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54 minutes ago, Lebro said:

Looking at the photo of your head, it would appear to be a TR3 one (no flat section front off side)

Triumph TR2-3B FAQ _ Triumph heads.html 29.43 kB · 3 downloads

 

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Bob

 

As far as I'm aware, the TR4 heads also had no flat, and that was introduced with the 4A .?  

below is the engine bay of AndyR100's TR4 which I believe is without that flat (admittedly not very clear from this angle)

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Below is another which was said to be a 1964 TR4, again without that flat, albeit with a later radiator. . .

1964-triumph-tr4-6089s.jpg.ef84c23594109a3dad4c5aabb9132015.jpg

 

And again  TR4 (below) . . .

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etc, etc.

 

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Pete - DON'T give up with owning a TR - there are other cars out there - just put the word out on here and elsewhere and I'm sure something will come up Chin up  Cheers Rich

Or these people? http://www.leacyclassics.com/parts/classicmini/engine-components/2k7440.html Roger

. Carrying on from TR4 -v- Tr4A engine, and my purchasing a 'spare'  < here >  ..so that I might get on and have an engine ready by the time the Chance is actually bought and shipped,  we h

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10 hours ago, Lebro said:

OK, only going by the article I attached.  Not that it makes much, if any difference anyway !

Bob.

Bore size is different ! ..but perhaps if a TR3 head was used on a TR4 it would just up the compression ratio :rolleyes:

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Today's antics included the all too familiar limbo crawl under the car. . .

I started off by taking photos from underneath, of the inside of the engine. 

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^ Thankfully nothing too dramatic to see there, in particular I was concerned about rust (from the moisture within the rocker cover and emulsified in the oil) but aside from some on the crankshaft bob weights (highlighted by the camera's flash and which mostly wiped off with a cloth anyway) and a little on the fuel pump cam, there was remarkably little to be seen - phew !   :)

Next up I wanted to investigate the missing sump bolt (..hex hd set screw).  I was mistaken insomuch it was the central one at the front that must have been missing rather than one of those by the bell housing.  How do I know ?  well  . . .

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^ no screw thread in the hole in the front sump flange cap.  This is one of the places the sump's bolt has to be a short one, only along the sides of the crankcase are the holes drilled through the flange and longer bolts can be fitted. Put too long a bolt in and try to tighten it enough to stop its washer turning and what happens - the thread rips out..  I'm told this bridge piece is aluminium, so that might account for why it pulled out despite the sump screws only needing to be tight enough to pinch up a cork gasket.!

Short (5/8" long) 5/16" UNC bolts are used for across both ends of the sump (the four across the rear and the three at the front end).  Yes longer ones might be used in some of those holes, especially if you're also  fitting thicker washers ..but please do check first.  And remember the cork gasket may start off as being 1/8" thick but it compresses. The card sump gaskets are thinner to start with but do not compress very much. They're for single use, whereas the cork gaskets can be reused if they've not been glued on to both surfaces and/or over compressed.  On this car the sump bolts had been so tight - its cork gasket was crushed to next to nothing in thickness.   The sump's side bolts (screws) are 3/4" x 5/16" UNC.

 

So, here we go again, with the thread insert kit. . .

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^ when a thread strips out, right the way to its bottom thread, then I've found that the hole doesn't need to be drilled before tapping for the thread insert.  In some cases (where I cannot get a drill in there) I've run a bolt right into the bottom of a mostly stripped out thread and tightened it to tear out the last remaining threads, and then I could tap that hole without fear of breaking the tap.  It's not good engineering practice to do so, but on the other hand at least there's no fear that your drilling is not square.!   In this particular instance the tread was completely gone anyway.  

With the chassis cross-rail being in the way I couldn't have got a drill in there anyway.  But the tap (for the thread insert) has a 1/4" square drive, and so to reach up to cut this thread I used a 1/4" socket extension (upside down) which added 6" to the tap's length.  Then, and again because the chassis rail was so close, I knew I could get the thread-insert's special screwdriver to turn.  It also wasn't long enough to clear the handle..

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^ By extraordinary coincidence I had picked some pieces of rod out of the skip, here at the apartment block some while back, and it was exactly the right diameter to use for this.  I simply cut a slot across its end, to take the end tang of the thread insert, and used that as a make-shift tool to fit it into the tapped hole. The force needed to wind the insert in is very little, but a small pair of grips gave me the feel I wanted while doing so.  That insert was put in with Loctite 2480 thread lock, and then a bolt was screwed in, removed and wiped clean of excess ..a couple of times, to ensure that when the time comes I'll be able to get a bolt in there.   Job done.. Sciatic nerve non-the-better for climbing and laying under there x-number of times.

