfire back firing | 7/21/2007 |
Q: My car started back firing last summer. I've changed the air filter and spark plugs. What else ...
A: Backfiring is typically a symptom of the timing being off. At the same time it's worth checking to ...
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| 1974 Spitfire Thermostatic valve hookup | 7/20/2007 |
Q: welcome back. I have a late model 1974 Spitfire with the 1493cc engine,a supposed 150CD4 Stromberg ...
A: Bob, How long have you had the car? There should be a fitting on the top of the carb near the ...
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| carburator | 7/19/2007 |
Q: i just typed anouther question a minute ago and fould that you had already awnsered most of it. but ...
A: Jerry, There are the two fittings on the side of the carb throat towards the firewall. The lower ...
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| Ignition Problem 79 Spitfire | 7/18/2007 |
Q: I am the proud owner of a 1979 Triumph Spitfire that up until recently was running just peachy. We ...
A: Justin, First step: contact the vendor you bought the distributor from and ask for a proper hookup ...
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| more on oils | 7/17/2007 |
Q: Some of the guys racing in Australia are running 85 / 140 Hypoid oil, stating that the Spitfire diff ...
A: Martyn, Using a thicker oil will increase the temps in the diff as the oil itself will add some ...
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| 76 Spit - EGR light | 7/16/2007 |
Q: I knew I was forgetting something. Ever since I got the car, the EGR light has been on -- I take ...
A: Thomas, From what I can tell the EGR light was tripped off the service interval indicator. I don't ...
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| 76 Spit - various questions | 7/16/2007 |
Q: a couple more questions about my car -- When I shift into 3rd from 2nd, and especially downshift ...
A: Thomas, Let's see... 1) Gear shift "clunk" or grind. If it's not happening in other gears and ...
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| running to hot | 7/15/2007 |
Q: I own a 75 spitfire and I,m haveing a problem with it running to hot. I had the radiator boiled and ...
A: David, There should be a sticker on the inside of the bonnet with the correct timing settings. If ...
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| electric cooling fan | 7/14/2007 |
Q: I have just removed the cooling fan on my mk2 triumph spitfire because it also has an electric fan ...
A: Kevin, I guess the question is... how is the electric fan controlled? Is it on a thermostat sensor ...
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| running to hot | 7/14/2007 |
Q: I own a 75 spitfire and I,m haveing a problem with it running to hot. I had the radiator boiled and ...
A: David, How do you know it's running hot? Temp gauge or is it overflowing the radiator system? If ...
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| carburator | 7/13/2007 |
Q: Anyway the previous owner removed the carburetor and now i cant figure out where all the lines go. ...
A: Jerry, The main fuel feed to the carb comes off the fuel pump on the drivers side of the block and ...
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| tr7 want start | 7/13/2007 |
Q: I checked the ignition and there isn't any fire coming to the spark pluges. It has electroic ...
A: Jim, If it's the original Lucas system the best test seems to be to set the coil lead where you can ...
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| Collars for front shock | 7/12/2007 |
Q: I have a set of NOS Unipart front shocks for a '79 Spitfire 1500 (I don't have the original Unipart ...
A: Fred, Not sure about Charlie.. I've seen his name mentioned several times in the recent past but I ...
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| Collars for front shock | 7/12/2007 |
Q: I have a set of NOS Unipart front shocks for a '79 Spitfire 1500 (I don't have the original Unipart ...
A: Fred, Small world. I was a member of the club in '89. Having reawakened those dormant brain ...
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| Ignition Problem 79 Spitfire | 7/11/2007 |
Q: I am the proud owner of a 1979 Triumph Spitfire that up until recently was running just peachy. We ...
A: Justin, Not sure why you had to replace the distributor... the bracket that holds the distributor ...
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| Another question and a clarification | 7/11/2007 |
Q: I just sent a question about half an hour ago, and forgot a couple things. First off, it's a White ...
A: Thomas, First thing to do is pull the door panel. It's a pain removing the window crank but it can ...
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| Spitfire Rust and Mileage | 7/11/2007 |
Q: I was wondering if you knew whether I could put 15% ethanol has into a Triumph? This isn't E85 -- ...
A: Thomas, Mid to high 20s for a Spitfire isn't terribly bad. I've had people claim that low-30s is ...
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| Collars for front shock | 7/11/2007 |
Q: I have a set of NOS Unipart front shocks for a '79 Spitfire 1500 (I don't have the original Unipart ...
A: Fred, Couple of things you can do. First off, have you tried the local club? There's a good DC ...
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| Triumph Spitfire Mechanic in Honolulu | 7/11/2007 |
Q: Jim: Aloha from Hawaii. I recently purchased a 1973 Spitfire 1500. Its' in great shape, but I do ...
A: Steve, Sorry, I don't have any good leads for mechanics in the 50th state. You might try joining ...
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| Sptfire Carb problems | 6/28/2007 |
Q: I have a 1500 with a stromberg 150CD, when I accelerate the Air Valve and needle valve are not ...
A: Garth, It sounds like the diaphram is starting to split or tear, allowing air to leak past. ...
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| Radio | 6/27/2007 |
Q: I have what I think is a simple question. I have a 76 Spitfire. I pulled out the aftermarket radio ...
A: Matt, If the radio from the TR6 fit without modifying the TR6 dash support then it should fit the ...
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| choke conversion | 6/26/2007 |
Q: I've been looking for the parts to do a conversion from electric to manual for my webers I'm putting ...
A: Dave, I can recommend a couple of good vendors, but I'll let you do the legwork to verify if any ...
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| radiator overheating | 6/26/2007 |
Q: I have another question for you. As The heat in Florida rises so does my 1972 spitfire mk4. the ...
A: Mark, No, the Spitfires weren't really made for the American market, even though we got most of the ...
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| Speedo | 6/25/2007 |
Q: My speedo decided to quit working recently, although the cable is actually not all that old (maybe ...
A: Steve, The gearbox end of the inner cable was simply squashed to flatten it enough to grab the ...
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| Ignition coils | 6/25/2007 |
Q: Jim I have a 1976 spitfire and I need to replace the coil it is leaking fluid. I went to a part ...
A: Kenneth, You'll be much better off sticking to the original setup, it'll make trouble shooting ...
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| 1977 Spitfire Speedometer | 6/25/2007 |
Q: Jim, I am replacing my Smiths speedometer with an aftermarket speedo and was wondering if you ...
A: Mark, If you look at the speedometer face down near the bottom you'll see a 4 digit number. That's ...
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| spitfire ignition | 6/24/2007 |
Q: I bought a '78 spitfire 1500 with no keys. I am trying to take the ignition cylinder out to have a ...
A: Jamie, It might be better to remove the entire lock assembly and take that to the locksmith. The ...
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| 76 spitfire | 6/23/2007 |
Q: i bought my spitfire for $5400 4 yrs ago. it is in great shape. i was wondering what is it worth ...
A: Kitty, There are a lot of variables in figuring the price on a Spitfire. What options does the car ...
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| Triumph Power Problems | 6/22/2007 |
Q: I own a 78 Triumph Spitfire 1500 that I've had for three years. I am an extremely novice mechanic. ...
A: Ryan, Now I'm curious... where can you still find non-ethanol enhanced gasoline? I thought it was ...
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| 1975 Spitfire Timing Confusion... | 6/21/2007 |
Q: I'm trying to arrive at the correct timing specifications for my '75 Spitfire. In the Bentley ...
A: Jeff, It's really a bit of an iterative process... you adjust the timing then tweak the carbs then ...
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| 1977 Spitfire Fuel Gauge replacement | 6/21/2007 |
Q: On my 1977 Spitfire I am wanting to replace the fuel gauge with an aftermarket gauge. To make sure ...
A: Mark, The stock sending unit should read from 20 ohms (full) to 200 ohms (empty). You can verify ...
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| 1975 Spitfire Timing Confusion... | 6/20/2007 |
Q: I'm trying to arrive at the correct timing specifications for my '75 Spitfire. In the Bentley ...
A: Jeff, Keep in mind that the ignition settings are based on EVERYTHING else being within spec. Carb ...
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| Steering problem | 6/20/2007 |
Q: I recently bought a 1976 1500 and after having it for about 3 weeks I brought it to get the oil ...
A: Zeb, I can't imagine offhand what they might have done, although let me toss out some ideas. First ...
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| '77 triumph spitfire idle battery issue | 6/19/2007 |
Q: I was putting a new radio in my 77 1500 and went for a ride afterwards. I went in to a parking lot ...
A: Will, If the battery isn't charging, it's one of two things... the battery or the alternator. ...
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| revving then stalling | 6/19/2007 |
Q: Jim, I have a '73 spit 1500 and recently when starting the car fully choked it turns over and revs ...
A: Bob, Next time, try popping open the fuel filler cap. If you get good gas flow then... it's the ...
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| revving then stalling | 6/19/2007 |
Q: Jim, I have a '73 spit 1500 and recently when starting the car fully choked it turns over and revs ...
A: Bob, It sounds like you're not enough fuel to the carb. Quick test: Get a can of starting ether ...
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| 1977 Spitfire Distributor and Timing | 6/18/2007 |
Q: I have a 1977 Spitfire that I bought used and in really great condition. Just a quick rundown. It ...
A: Mark, Keep in mind that during the '70s Triumph was constantly struggling to meet federal emissions ...
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| Alternator Conversion | 6/18/2007 |
Q: I have a MK2 Spitfire. I want to convert for the generator to an alternator. Do you have any advise ...
A: Sorry, I guess if I'm going to plagerize someone else's tech link I need to include the whole thing. ...
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| Alternator Conversion | 6/17/2007 |
Q: I have a MK2 Spitfire. I want to convert for the generator to an alternator. Do you have any advise ...
A: Phil, Here's a good set of directions I found while poking around.... Fitting the GM Alternator to ...
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| headlights and diff mount bushes | 6/14/2007 |
Q: On 1972 spitfire mk4 This is what they are doing. I turn my headlight switch to headlight on ,and ...
A: Unfortunately I'm not near my repair manuals with the wiring diagrams so I can't give detailed ...
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| rear hub removal. | 6/14/2007 |
Q: Jim, sorry to bother you again so soon but am backed up in a box again. I am trying to replace the ...
A: Lamar, Sorry to say it, you need to get your hands on the proper hub puller, it's much cheaper than ...
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| breaks | 6/13/2007 |
Q: keep up the good work off helping out people and speading your knowlage! my question is how do ...
A: How about we use the term "brake" for the system and parts that stop the car? When they stop ...
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| 1976 Triumph Spitfire 1500 | 6/13/2007 |
Q: I own a 1976 Triumph Spitfire 1500. I had the engine rebuilt and have slowly but surely, as $ ...
A: Tony, I believe the common name for the part you're looking for is the "service interval ...
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| breaks | 6/12/2007 |
Q: keep up the good work off helping out people and speading your knowlage! my question is how do ...
A: Jack, Don't hate brakes.. they keep you from having worse breaks. Seriously, to remove the ...
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| 1978 Spitfire automatic tranny | 6/11/2007 |
Q: I have a 1978 Triumph Spitfire that has a 1500 cc engine. My wife fell in love with this car but she ...
A: David, There's no "drop in" automatic transmission that I've heard of. There are companies making ...
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| 70 Spit nut sizes | 6/11/2007 |
Q: a real strange question but very serious to understand. The Spit is a British car but my metric ...
A: Lamar, At the time that your Spitfire was produced, the "standard" hardware used in the UK was UNC ...
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| Putting a J drive OD in a 1969 TR6 | 6/11/2007 |
Q: I have installed a J Drive OD Trans in my 69 TR6. It has a new Roadster factory wiring Harness. Is ...
A: Stephen, Not sure what you mean. Is the unit fully installed with driveshaft connected? Did you ...
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| 1975 triump spitfire 1500 | 6/10/2007 |
Q: If i want to remove the emissions canister from my 75 spitfire 1500, how do I reroute the hoses? ...
A: Larry, I'm not sure what you're trying to accomplish. The carbon cannister on the later Spitfires ...
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| Spitfire 1500 lower on drivers side than on passenger side | 6/8/2007 |
Q: My spitfire is lower on the drivers side than on the passenger side. I have checked the distance of ...
A: Brendan, That's a common complaint with the Spitfire, especially the later cars with the "swing ...
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| TR3 timing & advance curves | 6/6/2007 |
Q: Where can I find advance curves for 1959 TR3? Distributor has both centrifugal and vacuum advance ...
A: Jim, I'm a big fan of the Bentley manuals as being good resources for technical and repair work as ...
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| Weber Carb Problem | 6/5/2007 |
Q: Our problem seems to be progressing and I was apparently way off base thinking it was the carb. ...
A: Dan, There's an electrical switch at the back end of the column lock. It's not unusual to have ...
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| 79 spit tranny | 6/5/2007 |
Q: love your expert advice!My question is:I have a 70 1500 spit.Will the gears from a 74 spit tranny ...
A: Pam, Do you want to swap the actual guts of the transmissions, or swap transmissions as units? ...
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| '72 Triumph Spitfire | 6/5/2007 |
Q: I just purchased a 72 Triumph Spitfire. The brakes went out as soon as I bought it. It had not been ...
A: Joel, There are two possible problems... air in system or the rear brake shoes are adjusted too far ...
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| brake and clutch fluid change | 6/4/2007 |
Q: I love reading your tips on all experts everyday it has saved me so much time and money so far.. ...
A: Mark, Yes, as the hydraulic seals age they release bits of the seal material into the fluid. ...
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| Coolant in #4 Cylinder | 6/4/2007 |
Q: Jim, I have a 1979 Spitfire that recently had a stuck #3 exhaust Valve. Removed the head and took ...
