Just covered 1000 miles since January 4th

[bonnietiler750]

So...how does the car stack up so far?
Its a twice restored 90k auto recon box at 70k and engine at the same time
It's a reluctant charger...Voltmeter will sit at 13+v unless the revs drop or the lights blower etc engaged,so I changed the wiring...not a lot of room in there is there?
I'm going to swap alternators, I'm assuming that the Auto box oil cooler needs to come out? any tips much appreciated I might buy a replacement to be honest this one looks like its been in very close proximity to sleeping policemen in the past.
I fill the water bottle to half and it always drops to 1 inch above the bottom and never drops any more...strange?
The temp gauge doesn't work, I bought a new sender so it must be the gauge...or the wiring....or the wind is in the wrong direction..I've had Triumph before!
The instrument lights were abysmal so swapped for LED much improved.
The ride is superb
The roof (convertible) seems to let some water in as the underseat (rear) area seems to get unduly wet.
Replaced the Courier Sport tyres Circa 1992 cracked and hard and generally just rubbish, with Continentals which are excellent. The AA came to my house and completed the whole procedure whilst I drank Coffee and watched a box set of Walking Dead can't beat it Price was very good too.
it didn't come with a correct jack etc but I have a Triumph TR7 jobbie which seems to work perfectly well.
It smokes a little too much for me on start up (white) I'm hoping that its just a little rich and not water ahem...It doesn't seem to use much oil and it an excellent starter throughout the cold snap first time every time.
the Heater does not seem to push out enough of the warm stuff for me so again any suggestions much appreciated.
Also my TR7 V8 is definitely sulking...I can tell
It is not a Petrol sipper...should I be using Super Unleaded? I do in the TR7?
Any help much appreciated
Bonnietiler
I shall post a snap when I dust off the old Box Brownie

[marshman]

The Alternator can be changed from above. No need to remove the auto cooler. Its a long time since I did mine but I think I just released the power steering pump and access from there on is tight but doable. Just be careful when doing up the 3 bolts that hold the power steering pump - they are into the soft Ali of the head and are easy to strip.


With regard to the coolant level. Assuming you have a standard unmolested cooling system with no leaks or gasket problems I would say you are slightly over filling it. Firstly I check the radiator is full (bung on top of rad) then I fill the expansion bottle only about an inch or so. When hot this level rises to just above half way - just above the top of the bracket that goes around the bottle. I suspect yours is expanding and spitting out the excess it doesn't require. Leave the level where it is and see if it drops further.

Roger

[GDPR]

Smoke on startup and coolant loss - could be inlet manifold gaskets weeping into the back cylinders... you could take out the plugs and spin it over when cold, and watch for any coolant being spat out of the plug holes of the rear two cyls of each bank. The wrong manifold gaskets could put leaking coolant down the inlet rather than into the vee.

Alternator - don't trust the dash voltmeter - it's as good as a chocolate fire guard.. make sure the reading is right by a digital voltmeter and adjust the gauge reading mentally to account for error so you know when things ARE going wrong.

Heater - look to see if the heater valve under the dash is actually moving to fully hot when you move the dash lever - many do not and you have to give them a little hand assistance

The rest I think I'll leave for someone else coz dinners ready

Russ

[KOY 23]

Hi Bonnietiler
Congratulations that's 1000 miles more than mine has done and most others on here. (cue a photo of a speedo from NeilW)
Short the sender wire to each and you should get max deflection on gauge. I assume fuel gauge is working as they both feed off the same voltage stabiliser.
I would jack under diff or front crossmember as sill an a 40+ year old car may be suspect.
White smoke is condensation, lots of it at this time of year.
I use both octane ratings can't discern any difference.
John.

[flying farmer]

Its an auto box, they guzzle fuel. I got fed up with 17-18 mpg with mine and fitted a manual overdrive box which improved the consumption to nearer 25mpg.