 

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^ Next job was to drop the oil pump, to clean the gasket face (above), and to wipe off some of the surface rust marks (above right) I never notice such a number before.

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^ And to check the crankshaft's end float. Using a screwdriver to gently lever the crank back and forth, I've measured the end float to be about 0.007" which is just fine.   I'll not disturb the main bearings nor big ends, for the time being - as I would still like to put the car back on the road one day soon.

The oil pump though, I was a little more concerned about. . .

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^ once cleaned it looked quite respectable. I cleaned the emulsified oil out from its inside and checked its tolerances.  I'll not repeat how to check an oil pump's condition again, as I've already posted about it < here > on my 'spare' engine.  And again < here > when checking the fit of their new uprated Revington spindle & rotor assembly. 

This pump's spindle has too much play and will need to be replaced. That's a shame because it'll hold me up, so tomorrow I'll go to my storage container to 'borrow' the rebuilt pump from that motor, or perhaps just the bits left over from its rebuild.

That's it for tonight, and so I bid you a very good evening.

Pete     

 

    

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Looking good Pete, when I replaced my sump gasket on my old engine I put 4 pins into the engine sump bolt holes to guide the sump onto, trying to hold a sump with a gasket and sealer on with one hand a finding the bolts with your other hand is not that easy, but the pins hold the sump in position, I was also told to put sealer  on the threads of the sump bolts and not to tighten them to tight. 
 

Mike redrose group 

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6 minutes ago, brenda said:

Looking good Pete, when I replaced my sump gasket on my old engine I put 4 pins into the engine sump bolt holes to guide the sump onto, trying to hold a sump with a gasket and sealer on with one hand a finding the bolts with your other hand is not that easy, but the pins hold the sump in position, I was also told to put sealer  on the threads of the sump bolts and not to tighten them to tight. 
 

Mike redrose group 

+ 1 Mike.

With the engine in the car I use 2 long studs per side for location and with a scissor jack underneath a ply panel under the sump about the same size as the sump wind it up to present it the the block face. Always worth checking the tin sump faces for distortion caused by the last owner desperately screwing up the fastenings trying to get that dry engine underneath. Use a straight edge and dress out the wavy surfaces with gentle hammering  making sure NOT to flatten the pressure areas between the bolts.

Mick Richards 

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Well done Pete. 
I have had this saga a few times swapping between sumps and curing bolt leaks. 

Used a card for bolt refitting position too. 

I did try the cork sump gasket and made the mistake of using the advertised torque figure - memory is vague on the figure may be about 16ftlb ? And it was way too much and deformed the gasket ridiculously.

I then went to the grey thick card version with a welseal on the sump to hold it in position with success. 
Used a jack to lift and hold the sump.

someone did advise me to use 2 of the card gaskets one stuck on the sump and one stuck on the block and to use grease when mating the two?!?

I did away with the torque wrench on the single gasket and Ali sump and went with feel. With better success.

and I found that the pump filter gauze was lying in the bottom of the sump i soldered that back on the the bolt on bracket.

good luck with the pump and reassembly 

 

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Edited by Hamish
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Note on the front aluminium block.  We went over to unc/unf studs (3) instead of unc hex head screws, some years back,  having drilled and tapped as deep into the aluminium as possible.   Then just pull up on a nut.  
 

Drop at least one big end and the centre main for peace of mind.

 

I have a NOS Triumph oil pump spindle and rotor assembly if you get stuck. …. NOW  SOLD….

Peter W

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Thanks Mike and others for your encouragements

15 hours ago, Motorsport Mickey said:

+ 1 Mike.

With the engine in the car I use 2 long studs per side for location and with a scissor jack underneath a ply panel under the sump about the same size as the sump wind it up to present it the the block face. Always worth checking the tin sump faces for distortion caused by the last owner desperately screwing up the fastenings trying to get that dry engine underneath. Use a straight edge and dress out the wavy surfaces with gentle hammering  making sure NOT to flatten the pressure areas between the bolts.

Mick Richards 

This is what I'm used to doing, albeit I've not much experience of TR sumps. My usual practice is to use Wellseal jointing compound between the sump and the gasket and then a smear of HT grease between the gasket and the crankcase.  I screw a number of the screws through the sump and gasket, and they're held in place by the pinch of the gasket ..and of course the gasket is held in place by those screws. So then it's just offering it up and getting the first easiest-to-reach screw to locate in its hole.  I've not had difficulties doing this before but as I say I've not refitted TR sumps from under the car before. 

