[TR6 Front Suspension]

Thanks Marco,

 

I've tried many fixes for the disk groove problem, including specially made components for #54. I've just checked bolts #52 and mine are definitely in with the bolt heads to the front, as shown in the Brown Book. Did swapping the bolts around solve someone's disk groove problem? The parts diagram you attached appears to show the heads to the front as in the Brown Book.

[TR6 CP series ignition timing]

Hi Malcolm,

 

Maybe I am also missing something.I have a 1969 PI engine with a Lucas 22D6 distributor(P/N 41219 D 1969 ).I dynamically time it to section 86.35.15 0f the Brown Bible.My understanding is that the heading"** USA market vehicles only." in the BB applies only to activity item 22.Not that I really care as I have been dynamically setting timing whenever possible for years with no problems.My view is that dynamic timing sets the spark plug to fire with the backlash in the distributor drive train in the operating condition.

 

For the TR6 I just set the timing to 11 degrees BTDC with the engine speed at idle for starters,then adjust the micrometer control to advance the timing to just below the pinging limit.I cannot see why you would set a PI engine, with no vacuum advance ,to fire ATDC.

 

But maybe I am also missing something.

 

Regards,

[Ignition timing]

Hi Neil,

 

Sorry about the eggs,I wondered why you asked this evidently obvious question,but I quickly put together the best answer I could before leaving for work .

 

 

Regards,

[Ignition timing]

Hi Neil,

 

The advance curve was engineered bt Triumph to suit the standard engine and the fuels at the time.It compensates for more rapid piston speeds at high RPM's -the piston speed changes but the combustion flame speed stays constant over the speed range -hence the spark can be advanced at speed without detonation(pinging).The standard advance curves in engines are conservative to prevent pinging,which can destroy an engine in minutes -it does horrible things to pistons.

But if you can creep it forward to just under the limit of pinging you get more power.

 

Regards,

[Ignition timing]

Tony,

 

I always initially set the timing 11 degrees BTDC with the engine at idle to stop the centrifugal advance coming in.

 

It might need fine tuning with the micrometer advance later to advance it as far as possible without pinging -depends on your engine and fuel.This gives a bit more power.

 

Regards,

[intermittent engine]

Steve,

 

If your problem is at full throttle low speed this is not the point of maximum fuel consumption.The fuel circulation rate in the Lucas system before the PRV is pretty constant regardless of load.I doubt that your problem is fuel related.

 

The performance improved when you removed the electronic ignition.Some people install electronic ignition systems in the first place to cover for a worn distributor.I'd have a close look at the distributor. If the problem only occurs when its hot you might have to warm it before testing it.But I'd check the shaft,the advance mechanism and simple things first.

 

I've had problems in the past with coils breaking down when hot-but they did not do this on an intermittant basis.

 

Regards,

[Engine Temperatures...what to exwpect?]

My coolant sender is in the water pump-where it's staying for the time being!

 

It might be easier to temporarily fit your temperature probe into the top radiator hose and clamp it up.Let the probe leads run out alongside the hose like people sometimes wire up electrical fan thermostats.Run the engine and when the thermostat opens see what the probe operating temp is and compare it against your gauge.

 

Regards,

[Engine Temperatures...what to exwpect?]

My 69 PI runs inthe lower side of a H-C temperature gauge except whenI'm stuck in traffic on a hot day.From the figures in the haynes manual the trermostat is supposed to be fully open at 90 degrees C and the radiator cap lifts at 225F-108 degrees C.

 

I'd check the gauge.

 

Regards,

[propshaft grease nipple]

If I'm forced to in this situation I take the connector head head off the grease gun and hold the bare tube end square and tight against the nipple.The bare tube end generally seals well.Pump until you see grease start to appear from the needle roller cups.

Regards,

[PI conversion to single throttle body]

Hi Neil,

 

With this arrangement you are pulling vacuum along the whole inlet tract downstream of the new butterfly.At idle with a standard cam you should be getting 12 inches Hg of vacuum (7 inches for a warm cam).I'd check it with a vacuum gauge.If you have any leaks you won't get anywhere near this.

 

To me the symptoms with your new set up are very similiar to a normal injection system with manifold leaks downstream of the 6 butterflies.I believe your understanding of how the Lucas injection system sets air/fuel ratio by sensing it with the metering shuttle is correct,however I believe that sensing the wrong vacuum for the load throws the metering unit right out.

 

If you wished to pursue this you might look at installing a cheap lambda sensor in the exhaust to measure air/fuel ratio.I'm a plug reader by habit but I believe a lot of people are installing lambda sensors as you can set them up to read from the driver's seat while running- rather than find somewhere to safely do a full power reading then cut the engine and coast to a stop to do a plug reading.