A: Scott, All I can think of is that the gasket might have a bad spot around one of the water ...
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| 1978 Spitfire Rattling etc. | 6/4/2007 |
Q: ..I have a couple questions... Question #1: I know this is probably a broad question, but I was ...
A: Ethan, Let me see if I can cover all of this. And if there's anything you feel uncomfortable ...
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| 74' Spitfire 1500 power improvement | 6/2/2007 |
Q: I have just purchased a 74' Spitfire 1500 (at least the badging on the outside says 1500). Car runs ...
A: Todd, First off... bolt on power kinda limits what you can do. Essentially you can either improve ...
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| Spitfire Mk4 Coughing and Spluttering When Cold | 6/2/2007 |
Q: I've already had some electrical work done on her for other reasons but one of my remaining issues ...
A: Mike, First suggestion... find a better garage. When the car is cold it will not run at it's best, ...
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| fluids what to use | 6/2/2007 |
Q: I have a question I just got a 1972 spitfire. that has been sitting for 16 years looking to change ...
A: Mark, Manual trans and differential. 90wt GL-4 (never GL-5) gear oil. Castrol Hypoy-C used to be ...
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| Tr6 cutting out | 6/1/2007 |
Q: Hey Jim, I own a 76 triumph and it has been driving well until it has suddenly done this thing where ...
A: Ben, You're running the stock Stromberg carb setup? If so, have you checked the dashpot oil? They ...
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| Tr6 cutting out | 6/1/2007 |
Q: Hey Jim, I own a 76 triumph and it has been driving well until it has suddenly done this thing where ...
A: Ben, Does it happen when you're starting to coast, or just upshifted? Have you pulled the ...
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| Tr6 cutting out | 5/31/2007 |
Q: Hey Jim, I own a 76 triumph and it has been driving well until it has suddenly done this thing where ...
A: Ben, Does it seem to have the problem when you've been driving the same amount of time? Hard ...
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| weber carb problem | 5/25/2007 |
Q: we have a 1978 1500 with a weber DVG carb. The car was stored about 1 and 1/2 years with half tank ...
A: Dan, Well, I was going to start off guessing that the car ran ok before it was parked... with the ...
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| window to soft top seal | 5/24/2007 |
Q: Jim Thanks for the prompt response. I agree that a wet country has done an amazingly bad job of ...
A: John, My first Spitfire had been hit with a boat trailer, bending the soft top frame. With the ...
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| '76 Spitfire diff noise | 5/24/2007 |
Q: We have a '76 Spitfire at the shop that has a clicking noise in the rear of the car when cruising, ...
A: Sean, Where is your shop located? Which way does it make noise? Right or left? Or don't you ...
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| window to soft top seal | 5/23/2007 |
Q: Jim I skimmed through your previous answers listing and can't find one that deals with my question ...
A: John, What's a soft top? Just kidding.. too many years of autocrossing the dedicated race car.... ...
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| tr-6 starting | 5/23/2007 |
Q: My 76 tr-6 starts right up when cold, but refuses to start when warmed up. It readily starts by push ...
A: Mark, Have you taken a look at the spark plugs? Sooty black or clean white? When you try to start ...
|
| Gt6 Gearbox | 5/22/2007 |
Q: i have a 1973 Triumph GT6 which i have been told is fitted with an american box (whether or not this ...
A: Jamie, I have no idea what an "american box" is, all the GT6s had the same gearbox regardless of ...
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| 1976 Spitfire | 5/19/2007 |
Q: Threequestions: 1. What is your recommendation for a service manual for 1976 Triumph Spitfire. I ...
A: Rex, In my opinion the Robert Bentley manual for the Spitfire is the best resource for the car. It ...
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| triumph speed | 5/19/2007 |
Q: I have a Triumph 1500. On the Highway, I rarely do 65mph due to the high revs of the car. Is there a ...
A: Benjamin, How much do you want to spend? There are two options with the stock drivetrain. Either ...
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| Spitfire Mk 4 Horn and Wiper Problem | 5/18/2007 |
Q: Both the horn and wipers were fine, then the horn failed and then shortly after the wipers failed. ...
A: Mike, The fuse box is on the drivers side (LHD cars) on the firewall above the footwell. It's got ...
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| '79 Spitfire Not starting | 5/18/2007 |
Q: I have a '79 Spitfire 1500 that is suddenly not starting. The battery turns it over but nothing is ...
A: Bill, Well, you need three basic things to get the car running: Fuel Air Fire Most problems are ...
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| triumph 1973 spitfire 1500 backfire | 5/17/2007 |
Q: i just purchased this car it was running fine at purchase and now it is sputtering and backfiring ...
A: Andy, It's either ignition or fuel. Go for the basics first. Ignition: Verify all 4 cylinders are ...
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| Runawy Spitfire | 5/17/2007 |
Q: My idle has climbed in 2 days from 900 RPM to now its at an unbearable 3500 RPM – its like riding a ...
A: Chris, Now you've got me wishing I had either my manuals or a spare carb sitting here at work.... ...
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| Fuel flow from tank stops | 5/17/2007 |
Q: I have a bizzare problem in which the gas stops flowing from the fuel tank suddenly. I have already ...
A: I run my Spitfires in the Texas summer and haven't had fuel flow stop from vapor lock. I have had ...
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| Runawy Spitfire | 5/16/2007 |
Q: My idle has climbed in 2 days from 900 RPM to now its at an unbearable 3500 RPM – its like riding a ...
A: Yes, that's the proper process for adjusting mixture. One word of caution, there's a special tool ...
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| weber carb/spit 1500-uphill run problem | 5/16/2007 |
Q: Jim, Both you and Howard have been very helpful. Thank you. Problem: Having chased a lean condition, ...
A: Brian, Are you sure the ignition timing is correct? And you've verified the float level in the ...
|
| Fuel flow from tank stops | 5/16/2007 |
Q: I have a bizzare problem in which the gas stops flowing from the fuel tank suddenly. I have already ...
A: Bob, It sounds like you still have some junk in the system. When I bought my '73 1500 I installed ...
|
| Sudden Ignition Failure | 5/16/2007 |
Q: I own a 1979 US model spitfire 1500. I use it as a daily driver here in Seattle. A couple of weeks ...
A: Joshua, Let me give you some basic ignition theory then we'll dive into your system. The coil in a ...
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| Runawy Spitfire | 5/15/2007 |
Q: My idle has climbed in 2 days from 900 RPM to now its at an unbearable 3500 RPM – its like riding a ...
A: Chris, If you're having trouble getting the needle adjusted properly it's possible to swap in a new ...
|
| Triumph Spitfire clutch | 5/15/2007 |
Q: I have a 1980 Spitfire that the clutch was slipping on. I replaced the clutch and pressure plate ...
A: Keith, Yes, having the clutch disc in backwards will make it difficult/impossible to release the ...
|
| Fuel flow from tank stops | 5/15/2007 |
Q: I have a bizzare problem in which the gas stops flowing from the fuel tank suddenly. I have already ...
A: Bob, Refresh my memory, what year car are you working on? If it's an "emissions" version then the ...
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| Fuel flow from tank stops | 5/14/2007 |
Q: I have a bizzare problem in which the gas stops flowing from the fuel tank suddenly. I have already ...
A: Bob, What year Spitfire? Did you clean the fuel lines all the way back? Are you still running the ...
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| shifting problems with a 1976 spitfire 1500 (no overdrive) | 5/12/2007 |
Q: I recently went to put my 1976 triumph 1500 in reverse and something has happened and the shifting ...
A: Tom, Actually there is a short linkage on top of the trans. If you remove the trans cover you'll ...
|
| 76 Spitfire | 5/12/2007 |
Q: I'd like your recommendation on the best oil (make & grade) & gas (octane) for a 76 Spitfire.
A: Oil? Castrol GTX of course! Grade depends a bit on engine condition and your local temperatures. ...
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| Runawy Spitfire | 5/11/2007 |
Q: My idle has climbed in 2 days from 900 RPM to now its at an unbearable 3500 RPM – its like riding a ...
A: Chris, What condition are the plugs in? Bright white insulators or sooty black? Typically an ...
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| Fluxuating loss of power at 80-100km | 5/10/2007 |
Q: I have a 77 spit. New gas tank, new/rebuilt SU carb, new gas filters, new mech pump, fuel lines away ...
A: Nelson, Which SU? One of the HS? Or an HIF? If it's an HS, it's easy to check the fuel level, ...
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| Spitfire 1500 electrical issue | 5/9/2007 |
Q: Jim, I just acquired a 1976 spitfire. It has not run for five years. I have replaced the battery ...
A: Andy, First off, make sure you've got some good tools. A decent multimeter/voltmeter is a must. ...
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| 75 Spitfire | 5/9/2007 |
Q: The square O-rings in the pressure differential switch actuator (the witch turns on the break light ...
A: Thomas, There are several options. First off, I did a quick check of vendors and Rimmer Bros in ...
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| engine quits to idle | 5/9/2007 |
Q: Everytime I rev the engine to 2000-3000 rpm, it almost stalls out and goes back to idle. This ...
A: John, It sounds kind of like a fuel problem, although since it continues to idle then the car is ...
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| Ballpark cost for Spitfire 1500,'76 | 5/8/2007 |
Q: I have a 1976 Spitfire that I parked 15 years ago. It has been covered and on jacks in a garage. ...
A: Gary, There are too many variables involved. First off, what shape was the car in when it was put ...
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| 1967 Triumph Herald 1200 saloon pinion tail bearing removal | 5/8/2007 |
Q: Can you tell me how to remove the pinion tail bearing in the Herald 1200. I have removed the shaft ...
A: Dominick, In order to do the job properly it's necessary to remove the ring carrier from the ...
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| Replaced all ignition - still no spark!! | 4/26/2007 |
Q: Really hope you can help me, I'm utterly, utterly dejected here! I'm having huge problems trying to ...
A: Ewan, You neglect to mention whether the car is still fitted with the factory Lucas ignition system ...
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| Idle adjust for 80 spitfire | 4/26/2007 |
Q: I have a totally stock 1980 spitfire and having trouble with the idle settings. It has the auto ...
A: Edward, You should have the water choke, if it's original for the 1980. Correct? It's a bit ...
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| Clutch | 4/24/2007 |
Q: Jim, Just rebult my 76 Spit. engine. Got a new clutch before putting the engine back in. Working ...
A: Roy, There's a push rod that connects the brake pedal to the clutch master. It's not uncommon for ...
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| high oil pressure | 4/24/2007 |
Q: My Spitfire's oil light came on the other day. I installed an oil pressure gauge so that I could ...
A: Brian, The main drawback to slightly higher oil pressure is that it will rob some engine power in ...
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| high oil pressure | 4/23/2007 |
Q: My Spitfire's oil light came on the other day. I installed an oil pressure gauge so that I could ...
A: Brian, Was the runnning obersvation taken on the road? Or just in the garage? 65 is still on the ...
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| Steering | 4/23/2007 |
Q: Jim: You have helped me a lot with my 65 Spitfire and I have two more questions for you. First, ...
A: Jeff, You might check/bleed the clutch system, if you're not fully disengaging the clutch that ...
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| fan belt | 4/22/2007 |
Q: what is the recommended replacement belt for a '74 1500
A: Dennis, A quick peek found one supplier (Quinton Hazel) lists the fan belt as a "QBA-1088". It's ...
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| Spitfire mk3 will not start | 4/22/2007 |
Q: Similar to the question from Gavin. My 1964 mk3 spit has been stood some considerable time and when ...
A: Paul, Couple of thoughts... I had a similar problem with my '73 1500 in that it'd start ok, rev up ...
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| Spitfire Speedo Pinion | 4/21/2007 |
Q: Jim, Do you know where I can find a NKC49 - 18 tooth speedo pinion that won't cost a fortune? I ...
A: Mick, Have you tried any of the US suppliers? The NKC49 was used on the US spec J-type overdrives ...
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| Metallic rattle at 3400 rpm | 4/21/2007 |
Q: I have a 1980 Spitfire (no overdrive) that runs and shifts well. Recently it has developed a ...
A: Corey, It could be just about anything that's loose mechanically.... although when you're driving ...
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| triumph spitfire clutch | 4/18/2007 |
Q: Anyway the last one i bought is a 1980 & its all running well apart from the clutch pedal has gone ...
A: Vince, It's likely one of three things: 1) Clutch slave is frozen in the full out position 2) ...
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| Spitfire Engine & Box | 4/17/2007 |
Q: Could you tell me if its possible to fit a 1980 spitfire 1500cc Engine & box into a 1974 GT6? ...
A: Jamie. Anything is possible, although it might be tough to fit a Spitfire engine into a 1974 GT6, ...
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| Spitfire 1500 1977 | 4/17/2007 |
Q: i am in the process in restoring my 1977 spitfire. my question is: is there anything especial about ...
A: George, Well, how many other 30 year old cars do you see around these days? ;) The Triumph ...
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| GT6 Identity Plate | 4/16/2007 |
Q: Im restoring a Triumph GT6 and am just about to finish it and ive realised that ive lost the ...
A: Jamie, The only way I know of properly documenting your original commission plate is to get a BMIHT ...
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| Steering | 4/16/2007 |
Q: Jim: You have helped me a lot with my 65 Spitfire and I have two more questions for you. First, ...
A: Jeff, 1) Steering column "free play". There are a couple of places to check. The front end of ...
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| spitfire rear hub seals | 3/13/2007 |
Q: Rebuilding spitfire rear half shafts...everything apart no problem, cleaned up and all ready to go ...
A: David, According to the factory manual the seal is pressed into the trunnion with the lips ...
