Spitfire Magazine BBS

Tranny and Diffy oil???

feeds@yuku.com (obxpaul) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:04:09 GMT

Well, drained the oil out of the transmission, no metal parts came out. Jumped on the bike to get some GL-4 oil as everyone says to use. Now, I cannot find any, anywhere. Now GL-5 is everywhere, but it is said to corrode the brass/copper parts.

So, I have read that synthetics will let the synchros slip (thin oil). So, has anyone used a dual blend of synthetics and oil? Also, has anyone used GL-5 with success? I have noticed that the bottles...

Looking for help

feeds@yuku.com (rjhansen) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:59:00 GMT

While in process of redoing the front wiring of my 74 Spit.
All the drawings I did before I started work, got smudged and damp.
And now I can't make any sense out of them.
So is there anybody around the West burbs of Chicago that would be willing to let me drop by and examine their car and take some pic's?
I would think any year from 74 to 77 should be the same.
Let me know, and thanks in advance.

...

Seats

feeds@yuku.com (weebestie) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:00:20 GMT

I have a 69' spitfire. The seats are totally thrashed. I want to get something racy, and not too heavy. I also want to still be able to use the convertable top. Any ideas?

Need Advice / Diagnosis

feeds@yuku.com (ehowlandjenney) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:01:18 GMT

Driving the car to storage this weekend and it developed some strange symptoms. Car ran perfectly normal in 1st, 2nd gears... revved up through 4500k or so, no problem. In 3rd, 4th gear, however, it would lurch and die. I could coast to the side of the road, restart it, make it a while, sometimes making it up into 4th for a while but ususally having it bog down, lurching a little for affect. Even after it died, I could get it started and run in 1,2 gear all day.

Sooo... there...

RAX Oil Flinger Installation?

feeds@yuku.com (tr4play) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:18:44 GMT

I'm in the midst of a frame up restoration on my 1966 Spitfire MK2.

I'm using new stock axles (purchased from Spitbits) which do not come with the oil flingers installed. The oil flingers look to be a press fit but in doing so it seems as though I will marr/scratch the area where the needle bearings sit. What is the proper or best method to install these oil flingers?

Thanks in advance,

Eric

bonnet for mk2

feeds@yuku.com (supertech) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:14:41 GMT

My 66 has a lot of rust in the lower front fenders and bonnet braces which makes it flex excessively. I have been putting off doing anything with it and the time is coming where there won't be anything else to repair. Is it possible to find a decent used bonnet? Maybe a parts car with a good bonnet out there somewhere? Getting a whole car out of the USA is a major pile of paperwork - - it is do-able but it is lengthy and has to be done in steps. I'm sure I can get a complete car...

overdrive solenoid

feeds@yuku.com (persicus) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:56:45 GMT

is there a way to statically determine if the overdrive solenoid is working correctly? i have a mk3 spit which is in various stages of revamp and isnt road legal so i cant check it that way .....(memory is going, must be old age creeping in as i cant remember if it was working or not when i bought it about 4 years ago) i have checked that power is coming from the o/drive switch to the relay and from the relay down to the solenoid but thats as far as it goes, the relay can be heard switching...

Wiring on the Fuel and Temp guages

feeds@yuku.com (mkivmarty) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:55:02 GMT

I took some of the advice from this forum and decided to rewire my 72 from scratch. Got a lot of it done so far (With a few blown fuses), but I'm stumped on what goes where on the back of the fuel and temp guages. There are only two terminals on each, bit neither is marked to voltage stabalizer or to sending unit. My guages are Smiths, but the Jeagers that I have are also unmarked. I think polarity would matter in a DC circut like these and don't want to risk frying the guages before...

Mirrior Base

feeds@yuku.com (Victor Martin) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:17:15 GMT

Removed the mirrors and plastic base for painting . I found it difficult to remove the base and ended up breaking off the two plastic pieces that the screws go into. Looks like a rawlplug, but attached to the base( all one piece). So any suggestions on remounting the bases, I been thinking of rivets. I think the hole is 3/16 ? Thanks Victor

Unknown causation for lots of smoke 76 1500

feeds@yuku.com (bjbarker1988) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:13:10 GMT

When I start my 76 spitfire it blows very light greyish or possibly blue smoke, after about 3-5 minutes of idling or if I try to put it in first, it dies and won't start up again untill several hours have passed. I don't know if it is burning oil or if this is the result of poor compression. I have an oil pressure gauge installed and the pressure jumps slightly when I give it more gas. Although I changed the oil less than 100 miles ago, it is a very dark brown, and even...