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^ After cleaning it out, I noted pitting in the base plate of the sump. This happens because when water and oil are together - the oil will float on top and therefore the bottom of the sump is in water and so will tend to rust (..this can even happen even from atmospheric condensation inside an engine).  I've power wire brushed the inside, redressed the flange ..straightening and flattening its gasket face from where I'd had to hammer (via a wooden block) to get it unstuck, and where inappropriately small washers had pulled the flange in around the bolt holes.

After de-greasing white spirits and then carb cleaner, I've painted (sealed) the base of the pan and the scored gasket face with POR-15 (fuel tank sealant). This paint, when thoroughly cured, is really tough (hanging drips from where the chassis was painted with it remain intact even when the car is jacked up on them). I'm sure this will attract a few frowns and head shakes, but had I not done so - then I would have been anxious of the rust pits soon becoming pin holes through the sump !

I've also bought a set of 2mm (thicker) flat washers 8mm ID x 19mm OD which will sit flat between the pressed stiffening ridges of the sump's flange. Previously the screws were locally scouring and distorting the pan's flange via an assortment of sometimes skinny lock washers. 

 

Hamish's post reminds me that one of the screws is longer than the others (1" long x 5/16" UNC) and that's for the clutch stay bracket.  On this engine I'd already fitted another 1" long one, in the hole immediately behind that for the stay bracket, ie., directly under the fuel pump, which is where I've taken the battery earth-lead to.  The battery lead also earths to the LHS bulkhead (..the body tub) into a captive nut, on the bulkhead, immediately besides the fuel pump. I don't know what that captive nut was originally intended for, but on this car it was previously unused.  Katie  now also has an engine-to-chassis earthing webbed strap, from the engine mounting plate (timing chest bolt) to the f. suspension tower's cross-beam bolt.     

 

13 hours ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

Drop at least one big end and the centre main for peace of mind.

I don't want to go looking for more problems !   ..and peace-of-mind is only if I find nothing wrong there ! :lol:

However, you're right (again ! )  :rolleyes:   And although I would leave anything but thoroughly-worn bearings until next winter to do (..not least so that I might have some fun driving the car rather than running it in through the summer) I would like to have an idea of how long it would be before they really needed doing, and of course the size of bearings in this engine . . .

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^ The centre main-bearing looks to be perfectly serviceable for a good few miles yet. 

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^ As does the front big-end bearing.

Now I know and have peace of mind B)

13 hours ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

I have a NOS Triumph oil pump spindle and rotor assembly if you get stuck.

BIG Thank You Peter.,  I might need those, I'm just off to my storage container (..after a coffee and a hot-cross-bun) to see if what I have in the box will sort this pump out. It may be that the bore in this pump housing is worn and so replacing the spindle and rotor assembly would be a waste of good parts.  If I might, I'll drop you a PM to let you know, in due course.

cheers, Pete 

 

 

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Hi y'all.  Hope some of you had a great drive-it day  ..beautiful weather here in Suffolk today,

For me it was nice to be working in the conservatory / poly-tunnel without six layers of clothing on. But first I was working at the kitchen table. . .

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^ I'm not keen on card gaskets for pressed-tin covers like the sump, timing case, or rocker cover. I much prefer cork which I've found seals well without a lot of bolting down pressure needed. However, the card gaskets supplied in the pack I bought, once checked that it aligned well with the sump holes, was an excellent template.  As you can see from the red felt pen markings I'm making the cork gasket 1/8" or so wider on both the inside and outside. The holes aligned well with the sump but were bigger than I would like, so I've used a 7mm diameter punch (bought when I happened to see them in Aldi.. set of six different sizes; £2.99). The 7mm holes will pinch on the 5/16" sump screws nicely.  And the card gasket was perfect for centering that punch exactly where it should be.  The cork gasket matrerial I have is 1.5mm thick, so about the same as the card one, and easy enough to push the punch through without needing a hammer.

Holding the  template-gasket still, as one works from one end to the other is of course critical if all the holes are to align when its fitted . . .

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^ was a pig of a job !     :D

 

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Job done. according to the timing of the photos it took just 34 minutes from start to finish including taking the photos and clearing things away afterwards. Not economical commercially but pretty convenient at home to get the gasket I wanted.

The next job, I really don't know why I did it, but with sitting down to work in the warm conservatory, listening to good music ans drinking decent coffee, it wasn't much of a chore . . .