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| Spitfire Seat Covers (1972) | 3/1/2007 |
Q: Any idea where I can purchase seat covers for my 1972 Spitfire (U.S. Model) without being taken for ...
A: Matt, What you might do is look in the yellow pages for a local upholstery shop. I've had friends ...
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| spit tranny follow up | 2/19/2007 |
Q: ,, it really helps me get on the right path. My follow up is .>>> are the flywheel bolt dimensions ...
A: Keith, 1) For SAE bolts they're defined by the diameter of the bolt thread (shaft). So a 3/8" ...
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| Zenith Manual Choke Conversion | 2/18/2007 |
Q: Jim, The water choke on my 79 Spitfire (Zenith 150) is not performing very well. I've tried ...
A: John, I haven't done the conversion on a Zenith Stromberg but I did to the converion on a Weber ...
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| spit tranny | 2/16/2007 |
Q: ,I have this 1296cc motor >(FK27556UE),,,and I wanted to know if this transmission >(FH 53 91) will ...
A: Keith, The FK Engine and FH gearbox are from the same series car, Spitfire Mk IV. There shouldn't ...
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| 1972 GT6 | 2/15/2007 |
Q: The GT6+ needles are a good suggestion, I should be able to find out what type they were easy ...
A: Craig, I personally haven't tinkered with any of the GT6's I've had, so I'm not the best source of ...
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| Triumph 1963B | 2/13/2007 |
Q: My husband recently passed away and left his 1963B Triumph in the garage. He was the original owner ...
A: Norma, I'm sorry to hear about your situation. The best way to get an "expert" appraisal would be ...
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| Stripped Sump bolt hole | 2/9/2007 |
Q: Jim, I recently picked up a winter project - 76 Spit, my first sports car. While replacing the ...
A: Adam, It may be possible to remove the front sealing block with the engine in place, but as you've ...
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| oil sump removal - part 2 | 2/8/2007 |
Q: Jim: As always, thanks for all your great advice. I'm ready to remove the oil sump and replace the ...
A: Jeff, Well, usually the engine compartment benefited from the "Triumph corrosion prevention ...
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| how to split the rearquarter pannels | 2/7/2007 |
Q: how to split the rearquarter pannels, after taking off the little clips.
A: Jeff, Which Triumph are you working on? I'm going to guess Spitfire, correct me if I'm wrong. The ...
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| oil pan gasket | 1/21/2007 |
Q: Jim: I very much appreciate all the help you've been as I restore my 65 Spitfire. I'm about to ...
A: Jeff, Yes, it'll help keep your garage floor clean (and your rides uneventful) if you properly glue ...
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| ignition timing | 1/21/2007 |
Q: i have a 1979 triumph spitfire 1500. i am putting a new electronic ignition in the car but in order ...
A: Travis, The simplest thing I can think of is to put a band of masking tape around the distributor ...
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| 1975 Spitfire 1500 Rear End Oil & Top Speed | 1/17/2007 |
Q: I have a 1975 Spitfire 1500 and I recently drove around town for approximately 90 miles. During that ...
A: Todd, It's possible that if a bearing is failing in the differential it could put enough drag on ...
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| 73 spitfire | 1/11/2007 |
Q: I have stripped down a 73 spit. for complete restoration but have a problem as I am about to put ...
A: Neil, Yes, all of the manuals seem to conviently leave out the details on where the frame/body pads ...
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| 1976 spitfire | 12/18/2006 |
Q: My son is restoring a 1976 Spitfire and he severely damaged the passenger side rear axle while ...
A: Doug, Yes, there is a special heavy duty puller designed to remove the hub from the axle without ...
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| TR6 Brakes | 12/18/2006 |
Q: My daughter has a 1972 tr6 not run for 10 years, her Husband has fitted new brake system, but is ...
A: Doug, Is it confirmed to be "air" or is is just a spongy pedal? Couple of things to check: Make ...
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| 72 Spitfire Mx IV. Weber Carb - Cust out when warm | 12/17/2006 |
Q: I swapped the carb from the Zenith/Stromberg to a Weber 32/36 DGV with a water choke. Everything ...
A: Gavin, That sounds like either a) the choke isn't disengaging completely (but you've ruled that ...
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| TR3 A | 12/12/2006 |
Q: I'm fairly confident that I got the fuel float levels correct. I'll look in the dashpot area and ...
A: Chip, The rotor is easily replaceable, it's the shaft that the rotor sits on that's part of the ...
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| CLUTCH | 12/11/2006 |
Q: I did what you told me THANK YOU. Now it appears I need fluid for the clutch. What type of fluid ...
A: Ben, The hydraulics in the Spitfire were designed for the normal DOT brakefluid, currently at DOT3. ...
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| TR3 A | 12/10/2006 |
Q: My TR3 loses power in higher gears. As I get into 4th gear, the car starts to lose power. The ...
A: Chip, It's either a timing issue or a fuel supply issue. When you rebuilt the carbs did you set ...
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| 1974 tr6 timing | 12/7/2006 |
Q: what is the best way to set the timing and what should it read
A: Zane, The best way to set the ignition timing is to use a timing light. Static timing on the 1974 ...
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| Bumpers 1980 spitfire | 12/7/2006 |
Q: Jim, You have answered questions on my 1980 spit before and have been a great help...thanks. I ...
A: Dan, You're right, the rubber bumpers are tough to find as they were only used for the last year or ...
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| 75 Spitfire Breakerless Ignition | 12/7/2006 |
Q: Just thought you might like to know how everything turned out. I am presently looking for a points ...
A: Well, good luck with the distributor issue. As to the clutch, let me see if I can get ahead a bit ...
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| 75 Spitfire Breakerless Ignition | 12/6/2006 |
Q: One last question, as I am quiet new to refirbing old cars especially british cars, what would you ...
A: Thomas, The simplest mechanical points system I can recommend it to hunt for a good condition ...
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| 75 Spitfire Breakerless Ignition | 12/6/2006 |
Q: The Distributor and plug wires are ok. I used an ohm meter to check and I can see a spark with a ...
A: Thomas, One last check.... crank the engine (or hand spin it via the crank pulley) with the ...
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| 75 Spitfire Breakerless Ignition | 12/4/2006 |
Q: I have preformed the experiment that you suggested and I have fire at the coil wire, however when I ...
A: Thomas, I hope you mean you had the plug wire lodged near the grounded metal and weren't holding ...
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| CLUTCH | 12/4/2006 |
Q: JUST BOUGHT A 1980 SPITFIRE 1500, AND WHEN I WENT TO PICK IT UP THE CLUTCH WENT TO THE FLOOR. IS ...
A: Ben, The easiest way to get access to the clutch slave cylinder (and bleed nipple) is to remove the ...
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| Triumph Spitfire 1972 - Not Starting | 12/4/2006 |
Q: Perfect! Thanks, Jim. It's running. Next issue is the carb. (Surprise!) I'm running the Zenith ...
A: Gavin, I take it you're referring to the dashpot? It has the mixture needle affixed to the bottom? ...
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| 75 Spitfire Breakerless Ignition | 12/3/2006 |
Q: I just purchased a 1975 Spitfire that has sat in a garage for the last 28 years. The last time it ...
A: Thomas, The simple test for the "Opus" system is to take the high tension lead from the coil to the ...
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| Triumph Spitfire 1972 - Not Starting | 12/3/2006 |
Q: I just bouight a 72 Spitfire. It is in pretty good condition, but it is just not starting. The ...
A: Gavin, Yes, #1 is the plug at the front of the engine. Normally the distributor cap is set with #1 ...
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| triumph spitfire not getting fuel | 11/29/2006 |
Q: ok, so i followed your advice and sprayed starter into the carb and the car starts instantly and ...
A: Tom, There are several things that'll keep fuel from getting into the engine. Before I start, ...
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| Crankcase Pressure 80 Spitfire | 11/22/2006 |
Q: Jim, This engine has 51K mi. I put new rings on old pistons. I had the block and pistons gauged ...
A: Dan, What you want to do is apply engine vacuum to the crankcase to help keep oil IN the engine. ...
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| Crankcase Pressure 80 Spitfire | 11/22/2006 |
Q: Jim, I just put new rings and bearings in in the last couple of weeks, I can't believe that could ...
A: Dan, The best setup is to run the vent from the valve cover into a sealed catch bottle then into ...
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| 1972 Spitfire clutch problem | 11/22/2006 |
Q: I hear a whine when I push the clutch in. It doesn't happen all of the time. There seems to be no ...
A: Alan, When the sound does happen, is it constant? Or does it die away in a couple of seconds? If ...
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| spitefire engine swap with GT6 engine | 11/21/2006 |
Q: ihave a 79 spitfire, i want to place a GT6 engine in it. what do i need to do, can i also use the ...
A: Wes, Installing the 6 cylinder into the Spitfire isn't too difficult a task, but there are some ...
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| Crankcase Pressure 80 Spitfire | 11/21/2006 |
Q: Jim, I have just put a Weber downdraft on my Spitfire after rebuilding the engine and it runs ...
A: Dan, The factory setup for the Spitfire had the vent from the valve cover going into a T fitting. ...
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| 1980 Spitfire 1500 | 11/20/2006 |
Q: My carb needs to be rebuilt, two questions Is this a Stromberg Carb or Weber and how difficult is ...
A: Bob, The original carb on the Spitfire is a Stromberg CD variant. As your car is 26 years old it ...
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| not starting | 11/16/2006 |
Q: ok, i tried it... plenty of spark. what would my next step be?hi. i just bought a 78 triumph with ...
A: The basic equation for a running engine is that you need: 1)Fuel 2)Fire (spark) 3)Timing You've ...
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| conversion | 11/16/2006 |
Q: i have another question... i'm not sure yet the route i want to go with the triumph. whether i ...
A: Tom, Keep in mind that the Honda engine is for a Front Wheel Drive setup. So the first issue would ...
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| not starting | 11/16/2006 |
Q: i just bought a 78 triumph with only 40000 original miles. i was driving it about 2 straight hours ...
A: Tom, What's possible is that by running the battery down you killed the Lucas electronic ignition. ...
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| Compression Problem 80 Spitfire | 11/13/2006 |
Q: Jim, If I am not making any since it's because I am banging my head against the wall. After I had ...
A: Dan, All I can suggest is doing a tear down to check the cam. If you're not getting good ...
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| 79 Spitfire Clutch Problem | 11/13/2006 |
Q: Jim, I recently aquired a 79 Spit that has been sitting indoors for 6 years. I've got it running ...
A: John, What sometimes happens is the clutch disc bonds itself to either the flywheel or pressure ...
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| spitfire questions | 11/12/2006 |
Q: the first one is there any interchangable rims with a trimph spitfire 1500, i need a wider rear tire ...
A: Miguel, The only cars that I know of that used the 4x 3.75 PCD of the Spitfire are: Triumph ...
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| 1980 spitfire | 11/11/2006 |
Q: i am looking at purchasing a 1980 spit, i owned a 1979 a long time ago. loved the car, getting back ...
A: Scott, There are quite a few things that could cause the car to "just quit". The fuel pump is one. ...
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| Fluid on Driver Floor Mats | 11/10/2006 |
Q: I have a 1975 1500 that's all original except for a new master cylinder (a few years ago). It has ...
A: Todd, First guess would be brake fluid (or clutch... same fluid). There's typically not much ...
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| Spitfire startup | 11/9/2006 |
Q: Have a problem starting my 1500. Seems I need to prime the carb with starting fluid before it'll ...
A: Butch, First off, are you using the choke when you start the car? Or do you have a later water ...
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| 1973 TR6 | 10/25/2006 |
Q: any idea ware i can find a modern pi setup?hello I'm trying to deiced if I should install a super ...
A: Frank, One vendor of a replacement FI system is TWM ...
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| '79 Spitfire Distributor replacement | 10/25/2006 |
Q: Alan, What manual are you reading? I'm working off the Bentley Manual for the 1975-1980 ...
A: Alan, Do you know which distributor body was used for the Pertronix setup? The early Triumphs ...
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| '79 Spitfire Distributor replacement | 10/25/2006 |
Q: The new distributor is the CEI version while the old one was the EID version. I got everything ...
A: Alan, What manual are you reading? I'm working off the Bentley Manual for the 1975-1980 ...
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| '76 spitfire MC | 10/24/2006 |
Q: Looking for the correct exploded view diagrams for the tandem Master Cylinder( small cap ). The ...
A: Jerry, Not quite sure what you mean. The rear brakes aren't working? First off, the '76 Spitfire ...
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| '79 Spitfire Distributor replacement | 10/21/2006 |
Q: while restoring a '79 California spitfire to driveable condition (previous had it 'stored' for two ...
A: Alan, The #1 cylinder position should be closer to the 11 o'clock position, looking from the ...
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| 1973 TR6 | 10/21/2006 |
Q: Frank
A: Frank, Sorry, I can't give much help either way. Both approaches have their positive and negative ...
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| TR6 PI oil | 10/17/2006 |
Q: I have a problem with my tr6pi and can't solve the problem. After I while, 20 minutes, the car ...
A: Edwin, That's the "charm" of driving an old English convertible. There's a reason the rear end of ...
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| Tips on changeing the kingpin and engine tunning. | 10/16/2006 |
Q: I've just recently bought a triumph spit 1500 1981. after only three weeks problems have started, ...
A: Ian, If the vertical link snapped in the trunnion then it's definitely worth taking a good look at ...
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| Compression Problem 80 Spitfire | 10/14/2006 |
Q: Jim, Yes -Did both tests and it has std. size pistons and cylinders. We are double checking the ...
A: Dan, There aren't "sleeves" in the Spitfire block, it's all one casting. The depression in the ...