wheels toe in when reversing?!?

feeds@yuku.com (persicus) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:44:21 GMT

why would the front wheels on my mk3 spit toe in (like the back ones do after you jack it up) when reversing? i can only assume its down to tracking and/or the shims on the front wishbones. Not certain which way to turn first so any help before i pull everything to pieces again would be grateful. cheers in advance

OD Driveshaft

feeds@yuku.com (obxpaul) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:25:21 GMT

Finishing up the cleaning of my OD (J type) tranny and hope to put it in soon. Question I have is the driveshaft, I have the '79-'80 type shaft which has the boot/flexable end. I know that the OD drive shaft is abit shorter due the length of the tranny. Do I need to find or buy a special OD driveshaft or will mine work.

As I recall, when I took this OD tranny of, I think the driveshaft was the same as mine. I wrote this in my tear down notes, now if only I could find that...

connection of new alternator

feeds@yuku.com (amiga4001) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:48:10 GMT

I am putting in a new aftermarket alternator into my gt6 mk1. Problem is how to connect it correctly. There are 2 wires on the wiring loom which lead to the alternator a big brown one and a brown/yellow one. On the used plug I got with the new alternator the are 3 wires: A big brown one and a thinner brown/yellow and a brown/blue wire. So the thick brown one goes to the battery as it is the charging line. The brown/yellow goes to the ignition light . But where is the third one to go? Is this...

Rocker arms for 1500

feeds@yuku.com (Spit76) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:26:39 GMT

Does anyone know of any true 1.5:1 ratio rocker arms for a Spitfire 1500. Mind you I ask for a relatively inexpensive set. I know I can get roller rockers through PRI Racing in Sutherlin, Oregon by having them work over my engine. Unfortunately I can't afford to have them do the work right now. It is said that the actual ratio of the rocker arms is only 1.4:1 and stepping up to the true 1.5:1 that Triumph claimed to have installed would make a pretty significant difference in engine...

Carb problem leads to timing issue.

feeds@yuku.com (Spit76) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:17:05 GMT

In the last few weeks I have been struggling with carb issues. First starts out with vandalism to fuel system. This leads to cleaning tank and putting on a new carb from a friend of a friend. This carb is frustating me to no end because it runs-on like crazy. I tweaked the carb some and found a couple of problems that seemed to have solved the run-on problem for the most part, but it still happens. Frustrated with the lack of power, poor fuel economy I start looking into engine swaps....

To PWDA or not to PWDA?

feeds@yuku.com (mkivmarty) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:54:54 GMT

Will be adding the hydraulics to my 72 spit soon. I've got a couple of PWDAs that can be rebuilt, but I ask why? From what I've read, they were only used on the American built versions. Both my Bentley and Haynes manuals don't show them for right hand drive models. Can I safely install the brakes without the PWDA? It would make the plumbing a lot simpler. Opinions? Thanks

Marty

HS2 with K&N on a 1300 engine

feeds@yuku.com (greenmeanie) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:01:14 GMT

I have a 1974 UK Spec 1300 engine, with what I believe to be HS2 SU's. A previous owner has fitted nice shiny round K&N filters.
The car starts & idles well but struggles to rev under load over about 2500rpm, pulling out the choke helps considerably, until you forget to close before you get to the next traffic light.
I'm sure this is a 'common setup' so could someone tell me which needle &/or jet combination is required, please? Also is there an easy way...

clutch and gearbox issues

feeds@yuku.com (jimes) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:38:28 GMT

so i had my first day in the sun with the roof off yesterday,
it was all going really well, until my clutch pedal went to the floor.
so i'm at an intersection trying trying to get it into gear to get out of the way, and i'm grinding when i try, freakin horrible.

so eventually i get it round a corner and parked, infront of a primary school, with kids yelling stuff at me "hey guy with the blue car...we love you..you're cool" etc....
..and then...

pertronix bad?

feeds@yuku.com (LJLong324) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:26:05 GMT

Anyone got a sure method for checking an Ignitor module ? I don't get a pulse on my test light while cranking so I'm leaning towards a bad module.

Winterizing?

feeds@yuku.com (NMslim) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:35:13 GMT

I am about to put my Spit to bed for the winter. Alas, no garage but do have a decent car cover. The question I have is: Is it better to fill the gas tank or just add Staybil to my almost empty tank? Or does it make any difference? It only gets down to around 25 degrees F here. Any advice is appreciated.