Facelift P.I rescue!

Show us the work you're doing on your Triumph 2000/2500/2.5.
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david_lall
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Re: Facelift P.I rescue!

#11 Post by david_lall » Sat Jan 31, 2015 7:48 am

....also, if the car was running it should be set up properly. The choke must be pulled out fully. Before anything make sure this is creating absolute full enrichment on the metering unit, the adjustment on the throttles is less important. Make sure the pump runs for 15 seconds or so before trying to turn the engine over. PI's do sometimes need prolonged continuous cranking so don't be put off by it. ...but don't adjust the choke! Leave it out fully until the car does fire up and then, and you'll realise it's about to happen, push the choke in half way before the revs eject everything into orbit!
David Lall

1972 Triumph 2.5 PI Estate Royal Blue
1968 MG 1300 Saloon Connaught Green
1978 Carlight Casetta Caravan
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sahtuning2000
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Re: Facelift P.I rescue!

#12 Post by sahtuning2000 » Sat Jan 31, 2015 9:18 am

Starting to get a bit nervous now!
Gathering parts together/tools and i,am going to get a few gallons of Esso fuel on the way,theres a station near me.
Bright light and will get some new plugs,i have a spare set of points etc but what plugs should i get/
NGK BP6ES?Any last hints before i go????

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Re: Facelift P.I rescue!

#13 Post by JimB » Sat Jan 31, 2015 10:23 am

Those spark plugs will be fine, cheap too from practically any motor factor. I'd take a roll of insulating tape too, should you need to quickly patch up any of the air pipes/hoses - as you probably already know, if there are any air leaks on a PI, the manifold vacuum the metering unit 'sees' will drop, causing it to run excessively rich. The balance pipes between the throttle bodies on my late PI were very ropey, so I replaced them with 1/2" heater hose pipe :wink:

sahtuning2000
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Re: Facelift P.I rescue!

#14 Post by sahtuning2000 » Sat Jan 31, 2015 9:36 pm

What an amazing day!!!!
We went over to the P.I this morning and with little fuss the old girl left its home since 1981,the brakes were free and it rolled all fine.
Loaded up and back home,without even getting wet which is a result.
So all home i decided to go through the car with some time to spare.
So i went over the plugs,points,cap,rotor etc and all looked fine,i cleaned the inertia switch connectors and went over as much as i could,i added 3 gallens of Esso 97 ron fuel and fitted a new battery.
Turned the key and all the dash lights lit up and the pump kicked in straight away,so far so good.
I then turned the car over with the plugs out and rotor out to build up the oil pressure and fill the filter housing.
Then the moment of truth,new plugs fitted all things reconnected and i turned the key it turned over freely and sounded good,choke was fully out and it was turning over and over and over....then it started to cough and splutter and started to fire then bingo its started.
I gently kept the revs up for a few mins then turned it of the be sure nothing with leaking etc,all looked fine,so i restarted it and it ran really well,i left it running for nearly an hour to get the fuel pumped though and everything hot,sounded good,needs a service obviously,but seemed happy enough.
I was amazed and started actually laughing,this car was last on the road in 1992 and was told today last actually ran 5 years ago.
So what items have i notice and need attending to...
Well the first thing is that the car has had no welding,sills,outriggers,floors etc are all original,most of the paint is original,just a few light rust patches but NOTHING silly,its all very straight and original,the gearbox drops straight into gear and the oil is mint.
It has no brakes and the master cylinder is empty,i knew this before seeing the car,i suspect rear cylinders but need to look at these,the handbrake seems very good.
Interior is smart in shadow blue cloth,needs a clean as does the whole car but its been in a garage 23 years,will come up nice.
The exhaust is shot,not terrible but i need to look at a replacement,but don,t want a sports system on it.
PAS seems fine,the car ran well but did smell rich,i did remove all the injectors to check the needles and they all looked good and were free.
What doesn,t work
Interior light,fuel gauge,light stays on aswell so i guess a sender issue as i put £18 fuel in it,temp gauge,washer pump,thats it,not bad really and easy to fix i think.
So after an exciting day on the P.I i need to weigh up what its future will be and what i plan to do/not do to it.
I sat down tonight and had a look at the Passport to service i got with the car,i knew it was a Surrey registered car but was totally lost for words when i saw the selling dealership stamp in the book,it was registered on the 1/8/74 and was sold by the very garage that i work at,seriously its been in the workshop that i work in,how starnge is that...
Ted has some pics of it i sent him,he can post them on here for me if he wants?
Its totally as found in the pics,not a barn find,more of a garage find,but a 100% genuine find,the same garage its been in since the previous owner bought it in 1981 50 yards from his house when there was a car sales garage near him,i live 6 miles away from him.

