Ralph Whitaker

Hi, I`m not up to this stage yet by a long way, but I have 2 screen frames for my car, both of which have some tenax pegs on, enough to make a full set on one frame, but reading this thread am I going to be able to use them if the button part is no longer available, or am I going to have to change them for the larger items, and will the bigger ones still fit the screen frame.

on a similar theme, a friend just pulled the diesel engine to bits on the barge he is building because it had seized solid. After he had it mostly in bits his dad mentioned that he had tightened up a loose gearbox bellhousing bolt that he had spotted was loose. Sure enough the bolt was about 2mm too long and was fouling the flywheel, another washer under the head amazingly freed off the engine. My, was the air blue that day.

Well done that man. My question answered in 10 minutes. The carbs indeed came off an American import, but I didn`t know anyone other than SU ever made needles and I had never heard of Becks Arnley. At least I now know that I don`t have to buy new needles. Many thanks, Ralph

Just re building a set of TR4 carburettors and they are fitted with needles which have 369 on the stem. All the literature in Moss and Rimmers says that the needles should be SM as standard, RH for rich, and SL for lean. Is this a new identification system and do my needles conform to some earlier system or have I got incorrect needles. Any ideas?? Cheers, Ralph.

Given that these are wet liner engines I am not surprised that a replacement engine has standard bores and crank journals, easy at the factory to just drop in a new crank off the production line and a new set of pistons and liners.

The type of rivets used to secure these plates had a very coarse sort of thread and as they were knocked in they turned about half a turn to lock themselves in. I have removed them but you need to grip the domed head with a pair of mole grips and turn anti clockwise as you pull them out. Not easy.

Looks Good.

This used to happen with monotonous regularity on my Vitesse,, last year if I didn`t start it at least once a fortnight it stuck. Heat seems to be the answer and I found that after letting the engine get up to temp for a while I could just hold the clutch pedal down and blip the throttle half a dozen times from tickover to full quickly and that was usually enough to shake it free. The first time it did it I took the gearbox out and when I took the clutch cover off the plate fell off the flywheel under its own weight, and the area that had been stuck was only about the size of a 50p coin, yet it had defied all attempts to free it by starting in gear with clutch pressed, in fact I burned the starter out trying. Last year being such a good summer I did a lot of miles in the car and was deliberately brutal to the clutch, slipping it more than normal in a determined attempt to " burn off" the offending contamination, whatever it was, and am pleased to say it seems to have worked and doesn`t stick now. The plate was an old stock item and was asbestos, whether it makes a difference I don`t know, but my Austin van has a new clutch with modern material and can be left all winter without sticking.

Ignore most of the previous post. You know what its like when you have been collecting bits for years, and anyway my excuse is my memory must be going a bit with my advancing years. Just been out to the shed to check on the condition of the 4A manifold before offering it to anyone, which is good with all the studs and no visible cracks, and right next to it was a 3 exhaust manifold. Can`t remember where it came from unless it was with a parts car I dismantled some time ago, but anyway problem solved, I can just buy a standard system so happy days. Ralph.

I think it may be easier then to get the correct manifold, so it looks as if I`m in the market for a 3a/4 exhaust manifold, and have a 4a manifold to swap/sell. I bought a complete manifold with carbs from a 4, H6s on a log type manifold so I should be ok there. I was going to run the TR4 paper element filters on them rather than the wire gauze washable type fitted to 3s as I suspect they will be better at their job. Would like to fit K&N type but cannot justify the price at this stage as there is plenty of other stuff to spend the money on.

Thanks, but the kids have been buying me bits for Christmases and birthdays including the over riders.

Thanks Peter, that's ok then, got a good manifold with the engine and I thought I was going to have to search for a TR3 item. I`ve got a front plate ready to fit when I re-build the engine. Ralph

Another question, I have a TR4a engine with manifolds to use in my TR3a, can I use the twin outlet exhaust manifold, is there enough room, and if so which exhaust system do I need to use. Ta chaps, Ralph

Just seen there are 2 more like mine on ebay (item no 312516287366), from an outfit called moto-build. Must be where mine came from 2 years ago but I only paid 200 for mine back then, they have gone up now to not much less than Moss.

I feel happier now, thanks foster461, apart from yours having a much nicer pressed base, the actual seat back looks much more like the ones I have, so I`m confident now I have the correct frames.