ianc
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Posts posted by ianc
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You haven't said what is tick-over speed in your TR - a hundred or 150 rpm lower can make a considerable difference to oil pressure.
It is oil FLOW which really matters, because it's the flow of oil which takes heat away from the bearings and prevents metal to metal contact.
If all the other above suggested checks prove OK, I wouldn't worry.
Ian Cornish
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Lifting one side of the car using the factory screw jack is not easy for two reasons: the jack has a short arm, and one has to lean into the cabin to operate it.
I did it once some 60+ years ago on my TR2, then bought a very squat hydraulic jack!
I carry a screw jack in my TR4 and would never attempt to lift just one side of the car, just near a corner where I need to get a wheel off the ground. With solid rear axle, one can lift on the spring near to its forward end.
I am fortunate that my TR4 has an exceedingly strong skid plate welded to the front of the chassis. Because it has braces on the top, I am able to lift the front of the car on a trolley jack, then use axle stands or ramps to make it safe.
Ian Cornish
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Useful for removing passenger's teeth unless lap & diagonal seatbelts now installed (and used).
Ian Cornish
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As Roger has pointed out, one should avoid labelling everything which comes from the East as being "junk".
The Spares Development Fund (SDF), mainly in the form of Roger, undertook the analysis of the crankshafts being produced out East for Ferguson tractors, and determined that they are top quality, as the originals installed in our 4-pot TRs at Canley.
And this is why Roger has covered 50k miles trouble-free miles with one in his TR, and Moss are selling them.
Ian Cornish (Chairman, SDF)
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They are pretty rigid when brand new.
Before fitting, immerse in hot water to soften - water needs to be pretty hot!
That's what I did with a Moss 603065 in July 2019, and it's still intact.
In case anyone queries why my TR4 uses a TR3 gaiter, it is because the gear lever is a Works' special, and rises vertically from the box, not leaning backwards.
Ian Cornish
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I have had a response from a fellow on the Volvo Forum, who has some belts and whom Andy Canning, a Volvo owner, rates highly.
Just waiting for an email from the Volvo man to see whether he has the belts &/or buckles which I need.
Thanks for the recommendations for SBS - it's likely I'll need them to put buckle into belt.
Ian Cornish
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Many decades ago, my Uncle owned an Alvis Graber 3-litre, which was equipped with twin SUs and one of those small, thermostatically-controlled SUs feeding into the inlet manifold between main the SUs - it seemed to work well and had the advantage that he was not moving the jet assembly in each of the main SUs each time he started the car, so they didn't leak.
Incidentally, the Alvis engine had the same bore & stroke as my 4-pot TR2, but it had 6 cylinders.
Ian Cornish
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Thanks, Stuart - I had noted SBS from your recommendation on the Forum some while ago, and I have contacted them already - they think they might be able to repair the buckle. I won't be removing the belt until later in the year.
Thanks to the prompt from Peter, I have posted on the Volvo Forum (with these photos) in the hope that someone might have a couple of belts or buckles lying about. Volvos are very long-lived beasts, so I might be lucky!
In addition, Peter and Roger have suggestions as to how they might be able to effect a repair. Meanwhile, I have devised a temporary (but safe!) fix .
Ian Cornish
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In 1962, the Works' TR4 Rally cars were equipped with a licensed copy of the Volvo belt, which Peter Wigglesworth tells me was used on the Volvo 120 Amazon from 1955 to 1965.
4VC is the only one of the four Powder Blue cars still with its Widney belts, the other 3 cars having had their belts replaced with more modern kit.
I have a problem with the spring which sits inside the buckle, ensuring that the buckle remains locked onto the single yoke, which is mounted on the top of the prop shaft.
I am wondering whether anyone knows of a belt with such a buckle, and which is available.
Peter has found a pristine set held by the British Museum, but I don't think that the Museum would part with them!
Ian Cornish
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As Peter intimates, it is designed to be able to wobble about in order to apply equal force to left and right rear brakes.
It may seem rather odd, but it works well!
Ian Cornish
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Thanks, Peter.
Minty Lamp's figures agree with the original tests of TRs from the 1950s and 1960s, and what I have always experienced in my TR2 and in 4VC, both of which I have driven on the tacho, rather than my wobbly speedo (which is in front of the navigator on 4VC, so not easily read other than for the mileage figure when filling the tank).
Additional thoughts:
What makes the sums so simple on a TR with 3.7 axle, 165/80 tyres and A-Type (22%) overdrive, is that the mph/1000 rpm are (apart from 1st gear) in multiples of 5 mph:
10, 15 20 and 25 (just under) in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and O/D 4th.