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| Compression Problem 80 Spitfire | 10/13/2006 |
Q: Jim, Thanks for the quick reply...yes, we have double checked the valves. The machine shop that ...
A: Dan, Did you try a wet compression test, or only dry? And what size pistons are in the block? Std ...
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| Compression Problem 80 Spitfire | 10/13/2006 |
Q: Jim, I bought a 1980 Spitfire that sat in a warehouse for 8 yrs. It is in great shape, no rust, ...
A: Dan, Two thoughts. One is that it is possible that the cylinder is ovalled.... that's why it's not ...
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| 1979 1500 No Spark | 10/12/2006 |
Q: Jim, I just bought a very nice original 1979 Spitfire 1500 that has been sitting indoors for five ...
A: John, As you'll need a new battery anyway it's the cheapest way to start troubleshooting. Yes, ...
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| rear pivot arm spacing | 10/3/2006 |
Q: I am trying to restore a 1977 spitfire. I did not take the tub from the chassis so I did not remove ...
A: Richard, Those shims are used to correct set/correct the toe on the rear wheels. As the cars all ...
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| Triumph Spitfire Mk III | 9/29/2006 |
Q: I wonder if I could ask you a question on a 1968 Triumph Spitfire Mk III? Please tell me the optimum ...
A: Phillip, It depends upon what "optimum" you're looking for. Performance? Economy? Reliability? ...
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| Spitfire trans slipping | 9/29/2006 |
Q: Jim... Did a body off resto of 64 Mk1 Spit. Put in reman'd 4-spd tran from Spitbits. No overdrive. ...
A: Larry, It sounds like either the pressure plate isn't down tight or the throwout bearing is hanging ...
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| leaking carb | 9/25/2006 |
Q: I fixed the leaking carb with a new float, needle, and gasket. The needle was no longer shutting ...
A: Jeff, There's one item I didn't see in your "fixed" list.. the brakes. The Spitfire does have a ...
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| lost spark when engine cranks | 9/25/2006 |
Q: Jim ,it appears to be a stock lucas eid distributor the coil looks newer and has no external ...
A: Dave, A couple of thoughts for trying to pinpoint the problem. First off, get a decent multimeter ...
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| lost spark when engine cranks | 9/24/2006 |
Q: My son and I are restoring a 1978 Triumph Spitfire 1500. We got the car running but now lost spark ...
A: Dave, In the stock setup you have a 6 volt coil and a ballast resistor in series with the coil on ...
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| TR4A timing cover tensioner | 9/23/2006 |
Q: my tr4a (1965) has a front seal leak. i took everything off and the whole cover leaked as well. ...
A: Joel, From all of my information the tensioner pin is essentially a clevis pin, held into the ...
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| rebuilt engine | 9/23/2006 |
Q: Aloha, I live in honolulu hawaii and need a rebuilt engine for a 77 triumph spitfire 1500 that I'm ...
A: Kelly, I'm sure that several of the vendors listed on the Vintage Triumph Register Website ...
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| Fuel | 9/22/2006 |
Q: Jim I own a 1978 triumph spitfire 1500. I have owned the car for 10 years. The previous owner ...
A: Brian, If the car is stalling when you step on the gas it's either mixture or timing. Simple ...
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| Fuel sender alignment on Spitfire 1500 | 9/22/2006 |
Q: The fuel guage on my 1980 Spitfire reads about 1/2 a tank low (i.e. when the tank is full, the guage ...
A: Jim, The sender is keyed so that it should only be possible to fit into the tank in the correct ...
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| Wipers won't stop (park) on Spitfire 1500 | 9/22/2006 |
Q: I have an '80 Spitfire 1500. My problem is that I can't get the windshield wipers to stop after ...
A: Jim, The way that parking wipers work is that in addition to the power signal from the wiper switch ...
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| Spitfire wiring harness | 9/22/2006 |
Q: I have a 1977 spitfire that has had the wiring totally screwed up the wire under the dash looks like ...
A: Chris, There are several things you can do. One is to read the classifieds (or post a wanted ad) ...
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| 1980 triumph spitfire | 9/21/2006 |
Q: and thank you for taking myI am a former owner of a '68 GT6(purchased 1971)and now am about to buy a ...
A: Mike, The most common problem with English cars of the era is rust. Especially as you're in an ...
|
| Spitfire tandem master cylinder | 9/20/2006 |
Q: Please can you let me know the correct orientation of the 4 seals in the master cylinder on my 1980 ...
A: Alvan, I take it you didn't observe the orientations as you removed them? Keep in mind that the ...
|
| Stromberg carb adjustment | 9/18/2006 |
Q: I have a 1972 triumph spitfire with 60,585 original miles. I began noticing or smelling gas under ...
A: Miguel, The "so called" proper tool for adjusting the float level is a pair of Needle Nose pliers. ...
|
| TR-4A clutch adjustment | 9/17/2006 |
Q: Jim: My neighbor has a 1967 TR-4A. We installed a rebuilt tranny but we are having problems ...
A: Keith, As you know the clutch is hydraulically controlled. If it's not releasing far enough that ...
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| 1977 Spitfire Carb and Timing | 9/16/2006 |
Q: I have a 77 Spitfire that was backfireing through the exhaust until I adjusted the timming to 2 ...
A: Thomas, If it is still the original carb (after 29 years) it will be a Stromberg CD150. Either the ...
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| clutch hard line problem | 9/15/2006 |
Q: i have recently begun restoring a 1967 triumph spitfire with a 1974 engine. now i havent got the ...
A: Sam, Where does the grounding strap from the battery go? Typically the "ground" lead gets bolted ...
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| 74 spitfire 1500 lights | 9/13/2006 |
Q: is the oil light suppose to come on when the igtion key is turned on? and the hazard flaher or the ...
A: The oil light should be lit until the oil pressure has reached minimum operating pressure. Usually ...
|
| ignition switch | 9/13/2006 |
Q: Great site___ I have a 1976 Triumph Tr6 1500 The problem I have no key for the car or trunk I am ...
A: Joe, Which car are you working on? A TR6 or a Spitfire 1500? You can usually remove the trunk ...
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| leaking carb | 9/12/2006 |
Q: It's a stock fuel pump, but the folks where I bought it call it a reproduction. Should I check the ...
A: Jeff, Which carb, HS2 or HS4s? If you're getting smoke from around the throttle shaft it sounds ...
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| Clutch slave bleeding | 9/12/2006 |
Q: Jim, I have bought a 1980 Spitfire that has sat in a warehouse for 8 years with out being started ...
A: Dan, One possibility is that the pressure plate has bonded to the driven disc after sitting for so ...
|
| leaking carb | 9/11/2006 |
Q: The fan is fixed, and I installed a new fuel pump. Now I seem to have a leak in the front carb. ...
A: did you replace the fuel pump with a stock unit or did you convert to an electric pump? If it's ...
|
| spitfire 1500 differential noise | 9/9/2006 |
Q: I rebuilt my Spitfire's rear end about 3000 miles ago. All new gears, seals, and bearings. It has ...
A: B C, Did you use the proper crushable spacer or did you have to resort to shimming the pinion to ...
|
| GT6 Rotoflex rear hub fitting | 9/8/2006 |
Q: When fitting the rear hub on a rotoflex equiped car, the shop manual says to use a churchill tool to ...
A: Brett, I've been polling my own experts about this problem and the best solution seems to be: Fit ...
|
| head gasket | 8/30/2006 |
Q: 1977 triumph spitfire, water in raditor bubbles, water in oil, motor rebuilt bord 0.40 over head ...
A: Larry, Was the block decked? Enough to eliminate the "sealing ring" machined into the top of the ...
|
| spitfire mk4 1300 gearbox | 8/30/2006 |
Q: I need to change my gearbox. Is there any gerabox from another spitfire model that fits? or with ...
A: Carlos, You can (in theory) fit any year Spitfire or Herald gearbox into you car, with all the ...
|
| TRIUMPH TR6 BRAKE REPAIRS | 8/29/2006 |
Q: I have been following the Haynes manual but find this section vague. I have the brake drum off and ...
A: John, The shoes are held in place by the springs (top and bottom of the shoe) and by retaining pins ...
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| 1975 Spitfire - Starting Problem | 8/26/2006 |
Q: I have a 1975 Spitfire 1500 with a Zenith Stromberg CD Carb - The manual choke incorporates a valve ...
A: Paul, Are you positive that the choke cable is moving the choke lever the correct amount? That's ...
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| Spitfire Rear Axle Re-assembly | 8/24/2006 |
Q: Jim - I am rebuilding my '78 Spitfire 1500 rear axles. I am in the process of assembling the rear ...
A: Ross, Ok, with a bit of digging I think I found the answers you're looking for. I'll just give the ...
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| Carburator stromberg DC4 | 8/21/2006 |
Q: Hallo Jim, I have A Triumph spitfire 1500 When the engine runs free I can give full throttle and the ...
A: Lode, It sounds like either a vacuum leak or the fuel mixture is set incorrectly. Or that the ...
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| 74 Spitfire | 8/20/2006 |
Q: My future son-in-law has a 74 spitfire, he let me drive it and it was great, but after that he tried ...
A: John, As that plug/o-ring keep gasoline from dumping on the exhaust it's a good idea to make sure ...
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| fuel gauge | 8/20/2006 |
Q: Need help thank you for all your help. on the sending unit there is a black wire and a green with ...
A: Belvin, At the gauge the green wire is supplying voltage from the voltage stabilizer (attached ...
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| hood prop-rod | 8/19/2006 |
Q: this is almost too simple to ask, I have just purchased a 1980 spitfire. the hood prop-rod is with ...
A: Randy, The hood ( bonnet) prop-rod is bolted to the inner fender and the suspension tower on the ...
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| spitfire paintwork | 8/17/2006 |
Q: i bought a 1966 mk2 spitfire in great condition only six months ago,but i have a problem with the ...
A: Tony, It sounds like either a poor paint job or an old paint job. If the spots are reappearing ...
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| generator fan | 8/16/2006 |
Q: My generator has a fan just behind the pulley that seems to be loose. It turns independent of the ...
A: Jeff, It's been a few years since I pulled one of those apart... as memory serves the fan was keyed ...
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| no spark | 8/16/2006 |
Q: I have a 1968 triumph spitfire mk3. it ran great when we bought it, we drove it about 500 miles and ...
A: If it has a Mallory dual point distributor, why did you only replace 1 of the points sets? Are you ...
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| 1980 Triumph Spitfire | 8/15/2006 |
Q: I recently acquired my 1980 Spitfire from my father-in-law who bought it new. The car is all ...
A: George, From what little info I can find on the '79/'80 cars the sensor switch on the radiator ...
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| engine1500cc crankcase presure. | 8/14/2006 |
Q: I have a 73 spitfire for 29yrs now. the last 16 it didnt get drove much. putting it it on the road ...
A: Darrell, Was the rebuild done before or after the car sat? And was anything done to the car while ...
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| tr 6 differential | 8/13/2006 |
Q: I get a loud bang when I let out the clutch in the rear end. I checked all ujoints ok, I pulled the ...
A: John, When you replaced the rubber bushings did you check the frame to make sure it's not cracked? ...
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| lights | 8/11/2006 |
Q: what are the lights on the center panel for. there is a green one and a red one circular in size ...
A: Belvin, The light on the left is the indicator light for the emergency flashers. The indicator on ...
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| 1980 Spit Air pump | 8/11/2006 |
Q: Jim, Bought this car recently and by all looks is stock except the air pump was disconnected and the ...
A: Paul, First off, check with your local authorities to make sure that you don't need to keep ALL the ...
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| overheating | 8/10/2006 |
Q: I've got a 1979 Spitfire. I just replaced the thermostat and water pump within the last few days, ...
A: Daniel, Have you checked the compression? How do the spark plugs look? How does the car drive, ...
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| Ignition Timing | 8/7/2006 |
Q: We ahve a Spitfire 1500 which has post/pre ignition and was overheating - we have replaced the ...
A: Harold, Which year Spitfire 1500? There were several distributors used during the production of ...
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| My 1977 Triumph Spitfire overhaul/restoration | 8/7/2006 |
Q: I parked my '77 the day after my father died in 1992 and it is still sitting in the same spot. It ...
A: Nicole, I guess you need to decide whether you really want to drive the Spitfire again. In terms ...
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| fuel pump | 8/6/2006 |
Q: Yes, there is gas going to the pump and the line to the carbs is clear. I ordered a fuel pump from ...
A: Jeff, The fuel pump should be fairly easy to install. The only thing to keep in mind is that the ...
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| '79 Spitfire overheating | 8/5/2006 |
Q: We just bought a 1979 Spitfire last night & had overheating issues on the drive home. We test drove ...
A: Ann, If the radiator is empty then there is a leak. It's either an external leak, from the ...
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| TR6 Clutch Replacement | 8/4/2006 |
Q: How long should I expect it to take to replace a clutch in a Triumph TR6
A: Craig, It depends upon the condition of the car and your skill level. A clutch job in a TR6 in a ...
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| ign. system | 8/1/2006 |
Q: does my 1980 spitfire have a 6 volt coil or a12 volt
A: Donald, The correct ignition coil as originally fitted is a 6 volt coil. There is a ballast ...
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| spitfire 1500 front suspension | 8/1/2006 |
Q: I have noticed tha when I turn right I can hear a banging noise coming from the front right wheel. I ...
A: Andrew, It really sounds more like the A-arms are shifting on worn bushings. Trunnions either ...
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| fuel pump | 8/1/2006 |
Q: I now think my fuel pump is broken. I removed the top and can't tell what's wrong, but I did ...
A: Jeff, I hate to ask this, but are you sure there's fuel in the tank? That's the first thing to ...
