Ian Vincent Posted July 25, 2019 Report Share Posted July 25, 2019 Having just completed the Liege - Brescia - Liege rally, (just over 2,000 miles of rally plus another 800 miles getting to Liege and back and during which the car performed nigh on faultlessly), I went out the garage this afternoon to start it up to warm it through preparatory to adjusting the tappets etc., only for it to start spitting (no - pouring!) coolant out through the overflow pipe. Bugger! Does anyone have any suggestions about what it could be apart from a blown head gasket? At least it waited until I got home. Rgds Ian PS In addition to a couple of track tests on a Kart track - all performed in 2nd gear with the engine revving quite hard the rally included crossing both the Stelvio and Gavio passes both ways and at no time during any of this did the engine even overheat. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted July 25, 2019 Report Share Posted July 25, 2019 Hi Ian, don't panic - it isn;t the HG. You have simply cracked the head Get the rad tested for Combustion gases (garage or DIY) Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted July 25, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2019 22 minutes ago, RogerH said: Hi Ian, don't panic - it isn;t the HG. You have simply cracked the head Roger Thks for those words of reassurance Roger! Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Drewmotty Posted July 25, 2019 Report Share Posted July 25, 2019 Air in the cooling system? Try filling and bleeding it with the nose as high as you can get it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted July 25, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2019 Why would it suddenly have developed air in the cooling system when it has been running faultlessly for the last few thousand miles and needing virtually no topping up? Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted July 25, 2019 Report Share Posted July 25, 2019 Hi Ian, do the gas test - that is pretty fool proof. Gut feeling is the gasket. But as you say above 'why would it suddenly go pop' Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hamish Posted July 25, 2019 Report Share Posted July 25, 2019 (edited) Ian i think the expression is oh bu@@er i used this kit on both my sp250 (ok) and TR3 as soon as it was delivered home (not ok) BLOCK HEAD GASKET TESTER KIT COMBUSTION LEAK PETROL DIESEL FX53 KIT 100ml 2d https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F273012206758 you could have mine but I’m not passing. Happy to post tomorrow if it helps ? H Edited July 25, 2019 by Hamish Sp Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted July 25, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2019 I already have a gas testing kit Hamish thanks, so I have just done a test and the answer was 'Nada' the liquid stayed resolutely blue. I will do another test tomorrow to see if I get the same result and if I do carry on as before. Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisR-4A Posted July 25, 2019 Report Share Posted July 25, 2019 Hi Ian, last week in France with temps up to 32 I noticed after a motorway run that the overflow bottle had filled up and just overflowed. I thought probably because it was already half full which has been fine in UK but not enough space for a greater expansion. Anyway I checked the system out and noticed some bubbles in the pipe from rad to bottle, then looked at rad cap and found a small split in the big rubber washer which is the main cap seal. Rotated seal to a different position and no more overflowing, so check the cap out. Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted July 25, 2019 Report Share Posted July 25, 2019 ^ +1 Good point from Chris, unexplained overheating always check out the rad cap. Mick Richards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Morrison Posted July 26, 2019 Report Share Posted July 26, 2019 17 hours ago, Ian Vincent said: Having just completed the Liege - Brescia - Liege rally, (just over 2,000 miles of rally plus another 800 miles getting to Liege and back and during which the car performed nigh on faultlessly), I went out the garage this afternoon to start it up to warm it through preparatory to adjusting the tappets etc., only for it to start spitting (no - pouring!) coolant out through the overflow pipe. Bugger! Does anyone have any suggestions about what it could be apart from a blown head gasket? At least it waited until I got home. Rgds Ian PS In addition to a couple of track tests on a Kart track - all performed in 2nd gear with the engine revving quite hard the rally included crossing both the Stelvio and Gavio passes both ways and at no time during any of this did the engine even overheat. Ian, really hope its the rad cap, you would take that as a cure, but my question I've always done my tappets cold on my TR, you do them hot? whats the thinking? John. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted July 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2019 47 minutes ago, John Morrison said: Ian, really hope its the rad cap, you would take that as a cure, but my question I've always done my tappets cold on my TR, you do them hot? whats the thinking? John. Hi John, I do them hot because the instructions that came with the cam said that’s how they should be done. 14 thou inlet and 16 thou exhaust. Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
