New owner from Wisconsin

[ClaytonsTR7]

Hello everyone I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Steve my son (Clayton) and I just picked up a 1976 TR7 for a father / son project. The body is very solid but at this time she is not running. A previous owner started to take her apart and let the TR7 set in a shed from 1989 until 2008 when the guy we bought it from got it. It looks like someone has tried to get her running recently but gave up. It has new plugs, cap, rotor and plug wires.
The car wants to start up if you pour a little gas into the carbs but will only sputter and die. I hope to do a compression test on her soon to determine if there is any use in trying to get to start. The car is brown with a 4 speed, air conditioning and rear defrost. The interior is tan/beige in color and in nice over all.
If the engine is past repair we are thinking about a V6 conversion but not 100% sure yet.
I look forward to working on this car with my 14 year old and hope to make some friends here and learn about these cool little cars.
Steve Prouty

[RJS]

Welcome to the world of wedge ownership!!!!

I have no words of wisdom for the car (I like the V6 idea, but I am not a purist). If you have a car with a good body, you are already way ahead of the game.

My dad and I built a kit car when I was around that age, and it was great time in my life.

My son has no interest in my wedge, but we have other activities that we do together, so it's okay.

Good luck,
Rob

Rob

[Periwinkle]

Welcome Steve (& Clayton!),

It's a great group of wedge owners here who have a great deal of collected knowledge. Throw a question out and someone will answer with a solution or possible solution.

So many things could be wrong: timing to fuel to faulty carbs. Someone with a lot more knowledge, experience and expertise will be along soon I am sure. JClay? Mildred?

Good Luck and congratulations (I think [:D]) on the new purchase!

Sue aka Peri

[Bobbieslandy]

Hi Steve, welcome to the world or british classic car ownership, i hope you have a sense of humour!

Have you changed the condenser in the distributor? I had probs with mine, would only run on full choke, had no power and spluttered if you revved it. And that was if you managed to get it started in the first place. The car stayed in the garage for a couple of years for the sake of a £5 part and my lack of experience!

As well as the condenser i'd check the fuel pump, filter, and try a gallon of fuel in the tank if you havent put some in already, that fuel guage may be telling porkies!

Can mice get in the airbox? lol.........

Then i'd check the strength of the spark, ignition timing, firing order as that can make them bang, pop and barely run if they get mixed up.

Good luck with getting it running!

Rob.

[FI Spyder]

Stored for 20+ years? I would overhaul/clean carbs, start with new gas from temp container. Pull the gas tank and cleanout, treat with POR-15 tank treatment if rusty inside. Install in-line fuel filter to protect carbs from crap in lines etc.

V-6 conversion is good if your into hotrodding but you'll need to upgrade to 5 speed rear end to handle power and upgrade brakes to handle power.

If your into collector car/retro thing keep it stock.

Download OEM service manual from jclay's website in pdf. or buy hard copy on eBay or Amazon. Haynes manuals are useless by comparison but better than a stick in the eye.

Parts are available and many upgrades can be done without visually effecting the retro car look. There is a search fuction on this forum where you'll find many answers to your many questions. If not answered to your requirements, there is lots of expertise here that will be only to glad to help out.


TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[ClaytonsTR7]

Thanks everyone. I will check some of the areas you posted and let you know whay happens
Steve

What did I get myself into!

[Jolyon39]

Welcome Steve,

A feature of this forum is the number of people on line in different time zones. You will find that you can put up a question and go for a coffee, when you have finished the coffee, check for answers to your problem.

I highly recommend you use the seach function for answers to your questions, most things have been discussed quite a few times and a simple answer is immediately available from the archives.

For your car I would definately check the carbs and bypass the fuel tank whilst doing this (just have a small can feeding clean, new fuel).

regards,

Jolyon
New Zealand

[MCNX BFF]

Steve and Clayton,
Hello from California and welcome to the forum. You are going to love it here! All Wedges all the time-can't get better than that![8D]

What did you get yourselves into?!?! As soon as you and your son have your 7 up and running, you will know! Lots of smiles[:D] and miles for sure! Where are you in WI? A few guys on the forum are in the Fox Cities area, I'll let them know you are here! [;)] Best of luck to you! --Monica

----MH-----

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

Hey, Steve and Clayton!!

Glad to have you here!

My first guess is that the carb bowls are gunked up with old gas. There are 6 slotted screws on the bottom of each carb that hold the bottom cover (chamber) on. Be careful of the gasket.

If you take it apart, you will probably start with the top cover (Dashpot), 4 slotted screws. Again be VERY careful when you remove this cover as you can tear the rubber diaphragm inside. Please note that the diaphragm has a dimple along the edge that fits in a space on the edge of the metal casting. There is a long needle attached to the bottom of the air valve inside the casting. Be careful not to bend the needle as this meters the gas into the airflow.