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| Manifold removal | 7/31/2006 |
Q: I have a Triumph 1500 1978 with twin SU's and am currently strippng off the exhaust and inlet ...
A: Carl, Does the car have the standard exhaust manifold or an aftermarket kit? Regardless, as the ...
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| spitfire 1500 front suspension | 7/31/2006 |
Q: I have noticed tha when I turn right I can hear a banging noise coming from the front right wheel. I ...
A: Andrew, When you're making a right turn is it a constant noise? Or just once when you make the ...
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| will my Spit pass inspection? | 7/31/2006 |
Q: Greetings. I purchased a 1980 Triumph Spitfire from a gentleman who used to race it in SCCA races ...
A: Brian, You need to check with the your local state authorities. Some states have set a rolling 25 ...
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| mpg | 7/31/2006 |
Q: used to own many Triumph Spitfires, but I can't recall what MPG they normally acheived (when driven ...
A: Greg, Keep in mind that many things affect gas mileage: condition of the car, state of tune of the ...
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| General automotive-spark plugs | 7/31/2006 |
Q: Jim I have a 1978 spitfire 1500. I recently chagned the spark plugs and set the gap to .25 like ...
A: Brian, I hope you set the plug to .025", not .25" What new plugs did you install? Were they the ...
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| Emissions on 69 TR-6 | 7/29/2006 |
Q: I have a 69 TR6. The hydro carbons are too high at idle. I have checked compresion and they run ...
A: Dennis, I'm guessing you're trying to get past an emissions inspection? From past experience, in ...
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| How to replace U joints | 7/29/2006 |
Q: I have recently been given (Yes! Lucky me!) a (Jan) 1973 TR6 that's squeaking and creaking in the ...
A: Tracy, The neat thing about the most of the English cars is that they are fairly easy to work on, ...
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| Gas Mileage | 7/10/2006 |
Q: I'm considering a 1973 Triumph Spitfire that has, at least according to its owner, been completely ...
A: Sherry, Different Spitfire owners have reported gas mileage of anywhere between 15mpg to 40 mpg. ...
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| Electrical -TR3 | 7/9/2006 |
Q: I just acquired a fully restored TR3B. After having the safety inspection completed, along with a ...
A: Doug, I don't have a TR3 wiring harness in front of me but it sounds like someone has been doing a ...
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| Bleeding the clutch system on 1500 | 7/9/2006 |
Q: I cant get any pedal on the clutch system on my 1980 spit I have rebuilt the master and the slave ...
A: Raymond, It seems a silly question... is there fluid in the clutch master reservoir and is the ...
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| Idle and Transmission | 7/8/2006 |
Q: Answer - Carl, Let's see if I can cover all the questions. 1). It sounds like either the mixture ...
A: Carl, If the center of the derby is open it really sounds like the retainer cap for the shift ...
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| Need wiring diagram for Spitfire FM92941U | 7/8/2006 |
Q: Where can I find the most accurate wiring diagram for a 1978 US Spitfire FM92941U? Tks.
A: Harve, The Bentley manuals have the reprints of the factory wiring diagrams. The Haynes Spitfire ...
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| Clutch | 7/8/2006 |
Q: I have a 1979 Spitfire. When I push in the clutch it goes almost to the floor before it disengages ...
A: Bob, There are two fairly quick and easy things to try. First, there might be air in the line. ...
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| Spitfire 1500 - Removing Cal emissions | 7/7/2006 |
Q: I have a 1978 TR Spitfire 1500 that was a California car when originally manufactured. I don't live ...
A: John, I'm don't know of a "conversion" article, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I guess a ...
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| Idle and Transmission | 7/7/2006 |
Q: Jim, I just bought a 77 spitfire last night here in Denver, CO. The body is SUPER solid and just ...
A: Carl, Let's see if I can cover all the questions. 1). It sounds like either the mixture is off or ...
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| turn signal and four ways | 7/6/2006 |
Q: I have 1975 spitfire and the problem is that I do not have turn signals in the front or rear and ...
A: Frank, Yes, the problem could be coming from the fuse box. What most people don't realize is that ...
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| Tie rod connection to steering rack | 6/28/2006 |
Q: I am doing a complete restore of a 72 TR6. I was in the process of putting the front suspension back ...
A: Bob, Are you installing the shock absorber also? On the Spitfire the shock absorber limits the ...
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| TR6 Brake Problem | 6/28/2006 |
Q: I forgot to metion, I replaced both front brake hoses when I rebuilt the calipers. If that were the ...
A: Jeff, Darn, I thought I had a simple solution for your problem. I should have picked up on your ...
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| TR6 Brake Problem | 6/28/2006 |
Q: I recently began working on a 1976 TR6 that has been in storage for several years. I have replaced ...
A: Jeff, The problem is likely in the flexible rubber brake hoses near the brake calipers. With age ...
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| Tie rod connection to steering rack | 6/27/2006 |
Q: I am doing a complete restore of a 72 TR6. I was in the process of putting the front suspension back ...
A: Bob, Are you saying that even with the wheels angled in towards each other you can't get the tie ...
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| Spitfire 1500 Starts then Stalls | 6/25/2006 |
Q: My '79 Spitfire 1500 had been running fine before winter. Then it sat in my garage for the winter ...
A: Ed, It is possible for the timing to be off, but it sounds more like fuel starvation. Will the ...
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| no spark in points | 6/23/2006 |
Q: I am trying to get a 1974 Triumph TR6 started I am not getting any spark from the points. any idea ...
A: Ralph, Stock ignition setup, I take it? Troubleshooting no spark: 1) With the ignition on you ...
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| 75 Spitfire Crank Shaft Pully | 6/22/2006 |
Q: Jim, thank you very much for your prompt reply. My impact wrench didn't budge the darn thing. Can ...
A: Jim, Yup, I completely blanked on the old rope trick. Luckily I haven't had to use it but I've ...
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| 75 Spitfire Crank Shaft Pully | 6/21/2006 |
Q: I'm in the process of replacing the timing cover seal on my 75 spitfire. Can you suggest a couple ...
A: Jim, There are several different things you can try, depending upon what resources you have locally ...
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| Backup switch | 6/18/2006 |
Q: What is teh easiest ayt to change a backup switch on a 1978 Triumph spitfire 1500?
A: Brian, The easiest way is to pay someone to do the work, of course. But I'm guessing that's not ...
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| Reverse on 1978 Spitfire | 6/16/2006 |
Q: Jim, I have a 1978 Spitfire with 56,000 that has just begun to jump out of reverse. It won't even ...
A: Tom, Usually when the Spitfire trans starts popping out of gear in the forward gears it means that ...
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| Spitfire Emissions and Hydrocarbons | 6/16/2006 |
Q: 1977 Spitfire 1500 - SU H2SE carbs Recently failed my MOT on emmisions. Failed as the hydrocarbons ...
A: Mike, Rather than answer your questions point for point can I suggest that you investigate a bit ...
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| dpitfire rear end shakes when letting out clutch | 6/15/2006 |
Q: I have 1969 spit in great condition recently rescued from storage . the car runs great but when ...
A: Jeff, Is it just a momentary shake or does the rear end keep shaking while the car is driving? The ...
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| 76 TR6 sputters from idle to 2000pm? | 6/12/2006 |
Q: Jim, i fixed the previous problem because it was running a little rich, however now it seems as my ...
A: Ben, I trust you used the proper Stromberg adjusting tool when you made your changes? Unlike the ...
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| bumpers | 6/11/2006 |
Q: I am contemplating a 79 spitfire and wanted a different bumper look. Ive' heard that 75 to 80 ...
A: Ed, Actually you should be able to exchange the rubber bumpers with the chrome bumper pieces from ...
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| 1974 Triumph TR6 | 6/11/2006 |
Q: 1974 tr6 rusted out floor pans frame looks good how hard of a job is it to replace the floor pans ...
A: Ralph, The floor pans originally were welded in as part of the bodyshell. As to repair? Are the ...
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| Seat Covers | 6/10/2006 |
Q: I am looking for the vinyl material used to make the Triumph seat covers in the '60s. Any source of ...
A: Dennis, There are replacement seat cover kits available for the TR6 from the Triumph specialty ...
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| Kenlowe Thermostat | 6/8/2006 |
Q: I wonder if you can help: I've a '79 1500 Triumph Spitfire and for quite a while now have been ...
A: Jon, Other than finding a thermostat that works correctly the only thing I can really think of is ...
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| TR6 rear brake adjustment | 6/4/2006 |
Q: I cannot seem to get the rear brakes on my TVR 2500M (all TR6 hardware)adjusted properly. ...
A: Rick, When the system was rebuilt did you inspect all the mechanical linkage (m/c push rod, pedal ...
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| Head gasket | 5/30/2006 |
Q: Symptoms are water out the exhaust and bubbles in the radiator. The gaskets I have received have ...
A: Ken, I'd be curious to find out what suppliers you've been dealing with, and what brand/part ...
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| Roll BAr | 5/30/2006 |
Q: Do you have any good resorces of finding a safe roll bar that is made for safty, not looks?
A: Alex, Autopower used to make a "good" rollbar. I haven't looked for one in years so I don't know ...
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| Carb problem 76, 1500 | 5/27/2006 |
Q: I hope you can help me, I have a 1976 spitfire 1500 and I have had it about four years. I live in ...
A: Dan, If you're not driving the car on a regular basis then it could be the float needle valve ...
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| squeeking noise rear axle Spitfire1975 | 5/25/2006 |
Q: I have a spitfire 1500 from 1975. I have noticed recently a strange squeeking noise comming from the ...
A: Andrew, Is it a continous squeak or an intermittent sound? It could be the universal joint on the ...
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| Head gasket | 5/25/2006 |
Q: Stamped on the head is TKC 3239 cast into the head is RKC 0589 2807 The block has a stamped ...
A: Ken, Well, those are 1500 engine and head numbers.. so that's one possible issue resolved. The ...
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| Head gasket | 5/24/2006 |
Q: Yes, the gasket I used has the tab, in fact I'm on my third gasket all from diferent sources. All ...
A: Ken, It sounds like you've got something odd going on there... What's the head part # or casting ...
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| STARTING FOR THE FIRST TIME A REBUILT ENGINE | 5/24/2006 |
Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS BEFORE I START MY TOTALLY REBUILT ENGINE? (I USED ENGINE LUBE ON ALL PARTS) ...
A: Jack, It's not a bad idea to sqirt just a little oil down the spark plug holes to "pre-lube" the ...
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| Head gasket | 5/24/2006 |
Q: I have a 1977 spitfire 1500. it had a blown head gasket so I removed the head had a valve grind ...
A: Ken, Does your head gasket have a tab on the firewall end of the gasket? Usually one side was ...
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| Vibration at Speed | 5/22/2006 |
Q: Jim, my '73 TR6 produces a vibration particularly worse from 50+ Mph. Not sure if this is ...
A: Ed, If you're getting a low speed sway it sounds like either a bad tire or one of the rims is bent. ...
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| Triumph Transverse Leaf Spring and Sag | 5/22/2006 |
Q: Jim, Thanks for your previous help, it saved hours. I ve installed 2 different used leafsprings, ...
A: Jonathan, Leaf spring sag is one of the constants in Spitfire ownership. It's very possible that ...
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| Replacing rear transverse leaf spring | 5/19/2006 |
Q: Jim, I so appreciate your answering these questions! I have a 73 Spitfire with a cracked rear ...
A: Jamie, You should be able to slide the leaf spring (as a complete unit) out from either wheel ...
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| 76 TR6 sputters from idle to 2000pm? | 5/17/2006 |
Q: Jim, thanks so much for the quick response, the timing i think is accurate, the trouble was that in ...
A: Ben, Ok, it sounds like you're running rich, as pulling the choke has no effect. Have you tried ...
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| Carbs. | 5/16/2006 |
Q: I noticed in your profile that you are in the RRTC. I joined three months ago but missed the last ...
A: Tim, Congrats on joining the club! Let's see if I can get you moving in the right direction. For ...
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| Where to find an engine block | 5/16/2006 |
Q: Jim, I'm looking for an engine block for a 1967 Triumph Spitfire Mark II with the 1147 cc ...
A: Joe, I usually find my engine blocks in the cars, underneath that large flip front bonnet.... ;) ...
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| Interior Lighting, and Fuel Gauge | 5/16/2006 |
Q: ok, i recently took off my dash board to re finish it, before i had taken it off everthing worked ...
A: Alex, What year car? Which wiring diagram are you looking at? When you had the dashboard apart ...
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| SU CARB | 5/15/2006 |
Q: HAVE A TRIUMPH SPITFIRE 1500/1977 MY TROUBLE IS A FUEL PROBLEM.CAR STARTS FINE,WITH THE AIR FILLTER ...
A: Pete, SU or Stromberg? Not that it makes a huge difference... but it changes some of the ...
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| 76 TR6 sputters from idle to 2000pm? | 5/15/2006 |
Q: I have a 76 tr6 that i have been restoring. I have rebuilt the carbs, dual strombergs, i replaced ...
A: Ben, It's either mixture or timing. A relatively easy mixture test is to have a friend follow you ...
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| Hard to put in reverse and first gear | 5/14/2006 |
Q: 1976 spitfire (original owner) for the last 15-20 years the car has problems shifting into 1st or ...
A: Cathy, It definitely sounds like the clutch disc is not disengaging completely. And yes, the ...
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| Carburetor | 5/14/2006 |
Q: I have a 1978 Spitfire 1500 convertible with a zenith carb CD. My problem is we have gas to the carb ...
A: Bob, It's possible that either the float needle valve is sticking shut, or that the float level is ...
