Stanpartmanpartwolf Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Hi All, I'd be really interested to hear of your experiences with these; having heard many mutterings of discontent, are there any positive ones aside from my own? The issues that affect the heads rarely, if ever, manifest themselves on road vehicles AFAIK- or do you know otherwise? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Hi Jon, I have no experience of these alloy heads, what are the reported problems in competition use ? Mick Richards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 There was a TR4 running around down here with an alloy head on it though I never got to try it, heresay is they are OK for the road but not so good for race. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stanpartmanpartwolf Posted October 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Head gasket sealing's the main problem, with failure to set cold valve lash correctly another. A really fine piece of kit IMO, let down by peripherals & lack of thought in installation. Those who have suffered report overheating after as little as ten minutes at race pace; I would just like to establish the scale of the problems before making any further pronouncements on the subject. Thanks SPMPW Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Boyd Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Give Steve a call at tr enterprises. He has fitted & discarded alloy heads in competition Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stanpartmanpartwolf Posted October 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Thanks Stiggy, I'm aware of TRE's issues & am not seeking a solution, as I have one, hence my positive take on alloy heads. Those that have binned them have made a grave mistake; all will be told if there's sufficient interest. The product is first-class, it's the way it's fitted that's the problem. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 Thanks Stiggy, I'm aware of TRE's issues & am not seeking a solution, as I have one, hence my positive take on alloy heads. Those that have binned them have made a grave mistake; all will be told if there's sufficient interest. The product is first-class, it's the way it's fitted that's the problem. Well go on then, Im sure it would be of interest. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 I believe Paul Tunnadine has run an ali head since they first came out as a test bed. Hasn't reported any problems for a road car. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don H. Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 (edited) Charles Runyan, proprietor of The Roadster Factory, just installed an alloy head during the engine restoration of his long-term TR3A and promises to give updates and reports. Edited October 25, 2013 by Don H. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 Looks like Bob Goldman et al have used an alloy head on the Moss TR4 Four cyl TR with blower, test bed car. http://www.mossmotors.com/forum/forums/thread/24700.aspx Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stanpartmanpartwolf Posted October 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2013 If I may be so blunt- not a cat in hell's, especially with ARP studs. That has to be an iron head. Roger- thanks, we knew about CT's almost from the off. I'm only interested in the motorsport angle; an alloy head is pointless on a road car. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted October 26, 2013 Report Share Posted October 26, 2013 Looks like Bob Goldman et al have used an alloy head on the Moss TR4 Four cyl TR with blower, test bed car. http://www.mossmotors.com/forum/forums/thread/24700.aspx I like that!!Plenum looks to favour #1 and 2 though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tr4Tony Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 That looks like a very nice bit of kit ...... But not a Motorsport application due to the regulations ..... Blown = 50% more cc in the eyes of the rule makers, so that's us up against the v8's ..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Badfrog Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 I saw a picture once of a TR4 alloy head with hemispheric chambers. Anybody knows anything about this? On other grounds, has anybody ever tried to replace the distribution chain with a celron gear, like in Volvo engines, or a bronze gear like in Volvo Penta marine engines? Badfrog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jellison Posted November 16, 2013 Report Share Posted November 16, 2013 Loads have tried (when the first became availible from Moss back in the mid 2000's). None of them ever strayed sealed in racing condition. Absolutely nothing in common with road or fast road. i.e. ragged to 7k all race long. I spent an absolute fortune on mine, so many different types and gasket you would not believe. More that some people could build an OK road Tr4 for! They issue was the head was never designed like a moderen alloy head on an iron block as a new item by a manufacturer. They are simply a direct copy of the iron head in alloy. They are fine for the road. But when raced no chance of keeping them sealed (and the race ones will have much higher compression which does not help either. They other issue is the heat generated due to being just a copy of the rion head (it had to be as anything more would have been a crazy level of investmemt for Moss. The studs are the same size and number as a normal TR 4 pot which does not help compared to a properly designed alloy head and iron or steel block. Expansion rate of iron and steel do not help. Basically everyone gave up after a few years. Mine is the only one that is still occasionally racing. But that is because after stopping for a few years and getting a new Moss iron head and copying all the porting on the alloy one to the new iron one, very fast. But we then had a few ideas to bring the alloy one back + some ideas from others (MGA racer with iron block and alloy twin cam head) which I would never divulge (ha its racing! ), but it now works You could easily spend £15+k on a trick TR4 race engine btw and then alot more if trying to get an alloy head to work. Really - Don't even consider it beyond fast road. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jellison Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 God - just seen this again - Christ my spelling is Horrendous! Engine just had a full rebuild (everything bar touching the head). Should be fun racing it again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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