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Riders on the storm... My 1956 TR3


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Hi Eli, you’ve got an interesting plate there with an L suffix, yet your car is RHD!

My 3A is t’other way round as it was RHD (relatively rare compared to the quantity of LHD cars manufactured) until I converted it to a left hooker some 30 years ago.

james

ps I think you have been courageous thrashing about in the Normandie rain with 10 yr old tyres, no wonder you did a pirhouette. I did the same many years ago with ageing Michelin ZXs. I change them every six years now.....

james

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If you can wrangle a length of cord or wire down and under the bottom (layshaft) gears and try lifting the gear cluster. Try at each end. If there is any up and down movement the shaft and bearings ha

Hi all, 15 years after buying my TR6, a spitfire, an abandoned TR6 project and many Land Rovers later, I'm finally back in a TR! A 1956 TR3 with a rather flashy colour scheme. A huge thanks

I just need to paint the chassis where its sitting on the lift pads but other than that...  Mission accomplished! 

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1 hour ago, james christie said:

Hi Eli, you’ve got an interesting plate there with an L suffix, yet your car is RHD!

My 3A is t’other way round as it was RHD (relatively rare compared to the quantity of LHD cars manufactured) until I converted it to a left hooker some 30 years ago.

james

ps I think you have been courageous thrashing about in the Normandie rain with 10 yr old tyres, no wonder you did a pirhouette. I did the same many years ago with ageing Michelin ZXs. I change them every six years now.....

james

Hi James. Yes, it was a US car (Indiana) that was brought back to the UK and restored 30 years ago. 

I'm planning to convert it back to lhd one day. 

My scariest old tyre moment was driving my lwb landy home in the rain on country roads. I had already driven about 200mi from its former home but was caught out by a tight turn with a lot of camber. The 6 pot engine and camper conversion add a lot of weight. Feeling all 4 wheels lose traction at the same time and holding 2000kg in a drift was the stuff brown trousers are made of. 

I fitted new tyres as soon as I got home! I thought 10 years was on the limit for the tr3 tyres but not quite it. 

1 hour ago, 2long said:

Are you, or have you ever been, experienced in the ways of glycol vs silicone brake fluid?   Glycol eats the paint in hard to reach places!

Cheers

Dan

 

Years ago when I had my tr6, I left it with a garage for a service and they found it had a leaking master cylinder. Only problem was they noticed after my car had been left over the weekend on the lift with another customer's car parked underneath! Someone had their boot resprayed for free :(

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It ain't pretty but hopefully sometime in the not too distant future I can afford to have a paintshop touch up all the problem areas on the car and get rid of the yellow lipstick. 

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I've been balancing work, the baby, the tr3 and the bike that has decided to teach me all about wet sumping. 

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2 hours ago, Lebro said:

Have you re- seated the ball bearings in the base on the oil pump ?

Bob

Haven't got that far yet, I really needed to concentrate on the car.

Pump is off and the scavenge side piston is really tight, almost seized. 

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That could be the problem, although usually it is the other side, the ball not seating properly, & causing oil to flow from the tank to the sump under gravity. Cure is to remove piston, & using a brass rod, tap the ball firmly into it's seat to re-seal.

Bob.

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On 1/9/2021 at 11:12 PM, Lebro said:

That could be the problem, although usually it is the other side, the ball not seating properly, & causing oil to flow from the tank to the sump under gravity. Cure is to remove piston, & using a brass rod, tap the ball firmly into it's seat to re-seal.

Bob.

 

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Scavenge side piston has some scoring... I've ordered a new quality pump (morgo) but its taking forever to arrive thanks to brexit. 

Replaced all brake flexi hoses on the tr3 this evening, will bleed tomorrow or Monday evening and then I can book her in to get new tyres. 

Stay safe everyone 

Edited by EliTR6
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21 hours ago, EliTR6 said:

Minor update 

So I've managed to bleed the brakes but the new clutch MC isn't moving fluid. 

I didn't bench bleed but I'll dig out my cheap vacuum pump tomorrow and see if that helps. 

Vacuum pump didn't work at all 

There is no resistance when I press the pedal and the fluid in the reservoir doesn't move 

Could pumping the pedal with the hose going to the slave cylinder loosened help? 

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Is there actually fluid getting to the master cylinder? The feed pipe from the reservoir could have a big air bubble where it goes 'up and over'.  If you slightly slacken the inlet pipe fitting, it might let air out and prime the cylinder. 

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You could also try removing the outlet pipe and carefully (minding your new paintwork) fill the master cylinder to prime it. Also ensure that the piston is coming right out to the circlip in the end of the bore otherwise it may not be allowing the fluid in from the reservoir.

