jbcollier

Sorry mate, I've worked on SUs/Webers/Dells for 35 years now, give me gauge and I can sync them quicker and more accurately than you with your hose.

They are.

The Atlas axle is also a Ford axle. The gearset housing is part of the axle. It is stronger. No idea of width. The English axle is the one used in Sevens

He dialled in a few mm of preload and the clutch released fully but then started slipping. One of two things: - clutch disc/pressure plate is warped and requires more than normal travel to release; - one/both of his "rebuilt" clutch slave and master is worn internally and is not giving full travel.

Cylinder bores wear. This may mean that the effective stroke is shorter. I have seen this many times with used and “rebuilt” masters. I would fit a new one myself — and did when I recommission mine last year.

Is it a “real” Girling cylinder, or a knock off? I think you said you put in a new one? I remember you overhauled the slave. Was the bore excellent with no wear marks or corrosion whatsoever?

If you can bottom out the master, then that's all she wrote. There's no need to investigate the linkage or pedal any further. Assuming the slave is ok, then you are looking at the clutch.

Shove a pillow behind your back, or shimmy ahead in the seat. Now push the pedal all the way to the firewall. Clutch still dragging?

Once the air is bled out, Girling masters are self adjusting. Where you can run into problems is when there is wear in the pedal and linkage as this will reduce available travel. So check you pedal and rod bushings and pins for wear. I have often filled worn linkages by brass brazing and then redrilled to spec. You do know that the pedal position is adjustable, right? The clutch master should have an adjustable rod so you can easily add pedal travel as required.

All swirl pots have the incoming coolant higher than the outlet. Their purpose is to separate air out. If you did it the other way, you would add air in.

There is no thermostat. When you filled the engine from the swirl pot, very little/no coolant got into the rad. When you filled the rad from the top hose, it took a lot of coolant. When you ran the engine, the block gets hot but not the rad. Water pumps leak and/or wear their bearings out. Very, very seldom is there an impeller issue and certainly not in two in a row. All the above adds up to a blockage in the system. Remove both upper and lower rad hoses completely. Look through the damn things (especially the lower). Is there a rag stuck in there? Is there a flap of rubber partially torn loose? Spray water from a garden hose through each in both directions to make darn sure. Pour water in the rad inlet. Does it also immediately pour out the lower outlet? Remove the swirl pot. Pour water in the "thermostat" opening. Does it pour out the water pump (where the lower hose goes).

Can you please post some photos of your hose routing and radiator?

You have a had a look at everything. Your water pump looked fine. If the block is hot and hose is cold, there are only two possibilities: 1) coolant level is low 2) there's a blockage in the system

Can you show us a picture of your radiator? And where the hoses run?

Measure the clearance between the impeller fins and the pump body. It should be no more than 1 mm.

The "slinger" goes between the water pump bearings and the seal. If the seal leaks, the slinger helps direct the coolant out the drain hole and away from the bearings. This is so the bearings will last a little longer and give you time to notice and change the pump before it catastrophically fails. The slinger performs no other function and can be left out. Some pumps don't even have one.

Hot block, no restriction, and cool hose means low/no flow. Obviously the water pump is not performing at low rpm. The video posted by someone else shows the same issue. I would suspect too much impeller clearance. First question: what direction were the impeller blades installed? Do the fins/blades point towards the pump body, or to the block?

With no rad in place, the engine will from hot to too hot in a blink of the eye as there is no cool coolant in reserve.

Fill an electric kettle and bring it to boil. Drop in your sensor bulb. What does it read?

What engine do you have? Most likely a Ford pre-crossflow but it could be an Austin A series, or anything else someone stuck in over the years. Does it have a thermostat?

Kind of neat, when they work. Most have dried out and cracked leather seals.

For those wondering... https://jollyrogersmotors.com/lucas-tps1-indicator/directional/flasher/turn-signal-switch-uk-made-new-clone.html

You do realize this is not actually a 1965 Lotus Seven, right? It may otherwise be a fine car but just want to make sure you know.

Yup, the washers don't fit with the stock Lotus arms -- and probably early Caterham ones.

Dimple the problem pipes. You will notice no difference in performance.