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Re: Facelift P.I rescue!

#15 Post by TedTaylor » Sat Jan 31, 2015 11:18 pm

As requested I’ll post some pics over the weekend - rather busy with Historic Marathon Rally Show matters at the moment - having a short break from it …....

It looks very nice.

MUT
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Lloydpiestate
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Re: Facelift P.I rescue!

#16 Post by Lloydpiestate » Sun Feb 01, 2015 6:07 am

what a great story and find !!! :D

enjoy and please keep us updated, look forward to seeing the pics

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david_lall
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Re: Facelift P.I rescue!

#17 Post by david_lall » Sun Feb 01, 2015 7:24 am

That's fantastic Dave; just goes to show that if PI systems are treated in a particular manner then there's no need for them to give any grief.

Sounds like you have a great car there, looking forward to seeing some pictures.
David Lall

1972 Triumph 2.5 PI Estate Royal Blue
1968 MG 1300 Saloon Connaught Green
1978 Carlight Casetta Caravan
http://carlightrestoration.blogspot.co.uk
1995 Lada Riva 1.5 Estate Cherry

sahtuning2000
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Re: Facelift P.I rescue!

#18 Post by sahtuning2000 » Sun Feb 01, 2015 7:41 am

Thanks for the comments,the pics show it exactly as removed from the garage,no cleaning,but in some ways it looks very fitting being like this.
I will see how/if it starts today and maybe draw up a list of what it needs.
I,am in a bit of a pickle really as i don,t need 2 of them,the TC is running fine and is on the road,but looks challenged,the P.I isn,t on the road,but shouldn,t take much,but the injection is a worry to me and i,am not a huge fan of autos,but the mileage,unwelded,colour and a full webasto are appealing,also the fact it came from my garage is still hard to take in,the chances of that happenning are something else.
I think the P.I is nice,but does have a bit of rust,nothing silly,but in some ways i feel it should be cleaned up as best as possible and left as is,no bodyshop repaints etc as it gets expensive and may ruin it to a degree,the n/s doors at the bottom have bubbles and the rear of the webasto needs work.
Can someone advise me on a proper battery for it,i borrowed one from work,although it started the car the terminals are the wrong side,think it was a 72 amp.
It has the police spec hubcaps,this is because the previous owner bought the car but whilst waiting to take delivery the original P.I trims got pinched from the car on the forecourt,and the garage fitted these instead.

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TedTaylor
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Re: Facelift P.I rescue!

#19 Post by TedTaylor » Sun Feb 01, 2015 10:23 am

Photos (some of which I will post later) show a very nice original spec largely unmolested car in need of a little TLC to smarten it up ....... and wheel trims are part of the history of the car. A VERY nice find and to be kept as it is and treasured - I am jealous, though I have too many cars!

A PI system is nothing to be particularly frightened of - if set up correctly should give no more trouble than a carb system and you will pick up hints and wrinkles of how to maintain it on the Forum though you probably will find there will be people to help you. However DON'T be tempted to alter the spec as the mileage of 51,000 (looks genuine) would indicate a largely unworn PI system (pump and metering unit) so apart from perhaps a service (use Neil Ferguson, top notch and much cheaper than others) should give little trouble.

However if you managed to start the car yourself after being laid up for a long time it shows that the system, and your ability, cannot be too far off.

MUT
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1964 2000 period rally look alike AFH 849B
Morris 1800 London-Sydney/Monte/WCR NAM 616G
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Re: Facelift P.I rescue!

#20 Post by Dave B » Sun Feb 01, 2015 2:23 pm

sahtuning2000 wrote:Can someone advise me on a proper battery for it,i borrowed one from work,although it started the car the terminals are the wrong side,think it was a 72 amp.
I was about to suggest a type 096R battery, then realised, being a facelift car yours probably has the narrow battery tray, which very much cuts down the choice of a battery with a decent amp/hr & CCA output. Check the battery tray size first, before buying a battery
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