Ralph

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12 hours ago, RobH said:

Is there actually fluid getting to the master cylinder? The feed pipe from the reservoir could have a big air bubble where it goes 'up and over'.  If you slightly slacken the inlet pipe fitting, it might let air out and prime the cylinder. 

Thanks all! @RobH's tip did the trick

Now I need to convince my better half to help me bleed it 

And the brake mc outlet is weeping slightly. Only dry day for the past week here, rain again tomorrow onwards so must get there tr back on its wheels and out of the garage so I have space to work on the bike. 

I've put enough dings in the paintwork as it is... 

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Just in case you have difficulty persuading your better half to help with the bleeding, it is possible to manage on your own.  I have cut a piece of wood to be the correct length to wedge between the front squab of the driver's seat and the brake (or clutch) pedal when it is fully depressed.  Open the relevant bleed nipple with the tube and bottle/jar underneath, pump pedal and wedge in place with stick and then nip to the nipple and tighten.  Repeat as necessary.

It might seem a bit long winded but it does work as long as your bleed nipples don't have threads that are so loose as to let any air back in.  Saves having to use up brownie points when they are in short supply.

Rgds Ian

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12 minutes ago, Ian Vincent said:

Just in case you have difficulty persuading your better half to help with the bleeding, it is possible to manage on your own.  I have cut a piece of wood to be the correct length to wedge between the front squab of the driver's seat and the brake (or clutch) pedal when it is fully depressed.  Open the relevant bleed nipple with the tube and bottle/jar underneath, pump pedal and wedge in place with stick and then nip to the nipple and tighten.  Repeat as necessary.

It might seem a bit long winded but it does work as long as your bleed nipples don't have threads that are so loose as to let any air back in.  Saves having to use up brownie points when they are in short supply.

Rgds Ian

I have a MityVac and that works quite well if working single handed.  You have to keep a keen eye on the master cylinder fluid level.

Buy  https://cartoolstore.co.uk/manufacturers/mityvac/mityvac-mv8000-automotive-tune-up-and-brake-bleeding-kit-mv8000

 

Cheers

Peter W

 

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16 minutes ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

I have a MityVac and that works quite well if working single handed.  You have to keep a keen eye on the master cylinder fluid level.

Buy  https://cartoolstore.co.uk/manufacturers/mityvac/mityvac-mv8000-automotive-tune-up-and-brake-bleeding-kit-mv8000

 

Cheers

Peter W

 

Thanks Peter 

I've got a cheaper version of this that I've used with mixed results. 

Will give it a whirl

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An alternative method for one person bleeding is the get 4-5m of silicone tubing that is thin enough to fit snugly over a bleed nipple. 

Then fit the pipe over the furthest nipple from the master cylinder and then route the other end so it goes into the top of the master cylinder in such a way that you can see the tube from the driving seat. Undo the nipple and pump the pedal you should see fluid begin to move through the tube into the master. You may have to top up the master.  Keep pumping until you see no bubbles. Then tighten the nipple and move to the next one and repeat. 

I use a couple of bag clips like you use for food bags to clip each end of the tube when I move it so I don't drip fluid everywhere. 

Works for DOT4 and silicone. 

 

Cheers

Tim

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On 1/22/2021 at 10:25 PM, 2long said:


just for you Eli - this was a giant swell we had last week.  Who needs brakes?

 

Whoa! Haven't been out for a couple of months at least. Temperatures hovering around freezing and I've been enjoying splitting my limited spare time between the boy and the garage! 

The rear passenger side locks up very easily when braking so I tried @stuart's trick of wedging the pedal down overnight. They've salted the roads here so I haven't been able to test it but the pedal feels better.

And in bike related news, I've fitted a new oil pump and timed the bike. It was my first time and not easy to figure out to start with so I'm pleased as punch that it started OK and is no longer wetsumping. 

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Bit of a slow news day here but had a spare hour this evening and fitted a push pull overdrive switch with a badly fitting aftermarket knob, some door pulls to give my fingers a rest from grabbing onto the door catch stud and I made a bracket for a discreet USB socket. When I had my gearbox issue this summer I became acutely aware of phone battery drain when on hold for breakdown recovery! 

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On 27/01/2021 at 11:13 PM, Lebro said:

Excellent, a good days work.

Bob.

Thanks Bob 

A bit of progress on a rear seat for madame 

I measured, cut and drilled some flat pieces of iron for the brackets but they're 4mm thick and I can't bend them neatly! The local shop has some thinner gauge aluminium so will pick some up tomorrow or on Monday 

Padding is 2 layers of 1" rubberised horsehair and the vinyl is foam backed 

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