Don't bother with super unleaded unless you are going to alter the ignition timing to suit, otherwise you could actually make things worse.

Neil

[bonnietiler750]

Interesting re the fuel ...the stag was made, so it says in my handbook,to use 4 star (97 octane)and unleaded is 95 at best, superunleaded normally varies between 97 and 98 octane is it normal to alter the timing to use the lower rated unleaded...will my car have already had its timing adjusted?

[bonnietiler750]

I'm off to Ulverston tomorrow with the Grandchildren...well two of them in tow ...so I'll do a 200 mile motorway / A road consumption check.i realise that this will be as good as it gets and urban will be somewhat...er...less attractive.

[GDPR]

I run mine up to 16 degrees on ordinary unleaded with no issues at all, and despite being an auto (admittedly ZF 4 speed with lockup) I average 30mpg

[DJT]

Interesting re the fuel ...the stag was made, so it says in my handbook,to use 4 star (97 octane)and unleaded is 95 at best, superunleaded normally varies between 97 and 98 octane is it normal to alter the timing to use the lower rated unleaded...will my car have already had its timing adjusted?

The fuel issue is a regular discussion item. When the Stag was introduced 95 octane unleaded fuel was the norm in its target export market of the USA, but 97 octane 4-star was still the norm in the domestic market, hence the UK handbook recommendation. I've owned two Stags since 1989 and in that time driven a total of 90,000 miles on normal unleaded fuel without additives.

[bonnietiler750]

Thanks Dave very interesting and informative, I didn't realise that the Stag was still widely available in the US when Unleaded was rolled out in 1974/75...I remember back in 1971 in Michigan when the 3 pumps were regular (95) Premium (98) and you could even get a witches brew with 102 octane. Those may well have been the days? Mind you oil was $3 a barrel back then it trebled to $12 during the 1973 fuel crisis...Interestingly when oil dropped to nearly $25 a barrel recently the cost of a litre never went close to the 1973 price and $12 in 73 must have been considerably more than $25 in 2015...Global economy eh?

[Paul Kelley]

1000 miles, good effort BonnieTyler! For the first winter in three years' ownership mine is off the road, having some serious drive-train fettling done by Mick and crew at E J Ward's. Due back soon so I'm looking forward to getting some miles back on again. Re fuel, I've done around 14,000 on plain unleaded and no additives and all fine.
PK

[bonnietiler750]

Just confirming safe return from Frosty Ulverston...
Total Mileage 218
Fuel consumption 24.5
mainly between 65 and 80mph.
So after a service and a Carb check...maybe a little more.
I get 29 out of my Volvo850R and 30 out of my TR7V8 but the 7 is a lot lighter
What the stag needs is an extra gear at the top for cruising bet that would be worth 3 or 4 mpg

[jbuckl]

Is it Bramhall & Ulveston uk?
Big kudos for the january 1000 miles if so
What Kryton says is >110%, although my zf4spd is only around 24mpg, his is impeccably set up I'm sure, still working on mine, or is it just the right foot
Anyway, 3 litre V8's are going to be gulpers not sippers
A 1970s stag is a match for a noughties 3 litre petrol mpg wise, but with more style.
My amg is well sub 20's mpg & the non supercharged isn't much better.

[Paul Kelley]

Re fuel consumption classic v new, my daily driver is BMW 335i twin turbo. Same size at 3 litre, twice the power and more, same fuel consumption more-or-less at 25-30 mpg depending. That's 40 years of progress, yet the Stag still can offer beauty, character and sound, and actually just pure mechanical feedback that even the otherwise great beemer can't match.
PK

[bonnietiler750]

Filled up at a Texaco station in Ulverston and there was a young lad 20+ who was offering a service fill up like the old days, so I pulled in and a bit like the old movie where John Gregson just couldn't get away to continue the race he was just fascinated by the car wanted a guided tour bonnet lifting etc etc,very nice moment.