TR4 All Valves have three springs...? Loud ticking sound from top of engine.

[Khero2007]

Hi, Newbie here looking for advise please.

Having recently purchased a TR4 after a few long years away from Triumph ownership, I’m hoping someone can help me with this challenge….

I am told the engine was rebuilt approximately 5 years ago, I’m assuming (by looking at the limited external mods) to a standard specification.

Since taking ownership of the car, I noticed a loud ticking, tappet sort of sound from the top of the engine. I assumed a quick adjustment of the tappets would solve this, however no difference.  Present both cold and hot, under load and tick over.

Defiantly from the top of the engine, not the water pump, camshaft or distributor drive (has a good listen with a stethoscope). I took off the rocker shaft and found that the tappets have clearly been resurfaced, no signs of any wear.

Very kindly, a TR Register member came to look at the car for me and noted something I has missed! All the valves have three springs. The car is an early TR4 so should have two springs on each inlet and three on each exhaust valve….. Could these be the reason the loud ticking…? Has anyone seen this set-up before? May this have been done for a good reason, or just an error in assembly?

Your thoughts please…

Edited March 25, 2019 by Khero2007

[RogerH]

Hi,

 welcome to the forum.

If springs are recent new springs then they may well be up rated (plus the extra spring).  These uprated springs killed my standard cam of 10 years old (apprx) in a very short period.

It may be worth measuring the cam lift on all the rocker arms with a DTI - they should all be similar.

 

Roger