Triumph 1500 Engine, Gearbox, Rotoflex suspension
Discussion
Im currently assembling my midget, which is a 1500 , so the same engine and box as your using.
Depends what you want to use it for but the bottom end really needs to be in good shape on this engine, I've had mine reground and tuftrided, rather than just replacing bearing shells.
The box seems pretty hardy though.
www.totallytriumph.net/spitfire/engine_building.shtml#Timingchain
has some excellent information and is well worth a read.
Depends what you want to use it for but the bottom end really needs to be in good shape on this engine, I've had mine reground and tuftrided, rather than just replacing bearing shells.
The box seems pretty hardy though.
www.totallytriumph.net/spitfire/engine_building.shtml#Timingchain
has some excellent information and is well worth a read.
1500 engine is prone to knocking out, start it when cold and listen for the first 5 seconds. If the shell are warn you should be able to hear them. Wear in the gearbox will show itself firstly by loosing syncromesh in 1st, then second. If the diff leaks it will fail if not topped up. Rotoflex was for GT6's which weren't 1500 engines. Apparently they can wear, but you can easily source new ones and are not too bad to fit.
Can't comment on the suspension (as my cars a midget) but it does have the 1500 engine so:
Although it can be prone to knocking the ends out the brief knocking at startup is usually (is) caused by the fact all the oil from the filter drains back into the sump when you turn the engine off.
However, I've just had my current engine in pieces to have it rebuilt to an uprated spec and found the following:
On 65k (with oil cooler since start) there was no excessive wear on the shells, in fact hardly any noticable wear at all. The machine shop said max wear on the crank was 1 thou. (It's not had a relaxed life either, but I did always wait for oil to get up to temp before thrashing it)
Compared the the previous engine that was removed at 75k with no oil cooler and the shells were totally shot etc. As far as I'm concerned thats settles any argument about this engine knocking shells out prematurely as I've seen the evidence with my own eyes! If you treat these engine with a bit of respect they are fine, if not, they can deteriorate fast. (although if you drive iy really hard they can be prone to throwing rods if your unlucky) Just get an oil filter and oil temp gauge.
In case your wondering, the only reason i pulled the engine was because I'm uprating everything, not because it was shot in any way.
Although it can be prone to knocking the ends out the brief knocking at startup is usually (is) caused by the fact all the oil from the filter drains back into the sump when you turn the engine off.
However, I've just had my current engine in pieces to have it rebuilt to an uprated spec and found the following:
On 65k (with oil cooler since start) there was no excessive wear on the shells, in fact hardly any noticable wear at all. The machine shop said max wear on the crank was 1 thou. (It's not had a relaxed life either, but I did always wait for oil to get up to temp before thrashing it)
Compared the the previous engine that was removed at 75k with no oil cooler and the shells were totally shot etc. As far as I'm concerned thats settles any argument about this engine knocking shells out prematurely as I've seen the evidence with my own eyes! If you treat these engine with a bit of respect they are fine, if not, they can deteriorate fast. (although if you drive iy really hard they can be prone to throwing rods if your unlucky) Just get an oil filter and oil temp gauge.
In case your wondering, the only reason i pulled the engine was because I'm uprating everything, not because it was shot in any way.
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