Buck,
You may be interested in knowing there is a mailing list explicitly
for british-car owners. You'll find a lot of Spitfire owners there.
(However, many may be at the Vintage Triumph Register Annual
Convention this week.) To subscribe to the list, send a request to
"british-cars-request@autox.team.net" It may take some time to
actually be added, as the subscription requests are read by a person
rather than a computer program. I have taken the liberty of
cc'ing this message to the mailing list, in hopes that somebody will
have some possible solutions to your problem.
Responses will hopefully come to you directly, as well as going to the
list, so all the curious (myself included) can see how it turns out...
===== START OF INCLUDED TEXT =====
In article <31c9j5$b3b@lucy.infi.net> you write:
>[ Article crossposted from rec.autos.misc,rec.autos,rec.autos.tech ]
>[ Author was James Penry ]
>[ Posted on 30 Jul 1994 01:09:33 GMT ]
>Well, I'm posting this everywhere because I'm at wit's end. I really could
>use some advise diagnosing an overheating problem in my 1975 Triumph
>Spitfire 1500. I think I have tried everything, but maybe I'm wrong.
>Here is what happens: It heats up to 3/4 hot in about 7 minutes just at
>idle. If I drive it, it seems to heat up much more quickly, and beyond 3/4
>all the way to FULL HOT.
>THERMOSTAT:
>I removed the thermostat, but noticed no change,except that it took longer
>by a couple of minutes to get hot. I also checked the thermostat out in
>boiling water to see when it opened and closed. Seemed to work fine. I
>therfore ruled out the thermostat. (still out)
>IS IT REALLY HOT?:
>I know it really is hot for two reasons, (1) I have replaced the temp sensor
>twice to make sure it was good, and (2) the motor starts to run like crap as
>the needle approaches hot.
>I BET IT'S THE RADIATOR:
>I removed the radiator, and had the flow checked,and it was great.
>Radiator now ruled out.
>IS IT MAYBE THE WATER PUMP?:
>Water pump seems to work well. With the radiator cap off, and reving the
>engine, the water level is sucked down rather qiuckly. Also there are no
>noises, or coolant leaks to be seen. I therfore ruled out the water pump. ??
>I THINK THE LOWER HOSE IS SQUEEZING SHUT:
>Nope, not as far as I can tell. It has a spring in it, and it is new. Also
>the radiator flow looks good when the engine is running. Hose Ruled Out!!!
>YOU FOOL, YOU'VE BLOWN THE HEAD GASKET!:
>GREAT GUESS!!!! I THINK YOU HAVE IT!!!!.........NOT. I thought the same
>thing, and I just got finished replacing the head gasket, and yes, before
>you even think it, I got the head milled. It still runs hot. Get me to
>tell you the story later of stripping off all the threads on all the head
>studs while torqueing them down. It's a story in itself.
>DID YOU CHECK THE TIMING?:
>Yep, I did. 10 Deg BTDC right on the money. Plus it is really easy to do
>since it is electronic ignition. It was actually the first thing I tried.
>Next case....
>WHAT ABOUT THE RADIATOR CAP?:
>I thought it was a pretty silly suggestion to try this, but I'm desparate
>for help.....so I tried this too. I Put a new pressure relief (7 lbs)
>radiator cap on too. Guess what! If you guessed nothing new happened, you
>were absolutely correct. Radiator Cap (silly as it sounds) Ruled Out!
>YOU, MY FRIEND, HAVE A CRACKED PISTON:
>Well, you would think that If I were going to replace the head gasket I
>would be smart enough to look at that. Now wouldn't you? I looked, believe
>me I looked. I even bought a compression meter to test all the cylinders.
>to prove to myself that I had looked well enough. They all read the same,
>and that same reading is 105 lbs. Cracked stuff Ruled Out???
>SIMPLE, THE FAN IS SLIPPING:
>I don't think so, for these reasons: (1) It takes quite some force to stop
>the fan, using the bottom of my shoe (Yes, of course while the engine is
>running.) and (2) If it were an air circulation problem, driving around
>would make it run cooler. It doesn't, so I don't think it is! Fan Ruled
>Out (Mostly).
>So here I am, lost with not much hope of finding a solution, that is, unless
>someone has some good ideas. Please tell me there is something I have
>overlooked. I know I am not the only person who has a Triumph. If anyone
>has even the silliest ideas, I'll be willing to try them just short of black
>magic. Suggestions for service people in the Virginia Beach, VA area are
>appreciated too. Thanks in advance.
>-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>Buck Penry | I don't think I'm always right....I know I am! (I think)
>penry@infi.net | A man without a computer is like a fish without a bicycle
--
Kenneth B. Streeter | ARPA: streeter@sanders.com
Lockheed Sanders, PTP2-A001 | UUCP: ...!uunet!sanders.com!streeter
65 River Road | Voice: (603) 885-9604
Hudson, NH 03051 | Fax: (603) 885-0631
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