New Member

[jrvariel48]

Hello all,
I'm the new owner of a 1977 TR7.
I got the car from a family friend.
I was told the car ran great when it was taken off the road for a paint job 11 years ago. Well, it never got the paint job!
It hasn't been turned over in all the time.
How should I proceed with this?
Thank you,
Joe

[Sean Roth]

Will the motor turn over with the starter?

Check to see if it still has oil first. Then try to crank it. It may start. I have a Bricklin that did not run for 15 years and it started right away.

Don't use old gas! If the tank has old gas get it cleaned out.

If the starter does not work see if you can turn the motor over by hand.

SF Roth

[Maxwell]

You have a Bricklin? I'm envious!

Maxwell [:D]


2.0 TR7 FHC \ Current
1.8 Mazda MX5 \ Current

[Sean Roth]

Yeah, photos can be seen here. It is a project car...

http://s1349.photobucket.com/user/roths ... %20Project



SF Roth

[FI Spyder]

I thought they were kind of neat back in the day. There was one running around here a few years back but haven't seen it in a while. It was red, very faded. Up close it looked like a kit car. A piece of Canadian history.....well New Brunswick anyways.[:p][8D]


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

[john 215]

Hi Joe,

[:D] WELCOME TO THE BEST TR7 / 8 FORUM IN THE WORLD EVER [8D]


I would charge the battery ( will poss. need renewal, you cant always bring them back to life ) remove the plugs and turn the engine over by hand, have seen cars that have been sitting for years where valves stick open, by turning by hand you will know before something bad happens, not always the case if turned on the starter [xx(]

Would be tempted to change ALL the fluids.

Have a good look around the wiring before connecting battery, make sure no rodents have been enjoying a meal on your wiring. I have used a 30 amp fuse before placed under the battery terminal when first connecting battery just in case, will blow though if try starting it though !!!

NEW fuel in the system, crank her over ideally use a glamorous assistant so you can watch for fuel leaks etc. Once running access from there, depends on where and how stored.

Cheers John


LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!

1976 Speke FHC Beauty Now with an overdrive conversion

1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6, BUILT NOT BROUGHT !!!!

[jrvariel48]

Thank you everyone. As soon as the snow melts here, I will try turning it over by hand. I still need to get a battery.
I noticed two wires (i think) coming out of the distr. with a plug on the end.
What does that plug into??
Thanks again,
Joe

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

OK, Joe, Welcome!

You are in Saddle Brook, NJ, so you are about 150 miles from the Wedge Shop up near Boston.
http://www.thewedgeshop.com/

TWO Wire from distributor? Probably not but there is a temp sensor under the intake manifold where they probably plug in. I think there are several wires that go from the distributor to the controller mounted on the fender.
<font size="1"><i>Photo at bottom of page</i></font id="size1">
http://www.jclay.me/jclay/Triumph_TR-7.html#8

If it were me, I would take out the spark plugs and spray DB Blaster penetrating oil into all the cylinders and let it set for at least a day. If the car is equipped with A/C, then there is just enough room to slip a socket onto the big bolt in the middle of the front lower pulley, then attach a break-over bar and add a cheater bar. Now you can try to turn the engine clockwise. If it turns, then you can put your attentions else where. No socket or break over bar? Get a friend and a good nylon rope, Wrap the rope around the pulley and while one person holds the tag end, pull the other end of the rope. It will tighten around the pulley and then start to turn the engine.

<font size="1"><i>An example photo. In this instance, I was using the rope to hold the pulley stationary!</i></font id="size1">

http://www.jclay.me/jclay/TR8_project.html#77

Next, go to my Public folder and download the manual, TR7man.pdf <font size="1"><i>link at bottom of post!</i></font id="size1">

We are here to help!


Clay

[url="http://www.jclay.me/"]My Triumph Site[/url], [url="http://www.triumphtechnical.me"]Technical Stuff[/url], [url="https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B8MWEvqOpX3udEF4SmFQUW9RS09hbU5uNW5Wd0xrUQ/edit"]My Public Folder[/url],

[FI Spyder]

Yah, you want to hand turn it first, I have a spare engine that only turns about 180 degrees before it locks up. Don't know why yet as it was a running engine before it was taken out of the car. Starting by starter would not have been a good thing if it was in car.

I agree with taking out spark plugs and spraying in some lube while hand cranking the engine to get some lube on the rings and cylinder walls. I prefer dedicated engine storage spray of some sort (see your local auto parts store).

My Spider had been stored for seven years, now I don't know what prep it had but new plugs, wires, distributor cap was used before driving it 1,400+ Km to it's new home.



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

[jrvariel48]

Thank you for the welcome!
I love PB Blaster, it works great on the sticky valves in my Ford Flathead as well as Marvel Mystery Oil!! I found a piece of cardboard in the car that said "plugs are loose". I'm wondering if the previous owner shot something in there.
He's a cousin in law but tough to get a hold of!
I'll take a closer look this weekend.
Hopefully we'll be takin' a right to Boston this summer!!
Thanks again,
Joe

[Vino79TR7]

Joe:

I’d recommend joining a local Triumph club if it’s possible, even if you have to drive a few hours once a month for the meetings - tons for free advice and assistance for the price of a beer and a slice of pizza.