At 5000 rpm, one has speeds of 50, 75, 100 and 124 mph. Overdrive 2nd, an exceedingly useful gear as it slots halfway between 2nd and 3rd, means one can exceed 60 mph at 5000 with only one change of gear (1st to 2nd).
Ian Cornish
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Ah, Peter, I have a gearbox actuated switch, added about 3 years ago by Cox & Son, but I don't want to leave a blank hole on the switch plate.
The old-fashioned pull switch completes the array of extra switches for spotlamps (3 of these - left, right, master) and map reading lamp.
Ian Cornish
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Well done, Keith, the Holden switch is near identical.
It seems that Tony is saving me some £42.
Ian Cornish
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Wow - a swift response from my friend Tony Sheach, who is going to send me one tomorrow.
In addition, another even older old friend, Neil Revington, tells me he has some, should I ever need another..
Looks as if I am sorted.
Ian Cornish
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4VC has a reversing lamp switch mounted on the panel between the dashboard and the H bracket.
For some unknown reason, I found that the switch had broken apart during the recent gearbox/overdrive transplant.
The switch is a simple pull/push unit, with a very small bulb inside its screw-on knob. When activated, a white light is displayed through the knob.
As can be seen, the switch has broken into 2 major pieces - the remaining small section has disappeared.
There is no identification whatsoever, but I know it was fitted early in 1962.
I have been searching for a replacement, but to no avail thus far.
Might someone know where I could find a replacement?
In the meantime, I am going to see whether I can Superglue it together, probably with a strap round the body to prevent it flying apart (which is what happens when I pull the knob).
Now that I have a switch on the gearbox cover, I no longer actually require a switch in the cockpit, but I don't wish to sacrifice originality. At the very least, I would like to have a light inside the cockpit indicating that my reversing lamps are lit. To achieve this, I could modify this broken unit to act as an indicator only, or replace it with a lamp showing a white light (any suggestion for that?).
Ian Cornish
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Well done, Dave.
I imagine that your race TR6 won't have all the extra paraphernalia which is built into 4VC. Nevertheless, a splendid effort by you and your grandson.
And perhaps, at 9 years younger, you would be able to work more rapidly! Having to swap my glasses for close work slows things down, especially when I forget where I have put down the other pair! Nor helped by the heat whilst I was working.
Ian Cornish
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But beware that it takes quite a while for the oil to ooze from the gearbox into the overdrive, so allow plenty of time for this.
Alternatively, put about 1.6 litres into the gearbox, go for a drive, let things settle, then top up - but slowly!
Ian Cornish
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Ian - good idea for use of soldering iron, but with captive nuts under the floor and neither carpet nor seat runners secured to the floor, increasing the size of the holes in the carpet solved my problem.
Waldi - good advice, but I deliberately didn't attempt to put all 2 litres into the box because it takes quite a while for the oil to get to the overdrive and there's no point in causing spillage on initial filling. I'll check before taking the car to Kop Hill. Weather for Kop Hill looking pretty good - mainly dry (chance of precipitation 10% most of the time, a couple of hours showing 20%) and temperature predicted maximum of 20 degrees.
I hope that others who are in their 80s will be encouraged to have a go and fettle their own TRs, probably with some help for the heavy lifting.
Ian Cornish
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Unless you want a mess on the floor, don't try to put all 2 litres in straight away - it takes quite a while to ooze its way to the overdrive.
Put about 1.5 litres in, go for a drive, making sure you use the overdrive, leave the car to cool down, then top up - but slowly!
Ian Cornish
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I still have the right-angled screwdrivers which I made during my apprenticeship some 65 years ago - not often required, but a life-saver on occasion!
Ian Cornish
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3rd Progress Report
Entered garage at 07:45, carrying electric fan. Not so hot today, but does make life easier!
I had taken the navigator's seat, a Triumph special, which reclines and has a headrest, out of the car with its runners attached. Couldn't get the bolts through the 62 year old carpet into the captive nuts!
This carpet is more like a sheet of steel, and was not allowing for any movement at the holes. Took seat out (again), drilled 4 larger holes in carpet and then managed to fix the seat to the floor.
Fixed steering wheel in position (see below!).
Checked electrics then, with car still in mid-air, started engine and checked overdrive operation on 2, 3 & 4. Has to be done at comparatively low revs and slipping the clutch as drive is engaged!
After lunch, took car for a test drive - a few noises, but nothing untoward.
However, who fixed the steering wheel one position adrift! Silly me! Had to remove all the screws and nuts, then rotate wheel one position clockwise.