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| 1970 gt6+ transmission | 5/14/2006 |
Q: I have a 1970 gt6. I had a transmission problem down shifting from 3rd to 2nd. I had a new syncro ...
A: Joe, How long have you owned this particular GT6? Have you driven another GT6 as a means of ...
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| 1980 Spitfire ignition problem | 5/11/2006 |
Q: I was getting +12 volts at both the positive terminal on coil and at the high tension lead. I tried ...
A: David, It is possible that the resistor has failed. A simple check with a voltmeter will verify ...
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| Replacment Ignition Switch Spitfire | 5/11/2006 |
Q: Great things you are doing here. I recently had a short and an electrical fire in my 74 Spitfire. ...
A: Murray, I'm not sure what to call the ignition switch other than a "replacement ignition switch"... ...
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| 1980 Spitfire ignition problem | 5/10/2006 |
Q: I do have a working knowledge of the ignition system. +my car just died, and it appears that there ...
A: David, You don't mention if you're running the original ignition system. Where are you measuring ...
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| '80 Triumph 1500 stick shift vibration | 5/7/2006 |
Q: I've had my 1500 for almost 20 years now and just this last year my stick shift started to rattle ...
A: Mark, The shift lever has several metal and plastic pieces, along with a spring to give the detent ...
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| carb replacement | 5/6/2006 |
Q: JIM THE CARBS CAME WITH THE MANIFOLD WITH TWO PORTS WHICH YOU ADVISED ME NEEDS TO BE USED WITH THE ...
A: Matt, The manifold you have should bolt to the head as-is. The problem is that you need to have a ...
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| No Cover over Trannie inside vehicle? | 5/5/2006 |
Q: Jim, Jim! You are right on track. There was a black sheet metal cover which was completely ...
A: Peggy, It'd be easiest to undo some of the clips that hold the cardboard trans cover in place... ...
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| carb replacement | 5/5/2006 |
Q: THE CAR IS A 64 TRIUMPH HERALD 1200. I AM REPLACING THE CARB WITH TWIN 1.25" SU CARBS OFF A 1147cc ...
A: Matt, I was under the impression that you had the manifold with the carbs. The proper intake ...
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| Rear axle bearings | 5/5/2006 |
Q: I am trying to replace the rear wheel bearings on a 1978 Spitfire. The rear hubs will not separate ...
A: Terry, There is a special tool that's purpose built just for removing the hubs on the Spitfire rear ...
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| No Cover over Trannie inside vehicle? | 5/4/2006 |
Q: Jim, While doing the necessary light restoration of my 79 Spitfire, I removed the seats for the new ...
A: Peggy, I'm not quite clear on what part you're missing... but I'll go through what SHOULD be there ...
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| 1980 1500 rear diff | 5/3/2006 |
Q: Jim, How tough is it to tackle a rear pinion seal leak? I'm fairly handy. I think I have all the ...
A: Pat, You'll need to drop the differential to get access to the pinion seal. You'll probably have ...
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| carb replacement | 5/3/2006 |
Q: THE CAR IS A 64 TRIUMPH HERALD 1200. I AM REPLACING THE CARB WITH TWIN 1.25" SU CARBS OFF A 1147cc ...
A: Matt, The dual carb setup from the Spitfire is intended to be used with a separate exhaust ...
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| Turn Signals (addition to original quesiton) | 5/2/2006 |
Q: Sorry to add on to my question, but I found more out about my problem. Alright, I now know what the ...
A: Mitch, From what I'm reading in the Bentley manual for the late Spitfires, there MAY be separate ...
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| 1500 Fuel Lines | 5/1/2006 |
Q: Hey Jim How you get time to work on your own car, with so many questions being asked, is a wonder! ...
A: Marc, Is there gas in the tank? Ok, just kidding. But still, if you disconnect the fuel line ...
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| 1980 Triumph TR 7 Windshield wiper moter | 4/29/2006 |
Q: I am buying a 1980 TR7 but I cant get the wipers to work. Am I missing the fuse for it somewhere? I ...
A: Elmer, It's very possible that the fuse it bad. It can also be the switch contacts need ...
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| Hey, I don't want to waste... | 4/27/2006 |
Q: Hey, I don't want to waste yr time i realize there people with serous questions, but i....Some month ...
A: Brock, There's a lot of good information out there about the cars.. and as always a bit of ...
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| 1500 clutch?? | 4/26/2006 |
Q: the russet brown with the fuel problem is running and sounding very sweet...fuel! fire! ...
A: Marc, The clutch on the Spitfire is hydraulically controlled. When you step on the clutch pedal ...
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| Triumph Spitfire Overdrive | 4/23/2006 |
Q: I have a 1979 Triumph Spitfire 1500. The wife gave it to me as a surprise (to keep me busy) when I ...
A: Tim, Congrats on the Triumph friendly spouse! As to overdrive.... on the Spitfire it's an ...
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| 1976 triumph spitfire | 4/23/2006 |
Q: im hoping you can tell me where to get a wiring harness for under the dash.my caught fire tonight ...
A: Kim, There's a couple of places you can look for a wiring harness. It's possible that one of the ...
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| 76 Triumph Spitfire | 4/22/2006 |
Q: Greetings fellow lunatics...I bought my 76 Spit in 86 and have enjoyed working to keep it on the ...
A: Tim, If it'd been a 1970 or older car all you'd have to do is pop the old frame off and replace it. ...
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| fuel problem | 4/17/2006 |
Q: i recently found a dumped russet brown 1500 with a triumph tune block..it had been stored in a ...
A: Marc, You need 3 things to get an engine to run: 1) Fuel 2) Fire 3) Timing If you have the ...
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| poor running of gt6 | 4/16/2006 |
Q: Jim, first, please excuse my spelling I have a 1970 GT6 MK2 I bought used, I have replace plugs, ...
A: Mike, Yes, it sounds like the car is starving for gas. When you did all the other work did you ...
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| Spitfire Transverse Leaf Spring Installation | 4/16/2006 |
Q: Jim, My 80 Spit was leaning on the driver's side to an extreme. I figured the leaf spring was to ...
A: Jon, Typically the leaf spring replacement is done as a unit... ie... disconnect the leaf spring ...
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| Seat and softtop repair | 4/3/2006 |
Q: I have a 1980 Spitfire 1500 with 30k on the odometer. My seat foam is disintegrating more and more ...
A: The original seat foams were a neat foam casting.. unfortunately I don't think any of the vendors ...
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| Transmission Problems | 4/3/2006 |
Q: I have a 1980 Triumph Spitfire 1500 with 30000 on the odometer. Over the winter I took my 4 speed ...
A: Andy, There are several reasons you'll have trouble shifting the trans... I'll try to list them in ...
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| Spitfire softop removal | 3/30/2006 |
Q: i have to get some work done on my '73 1500's soft top i was wondering if you have any information ...
A: David, The soft top is easy to remove from the car. On the back edge of the cockpit there are two ...
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| Triumph Spitfire 76 1500 | 3/26/2006 |
Q: Great to find you. Drove out the other day about 10 blocks from home the car lost a lot of power, ...
A: Thom, Does the car idle "normally" or is it a slow rough idle? Remember that the Spitfire firing ...
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| Valve tapping | 3/25/2006 |
Q: Frank
A: Frank, Typically a valve tap is caused by looseness between the valve stem/rocker arm/push rod. ...
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| I need some help | 3/25/2006 |
Q: I was curious if there was any way to tell what kind of key a spitfire orrigionaly had. Moss makes ...
A: William, Sorry for the delay... what should have been an easy question turns out to be a bit more ...
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| Triumph Tr7 will not idle | 3/12/2006 |
Q: I am having problems with a 1977 tr7 i just bought.It has set for a few years but seems to run ok, ...
A: Mike, The late TR7s had twin Stromberg carbs with an automatic choke.. that only works on one carb. ...
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| Carby setup | 3/10/2006 |
Q: I have a tr6 TC. I have problems with running on and starting when warm. The Triumph manual suggests ...
A: Stef, That's interesting, as all the manuals I can find on the Triumph (or the Stromberg) suggest ...
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| Removing Door Glass | 3/8/2006 |
Q: I am attempting a full restoration of a 1974 Spitfire 1500. I have stripped the car of everything ...
A: Ed, On the Spitfire you do not need to remove the regulator in order to remove the glass. ...
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| speeddometer and cable | 3/6/2006 |
Q: i have a 1976 spitfire 1500 that idid a complete frame off restoration on by myself.had a broken ...
A: Russ, It's possible that the speedometer froze up... or that the cable was defective.. or that you ...
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| cylinder head | 3/5/2006 |
Q: Good day. I Think have a 1979 Spitfire 1500. I know it's a Spitfire 1500 but not exactly sure of ...
A: Jim, The Spitfire 1500 did have some variations in the head castings over the years. You can ...
|
| triumph spitfire | 3/5/2006 |
Q: how do you replace the seat foams?
A: I'd replace them with new seat foams. ;) Seriously, you'll need to pull the seat covers off the ...
|
| Ignition Switch | 2/27/2006 |
Q: I am asking this question for my husband:) He is doing a complete rebuild of a 1980 Triumph ...
A: Stacey, I took a quick look at one of my regular suppliers, and Moss Motors (www.mossmotors.com) ...
|
| Spitfire overdrive question. | 2/27/2006 |
Q: I have a question if you can please help me out, I have a 80pritire with 27,000 miles my ...
A: Tom, The overdrive actuation in the Spitfire is electrically controlled, so yes, the problem might ...
|
| Rusty frame | 2/24/2006 |
Q: Purchased a 77 Spitfire ( cheap), the rear portion of the frame is severely rusted. Is this ...
A: Scott, If the rust is behind the rear axle line then it's not critical. The bumper support ...
|
| I need some help | 2/17/2006 |
Q: I know my basics but nothing to fancy. I recently found a (what I believe to be) 1972 MKIV (the ...
A: William, Let's see if I can sort this out. It's a square tail Spitfire, similar body to the 1974 ...
|
| direct wheel replacement | 2/17/2006 |
Q: i heard Datsun 280ZX wheels are a direct fit to the TR6 and TR250 hub. Is this correct? Do you ...
A: Fil, Remember that the TR250/6 used a 15 inch rim, and that you need to be careful with matching ...
|
| exhaust | 2/16/2006 |
Q: YOU ANSWERED MY ? ON THE SPITFIRE HEADER NOT FITTING MY 64 HEARALD 1200. IM THINKING TO GET THE ...
A: Matt, Unless you own your own muffler shop, it'd be much cheaper/easier to buy a manifold designed ...
|
| EXHAUST | 2/15/2006 |
Q: MY CAR:64 TRIUMPH HERALD CONVERTIBLE 1200. STOCK EXHAUST,SINGLE CARB.I WANT TO PUT A TUBULAR EXHAUST ...
A: Matt, No, the exhaust port pattern on the 1147 (Herald 1200) is different from the later 1296 ...
|
| TR6 Clutch adjustment | 2/14/2006 |
Q: Hey Jim, Great answer to the 2004 guy who had a 71 TR6 with a hard to chift clutch. I have the same ...
A: Ken, The clutch reservoir cap should have a small vent hole... you might make sure it's not closed ...
|
| Front trunnion lubrication | 2/13/2006 |
Q: My car is a 1979 1500. What is the best lubricant for the front trunnions? I am replacing them and ...
A: BC, There's been a lot of debate over the years about what's really best for the trunnions. The ...
|
| upper and lower control arm bushings | 2/13/2006 |
Q: I have purchased bushings from 2 different sources. They seem to be identical. Both sets seem to ...
A: BC, The "stock" Spitfire A-arm bushings are just shy of 15/16" in diameter and about 1 1/2" long. ...
|
| Front Wheel Bearing seals | 2/12/2006 |
Q: I have a 1979 1500 Spitfire. I would like to replace the front wheel bearing seals. I have tried ...
A: BC, The type of disc shouldn't affect what seal is fitted to the hub. We are talking about the ...
|
| 75 Spitfire gearshift lever linkage | 2/11/2006 |
Q: I posted this question yesterday but I am not sure if my internet was working so I'm posting again. ...
A: Bob, Here's a resend of what I'd sent before. Cheers, Jim ...
|
| Gearshift assembly dowel | 2/10/2006 |
Q: I've gotten your excellent advice before and I'm back again! I have a 75 Spitfire. This situation is ...
A: Bob, I'm not sure what happened.. it sounds like a previous owner was a bit ham fisted with the ...
|
| Ignition switch | 2/10/2006 |
Q: Can you please tell me how to wire a basic 3-pole (ST-IG-B)ignition switch. What does ST-IG-B stand ...
A: Yahaya, Is this going into a Triumph? If so, which model? I'm guessing you're looking at a ...
|
| Triumph Spitfire 1500 (1974) | 1/31/2006 |
Q: I'm trying to find a rear bumper for a 1974 Spitfire 1500 that was bent in an accident, but I just ...
A: Wilt, There are three distinct bumpers for the squaretail Spitfires (Mk IV/1500 1971 thru 1980). ...
|
| engine wont crank | 12/17/2005 |
Q: Followup To Question -Followup To Question -HI i have a 1976 spitfire the alternator was bad ...
A: Mike, You had to let oil out of the engine? How high was it? One possible explanation is that ...
|
| Seat removal, 75 Spitfire | 12/9/2005 |
Q: I have a 75 Spitfire and need to put on some sheepskin seat covers. Can you tell me how to remove ...
A: Robert, Unless someone has messed with them (always a possibility, it IS a 30 year old car after ...
|
| tr6 lights | 12/8/2005 |
Q: This problem is on a 74 TR6. I replaced the turn signal flasher with a thermal flasher from ...