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^ As I was sitting here in my garden chair scraping the bitty scratched and oil smeared paint off this sump pan, I was thinking of the man who went to the factory early each morning in the mid-1960's to stand at a noisy oily machine which deep-pressed these and similar panels out  ..."another 2000 of these for Standard-Triumph this week please George"   Day in and day out.. repetitiously Whap Bang, Whap Bang, Whap Bang....    Those guys ..who are probably now long passed, would not have given a thought to enthusiasts like us appreciating their work some 50 or 60 years later..  So I dedicate my cleaning and this Sunday's repainting to all those anonymous factory guys and gals.  In this small way - I hope to thank them. . .

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^ hand scraped, rotary wire brushed, hand sanded, and ready for paint..

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^ again I've used POR-15 for its toughness.   I know it will discolour, but In the meantime it does look prettier !   2 hours work, a little left over paint, and now ready for another 50 or 60 years of service.

Bidding you all a pleasant evening,

Pete

     

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Cheers chaps.  No sorry Gareth the dent's are still there but for a smooth coat of paint.  Because of the internal sump baffle, I couldn't get a panel hammer inside that side of the sump, otherwise they would have been dressed out.  

On Saturday I popped out to the storage container to pick up the oil pump from the engine I'd started rebuilding last year.  I wanted to try the 'upgraded' spindle and rotor assembly bought new from Revington in Katie's  pump body ..to see if how much it was worn.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that the spindle was a little tighter in Katie's oil pump body than in the one from other engine B)  (..and that one I'd regard as 'good'). 

On 4/23/2022 at 12:20 AM, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

I have a NOS Triumph oil pump spindle and rotor assembly

^ Having accepted Peter W's very kind offer for a NOS one, I hope these will be even better for the engine I'm rebuilding with new bearings, bores, pistons, camshaft & new valves, guides, followers and springs, as well as the lightened flywheel and balancing.  Naturally with that sort of investment - I'll be glad to have the best possible pump I can fit.   BIG Thanks Peter.

As for Katie's  well., Revington's spindle and rotor assembly are a good fit, well within tolerances and so with a little rework of the end cap faces, it ought to be a very good oil pump. . .

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^ Work in progress, redresssing the top of the pump with emery paper, 240 grit to start with and then 1000 grit. You can see from screen in the first photo that the surface wasn't flat, but carefully dressing that down tightened the tolerances between the cap (similarly redressed to be flatter / smoother) ..so there's now less than my 0.001,5" feeler gauge tolerance between the outer rotor and the top level.  That same feeler gauge is a 'fair - good' fit between the spindle's inner rotor and a straight edge across the top face.  As far as I'm concerned one thousands of an inch (just enough for a film of oil under pressure) would be excellent, but this pump is now very good indeed. :rolleyes:

The pump's pick-up strainer needed just a minor repair . . .

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^ around where the strainer gauze is soldered to the end of the pick-up pipe, the wire of the gauze had (most likely vibration) fatigued and broken.  Although I have little confidence in such a coarse gauze, I know that if I left it - it would just continue to get worse. It needed reinforcement (larger area of support) which came in the form of 1" off-cut from copper pipe (1/2" dia).  I cut and opened it up, reformed its curvature (around an appropriate size of socket) and drilled a hole (for plug welding to the original solder on the pick-up tube). After a thorough cleaning, with the wire brush, I tinned the parts to be joined. 

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^ job done. reassembled onto the pump body, which in turn was refitted to the engine.   

Slowly but surely moving forward..  And I'm now both pleased with this pump and the prospect of an excellent one for the other engine.  I know it takes all sorts ! :blink:

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^ these thicker, larger diameter washers fit nicely between the pressed reinforcements. The bolts were cleaned, cut to length as required and a set of lock washers sorted ready for fitting. . .

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^ I don't go crazy with the Welseal gasket cement, and I make sure it's wiped away from the inside (of engine) edge.  The dark-grey doughnut thing in the bottom of the sump is a magnet which now resides in there.  The cork gasket I made is (..if you might excuse a little immodesty) a lovely fit,  and with 7mm holes the 5/16" set-screws just hang there ready for the sump to be offered up, and even the four awkward to reach (short) ones across the back (because of the close proximity of the bell-housing) are ready in place.  Naturally the gasket cannot be knocked out of position as I refit the sump. You might note that just three screws are further in than the others. They're ready to index the sump with the holes in bottom of the crankcase. 

