New member, new Stag, old problem?

[GDPR]

Hi all

I have just bought a 1977 Java Green example, and although it's actually a reasonably up-together car there are a couple of niggles that I would like to sort out before I go too much further because one of them is quite confusing.... especially at night.



The headlight stalk is on dip beam when pushed forward and main when pulled back - the main beam flash is still there on the spring detent as normal....... this as far as I know isn't right, and very unlike all the Dolomites I had years ago. The car has been resprayed at some point in the recent past, but is it possible for the wiring to be got wrong at the lamp end and still leave the main beam flash working as normal on the stalk - I await your comments....

Secondly, the wipers. The off position is slow speed, the '1' position is off with no park, and the '2' position is fast wipers. Could this be the limit switch on the motor or do I have to start looking for incorrect wiring, along, possibly with the headlamps?

Third and I won't bore you anymore, the engine can run quite warm when in traffic and when steamed up the motorway - up to 3/4 on the gauge - having the heater on helps, so suggesting a radiator issue. It appears to have a very new radiator but have no way of knowing if it's just a standard rad that I need to uprate or an uprated rad and I have other problems such as water pump or similar. I have an extra electric fan in addition to the standard viscous fan which seems to be OK, there is no coolant loss and itis fully antifreezed.

How do you tell what radiator you've got? And who makes the best uprated rad?

[seaside bill]

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Kryten

Congratulations on your new Stag and welcome to the Forum.

Your main/dipfunction is wrong, so I suspect you're right about the wiring. The rather complicated Stag headlamp wiring configuration and bullet connectors provide a multitude of options for wiring things up incorrectly! You'll need to systematically check the wiring as per wiring diagram in the ROM.

The usual suspect forthe wiper problem isthe metal tab fitted to the rack/worm which operates the limit switch. It may be partically or completely broken away orcracked allowing it to flex rather than operate the switch properly. If it's broken away or cracked try and get it repaired (brazed) rather than buy a replacement as the new ones currently on the market are rubbish.

The Supergill radiator (from Tony Hart or EJ Ward) is regarded by some as superior to the original item, although the spec of the original changed over the production life of the car. If yours is a recently recored 3 row (or more) radiator it should be up to the job. What you're describing as 'running quite warm' is not unusual in hot conditions, particularly 'steaming up the motorway' with auto transmission. Most Stags will respond to putting the heater on in such conditions. I'd suggest the usual stuff e.g back flush system (including block), check thermostat, check operation of viscous fan and confirm sensor is giving you an accurate reading. If all that checks out and it keeps out of the red, then don't worry. A 16" fan (blower - clamped directly to the radiator core) is also worth fitting if you've currently got something smaller - as Plumbgonk reminded us all, size matters!

[GDPR]

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Cheers Bill

Thanks for the welcome - much appreciated!!

She does keep out of the red, but sometimes it makes me nervous when it creeps up around 3/4 ........... as both my other cars are Hondas, I'm used to just driving and forgetting. It's like having my old Dolomite Sprints again and being a bundle of nerves and one eye on the temp gauge and the other on the oil pressure. If you consider anything that isn't in the red normal then I'll stop panicking......

Allegedly, this car has done only 800 miles since the engine was removed, new chains, unleaded heads and a new water pump were fitted, in fairness it runs fantastically well except for the wandering temp needle.

Now I seem to remember from my Dolomite days there were 2 basic pumps - 6 and 12 vane - I have no idea which it has, but I seem to remember that the dollies liked the 6 rather than the 12 - is this the same on the Stag?

Is there such a thing as a rule of thumb as to rad thickness/core size so that I cantell what I have fittedor will I have to drain a bit out of the rad to see how many core rows across the thickness? Oh and I do have 16" clamped on the core as recommended.......

I see from their ads that Rimmers have got a 5 row core radiatoron salenow - anyone got one and is it any good?

Anyway I have the proper manual, and so it seems I will have to spend a while finding out what the previous owner has done with these lights, but it's nice to know there are people that have knowledge long forgotten by me from my days on the workshop floorin a Triumph main dealer....


Cheers

Russ

[dogsnadgers]

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"She does keep out of the red, but sometimes it makes me nervous when it creeps up around 3/4" So do I - in hot weather (25 degrees + ) she sits at 3/4 and no more, even driving hard she has not got into the red even in 31 degrees heat, so after 3 years I don't really worry, just keep an eye on it and switch the kenlowe on if at standstill or after parking. It'sa Stag thing!

"2 basic pumps - 6 and 12 vane - I have no idea which it has, but I seem to remember that the dollies liked the 6 rather than the 12 - is this the same on the Stag?" There has been much debate on this over the years, I think as long as you have the correct pump and cover together then there is little discernible difference between the 6 & 12 vane pump, other people might say different though!