Regards,

[Oil Filter Question]

I agree with Andy,you should have oil pressure within seconds of starting an engine after an new oil replacement.

I always watch the oil pressure gauge on first start up with a new filter.

A few years ago I was searching for a shorter filter to give more clearance around the clutch slave cylinder .I tried a short Peugeot filter.Tested it at 4000 RPM cold ,the oil pressure went just over 100 psi then the filter case split at the top joint.I was watching the gauge when this happened and killed the engine instantly.There was no lasting damage but I test every oil filter I install on the TR this way now because the spin on adapter and whatever filter is used is not OE.

Regards

[Swarf in gearbox]

Hi Ross,

 

Overdrives are full of components that are far more sensitive to dirt than normal gearboxes.Hence the J type overdrive is fitted with two filters.I have an A type so I'm telling you what's in the Brown Bible for the J type.

If you remove the 6 bolts holding the sump there is a filter screen under it. You will then see a large plug with 2 holes.Remove it-I'd try needle nosed pliers in the 2 holes but I haven't seen the plug.Under it you will find the pressure strainer.

Clean both in kerosene and re assemble.

 

Refill the gearbox through the side plug until oil just trickles out.This forum has much discussion on gearbox oil for a TR6 -make your choice as long as it's not a hypoid diff type oil or any other type with anti friction additives.

 

I'd then do a short run with the O/D engaged then re check the gearbox oil.

 

Regards,

[TR6 Misfire]

If you need to you can blow the injectors out with filtered, dry compressed air.Blow in the forward (injection petrol flow) direction.

 

Hope the injection cleaner is compatible with the fuel pump seals.Should be OK most new seals and cleaners are OK.

 

Regards,

[TR6 Misfire]

Tony,

 

Check the non return valve in the metering unit outlet union to No 3 cylinder.Unscrew it and see if you can blow backwards towards the tapered end-I'd use my mouth- the Brown Book says dont use high pressure air.If it leaks air backwards replace it.

 

The leak from the metering unit may be a separate issue.Make sure that you know exactly where the fuel leak is.Last year I spent a lot of effort trying to fix an intermittent petrol leak from the metering unit-I finally caught it operating and traced it to the O rings in the pedestal.

 

Regards,

[Intermittant Overdrive]

Hi Mark,

 

You don't say what type of overdrive you have-an "A" or a "J" type.If its an "A" type the operating valve can get dirt stuck in it.The first step I'd take would be to drain the oil,clean the filter/strainer and refill the gearbox/overdrive with oil of your choice.There's a lot written on TR6 gearbox oil in this forum and elsewhere.I use Penrite 75W/90 manual gearbox oil (a GL4 type).Just don't use any oil formulated for hypoid diffs.

 

Hopefully this will fix the problem.Manually dis-assembling and cleaning the operating valve is a specialist job.

 

This might be worth trying on the "J" type-I don't have one but I know it has two filters.Clean oil is vital to overdrives that's why the manufacturer's fit them with filters.

 

Good luck.

[New Engine Block]

My old thermo prof was a consultant to Repco and he used to talk about "weathering" racing V8 ( Formula 5000?) head castings prior to porting and polishing.I thought this practice belonged in the Ark.But it has to be done before final machining so it would not be of advantage to a finished block.

I don't believe there was any change over the years to the basic 2500 block.The crankshafts are different but I believe they can be interchanged by swapping them over together with their matching flywheel.

 

Regards,

[Wouldnt start]

Hi Geoff,

 

This is in the realm of long shots ,but it could be the power supply to the fuel pump -just not enough volts when the engine is cold cranking.

I had a lot of intermittent faults with my Bosch pump until I installed a 35 amp dedicated supply ,including fuse , direct from the battery to the pump,switching on/off by using an interposing relay that was switched using the original pump power wire.

 

Regards,

[cylinder head cracks]

Hi Tony,

 

It's water under the bridge now,but it might also have been worth taking the car to a radiator shop with a gas sniffer to check for hydrocarbons in the gas bubbles in the radiator.

 

It would have told you if the gas bubbles were coming from the cylinders/head.

 

Regards,

[Any one know what this is?? (Pics inside)]

Depends what you want the car for.I never intended my TR6 to be a profit making investment ( in retrospect a wise decision) nor a historical exhibit.

Around here original cars bring more dollars but nothing like the dollars that it costs to keep everything original.The purists are not thick on the ground at sale time when it comes to showing the colour of their money.

Still for most people their TR6 is a hobby to be enjoyed by doing what they like best.

