Crankshaft End Float

[JohnRoberts]

Hi Guys

 

Advise please, have just measured the end float at 0.0095" Does this require urgent investigation or just keeping an eye on.

 

Thanks for your replies.

 

Best Regards JohnR

[Richard71]

Hi John,

 

If I remember correctly, 0.006" is optimum, would need to check the manual.

 

Richard.

[Nick Jones]

It's a little over the book figures (0.006" - 0.008") but these are assembly numbers and should be expected to open out in service.

 

As my Vitesse 2L engine (which has the same spec for endfloat) ran happily for years without changing at 0.016", I'd be pretty happy with 0.0095". Check it from time to time, but you'll likely find that it doesn't alter much.

 

Nick

[hman]

+1 - Nick Jones

Keep an eye on it, but if you're not doing loads of miles I wouldn't worry about it.

Just remember 'Worn thrust washers can cause clutch problems'.

[astontr6]

Hi John,

 

Well into the past when a BL main dealer near me checked crankshaft end, if the float was outside the tolerance. He would get a set of oversize thrust washers and adjust back down to the minimum clearance, by careful lapping on a piece of plate glass.

Bruce

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

Do you do more a thousand miles in a year, rely on the car for holidays ?

Then....

Change them and the BE/main bearings at the same time.

If the thrusts drop out you are in for big expense.

You can add the job to a day of engine oil change and servicing.

 

Jack and trestle the car Friday night and drain the oil, remove the sump Sat AM and get on with the job - draining the oil the night before reduces the oil dripping on your face as you lie beneath the car.

 

Look at the oil pump first while there and lap the base plate flat if needed.

 

Once the front is up in the air it is quite accessible except the front main bearing, which you could ignore if the others are not down to the brass....

 

Peter W

PS The only limiting factor to the speed of doing the job is having the right sized bearings in your hand and of course the torque wrench to get it back together right.

Edited February 21, 2017 by BlueTR3A-5EKT

[JohnRoberts]

Thanks Guys for the replies. I have got the car up in the air at the moment and was thinking about removing the sump to check the oil pump.

 

Regards JohnR

[Denis]

I worried about mine for ages having had one fall out many years ago, don't know the measurement as it's hard to measure in situ...but we dropped the sump last year and both T/W's which had done 13,000 miles (over 10 years) were still like new! Maybe the TR fairy had visited it, who knows, but my classic race car engineer friend said 'bigger gap means more oil gets to em!'

[jean]

Dennis, I'm afraid this might not be valid for the thrust washers... they day they drop into the sump the crank will start eating up the block...

 

p.s. I was told to never start the engine of a TR6 while applying the clutch as it's the shortest way to destroy the thrust bearings

Edited February 23, 2017 by jean

[DaveN]

@John

I recommend you get your new thrust washers from Scott Helms in the US of A

http://www.customthrustwashers.com/

The standard thrust washer is 0.092 and goes at the forward end of the journal then the one you need to get the correct end float goes at the rear.

The T/W from Scott are actually wider radially and offer a larger bearing surface, assemble with graphogen. Use the end of a thick tie wrap to push the old ones out (you can always lever the crank a bit to make it easier!)

Definitely agree it's worthwhile re-shelling the mains and big ends!

Just one word of warning be careful with the alloy block at the front end. You need some new gaskets, and don't strangle the sump pan bolts or you'll end up stripping the threads.

The block also has wood wedges to seal the ends. I did order new but felt they were inferior, you can make your own from a suitable hardwood. In my case I just reassembled with hylomar medium, and have not had any leaks.

 

Dave

[Andy Moltu]

You may not need oversize thrusts to get it back into tolerance.

The problem is you won't know what is in there until you strip it out.

You can mix and match thrust oversizes to get the right end float. Certainly this is preferable to lapping down an oversize.

 

Are thrust washer modifications really needed? Not convinced that the standard type are that deficient unless you sit on the clutch all of the time. They can be the solution to rescue a block that has been damaged by the thrusts being so worn they fall out. (Or so tight they get squeezed out).

There are many engines that have done 100000 miles before a rebuild. However once you have identified significant wear you ignore it at your peril.

Edited February 23, 2017 by andymoltu

[JohnRoberts]

Thanks Guys

 

Going to remove the sump to look at the oil pump. So will be able to check the CTW . Thanks for the tip of draining the oil day before.

 

Regards JohnR

[jean]

As far as I remember in the Classic Garage I use to visit they use thrust washers from Peugeot, they seem to best the best quality available..

Someone on the forum must know more about it.