A: Dean, What it sounds like is either a bad turn signal switch or a loose/dirty connection on the ...
|
| Windshield Wipers | 11/30/2005 |
Q: What would be causing my wipers to move too far on the windshield of my 77 Spitfire? The driver's ...
A: Warren, Did the wipers work "correctly" before you tinkered with them? I guess a good starting ...
|
| engine wont crank | 11/28/2005 |
Q: Followup To Question -Followup To Question - HI i have a 1976 spitfire the alternator was bad ...
A: Mike, Coincidences do happen... but I don't like them. To have the bottom end freeze up like that? ...
|
| Spitfire engine | 11/28/2005 |
Q: I have a 1974 Spitfire. Is it possible for it to have an original 1300 motor in it? Engine block is ...
A: Jimbo, The US spec Spitfires had the 1500 in 1973 and 1974 whereas the non-US Spitfires of those ...
|
| engine wont crank | 11/19/2005 |
Q: Followup To Question -HI i have a 1976 spitfire the alternator was bad battery kept going dead ...
A: Mike, With the plugs out, when you spin the engine by hand is it "smooth" or are there definite ...
|
| engine wont crank | 11/17/2005 |
Q: Followup To Question - HI i have a 1976 spitfire the alternator was bad battery kept going dead ...
A: Mike, Typical causes for an engine seize are either the pistons get stock in the cylinder bores or ...
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| engine wont crank | 11/16/2005 |
Q: i have a 1976 spitfire the alternator was bad battery kept going dead and when i took off the ...
A: Mike, Couple of further ideas. First off, if the battery has been drained, even with a jump start ...
|
| engine wont crank | 11/16/2005 |
Q: i have a 1976 spitfire the alternator was bad battery kept going dead and when i took off the ...
A: Mike, Did you replace the battery when you put in the new alternator? Can you spin the engine at ...
|
| Engine jus dies while driving | 11/16/2005 |
Q: 1977 Triumph Spitfire no modifications all original. Have you ever run into this problem. While ...
A: Alex, I had a similar problem with my 1973 Spitfire. In my case, it was a loose wire in the ...
|
| Engine | 11/4/2005 |
Q: I am a "mechanics son". So, through logical and common sense research I have restored and maintained ...
A: Sam, Sorry for the delay, this one slipped through the cracks. When doing a compression test... ...
|
| Seek Local Triumph Mechanic in Fort Worth, TX | 11/4/2005 |
Q: Is there a Triumph Mechanic's Association, a website, or any other resource that could help me find ...
A: Rich, Check with the fine folks in the Red River Triumph Club. They can be reached via their ...
|
| Engine | 11/4/2005 |
Q: TR Spitfire 1979 1500. 1976 engine. I can't get a smooth idle. Investigation has shown #3 cylinder ...
A: Sam, When you say "produces oil in the exhaust in a minor amount" are you referring to actual oil ...
|
| triumph spitfire 1500 74' | 11/2/2005 |
Q: why are the rear wheels leaning inward?
A: Because the Spitfire has swing axles? I suppose you mean "why do the tops of the rear wheels lean ...
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| Engine dies after 5-10 minutes - 1973 1500 | 10/24/2005 |
Q: I bought a 1973 SPITFIRE in non-running condition with a blown engine (no oil!). I have replaced ...
A: ------------------------- 2) You're running a full 12V through a 6V coil and it's overheating. ...
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| Engine dies after 5-10 minutes - 1973 1500 | 10/24/2005 |
Q: I bought a 1973 SPITFIRE in non-running condition with a blown engine (no oil!). I have replaced ...
A: Howard, What was the jacket color on the wire that melted? What year engine did you use for the ...
|
| 1972 Spitfire Transmission | 10/21/2005 |
Q: I have a 1972 Triumph Spitfire. I have owned it for 5 years with no transmission problems. Starting ...
A: Dane, Low fluid could cause problems with actually sliding the parts into mesh... but to me it ...
|
| Spitfire Speedometer | 10/12/2005 |
Q: Jim, I read your answer to the 80mph speedometer question. (I have a 1977 spit with a 120mph ...
A: Warren, I'm not sure if there is a late style speedometer with the correct gearing, but I have ...
|
| Steering wheel/column vibrations | 10/2/2005 |
Q: !979 Spitfire w/overdrive. At about 42 to 50 mph the steering wheel and column begin to vibrate ...
A: BC, Vibration through the steering wheel is either something out of balance or something loose. ...
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| To overdrive or not? | 9/30/2005 |
Q: Ok, I'm about to get my 1st Spit, a 73, 1500. The tranny is a straight 4 no OD. I plan on doing a ...
A: Chris, The eternal question. To overdrive or not? Pros: Better gas mileage. Less stress on the ...
|
| oil pressure switch | 9/27/2005 |
Q: I apologise, I should have included the detail that it does indeed have an oil pressure gauge in the ...
A: Mark, I'm glad to hear it worked out afterall... As to filling that Spitfire shaped void in your ...
|
| Shifting to reverse in '75 Spit 1500 | 9/26/2005 |
Q: I saw a related question on this regarding a GT6: I have a recently-purchased 75 Spitfire (U.S. ...
A: Robert, Your transmission is what's known as a "Single Rail" transmission. The earlier ...
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| oil pressure switch | 9/24/2005 |
Q: I think I asked you a question a few months ago and got some good advice. This pertains to the ...
A: Mark, I've got to admit, you've had me scratching my head (and consulting all my repair manuals, ...
|
| Emissions and exhaust questions | 9/23/2005 |
Q: ------------------------- Jim, Thanks for the previous advice- I wish I could have worked on it ...
A: John, If you've lost a large amount of clutch fluid, the only places it could really leak are from ...
|
| GT6 shifter | 9/20/2005 |
Q: I have a 1973 GT6 MK3 (non-overdrive trans.) I previously asked you about a shifter kit. I obtained ...
A: Bill, Which of the bushings broke? The ones at the end of the shift lever? The 3 rail trans ...
|
| Brake Master Cylinder | 9/8/2005 |
Q: I just got my first Spitfire, a 1978. It runs well and my dad and I are doing little things to make ...
A: Congrats on the new toy. The brake master cylinder isn't too bad to rebuild if you (or your ...
|
| Emissions and exhaust questions | 8/31/2005 |
Q: Jim, I have a 1978 Spitfire which I purchased this spring and until now have had a great summer ...
A: John, 1) You still have the original Catalytic converter installed? Couple of thoughts. What's ...
|
| 1980 Spitfire speedometer | 8/24/2005 |
Q: I live in Ohio. My 1980 Spitfire is fitted with an 80 MPH speedometer. Comm. # is TFVDW2AT004830, ...
A: Rob, I haven't been able to find anything in my archives that definitively answers this question. ...
|
| Spitfire Clutch | 8/23/2005 |
Q: My daughter has a 1973 Spitfire with a 1978 engine. It still has the 1973 transmission. I need to ...
A: Jim, Well, if it's truly a '78 engine then it should be a 1500cc engine. One simple way to check ...
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| 1980 Spitfire speedometer | 8/23/2005 |
Q: I live in Ohio. My 1980 Spitfire is fitted with an 80 MPH speedometer. Comm. # is TFVDW2AT004830, ...
A: Rob, On the speedometer face there should be a marking just above the centerline that says ...
|
| TR6 Clutch | 8/8/2005 |
Q: I have a 71 TR6 that has been in storage for several years. I can start it but the clutch is ...
A: Rick, The clutch on the TR6 is hydraulically operated. What it sounds like is either the clutch ...
|
| GT6 MK3 shifter | 7/24/2005 |
Q: This is a 4 spd non-overdrive trans. I shifted out of 3rd to nuetral and the lever went very loose. ...
A: Bill, If you car still has it's original transmission it should be a "three rail" gearbox versus ...
|
| master cylender for clutch | 7/16/2005 |
Q: .-Dear jim I'll try ti answer your questions First; when I bought he said it waS running fine ...
A: Bill, Ok, to get full access to the slave cylinder, what you need to do is pull the transmission ...
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| master cylender for clutch | 7/13/2005 |
Q: I have a problem with my cluch on my 1980 spitfire I got a book and tried to follow instructions ...
A: Bill, It sounds like you're describing several problems here. First off, did the car ever drive ...
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| Transmission | 6/17/2005 |
Q: I came accross a 1972 TR6 that has set for 25 years. Before they quit driving it they had a new ...
A: Greg, That's an interesting problem. If you'd said it would NOT go into reverse then I'd suspect ...
|
| Leaking diff | 6/14/2005 |
Q: This regards a '73 (USA) Spit. Last fall my left rear axle flange shattered (see note back in ...
A: Steve, From the factory there was no gasket between the differential casing and the oil seal ...
|
| freze plog replace | 6/11/2005 |
Q: I have a 1983 Triumph Spitfire that the freze plug at the back of the engine has rusted through. My ...
A: Bill, Congratulations, you've managed to find the elusive '83 Spitfire (production ceased in ...
|
| tr6 project | 6/5/2005 |
Q: I guess I could have guessed your difficulty in assessment. We are in the same boat! I haven't yet ...
A: Tim. Ok, basics. Assuming NO accident damage. Frames have two weak points. The diff mounts tend ...
|
| tr6 project | 6/2/2005 |
Q: Just looking seriously at finally getting a tr6. Had a gt (69) in the early seventies. I live in San ...
A: Tim, Trying to estimate a restoration cost long distance is like trying to build a ship in a bottle ...
|
| 1976 TR 6 Trail arm support | 5/25/2005 |
Q: I live in Evansville Ind. I have a 1976 TR 6 that has frame rot in the driver side trail arm ...
A: Ken, I have heard of cases of the frame repair being carried out with the body still in place. Not ...
|
| trans problem | 5/23/2005 |
Q: well i just e-mailed you earlier today well since then i was able to discover that the reverse gear ...
A: Steve, I don't honestly know. I presume you mean that the small "idler" gear that slides into mesh ...
|
| fuel troubles | 5/19/2005 |
Q: I have 1980 Triump spitfire It has been in storage for 10 years, When I went to start it It would ...
A: Bill, If you remove the rubber fuel line at the firewall from the steel line that runs along the ...
|
| Price | 5/17/2005 |
Q: Unfortunately - I do not have enough information to provide you at this time, I am looking at a 1973 ...
A: R, Since you don't mention where you (or the car) are located, I'll have to make some educated ...
|
| Transmission Problems | 5/15/2005 |
Q: I have a 1980 Spitfire 1500 with 28000 on the odometer. I purchased the car last year and have had ...
A: Andy, It sounds like you might have several problems going on at the same time. The jumping out of ...
|
| 1973 Triumph 1500 | 5/15/2005 |
Q: I've been trying to solve a problem on my Triumph Spitfire, but can't seem to locate it. I can't ...
A: Jay, Did you clean the fuel lines? Install a filter up near the carb? Did you check the vacuum ...
|
| Triumph TR6 | 5/9/2005 |
Q: I have a '73 TR6 that has not been started for quit a while. I have gone through the fuel system and ...
A: Bob, You can spin the oil pump by removing the distributor and the distritor drive gear (that the ...
|
| turn signal switch | 4/26/2005 |
Q: i have purchase a new turn signal switch for a 79 truimp spitfire. i can't retrn it because l've ...
A: Wes, I don't understand. If the original problem was the turn signal switch (which also controls ...
|
| turn signal switch | 4/22/2005 |
Q: i have purchase a new turn signal switch for a 79 truimp spitfire. i can't retrn it because l've ...
A: Wes, I'm not quite sure what you've got going here. Did you splice into your new switch? How? ...
|
| 1979 Spitfire frame | 4/17/2005 |
Q: I am interested in your opinion as to frame work. My frame has some rust holes and I want to make ...
A: Joe, The biggest problem with repairing a frame is if it's been "broken", ie the solid connection ...
|
| igniton system | 4/12/2005 |
Q: Jim, I have read some other letters u helped people with.I need a little help rewiring the igniton ...
A: Before I answer your question... what region of the country are you in? Hmmm.. I could be helping ...
|
| TR6 | 4/11/2005 |
Q: Jim: I am wanting replace my dash pad in my TR6. Is it necessary to remove the windscreen frame in ...
A: Ron, The Robert Bentley manual for the TR6 is essentially a reprint of the factory manual and is ...
|
| Ignition switch wiring order | 3/29/2005 |
Q: Someone tried to steal my 1973 mk4 1300 spitfire at the weekend. Among other things, they pulled ...
A: Marcus, Sorry to hear about the theft attempt. Let me see if I can help with sorting the wiring ...
|
| 1976 TR6 clutch problem | 3/17/2005 |
Q: Followup To Question - I get a loud squeeling noise and some metalic scraping sound when I depress ...
A: Paul, Let me see if I can cover this all... my apologies if I miss a point. Pilot bearing: It's a ...
|
| fuse box replacement | 3/16/2005 |
Q: i have a 79 spitfire, i would like to update the fuse box,to a more modern and better fuse panel. ...
A: Wes, As an engineer I'll subscribe to the saying that nothing is impossible, allowed enough time ...
|
| 1976 TR6 clutch problem | 3/16/2005 |
Q: I get a loud squeeling noise and some metalic scraping sound when I depress the clutch pedal on my ...
A: Paul, Sorry, I should have given you the following links before: www.vtr.org ...
|
| 1976 TR6 clutch problem | 3/16/2005 |
Q: I get a loud squeeling noise and some metalic scraping sound when I depress the clutch pedal on my ...
A: Paul, Yes, it definitely sounds like time for a new clutch setup. You need to replace all three ...
|
| tr6 rims | 2/22/2005 |
Q: Jim I was told that the mini cooper rims that are stock on the car will fit on a tr6 with no ...