Did you see the funny plastic knob (dashpot damper) at the top of the housing? You have probably already pulled it out and wondered why that brass sleeve was there. Well, it acts like a shock absorber for the air piston. As the engine is running each piston pulls in air on the intake stroke. You do not have a smooth flow of air into the engine, but bursts of air coming in. This causing a fluctuation of the vacuum in the carb. This fluctuation will cause the air valve to vibrate up and down, and then would constantly be changing the gas flow into the mixture.

We stop this vibration by keeping some lite oil in the tube (air valve guide rod, AGVR) at the of the air valve and that brass tubing with it's retaining washer slows the movement of the oil in the tube. Now you don't want to keep pouring oil it there until it is full. You just want to fill the tube(AVGR) about 1/2 way full as the brass tube will displace some of the oil. I always used a chemistry wash bottle to fill the tube.

Anyway, I digress! Get it all clean. As other here have already suggested, get a small gas can and put a rubber hose from the can to the fuel inlet of the carbs. Put the can high so that gravity can do it's thing and try to start the car.



Check out some of my sites below. Download the file "TR7man.pdf" from my download page.

We will be here is you need us!

jclay

[url="http://web.mac.com/jclaythompson/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html"]My Triumph Site[/url], [url="http://web.mac.com/jclaythompson/iWeb/Technical/Intro.html"]Technical Stuff[/url], [url="http://homepage.mac.com/WebObjects/FileSharing.woa/53/wo/HJMTK8gsojtwKleP.1/0.2.1.2.26.31.97.0.35.0.1.1.1?user=jclaythompson&fpath=Triumph_Articles&templatefn=FileSharing4.html"]Download Page[/url]

[ClaytonsTR7]

Wow great info! I was wondering about the oil deal since I found a unopened bottle in the trunk and read a few posts that spoke of the damping oil. I have draned the gas tank and was using a beer bottle in the engine bay for my fuel ( full of gas not beer [;)] )but I will get some more hose and put a can on the roof like every one is suggesting. If I can get the original engine up and running that would be great. Thanks so much.
I think my order will be to
1 change oil and filter
2 check the compresstion
3 see if fuel pump is pumping if not replace it...
4 try to start it again if no go
5 pull apart the carbs.
<b>OR</b> should I just plan to take carbs apart and clean them first because its the right thing to do. I see rebuild kits are available. The gas I pulled out of the tank was nasty and horrid smelling but not full of dirt or rust.

What did I get myself into!

[Workshop Help]

Annnnnd, please read my latest article on cleaning/lubricating the advance unit in the distributor as well as the vacuum retard plate. After all this time, they are sure to have become stuck.

Just so you know, the float bowls can be removed from the carburetor WITHOUT removing the carburetor from its mount. Use a 1/4" ratchet with a 8mm socket and a hex drive screwdriver bit to loosen/remove the six float bowl screws. If the Deity likes you, the bowl gasket will come off intact and can be reused. I've been doing this for the past 30 years.

Mildred Hargis

[laskaboots]

since I also live in Wisconsin with my TR7 I think I can provide some insight into your problem. People that live here are only supposed to drive blue pickup trucks and white SUV's in the winter.

sorry about that. you must be one of the lucky ones who have heated garages and leave your other car outside.

[ClaytonsTR7]

Well we worked on the TR7 a little today. Checked the compression it was about 110 on all 4 cly very even but maybe a little low.
We checked the fuel pump and it is working so that’s good news. I am starting to think it has an ignition problem. It seems to fire when the key is turning the starter but as soon as you release the key to the run position it stops immediately. I am going to pull the distributor out and clean it up and replace the condenser and anything else that looks suspect next chance I get. I see the distributor adjustment is slid all the way to one end and I wonder if that’s off as well. Like I said before it looks like some else tried to get her running with no luck in the past.
I checked the clutch out today also and it will not disengage from the flywheel. I checked the fluid and it looks clean but seemed pretty low. Can anyone tell me what exactly the fluid specs are. It looks like brake fluid. I have never worked with a hydraulic clutch before so please excuse my ignorance.
Steve


What did I get myself into!

[FI Spyder]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by ClaytonsTR7</i>

Can anyone tell me what exactly the fluid specs are. It looks like brake fluid. I have never worked with a hydraulic clutch before so please excuse my ignorance.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

What ever you're using for your brake fluid. DOT3 is spec but a lot of people use DOT4. Clutch disc is rusted to flywheel. A search will turn up a number of remedies. After you pull the distributor to clean/check it and put it in on the right tooth and set timing it might just start. If these engines are in the ball park they will start.

What did you get you're self into? Nothing that can't bee handled. They have a few "Triumph engineering anomalies" to be learned but brought back to good nick they are a fun car on a narrow twisty road or highway cruising.



TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[ClaytonsTR7]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by laskaboots</i>

since I also live in Wisconsin with my TR7 I think I can provide some insight into your problem. People that live here are only supposed to drive blue pickup trucks and white SUV's in the winter.

sorry about that. you must be one of the lucky ones who have heated garages and leave your other car outside.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Where do you live in WI? I am in Sauk County about 45 min Southwest Wiscnsin Dells.
Steve