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^ To refit, I simply used one hand to hold the sump up, and then with the other hand used a 1/2" with 1/4" drive socket on its screwdriver to get those first few screw threads started.  Then with both hand free, and all the screws together with their washers already in place - it was a doddle to hand-start the others in their holes.

Once each had a few turns on their threads, then like Ian, I used the cordless drill, with the same socket, to evenly but loosely pinch them all up. I start by setting its clutch / ratchet to just #3 of 16, and work my way around to pinch them all up the same, as I'm very keen on things being done progressively and evenly (such a low torque doesn't damage things should I find the thread isn't going in well), and then wind the clutch up to 9 and do the same, and in this case I finished off by pinching them up by hand (to ensure there was no clagging in the threads), easing them off again and finally winding them all in at #12 on the drill's ratchet.  That'll do for the time being.

 

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^ with the correct washer to locate the bottom end of the filter (to hold it straight in the canister).. refitting the oil filter was quick and easy.  Albeit care is still need to ensure the top of the filter goes cleanly onto its locating boss in the filter housing.

Getting there, but I'll not refill the engine oil until tomorrow.  The sump is on evenly but loosely for tonight, which gives the Welseal a chance to set before those screws are pinched up a little more. Although it would be nice to get on and finish the task, doing things this way helps avoid the gasket-sealant from being squeezed out. ^_^

So that's (almost) about it. . .

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Have a good evening,

Pete

 

 

Edited by Bfg
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Another enjoyable update on your progress. Liking the sump refitting tips. So close to being fired up again. 

Gareth

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An alternative to sticking a magnet in the sump is to use a magnetic sump plug.

It may not be quite as effective as a magnet at teh bottom of the sump itself, it does give an indication of soemthing being amiss when you change your oil.

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Peter I note you dont have a rocker cover breather or a block breather , your going to struggle to keep oil in it if not as the 4 cylinder engine really needs to breathe.

Stuart.

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8 hours ago, stuart said:

Peter I note you dont have a rocker cover breather or a block breather , your going to struggle to keep oil in it if not as the 4 cylinder engine really needs to breathe.

Stuart.

Well spotted Stuart.

Yes the 4 cyl engine needs a vent of some sort. 
Peter W

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On 4/26/2022 at 10:17 AM, stuart said:

Peter I note you dont have a rocker cover breather or a block breather , your going to struggle to keep oil in it if not as the 4 cylinder engine really needs to breathe.

Stuart.

 

On 4/26/2022 at 6:30 PM, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

Well spotted Stuart.

Yes the 4 cyl engine needs a vent of some sort. 
Peter W

The upper of the 2 engine bay photos appears to show a vent pipe coming off the rocker box with a rubber pipe pushed on to it, though I can`t see if it is connected to anything.

Ralph

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3 hours ago, Ralph Whitaker said:

 

The upper of the 2 engine bay photos appears to show a vent pipe coming off the rocker box with a rubber pipe pushed on to it, though I can`t see if it is connected to anything.

Ralph

Except theyre not pictures of his car.;)

Stuart.

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Morning Gents,

Thank you Stuart & Peter, you are quite right that a crankcase breather is required (on all ic engines, as far as I'm aware).  As Ralph correctly observed there is (presently) a short pipe from the breather. That happens to be a duck-billed breather valve, which I'd slipped over the rocker cover's tube ..just as a reminder (to fit such a valve) when I refit its vent pipe, down to the ground.  This has been a tight engine (to date) with regard to piston-ring blow-by and very little comes out of the tube, but when I get around to doing so, I'll find a plastic bottle to serve as a catch tank.

On Tuesday, I had a lazy day of next-to-no-work on the car, however I did receive the NOS oil pump spindle and rotor assembly from Peter W.  I hadn't anticipated receiving it so very soon (..Thank you Peter), otherwise I might have waited ..to then have fitted those parts into Katie's pump. . .

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^ Peter advised that these were NOS from 1957, supplied to the MoD, presumably for the Vanguard engines.  And as such they went through a number of quality & administrative checks. They were well packaged, I think for being shipped anywhere in the world, in whatever environmental &/or storage conditions.  I was however a tad concerned when I saw the deep orange-red colour through the greased wrappings.  I needn't have been. . .

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^ The colour I'd seen through the wrapping was not the result of moisture ingress and rust, but the heavy axle grease that had been used to protect these precious parts (literally the heart of an engine).  They must have been quality checked, and then checked again, before hot grease was poured into and around them. And then the grease (?) cloth wrappings had sealed them away from the air for these past 65 years.  Result ; wonderful as new condition.

