dolomite sprint project

[pitzey]

Hi Everyone ,

Bit of advice , not stag related..... as some of you know i have got a dolomite sprint to restore, i checked the oil and it looked a grey colour, so i drained it tonight and as i undid the sump plug pure water came out followed by greyish oil then gloopy stuff .... i then undid the oil filter and the oil was as it should be black.


The engine did run i was told before it went in the sprint and was installed at the stoneleigh resto show last november which was featured in the dolly mixture magazine .

I think it is condensation which has built up where its been sat,

What does everyone else think .


regards Paul

[WealdenManinKent]

When I took the sump off my TV8 (first time in 20 years, car has had occasional but regular use) found thick layer of grease like gunge in the sump, but no water, is now clean and clear, but worth a thought for all.
Paul, I would think condensation would evaporate with regular use so wonder if your engine has been standing for some time, presume no water loss?
Roger

[pitzey]

Basically i bought the car off a dolomite forum rep , The engine was running , then it was taken out of that car , then sat for nine months then it was installed in my sprint 6 months ago and has not run as he never got round to finishing it off as he has 13 sprints.

regards paul

[GDPR]

I would take it out and strip/reseal and gasket it.

Wouldn't chance it myself...

[flying farmer]

I would take it out and strip/reseal and gasket it.

Wouldn't chance it myself...

Likewise,

That isn't condensation it is a water leak into the sump somewhere.

Neil

[GDPR]

I have never had a Sprint head stick it's head studs in nearly 40 years so stripdown isn't necessarily the potential nightmare of Stag/Dolly 1850/TR7....

[jleyton]

I have never had a Sprint head stick it's head studs in nearly 40 years so stripdown isn't necessarily the potential nightmare of Stag/Dolly 1850/TR7....

That's interesting as they're pretty similar - wish my Stag had 4 valves/cyl though

Why do you reckon the Sprint head comes off ok then Russ ?

Cheers

Julian

[Stagdad]

Aren't the head studs on a sprint inside the cam cover ? So always oily
cheers Steve

[GDPR]

That's my theory Steve - the top end of the stud never gets exposed to atmosphere but instead an oil mist as it's under the cam cover. BL really should have funded a proper 32 valve 3.5 Stag engine - that would have been a killer unit.

The Sprint engine is the only other engine I could do blindfold with the Stag lump...

[73stagman]

Im with them.... strip and reseal it. There is way too much water in the oil if there is enough to float the rest of the oil in there. It might not be head gasket but could have been inundated during storage but you need to know. what other damage has the water done to the inside of the sump, the oil pickup, anything that was sitting in the water rather than the oil will be rusted and filthy gloopy muck will be all over the inside of the crank case.
Nice easy job though if its just a clean out and a reseal.

[pitzey]

i think its condensation as the engine was sat under a cover for a while outside.... i will get some oil and and a new filter, run the car for ten mins then drain the oil again maybe the water pump seal maybe perished thus water in the sump .

[jleyton]

maybe the water pump seal maybe perished thus water in the sump .

I hate to pour oil on troubled water Paul, and I do hope it works for you, however there are two seals in the water pump - effectively one to keep the oil below the pump and one to keep water above it. If the 'water' seal fails then water will come out of the slot at the back of the pump that Triumph conveniently put there !

Cheers

Julian

[pitzey]

Ah i see , i will explain better when i see you mate ..... i thought it was odd when water appeared first ..... If the engine needs striping then i will get it gas flowed etc and put a face road cam and bigger carbs on her. There is no rush as the stag takes priority

[comeinhandy]

V8 32v ?

?..... bigger carbs on her.

when I had a stag, an easy upgrade was to fit the larger SU carbs from a rover 2000, 2" versus 1 3/4" plus slight richer needles. The standard exhaust is also quite restrictive so a straight through one liberates quite a few bhp. The water sounds like a head gasket issue to me. Worth doing the higher up header tank, like the stag also needs, in my opinion.
I still love the sprint from 30 years ago now(!), I used to thrash it and race a BMW 323i whenever we saw each other. Good fun.
Still longing for a 4.0 v8 32V stag engine based on the sprint head. I wonder if anyone has tried this? That would be awesome!

[pitzey]

i could lol