billy l Posted July 26, 2019 Report Share Posted July 26, 2019 Stuck Thermosat in closed position? Cheers, Bill. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Morrison Posted July 26, 2019 Report Share Posted July 26, 2019 Ah, understod Ian, you have something hot in there! or to put it another way - we are both correct! Thanks, John. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted July 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2019 14 minutes ago, John Morrison said: Ah, understod Ian, you have something hot in there! or to put it another way - we are both correct! Thanks, John. Not particularly hot John, it's a Newman PH1 cam but it is slightly higher lift than the standard. Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted July 26, 2019 Report Share Posted July 26, 2019 I wonder if anybody has done some convincing tests on the Hot/Cold tappet adjustment. Clearly the push rods must expand with the heating - How much !! As the rod expands the gap reduces and this will advance the valve opening. The valve timing for the PH1 is set at 108 degrees (I think) and needs to be set with all the slop removed. So, what does every thou of rod extension do to the base timing of 108'?. What happens to the performance? I wish I was clever Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted July 26, 2019 Report Share Posted July 26, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, RogerH said: I wonder if anybody has done some convincing tests on the Hot/Cold tappet adjustment. Clearly the push rods must expand with the heating - How much !! As the rod expands the gap reduces and this will advance the valve opening. The valve timing for the PH1 is set at 108 degrees (I think) and needs to be set with all the slop removed. So, what does every thou of rod extension do to the base timing of 108'?. What happens to the performance? I wish I was clever Roger And of course the camshaft grows etc, etc that's why the camfollowers should be set hot when everything has grown/taken up clearances, that's what counts when you are running. I think we can take it as read that camshaft grinding firms have puzzled and worked out the various expansions and contractions of heat caused performance change and grind and give fitting instructions accordingly. Mick Richards Edited July 26, 2019 by Motorsport Mickey Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted July 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2019 2 hours ago, RogerH said: The valve timing for the PH1 is set at 108 degrees (I think) Roger Not 108, but 110 degrees - according to the Newman instructions. Pedants are us Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted July 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2019 An update. I topped the radiator back up until the coolant level was just covering the base of the neck extension and carried out a gas test - the result was negative, the liquid stayed resolutely blue. So then I did the few odd jobs that I intended to do when I started it yesterday and went for a drive around the block, about 5 miles. The engine was as smooth as silk and pulled really well until suddenly about a mile from home the temperature started to climb. By the time I got home it had stabilised but it was still up above 185 degrees which is unusual. When I had the car in the garage, I removed the radiator cap (slowly) and found a lot of foam. So I suspect that's the head gasket gone Bugger! Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Waldi Posted July 26, 2019 Report Share Posted July 26, 2019 You are probably right Ian. Think positive: this is an excellent opportunity to service items like carburettors and cooling system. Cheers, Waldi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iain Posted July 26, 2019 Report Share Posted July 26, 2019 Umh .......I think you are right. Cheers Iain Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted July 27, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2019 10 hours ago, Waldi said: You are probably right Ian. Think positive: this is an excellent opportunity to service items like carburettors and cooling system. Cheers, Waldi Thank you for those positive thoughts Waldi. In return can I offer you a positive ‘on the job’ learning experience on replacing a TR3a head gasket? Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Waldi Posted July 27, 2019 Report Share Posted July 27, 2019 Hi Ian, yes please. you are very welcome in my little shop:) Cheers, Waldi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stillp Posted July 27, 2019 Report Share Posted July 27, 2019 22 hours ago, Ian Vincent said: Not 108, but 110 degrees - according to the Newman instructions. Pedants are us Rgds Ian Peasants are we, surely Ian. The gas test wasn't correct then? Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted July 27, 2019 Report Share Posted July 27, 2019 I thought 'Toys R Us' but not any more. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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