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^ The old, worn and scored original rotor assembly (top), and the NOS spindle and rotor assembly bottom.  In this pump body ; the original spindle tip to rotor measured 8-1/2 to 10 thou. < here "..so not brilliant and only just within tolerance".  The new parts measured between 0.001,5" and 0.003,5"  which is excellent, not least because those figures are adversely affected by wear in this pump body's spindle bore.   So I'm well pleased with these parts, not least because they are destined to be used in the TR4A engine I was (..and will in-due-course continue to) carefully rebuild.  Again my BIG Thanks to Peter for his sharing these parts with me.

After, packing those parts away safely,  I dropped back under the car to diagonally cross tighten the sump's screws ..each to a massive 6ft.lb.  I then added 5-litres of Penrite engine oil.   I used filtered water for the radiator and of course opened the heater valve fully (I'll drain the cooling system down again, flush it, and add the antifreeze soon).  And then with the spark-plugs removed (and the ignition / power lead off the coil) I turned the engine over, via its starter motor, some 50 or so times ..to pump oil into the filter and up to the bearings.  I added another 1-1/2 litres of oil to bring the level up to within 1/4" of the dip-stick's top mark, put the battery on recharge and called it a day.

Well not quite, because I also replaced the odd square-ended push-rod into Katie's  clutch-slave cylinder, with a rounded-end one - Thank you Rich for finding this for me. And of course adjusted its mechanism for float / end play. 

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^ I also replaced the lock washers on the bottom two nuts of the overdrive to gearbox adapter plate.  Because of the limited clearance, one of these nuts had been cut to be slimmer, and the mechanic had unfortunately fitted it with its hand-cut side to the case.  His cutting of that nut wasn't quite square, and so its clamping force wouldn't have been either.  Hey ho., in my 5/16" UNF pot I found another short nut to fit (otherwise I would have put his short-nut back on, but facing the other way around). I painted around the holes and threads with Welseal and fitted copper washers to seal them.    I didn't know if it might help cure the seep but it is an easy task to try.  

48 hours later it appears that these washers worked to stop the oil drip on the RH side, but the LH side's drip is still there.  I'll clean the underside of the case off again and power it with talcum, to try and identify where exactly that oil is coming from.

- - -

Yesterday I was out all afternoon from midday, but in the morning I turned the engine over on the starter motor for another 50 turns, to pump the oil around with no compression and minimal loading on the bearings.  I then started the engine.. for the first time in many months.  I kept an eye to the drip trays underneath the car (one for radiator water, one for engine oil, and one for the gearbox drips !) ..and all was fine.  The engine was very quiet to start, but as the car is still up on ramps I haven't yet reset the tappets, so as things warmed up and expanded the sound reminded me of this series of engine's alternative use.   These carb's choke and throttle linkages are in a horrible state, both slack and yet binding, so they'll need addressing sometime soon, but I didn't want to disturb them yet, because for all their crudeness they sort of work.  

With the seven blade TR6 cooling fan fitted - this engine runs cool, even when the car is not turning a wheel.  As the minutes passed and the air bubbles in the cooling & heater system rudely burped their way out, I kept an eye, and ear, on things, topped the water level up, etc., checked the gauges and heater to see that all was working as they should, and there was no smoke from my wiring( ! ).  The motor warmed and settled to an uneven tick-over. Those carb's and their linkages really ought to be attended to, but otherwise all was well. 

And then, very oddly after 40 minutes.. the oil filter decided to spurt.  No big deal as I'd only tightened the canister by hand anyway. I soon pinched its bottom nut up another turn, but its interesting insomuch as I cannot fathom why it took so long ?  The engine's temp had risen to read about 1/4 on the gauge, but then dropped again to settle around about 1/8,  which is where it often used to reside last year.   I could feel & hear the engine and the radiator water were not particularly hot, and the oil pressure at tick-over had dropped from its initial 60psi (faster tick-over on choke) to a steady 40 psi (on the gauge).  I don't know why the oil spurt didn't happen sooner, but I'll accept it as a useful lesson to be noted any time I change the oil & filter.  ie., even after starting the car and letting it settle, I'll be wary of then driving off without first pinching that bolt up while the oil is hot.

That's it for now, as I've yet to refit a few more bits before I can take the car around the block (..things like a steering wheel, a seat and even a handbrake have been known to be useful aids when driving on public roads), but we're getting closer by the hour ..well by the day ! ;)  

Pete

 

P.S. TR meeting at the Alma, in Essex, this evening.

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