Jonn began by stripping and inspecting the rear brakes of our 1974 Triumph Stag. The wheel cylinders were confirmed to be free and dry. Brake shoes and drums were cleaned, and the drums were refitted. The wheels were then fitted and torqued correctly. Wheel bearings were checked, and all grease points were lubricated. A list of required parts was compiled.
A pressure test was carried out on the cooling system due to signs of coolant present in the engine Vee. The source of the leak could not be identified without further disassembly. The carburettors were removed, and the manifold was stripped in preparation. One bolt broke during this process; it was drilled out and the manifold removed. The remaining section of the broken bolt was extracted using heat. All bolt holes were tapped, and mating surfaces on the cylinder heads were cleaned. The area was hoovered to remove debris, and coolant was extracted.
The water pump was removed from the block, but part of it remained stuck. A slide hammer was used to extract the remaining section. Once removed, the area was cleaned thoroughly. The mating surfaces on the engine and manifold were cleaned, and the thermostat was removed from the manifold. One bolt snapped and required heat for removal. All bolt holes were tapped, and both the housing and bolts were cleaned for reuse.
The power steering pump was removed, and a new battery was fitted. As the new battery was slightly different from the original, the hold-down bracket had to be modified. The battery was fitted in the morning to allow testing of electrical components. A couple of light connections were found to be unreliable, but aside from that, all systems were operational except for the fuel gauge and pump. Power to the pump was confirmed. When the sender wires were shorted, the gauge read full, indicating an issue with the sender.
The sender was removed from the tank and found to be rusted and seized. A suction pump was used to remove fuel from the tank, and rusty metal fragments were discovered at the bottom. A magnet was used to retrieve some of the debris for inspection. A replacement fuel tank is recommended.