Regards,

[Any one know what this is?? (Pics inside)]

Rob,

 

I had a Datsun 260Z in the 1970's with the air pump and all the US spec.pollution gear(they were shipped to Oz that way).l removed it and all associated equipment (including the exhaust gas recirculation system),plugged the holes in the intake and exhaust systems,then retuned the big Hitachi carburettors (SU copies).The result was a vast increase in power.As I recall when this equipment was in vogue there was an obsession with running engines lean.As a bonus 50-60 lb of scrap iron was removed from the car and left in a box in the garage.

There was no issue with the dealers in Victoria when I traded the car in without the pollution equipment.

If you can operate the car without this equipment where you live I'd recommend you remove it all and check your carburettor settings.Keep in in the garage in case in case you sell the car to someone that needs it.

 

Regards,

[cylinder head cracks]

Hi Tony,

 

Following your last post,I'd check as best as possible that the head gasket is fully sealing over the full face of the head.Have a good look at the visible faces of the head and gasket and check the head for flatness by laying a straightedge on it in at least three places checking for gaps under the straightedge.

 

Are you confident the head bolts were properly torqued when you noticed the gas bubbles?

 

As a general rule I now assemble all gaskets with gasket sealant,I use use Permatex aviation sealant #3.

 

Regards,

[Clutch gearbox problems]

Hi Ade,

 

If you need to pull the clutch out I suggest you check all everything this operation make accessible-those listed by Roger plus the starter ring gear,clutch cross shaft bearings etc.Replace anything remotely suspect with the best components you can find.Replacing the clutch is a 15-20 man hour job and you don't want to make a habit of it.

 

I had my cross shaft/clutch fork joint strengthened by drilling it and fitting an additional 5mm high tensile bolt and nyloc nut.There's all kinds of additional clutch modifications detailed in the forum pages.

 

As I said earlier,Triumph left a bit of room for improvement with the clutch design.

 

Regards,

[Clutch gearbox problems]

Hi Ade,

If you read the pages of this forum you will get the impression that the clutch of the TR6 is one item that Standard Triumph could have done a bit better.To work on the clutch proper you start by removing the seats, then the engine and gearbox assembly through the floor etc.It's not a path you want to go down if you don't have to.

I'd physically check all the linkages operating the clutch are operating correctly.Get your Dad to operate the clutch and check the linkages,cylinders and shafts for undue movement.By undue I would suggest anything you can see that is movement not in the required direction is undue.If you Dad was able to improve things by fitting brass shims then the linkages are excessively worn.Make sure that the clutch slave cylinder is bolted to the back of the engine flange (on the other side from the oil filter) and that the slave cylinder rod clevis is in the middle hole.

I'd also check the gear linkages as they might be contributing to the problem,especially when you are trying to operate the gears in a stressed condition.

As Stan says,there is plenty of information on repairing clutch problems on the forum if the simple checks don't work.

Regards,

[cylinder head cracks]

Hi Stuart,

 

I agree with Richard.Some heads can't be bought off the shelf.I have a fast road engine with a head that's been ported and polished,valves and springs modified,etc to suit the rest of the engine when the car was built for hill climbing by a Triumph expert shop in NSW.Over the years everything has been developed around that head.If I bought a standard head I'd be back to square one or maybe behind square one as the injection system , extractors ,timing etc have been developed using that head.I'd be very reluctant to start again with a new head.

 

If I was forced to purchase another head I'd still get it Magnafluxed and checked for straightness before starting work on it.If it was a straight head swap I'd still do these checks unless the head was confirmed as NOS.

 

Regards,

[cylinder head cracks]

It's been a while since I did this and I've not done this to any castings with such critical machined facings as a head,but as I recall to repair a cracked casting its necessary to drill a hole about a 1/8th inch diameter well in front of the line the crack appears to be propagating in-if you drill it too close and miss the end of the crack and it will keep on going.It's necessary to pre heat and post heat the casting -we used to use a big LPG torch called a turbo torch in Australia.If you don't weld with the pre and post heat treatment the weld will tear from the cast iron as it cools down.

 

I assume that if a cylinder head was repaired this way when the welding was completed it would have to be checked with appropriate NDT and all machined surfaces skimmed or at least thoroughly checked to ensure that they were still true.

 

With regards to Tony's original question,I'd Magnaflux the head,checking for cracking at the stress concentration points-between the valves,between the valves and spark plugs and where the cylinders are closest.Check the valve inserts if you have them and run a loose tap down any threads and check them for corrosion.Check the valve seats for wear and check the cylinder head for flatness with a straight edge and feeler gauges to I'd estimate a maximum straight edge/head gap of 4 thou.

 

Regards,