A: Bern, Wishful thinking. New MINI rims are based on a 100mm bolt circle, whereas the TR6 is either ...
|
| Spitfire slips out of reverse | 12/28/2004 |
Q: I just acquired a 1979 Triumph Spitfire with 19K mi on the odometer. By the looks of the vehicle ...
A: Bill, It may be possible that the linkage isn't moving the reverse gear to fully engage. A ...
|
| 1975 Spitfire 1500 | 12/11/2004 |
Q: Jim, I'm having a difficult time finding a front bumper for my 1975 Spitfire 1500 restoration ...
A: Rick, All of the chrome bumpers from the Mk IV/1500 series (1971 'til 1979ish) should swap. The ...
|
| Spitfire knocking | 11/30/2004 |
Q: I have owned a 1973 Spitfire 1500 for ~11 years now and love it. Recently, my left rear axle flange ...
A: Steve, The first thing to do is to make sure all the bolts in the driveline are properly tight. ...
|
| Spitfire Overdrive | 11/1/2004 |
Q: Jim, I have a good J type overdive on the back of a bad GT6 3 rail Gbox. Can I take it off and fit ...
A: Russ, The main difference between the overdrive/non-overdrive boxes is that the o/d gearbox has a ...
|
| bolting body to frame | 10/20/2004 |
Q: I bought a disassembled '72 Spitfire Mk IV to restore. I am ready to place the body back on the ...
A: Mike, Sorry for taking so long, what should have a been a straight forward question turns out to be ...
|
| car leans to one side | 10/20/2004 |
Q: My 1980 spit is leaning to the drivers side. Ive replaced the leaf spring, the rear shocks and the ...
A: Amy, Carry a large St Bernard as a passenger? :D Another possibility is to replace the stock ...
|
| TR6 Vacuum servo repair | 10/16/2004 |
Q: My TR6 braking action has begun to deteriorate. The pressure I have to apply to stop is getting ...
A: John, I'll be honest and admit that I haven't had to deal with the brake servo on my '73 TR6 yet. ...
|
| Rear lights and wiring | 10/14/2004 |
Q: Yeee-ha. No more leaks from my carb with the addition of a little o-ring. Thanks. Suppose you had a ...
A: Kevin, The wiring harness for the rear of the car runs along the drivers side footwell (for US ...
|
| Zenith Stomberg float plug removal | 10/4/2004 |
Q: I recently bought a '74 spitfire 1500. I'm constantly scooping/pushing some of my small children ...
A: Kevin, The plug in the bottom of the float bowl is plastic with a brass cap. It's just a snap in ...
|
| TR6 project | 9/21/2004 |
Q: ..I'm looking at buying a TR6 and have several in mind. One is a 1974 model that is described as ...
A: Cam, How bad is the rust on the engine mounts? Surface? Or rust through? Normally the TR6s has ...
|
| brake lights on a TR6 | 9/12/2004 |
Q: I have encountered a problem with my brake lights not working. I have changed bulbs, fuses and have ...
A: Doug, Several ideas. At the fuse block, make sure all the prongs on the fuse holder are clean ...
|
| gas leak from carb | 8/24/2004 |
Q: I bought a carb repair kit and after putting it in, the car runs fine with the exeption of gas ...
A: Chuck, I'll answer in reverse order.... Blowing blue smoke? Have you tried a compression test to ...
|
| '73 Spit carbs/emissions | 8/18/2004 |
Q: I have a 1973 Spitfire USA 1500 that a friend and I bought about 11 years ago, restored, and ...
A: Steve, Even with the single Stromberg and all the emissions plumbing in place you still will wind ...
|
| engine over heating | 8/13/2004 |
Q: It's a 1974 Spitfire 1500 in Seattle Wa. I recently had the tranny rebilt and she started over ...
A: Larry, Is the car overheating while driving? Sitting and idling? Both? On your Spitfire the ...
|
| Engine Swap | 8/3/2004 |
Q: I have an oportunity to pick up a Triumph 2.5 TC manual with overdrive. Apart from minor parts, is ...
A: Russ, I haven't seen the swap done with a Spitfire but I have seen it done with a GT6 MkI. As you ...
|
| RPMs | 7/29/2004 |
Q: Jim, I own a 1973 Spitfire 1500, I just finished a restoration and am wondering how many RPMs you ...
A: Richard, That sounds about right for the 1500s. From what I recall of the factory handbook in 4th ...
|
| Soft Tops | 7/19/2004 |
Q: I have a 1972 MkIV and looking for a soft top. Locally, there is a Mk3 wrecking. Will the Mk3 ...
A: Russ, Sorry, no the Mk3 top is not a direct swap onto the Mk IV/1500 series. The only difference ...
|
| 73 spitfire | 7/1/2004 |
Q: You are a great help to me as a novice attempting something I always wanted to do but was afraid to ...
A: Chuck, Sorry for the delay, this one snuck in when I was out of town for the holiday. There's a ...
|
| 73 spitfire | 7/1/2004 |
Q: You are a great help to me as a novice attempting something I always wanted to do but was afraid to ...
A: Chuck, About used axles... not all used ones have been "used hard"... although it would be better ...
|
| spitfire restoring | 6/30/2004 |
Q: I think you helped me before. I have been doign a frame off restoration on 73 spitfire. I recently ...
A: Chuck, Yup, a few questions. I'll try to cover them all, feel free to follow up if I miss ...
|
| TR6 hood........not water tight | 6/8/2004 |
Q: Jim, i've just bought a TR6 (1973)...The hood doesn't fit very well, and there are gaps everywhere! ...
A: Sam, I presume you're talking about the soft top (convertible top) on the car. There are several ...
|
| TR6 Cooling | 5/14/2004 |
Q: Gee, I just found this site/service - it seems wonderful! Even before anyone takes any interest in ...
A: Jeff, Most of the autoparts stores used to carry mechanical guages... Another idea would be to ...
|
| TR6 Cooling | 5/14/2004 |
Q: Gee, I just found this site/service - it seems wonderful! Even before anyone takes any interest in ...
A: Jeff, There are three causes that will make a car overheat. 1) problem with the cooling system 2) ...
|
| TR6 will not start | 5/4/2004 |
Q: I have a 76 TR6 that I was driving around recently. The car was running fine when the engine ...
A: Chris, If any of the electrical connections came loose then the car will die suddenly. I seem to ...
|
| gear shift TR6 | 4/25/2004 |
Q: I own a 1971 TR6. It is in good working order. I have recently begun driving it again now that ...
A: Rob, It's not a bad idea to check the gearbox fluid level on a regular basis... but from what ...
|
| Transmission Tunnel Cover | 4/16/2004 |
Q: I am replacing my original transmission tunnel cover with a new plastic one, should I take the ...
A: Dick, If you're lucky enough to have seals worth reusing, go for it! Otherwise, using something ...
|
| 80 Spit bumper | 4/11/2004 |
Q: I'd like to replace the black rubber bumpers on my 80 Spitfire with the chrome versions from say 77 ...
A: Ken, I have to admit that this question may be a bit beyond me. I'm used to the Mk IV through late ...
|
| What is my 1980 Red 1980 Spitfire with 33000 miles worth? | 3/31/2004 |
Q:
A: Richard, That's a tough question. On a new or recent model car, mileage is usually enough of an ...
|
| Rust | 3/23/2004 |
Q: im thinking of getting a triumph spit 1300, iv not got a garage and may have to hire one, the ...
A: Jack, It depends on several things. First off, where you're located. In west Texas (or New ...
|
| restoring a spit 1500 1973 | 3/8/2004 |
Q: I am restoring a 73 spit 1500. The car sat for a number of years without being run. The engine has ...
A: Chuck, What you might consider is starting off with a good rebuild on the Stromberg carb. What's ...
|
| Differential on spitfire 1500 | 3/3/2004 |
Q: I am trying to restore a 1973 spitfire 1500 4 speed no OD. I am replacing the pinion oil seal, ...
A: Chuck, Changing the pinion bearing requires a differential case spreader, basically a tool to ...
|
| 1968 Triumph GT6. My headlights... | 3/3/2004 |
Q: 1968 Triumph GT6. My headlights will not work. I have two switches on the steering column. One on ...
A: Deryle, The switch on the right should be the high/low beam switch. I'd have check my '69 project ...
|
| 73 Triumph Spitfire rear brake hoses | 2/26/2004 |
Q: I have a tough question, I ordered pre-bent brake lines from classic tube for my 73 Spit. The rear ...
A: Richard, Let's agree to some conventions before we start. The wheel cylinder is on the brake back ...
|
| release bearing | 2/21/2004 |
Q: Whats the best way to remove and replace without damageing anything?
A: Mike, The best way is to pay a professional, and hold them responsible for any damage. If that's ...
|
| Triumph Spitfire Ignition Systems | 2/17/2004 |
Q: Jim, I have a Spitfire 1300 overdrive 1974. My problem started a few months ago with what initially ...
A: Richard, I may need some more info before I can really get to the root of what you're dealing with, ...
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| Front Engine Mount Changeout | 7/13/2003 |
Q: Jim, 1973 Triumph Spitfire 1500 Can the frt. engine mounts be changed out with the engine in the ...
A: Richard, Yes, the mounts can be changed with the engine in the car. The simplest method is to: a) ...
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| Fuel and oil viscosity | 7/10/2003 |
Q: Jim, I own a 1973 Triumph Spitfire 1500. I have 2 questions. What viscosity oil would you ...
A: Richard, Both questions tie into what kind of shape your engine is in. First off, I tend to run ...
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| Metering Needle | 7/2/2003 |
Q: Jim, 1973 Triumph Spitfire Mk. 4 1500 Zenith Stromberg carb. Im getting gas in my oil, I suspect the ...
A: Richard, There are two possible ways to get gasoline in the oil on a Triumph. The first would be ...
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| Wiring | 6/29/2003 |
Q: Jim, 1973 Triumph Spitfire Mk. 4 1500 THX. For the help with my ignition, Shes running good now! Now ...
A: Richard, Glad I've helped. As to wiring diagrams.. I'll offer two suggestions.. with a caveat. ...
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| Changing Points | 6/9/2003 |
Q: Jim, THX. for the previous advice! Now my new question I have a 1973 Triumph Spitfire MK.4 1500 ...
A: Richard, take a look at the diagram for the Mk I-Mk IV on this web page: ...
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| Ignition Coil | 5/28/2003 |
Q: 1973 Triumph Spitfire Mk.4 1500 FM5333 Tuned up car and changed coil,car will not fire now. put on ...
A: Richard, I'm currently 1500 miles from my trusty reference materials, let me see how I do from ...
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| Brakes | 3/16/2003 |
Q: I've got a problem with a brake rebuild on a 1975 spitefire. I had to rebuild the right rear brake ...
A: Marty, What are the symptoms? It's tough to diagnose without more info. It's possible that you ...
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| tr6 ignition | 1/27/2003 |
Q: I have a 1975 Trimph TR6 that is in very good condition. The previous owner said at one time he had ...
A: Doug, Do you know what type of "kill switch" was setup? Sometimes they're setup to kill the main ...
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| Spitfire MK IV brake line upgrade question | 11/18/2002 |
Q: I have a '65 spitfire that I am beginning a large amount of restoration on. The old single line ...
A: Nick, You've got one thing in your favor... Triumph evolved the cars mainly in the exterior ...
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| gt6 main bearing sizes | 10/29/2002 |
Q: Hey man, Ive been trying to find the right main bearings for the car that I am working on. ...
A: Josh, From the engine number it looks like you have a "late Mk I" engine, which should take the ...
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| Shifter | 8/26/2002 |
Q: I have a '72 Spitfire Mark IV. I live in Denver, Colorado, USA and I am looking for a supplier ...
A: Joe, You're experiencing a problem common with Spitfires that old... the plastic/rubber pieces in ...
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| hi jim
does a mk4 hood(softtop)... | 8/11/2002 |
Q: does a mk4 hood(softtop) fit a mk3 thomas
A: Thomas, Sorry, the answer is no. When Triumph redesigned the Spitfire, the Mk4 windows were ...
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| '78 Spitfire reverse | 8/5/2002 |
Q: Am looking at a 78 spitfire. Engine & trans "rebuilt" two years ago w/~15K on them (89K total mi). ...
A: Eric, When you say that reverse "won't engage"... does that mean that you can't find the correct ...
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| engine overheating | 6/13/2002 |
Q: I live in Indianapolis, In. I have a 1979 Spitfire 1500. My problem is my engine is running at ...
A: Drew, About engine temp: The engine is a heat "source"... and the radiator system is the heat ...
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| Stromberg gas leak 1973 GT6 | 3/22/2002 |
Q: 1973 GT6 MK3. Gas is leaking from the bottom of the left hand carb. I believe it is coming from ...
A: Jennifer, If you look at the plug you can see that it's just a "push in" with plastic tangs that ...
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| Engine Sputters | 9/14/2001 |
Q: I have a MG Midget 1500 (same as spitfire) and my engine sputters when I step on the gas. So far, I ...
A: Jeff, A few quick questions to try to pin this down: 1) is it a momentary sputter, then the ...
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| TR7 water pump | 7/31/2001 |
Q: Do you know where I can get a TR 7 water pump (new or used) The ones I have found have been ...
A: Robert, If you've already tried the normal suspects (TRF and Moss) you might try some of the ...
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| 1979 Spitfire 1500 Zenith Stromberg gas leak | 6/4/2001 |
Q: Your questions: Is it gas? Yes. Does it leak only after the engine is cut off? Yes. But while ...
A: Steven, You'll have to remove the lower A-arm to replace the bushing. The front spring travel ...
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