Well, this is it - just need to clean the car ready for the Kop Hill weekend.
Thanks for all the interest and encouragement - much appreciated, especially Jerry Vincent and Alex, without whom I would never have managed such a rapid transplant.
Ian Cornish
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Progress Report #3
I entered the garage at 07:30, bearing electric fan, which sat in the cabin all day, helping me quite a lot. Finished at 17:00, having had lunch and a couple of refreshment breaks, plus a mad dash to shut windows when we had a sudden thunderstorm after lunch - and it's rained on and off since. Still pretty warm at 18:30, and humidity 69%.
Had to replace a 3-way switch on the panel below the dashboard - the original had burst and lost its innards! Some other wires had come adrift and the reversing lamp switch had broken in two - it's all very tight there, and I think that this winter I ought to re-wire quite a lot of the switches as it's a mare's nest! I now have the reversing lights driven by a switch on top of the gearbox, which makes life easier for me.
Once that panel was in place, checked out most of the electrics, which reinforced my thoughts about some re-wiring. All the wiring was bespoke to the requirements of the rally teams, installed by a technician from Lucas, who made an excellent job of it, but subsequent modifications together with moving the panel for gearbox works have not been kind to some of the original wires. One of the first jobs I undertook in 1969 was to produce a wiring diagram for the car, and this I have kept up-to-date over the years. Iit was invaluable when Revington TR re-built the car in 1990-1993, as Neil "doesn't do electrics". He sent me the loom, which I laid on the dining room floor, checked point to point and put labels on every connection. Once it had been installed, I went to Middlezoy to check everything - there was only one error!
Mounted the gear lever and its gaiter. Because it is a special S-shape,making it vertical in order to keep it clear of the handbrake lever, it uses a TR3 rubber gaiter
Removed all protective coverings from the floors, and then cleaned them.
Re-connected seat belts to floor mountings.
Installed driver's seat - John Sprinzel was the team leader for the Works' TR4, and it's one of his Rally seats, which he was marketing in the 1960s. Because my legs are very short, I have had to mount the seat on a pair of angle irons in order to get it further forward - makes it more fiddly to get it onto the runners, which I had left bolted to the floor.
Shifted the navigator's seat from the house to the garage, ready to install tomorrow morning.
I have to admit that with, the combination of the heat and the high humidity, I have to push myself somewhat - but I am determined to be at Kop Hill on 16th & 17th.
Ian Cornish
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Progress Report #2
I entered the garage at 07:15 this morning, and finally shut the door at 17:15 - but I did have lunch and 2 refreshment breaks. I put a mains-driven fan in the cabin today, and it did prevent my glasses steaming up!
Started by re-fitting clutch slave cylinder and the clutch housing cover - a pig of a job, which took me 2 hours, even though I have small hands. Very frustrating!
Mounted handbrake lever (it's on the top of the prop shaft tunnel on the Works' Rally cars). Then replaced the short cover which fits over the front and of the prop shaft - this, again, is a Works' mod, which is a rather good idea (as Jerry remarked yesterday).
Filled gearbox and overdrive with oil - slightly under 2 litres, but may need topping up when car has been used. Connected the speedo drive cable.
The front half of the split gearbox cover was positioned and bolted down, having fed the overdrive and reversing lamp connections through the grommet. Then the rear part of the cover, which bolts to the floor and is screwed to the front half. This was followed by the H bracket and the the speedo cable's cover, which also blanks the hole in the floor for the handbrake lever which isn't there (see above). Connected wires next to dip switch for overdrive and reversing lamps.
Early start tomorrow to commence on the dashboard electrics, which are non-standard and rather complicated on the Works' cars because of all the extra switchery etc.
Ian Cornish
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True, James - I have been both surprised and delighted at the responses to my plea for assistance.
Those who were unable to assist because of distance, other commitments or health, sent good wishes, which boosted my morale.
I wrote a script for this work and I'm hoping that I can achieve a goodly amount tomorrow before sweat makes it impossible to see what I am doing.
Ian Cornish
Rechargeable Torch
in General TR Technical
Posted
From LIDL today, we bought a Parkside rechargeable LED torch for £14.99.
It can be be charged from the mains via the supplied plug and USB lead, or from anywhere else offering USB, such as car.
The pushbutton offers:
1st press: extremely powerful LED sidelight (almost blinding!)
2nd press: UV light (whatever that may be!)
3rd press: LED spotlight
4th press: off.
It comes with a base into which it can be plugged for charging.
Parkside products which I have purchased from LIDL in the past have proved to be well-made and good value.
Ian Cornish