My TR7 hadn’t been driven for a long time like yours. Before even buying a battery or trying to turn over the engine...it was recommended to me to test the vacuum advance/retard on the distributor. It was excellent recommendation!

A TR7 (and Triumph GT6) will over heat if the vacuum advance/retard can’t hold a vacuum. The car will also not pass SMOG inspection if you have one in your state.

You don’t need to turn on the car…just connect a vacuum pump to distributor, give the pump a few pumps, and see if it holds a vacuum…if it doesn’t… try pinching the hose and if the pump still holds no pressure…you have a bad pump…if it does hold pressure but not after you release the pinched hose…you got a leaking vacuum advance/retard.

Unlike a GT6 the TR7s vacuum advance/regard is not available and cannot be rebuilt…you’ll need to fine a working one (used) if you plan to make that trip to Boston this summer…and not have the car over heat on you until then you’re limited to little drives around the block with no traffic…on cold mornings.

Since your only solution is to fine and buy a “usedâ€￾ working one…you’ll be visiting swap meets and looking on line…make sure you can return the vacuum advance/retard if you buy it one online…carry around a pump if you visit a swap meet, and test it yourself.

Its amazing…someone will look you in the eye and say it works…then take it home to find out it doesn’t…then not want to return your money.

Do not believe anyone who says they can be rebuilt…THEY CAN NOT! Other Triumphs can but not TR7s…that I know of.

Good luck

-Vino

Ps…not a bad idea to have a working spare with you on a long trip...oh and let me know when you're headed to Boston...i'll meet you there

[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 Vino79TR7</i>


A TR7 (and Triumph GT6) will over heat if the vacuum advance/retard can’t hold a vacuum. The car will also not pass SMOG inspection if you have one in your state.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The vacuum retard is an emissions only advice meant to retard the timing on part/no throttle. It is true you may not pass emissions without it if it still has to pass in your state. It won't run hot. My vacuum doesn't work and is not hooked up and it runs consistently cool and I get 36 mpg on highway (higher at 50 mph). For those older vehicles that have a vacuum advance (pre emissions) it will improve driveability but not necessary. I installed a racing distributor in my Beatle that had no vacuum advance and it drove fine, just had to keep the rev's up as you would on the track, kind of like you would anyways with it.[:p]



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

[Hasbeen]

Sorry Vino, I can't agree with you there. There are tens of thousands of cars running around quite happily with a split diaphragm on the vacuum advance system.

Back in the 60s the first thing anyone wanting to improve the performance of their road going sports car did, was remove the vacuum advance.

Those who were just a little more serious had one of the better auto electrical shops adjust the bob weights & springs in the centrifugal advance system to suit.

Badly done it could produce a flat spot, well done it improved performance all round. I used my Morgan +4 for 20,000 miles of daily driving, after removing it's diaphragm without trouble.

Hasbeen

[Vino79TR7]

Jrvariel48…welcome to the TR7 world on the internet…

BEWARE: advice and information is not all equal or of particular value. All I can recommend is check and recheck facts and ask someone who actually “hadâ€￾ your problem.

My car over heated…I installed a working vacuum retard on the advice of a car club member and the overheating issue went away. What else can I tell you?

Or take the FIVE STAR poster’s advice… believe a TR7 won’t over heat if the vacuum retard doesn’t work… because his [race-car] beetle, that wasn’t equipped with a vacuum advance, drove just fine…all he had to do was keep the rev’s up like a person would on the race track! And claims to get 36 mpg…more if you drive 50 mph…

Also…as far as I know, production for the sevens started in 1974…not in 1960s! As as far as 10s of thousands of other cars that work without vacuum retards…I just know about my Seven…and what I did to make it run correctly. I do know the weights and springs can be changed in the distributor to alter the performance for a “race carâ€￾…was that what we were talking about?

All I can say is that Canadian and Australian cars must be very different from US spec cars?

Because brand new…the window sticker on a 1979 TR7 states the car averaged 19 mpg!

Then again it’s not such a wild claim…I but I bet I can get 36 mpg on my Seven…I’d just have to cost 16 of those miles… rolling downhill!


LOL

[Cobber]

Imperial gallons are larger than US gallons.
1 Imperial gallon = 1.2 US gallons.
So US MPG figures will vary from MPG figures everywhere else.
On that basis an average 19 miles per US gallon would equate to @ 23 miles per Imperial gallon.
But that still doesn't give the full story, those of you in the US had to suffer much more stringent emission control regulations, which caused fuel consumption to increase alarmingly.

Vacuum retardation did used to be used to help with overheating, however, its main purpose was to reduce emissions, wasn't meant to be part of the cooling system, but the engineers found that if hey could run it's vacuum feed through a temperature sensitive valve they could gain a mild cooling effect on a emission strangled engine.

If disconnecting the vacuum line from the retard mechanism of the dissy is enough to cause over heating there is probably an underling problem with the cooling system.





"Keep calm, relax, focus on the problem & PULL THE BLOODY TRIGGER"

80'Triumph TR7, 73'Land Rover (Ford 351. V8),
'89 Ford Fairlane
'98 MG-F, 69'Ford F250.
76' Ford F100