john.r.davies Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 Matt, Especially if you can have Alec in the background as guru, I'd say Do it Yourself! As said above, it really is enormously satisfying, and not quantum chromodynamics (rocket science is easy!). Once it's apart, then deciding what work needs doing and getting it done can be simple with a sympathetic machine shop available, and re-assembly is a matter of care and cleanliness. I've referred to "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" before, as it makes the point that someone who fettles his own steed gets much more out of ownership that someone who has a hostler or engine-wrangler to do it for him. The philosophy is beyond me! John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Red 6 Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 So Alec has it been decided yet who will get cold and oily? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 No problem Tom, we'll just run it over the pit in a couple of weekend's time . . . . garage heater on, stereo on, kettle on, no sweat . . . . My buddy Gus will be over, real good engine man, so a pukka professional inspection - flush the system, drop the sump, inspect the crank. I don't think it's a major drama, and Denis's suggestion is well worth investigating - thanks for that ! Always helpful to have alternative thoughts. Once we've inspected, it's only 50 yards from the garage to The Old Ship - celebrate or drown sorrow, it'll be Matt's round either way !! Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Posted January 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 Alec, No problem at all, I will even buy the 2nd round too. I may have to request full recovery home, not for the car.....for me! Matt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 Matt Out of interest what was the oil pressure like? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Posted January 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 Hi Neil, Oil pressure is good, only dropping to about 30 when hot on tickover. Matt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 Matt Nowt wrong with that,did it use much oil? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spiro Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 Hi Matt I've sent you PM Cheers Spiro Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Posted January 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 Hi Neil, Leaked oil, so really unsure what it was burning..... Matt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted January 16, 2013 Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 Hi Matt I have no doubt Alec and Gus will sort you out as it sounds like a rebuild is not really needed. The old port of call get it warm a piece of pipe and listen,remove fan belt and do it again Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chilp3 Posted January 16, 2013 Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 Matt, I have previously used Classic & Modern Engine Services who are based in Bracknell and rebuilt my MGC engine to Stage II specification. The results were first class and the engine ran perfectly upon initial start-up and once run in giving a significant performance improvement over the original engine specification. Fortunately my TR6 has its original low mileage engine which doesn't require a rebuild although should that situation change I would not hesitate to use CMES again. Without quoting specific figures the outcome was significantly less than the sums of money you're being quoted. Give Paul Adams a call and have a chat about your options and budget costs. I agree with the earlier posts that until the engine is stripped, cleaned and inspected it is not reasonable to expect a company to offer a firm price unless of course they allow a hefty margin to allow for the unknown! www.classic-and-modern-engine-services.co.uk Hope this helps, Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 Matt, Alec et al. I just remembered, the 6 many years ago suddenly developed a light knocking/ tapping sound from the block. A tappet adjuster and lock nut had unscrewed and allowed a pushrod to jump out of register. The sound came from the cam follower being struck by the cam lobe- it was unloaded and not keeping up with cam. You might just be lucky its a repeat Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 Good thought, thank you Peter, not one I'd have thought of ! Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
smizgals Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 (edited) ... I found that one of the two dowels that locate the Crank Pulley to the nose of the Crank Shaft ... Those dowels locate the fan extention to the crank pulley! Stan Edited January 17, 2013 by smizgals Quote Link to post Share on other sites
elclem1 Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 Paul inch. plymouth - he has done a couple of mine before I had the time to do my own. £1500inc vat I was very happy and still am. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Red 6 Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 No problem Tom, we'll just run it over the pit in a couple of weekend's time . . . . garage heater on, stereo on, kettle on, no sweat . . . . My buddy Gus will be over, real good engine man, so a pukka professional inspection - flush the system, drop the sump, inspect the crank. I don't think it's a major drama, and Denis's suggestion is well worth investigating - thanks for that ! Always helpful to have alternative thoughts. Once we've inspected, it's only 50 yards from the garage to The Old Ship - celebrate or drown sorrow, it'll be Matt's round either way !! Cheers Alec You have a pit! You have a heater! You have a pub near by! I Hate you!!!! I changed a gearbox on a 4a today, on a concrete floor, and in true TR style...... no heating at all. In fact I am now holding a glass of ale in my hands and I am chilling it! The old ways are still........old Cheers Alec. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hi Tom, if it makes you feel any better, we didn't waste money on the heater - not with the garage doors open both ends, the thermometer firmly on zero, and the snow lightly dusting down . . . . warmth factor restricted to V8 Lady's sterling lunch ! That apart, Matt started this topic wondering how it could take 75 hours to remove and refit a TR6 engine . . . . So today he borrowed my garage and got stuck in with our buddy Gus, a proper mechanic. 