Good luck and enjoy, if in good condition the java green looks great!

Dave

[dogsnadgers]

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Was that Stag on e-bay recently, I remember seeing a very nice Java green one?!

[GDPR]

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Hi Dave

There were a couple of Java Green ones on ebay recently, and this indeed was one of them.... it came on a couple of weeks ago at the right time when I had the funds available.

I'd like to think ofher now as someone's 97% completed project and I'm just starting to unearth the 3%!!Could be worse, the figures could be the other way round..... the basics are all done and it's mainly tweaking with things like getting the soft-top seals right, and the detail stuff that takes that bit more time.

It is a splendid car to drive though and I'm getting an immense pleasure already from her as indeed are my wife and young kids - apart from always desiring a Stag ever since first laying eyes on one, it is a great bonus in being a 'real' 2+2 - and it has that soundtrack to die for

I wasn't 100% sure of the green at first but the wife liked it,itis growing on me finally and really gets you noticed. It is certainly the first one I had ever seen in the flesh in that colour.

All I can hope for now is I can get fair bit more use out of her with the top down before the winter falls on us..

[dogsnadgers]

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thought it was - I must be an anorak!! Yes it is an eye catching colour and possibly an acquired taste, but clean I think it is very nice. I love driving mine, I only wish I had 3% to do, more like 33%!!

All the best

Dave

[stagnut]

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Welcome to forum Russ, makes a change to see such a lovely colour

Gez.

[DJT]

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Welcome, Russ. Plenty of help available here.

Java green is certainly a 'Love it it hate it colour'. Can't say I love it, but then again, not everyone likes white! If the wife likes it you are quids in. My wife wouldn't be keen in any colour!

Sounds to me if the wires are swapped over at the headlight end. The switch is connected up with preformed connector blocks so there is little to go wrong that end. I would get under and have a look to make sure the wire colours are correctly matched up at the bullet connectors behind the lights. These are visible from below the valance. If these are correct, have the lights been put back in correctly? The inner ones only come on for main beam. The outers are dipped, and stay on for main beam.

I am not familiar with Mk2 wiper wiring/switches, but something ain't right. Someone will probably have some good information.

Cooling is a long topic. If the radiator is new, I suggest flushing the sytem thoroughly, including removal of the block drain plugs. These are either side below the exhaust manifolds. You may find these holes blocked with crud when you take the plugs out. Scraping around with a bit of welding rod or similar should clear it. Some owners get a fair amount of muck out of here. Have you checked the level of the water and topped up via the plug on top of the radiator? It is advisable to raise the front nearside as much as you canwhen topping up. This ensures any air bubbles come out at this plug.

You say the viscous seems OK. If you spin the blade (engine stationary of course!), how much does it revolve? I recently found mine was spinning about a turn. Changed it for a new one and this turns about a blade width. Moves much more air when ticking over.

Hope you get many miles of enjoyable motoring from your Stag.

Dave

[seaside bill]

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On the topic of radiators...I just noticed (and lifted) this picturefrom the Club Triumph site. Apparently the radiator on the right is the genuine Tony Hart Supergill - 4 core in astraight line (as opposed to staggered configuation) to aid air flow. Thezig zag pattern of the cooling fins is a distinctivecharacteristic. This is the same radiator as I've got and it's quite wide - you certainlywouldn't be able to remove the fan bolts with it in-situ.

[John Wright]

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I too have a Stag in nice condition and like yours it makes me nervous when I drive it on hot days (or hard) as a result of the rising needle. I have been considering fitting an electric water pump to supplement the mechanical pump, as I have read claims that this sorts out the problem once and for all. I posted a question and got quite a few responses (not all favourable), and you might like to look at these (just search for 'electric water pump' and select the one by me - John Wright).

Good luck with your new Stag - I prefer the Stag to my Mercedes in summer!

John

[DJT]

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Bill,

Thanks for the picture. Checking my radiator and it has a very similar appearance to the one on the right in your picture. This was bought from Paddocks a couple of years ago. Don't know how many cores it has, but the main cooling block is about 50mm (2") thick, with the whole assembly about 70mm (2.75") thick.

Dave

[seaside bill]

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Dave

That's about the same dimensions as mine, and probably as thick as I can go without fouling on the fan.

[GDPR]

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Cheers for all that boys...... I have the day off today and will start measuring, digging, draining and flushing under the bonnet - I have to go from the homestead up to Essex on sunday, and I cannot practically avoid using the M25 and in particular the foul-up that are the long-term widening roadworks leading to the A2 - don't want to get all hot and steamy and stuck in lane 3!

Anyone tried that Water Wetting coolant additive? Worth using?