powel1g Posted January 21, 2017 Report Share Posted January 21, 2017 My TR6 suddenly started running on 5 cyls today. Had it not been for the constant plume of steam from the exhaust I would not have been to worried. I have yet to do a comp test and investigate further but I guess the head gasket or head could be the culprit. Any recommendations for a machine shop near Eastbourne if this is the case? Regards Gavin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted January 21, 2017 Report Share Posted January 21, 2017 My TR6 suddenly started running on 5 cyls today. Had it not been for the constant plume of steam from the exhaust I would not have been to worried. I have yet to do a comp test and investigate further but I guess the head gasket or head could be the culprit. Any recommendations for a machine shop near Eastbourne if this is the case? Regards Gavin Gavin, Do you know the history of the engine? If the gasket was replaced without scrupulous cleaning of the mating surfaces it might not need machining. Just clamping a new gasket onto surfaces with remnants of old cardboard or oil wont work. Fitted correctly the gaskets are very reliable, and its not a difficult DIY job. Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
powel1g Posted January 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 Alas I have no info on what if anything has been done to the engine. The car was restored in the early eighties to a high standard so it is quite possible the engine received the same attention. I cannot ask the guy who restored the car as he passed away shortly after completing it. It sat in the garage for twenty years before his widow felt she could sell it. I am thinking ahead really so once the head is off, should it not have hardened valve seats, now is the time. I guess the question is, were hardened seats being fitted at that time? Regards Gavin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 Hi Gavin, hardened seats were not overly common in the early 80's as there was enough of the correct fuel available. Before panicking have you tried tightening the head nuts down. After a rebuild it is essential to check the head nut torque after 500 miles or so. If the chap built the engine then passed away he may not have got round to it. If you go for this - release the torque then tighten. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
powel1g Posted January 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 I had not considered that. I will look up the torque settings. Been told I have got to walk the dog over the Downs to the pub before I go anywhere near the garage! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 Gavin, You are sure that the steam is glycol smoke and not simply condensed water from combustion? Glycol smoke hangs around longer than water vapour, but in cold damp weather steam can be strangely persistent. Before rushing to lift the head measure the compressions so you know where the leak lies, roughly. If it is a leak to water jacket from a combustion chamber the radiator will be pressurising and the overflow bottle filling, maybe to overflowing. Check the torques as Roger says. However the TR6 gasket glues itself to the mating surfaces and is supposed not to need retorquing. I would not release the torque as the glue seal might fail. I am not in the exhaust valve insert camp.Valve seat recession was tested by FBHVC on a 1200cc? engine run at full throttle at I think 4000rpm for hours on end. No-one can drive a TR on the road at that level of load. Cruise load is around 30hp compared with say 130hp at 4000 rpm full throttle. I have yet to read a report of vsr in a TR. But inserts were very popular. Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 Hi Pete, If one nut at a time is released and re-torqued then I would have thought the 'glued' gasket would be well clamped. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 (edited) Hi Pete, If one nut at a time is released and re-torqued then I would have thought the 'glued' gasket would be well clamped. Roger Hi Roger, Yes I agree...if the glue has taken properly in the first place. Its no more than a thin film of varnish, heat activated. Peter Edited January 22, 2017 by Peter Cobbold Quote Link to post Share on other sites
powel1g Posted January 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 Well I have had a bit of time to investigate. Compression test results Cold, plugs out,WOT Dry / wet All appx 150 / 175 Tested again hot, just out of interest All appx 200 to 210. Water level has not moved so got me thinking. A few miles earlier I had filled up with fuel. I normally use shell v nitro, but in this instance used the nearby garage. BP I think. Now we are literally talking fog from the exhaust. Enough so the gentle breeze tonight pretty much filled the garage as it blew it back in. It doesn't clear much on a hot engine, so I was wondering. Could the petrol have been contaminated with diesel? On the basis of the water level not changing and the comp test revealing nothing. I am in no rush to take anything to bits. My neighbour is an RAC guy and he has a leak down tester on its way. Let's see how it goes from here. Regards Gavin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted January 23, 2017 Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 (edited) Well I have had a bit of time to investigate. Compression test results Cold, plugs out,WOT Dry / wet All appx 150 / 175 Tested again hot, just out of interest All appx 200 to 210. Water level has not moved so got me thinking. A few miles earlier I had filled up with fuel. I normally use shell v nitro, but in this instance used the nearby garage. BP I think. Now we are literally talking fog from the exhaust. Enough so the gentle breeze tonight pretty much filled the garage as it blew it back in. It doesn't clear much on a hot engine, so I was wondering. Could the petrol have been contaminated with diesel? On the basis of the water level not changing and the comp test revealing nothing. I am in no rush to take anything to bits. My neighbour is an RAC guy and he has a leak down tester on its way. Let's see how it goes from here. Regards Gavin Gavin, The engine looks fine. Maybe the diesel pump was masquerading as petrol when you filled up...? Diesel is a bit denser than petrol so may have sunk in the tank and killed a plug. But they soon mix. No harm done that a fuel drain wont cure. ( putting petrol in a diesel engine is another matter). Peter Edited January 23, 2017 by Peter Cobbold Quote Link to post Share on other sites
powel1g Posted January 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 I did start to doubt myself so checked the receipt. Definitely from the super unleaded pump. Besides I put almost 40 litres in. I am just going to keep an eye on things. Am also planning to take the car to Italy this year so if there is anything wrong I hope it manifests itself sooner rather than later! Gavin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted January 23, 2017 Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 (edited) I did start to doubt myself so checked the receipt. Definitely from the super unleaded pump. Besides I put almost 40 litres in. I am just going to keep an eye on things. Am also planning to take the car to Italy this year so if there is anything wrong I hope it manifests itself sooner rather than later! Gavin Gavin, 9 gallons of diesel in max 2 gallons of petrol - I doubt that would allow the engine to start. So its not a mis-fill. The garage may have sold contaminated fuel - perhaps they will confess? I dont know of test for diesel in petrol.Your RAC neighbour may well be able to smell diesel in the fuel, or in the exhaust. You could try feeding fresh petrol from a can instead of the tank see if the exhaust smoke goes. That would pin the issue on the fuel. But have a decent fire extinguisher to hand. TRs driven sensibly are not prone to sudden failures. Often 'its the last thing you did' that's the fault. I'm still thinking fuel..... what colour is the fog? Peter I wonder if the refinery added 'ethylene glycol' to the petrol and not the 'ethyl alcohol' they should have Martin ( Clarkey) will know if that could happen. Glycol burns with white smoke. Edited January 23, 2017 by Peter Cobbold Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Marcel Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 Hi Gavin Start with the basics, don't dig deep till you have too. If it was diesel or contaminated fuel none of the cylinders would run. - Make sure all your ignition leads are on properly. - Remove the plugs to see which cylinder is failing. - Troubleshoot that cylinder, try new plug, check lead and distributor cap. - It could also be blocked injector if still fitted. With the very humid conditions at the moment there is a lot of moisture around. Good luck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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