1000hrs kickoff by the time we'd made some working space for the TR6. an hour for a leisurely lunch, and by 1600hrs we were pushing the TR from the garage round the block to the barn, minus its engine/gearbox assembly. Matt & Gus did the work, I just chipped in when required between other tasks. 12 man hours at most of gentle pottering with limited facilities - if we'd had a proper workshop and gone for it, that could have been halved. I really can't see how any pukka TR specialist charging £50+/hr and the VAT could justify more than 8 man hours at the outside ? 6 hours on a good day. Tomorrow we'll crack off the old box and investigate the engine innards, find the knock as they say. The 'rebuilt' A-type gearbox that came with the car proved to be interesting - but I'll let Matt tell you more about that story anon. It's a good one ! The old J-type unit works well enough, but he wants an original spec 'box, so the A-type replaces it. The J-type will then be off to Pete Cox for a proper rebuild, gearbox and overdrive, and up for sale in due course - if anybody is looking for a complete sorted overdive box let me know. No I don't know how much it will be, that depends on how much it costs to get it back to A1 spec - neither Matt nor I are willing to offer an unknown quantity assembly, hence it is going to Coxey for a proper job. Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andy Moltu Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 BL used to quote 32 hours for this job on a Stag which is way more complicated! http://www.vitessesteve.co.uk/Servicemanuals.htm has the times listed. Having done this several times on a TR6 I can't imagine it could take 75 hours unless it includes a week in Benidorm! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dykins Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 (edited) I've been following this topic with great interest as, like Matt, I have extremely limited mechanical skills and anything more than a routine service requires me to use the professionals.Last year my Stag required a full engine rebuild following it having a seized piston. The total cost was £4,316 which included a new exhaust, torque converter and an MOT. I'd guess that Triumph's V8 is more of a sophisticated lump than the TR6's straight six so I think the garage who gave the original quote was "taking the Michael" The chap who did the work was a old school mechanic who had to give me hand written progress reports and invoices because he did not own a computer but eight months on, the engine is running as sweet as you like. He was one of the concours judges at Malvern and alas part of a dying breed.By the way who was the specialist in Matt's case?RegardsPeter Edited February 25, 2013 by dykins Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR 2100 Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 I think more than a few of us suspect who the 'specialist' is - but it would be wrong to speculate! AlanR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dykins Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 Alan Then don't make us speculate! Spill the beans... Regards Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Harvey Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 "Name & Shame" can get personal, and there's probably always two sides to an unhappy story. Happy customers is another matter, and I'd recommend Pete Cox unhesitatingly every time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Posted June 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Hi all....an update.... I now have the car back (well sort of, its actually back in Alec's garage but all being well I will have it back home on Sunday evening) Engine rebored, new pistons, crank tuftrided and reground, head updated and all rebuilt. New MoT, passed with no advisories after sitting still for 5 months.... I can't tell you how much its cost because even though I have the car back and I’ve never been to this garage/engine builder before, I haven’t got a bill and the way it’s going I can’t see me getting one until I go back in 500 miles for them to reset everything up on their rolling road. Great service.....luckily they know Alec! Matt ps I would like to thank Alec & Diane for their fantastic hospitallity and having to put up with me......let alone drinking their tea, eating their cake and the use of the garage/pit/storage oh and their very soft stafford - Tyson. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR NIALL Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Congrats all round,all you have to do now is Enjoy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted June 29, 2013 Report Share Posted June 29, 2013 No thanks required, it's been a pleasant change playing with a 6 again. Real thanks are due to our pal Gus, a proper mechanic and MoT tester who knows his stuff and helped an awful lot ! We'd have been lost without him. As for the engine builders, I hope Matt coughs up in due course - or I'll get landed . . . . Old fashioned people, they know who they can trust, and don't expect payment until the job is done and 100% sorted. Not too much of that still about. The TR6 was a nice simple engine for them, a light relief amongst the more exotic straight 6s, not to mention the 8 and 12 cylinder lumps undergoing rebuild. The guv'nor likes old Triumphs, despite the presence of AC, Aston Martin, Bentley, Bristol, Bugatti, Cosworth, Ferrari, Jaguar etc etc in the workshop. A couple of those cars were well into 7 figure values. Add them all together and you could buy most of the TRs at IWE Malvern. It will be interesting to see how the final engine bill stacks up against the local TR specialists whose estimate of £7000+ vat started this thread. From my past experience, the difference will be considerable. As for " We recon another 75 hours ( at £52.50 plus VAT) to remove and refit build up accessories etc." - Matt and Gus, with a little help from yours truly, haven't spent anything approaching that number of hours, despite having only my garage and limited facilities rather than a professional workshop. Final figures in a month's time - once Matt is back from holiday and the TR has been run in, torqued down, and retuned on the rollers. At least it should then be a pukka 150bhp car, as opposed to Triumph's optimistic notional figure ! Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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