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TR3 engine & box re-build


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Well the cylinder head went on today, followed by the rocker assembly. I made some 1mm (40 thou) spacers to go under the pedestals to compensate for the 60 thou off the head earlier this year plus the 40 thou (estimated) taken off the block face. Then set up the rocker clearances as per cam instructions - 14 thou inlet, & 16 thou exhaust.  I then degreased, & brush painted the block its self, again using the Lidl product which I find to be very good.

     1755446123_headon.thumb.jpg.c60427f717a1d317e1ee301b240199e4.jpg     Painted.thumb.jpg.3a57aec9600bfd4f9da19237be9eed70.jpg  Cake.thumb.jpg.db03f8cec8182185e4055741d78f5d38.jpg

& then while paint was left to dry I iced the Christmas cake !!

 Bob.

Edited by Lebro
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28 minutes ago, Lebro said:

Well the cylinder head went on today, followed by the rocker assembly. I made some 1mm (40 thou) spacers to go under the pedestals to compensate for the 60 thou off the head earlier this year plus the 40 thou (estimated) taken off the block face. Then set up the rocker clearances as per cam instructions - 14 thou inlet, & 16 thou exhaust.  I then degreased, & brush painted the block its self, again using the Lidl product which I find to be very good.

     1755446123_headon.thumb.jpg.c60427f717a1d317e1ee301b240199e4.jpg     Painted.thumb.jpg.3a57aec9600bfd4f9da19237be9eed70.jpg  

& then while paint was left to dry I iced the Christmas cake !!

Cake.thumb.jpg.db03f8cec8182185e4055741d78f5d38.jpg

 Bob.

Clearly a man of many talents. 

Rgds Ian

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5 minutes ago, R.M. said:

the icing don't quite reach the bottom p'haps shaving 40thou off might help

Ha...excessive layering of Wellseal I believe. Lol.

Mick Richards

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Great progress Bob,

just one thought, lifting the pedestals to compensate for the material loss off the head is perhaps not the best solution. I believe one needs to check that the rocker is moving an equal distance up and down to ensure the swipe on the valve head does not prematurely wear your new guides. Check that the rocker shaft centre line is the same as the valve stem height minus  1/2 of the max lift of the cam. That is if the cam lift is 0.260”, rocker ratio 1.5, then 1/2 lift is 0.195”. It may not be a problem, but definitely worth checking. The solution if needed is to then shorten the pushrods and or the pedestals to ensure the correct geometry.

Nice job on the cake.....must get ours done! 
Iain

Edited by iain
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Iain. I know what you mean, but I don't think 40 thou will make much difference.  If I could have shortened the pushrods I would have as that is the best solution.

Today fitted oil filter housing & partially filled oil filter, then fuel pump, & water pump. Filled with oil (through the distributor mounting to avoid flushing the cam lube from the cam), attached a gauge to the oil pressure line, & then using a drill, spun the oil pump to circulate the oil. While doing this I also slowly rotated the crank to make sure oil traveled through all the oilways. 

1078946284_oilpressuretest1.jpg.4094a72f9420bfc5e393359fe64fb436.jpg  466190656_oilpressuretest2.thumb.jpg.ec25bec3f161fb907f1fae92f10fbad0.jpg  217532914_Enginereadyforflywheelclutchgearbox.thumb.jpg.a7e92f076473d0e705b16313d457a4b3.jpg

Oil pressure easily got to 50 PSI (full scale on the gauge used)& beyond, & I could see oil coming out around the rocker shaft.

Then checked the distributor drive end float - 6 Thou, so assembled it with no gasket, just wellseal. Finally fitted alternator.

Now ready to lower onto trolley, & fit flywheel, clutch & gearbox.

Bob.

Edited by Lebro
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A work of art Bob. 

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Well a few steps forward today, & a few backwards.  I had been concerned that the oil pump drive shaft was perhaps a bit too tight in the block mounted bush, my cordless drill could spin it OK, but I could not move it by hand. Overnight I decided that the first job today was to sort that out.

When the block was chemically cleaned at the machine shop the bush was removed to prevent it being dissolved.  I drifted it back in place as one of the 1st jobs.  On reflection I should have checked the shaft in it then. Anyway careful feeling of the friction as I pushed the shaft downwards suggested that the bush had probably gone in at a different angle to where it had been for the last 60 years, & the hole had possibly shrunk a little when being reinserted.

I figured the only way to fix this was the ream the bush out to it's correct size of ½".  So, removed the distributor, & it's drive gear, there was no room for a tap wrench so clamped an old drill chuck over the end of the reamer, then, to prevent any brass swarf going where it shouldn't I coated the reamer flutes with thick sticky grease. Made 4 cuts, going a bit deeper each time (& cleaning swarf off reamer, & re- applying grease) till the shaft was an easy fit right down to the pump. Refitted drive gear & distributor.

I then, in between rain showers, craned the engine off the engine stand, & onto my trolley, which I then wheeled into the car port / garage where the TR lives.

1405899890_Engineoffthestand.thumb.jpg.fa45852233b4d5410ddbdf3a041ddff3.jpg  733694578_Leakingoilgalleryplug.thumb.jpg.df5c6d23c2b613efe2baffd3e5bad984.jpg

Last job before fitting flywheel was to paint the back of the engine, that's when I noticed the trickle of oil running down the block from the oil gallery plug.

 Oil mostly wiped off prior to photo !

I can't remember what I had sealed it with, but clearly it had not withstood the 70 PSI achieved when I was priming the system with the electric drill.

SO, used the crane to lift the rear of the block, removed the plug, & caught the remaining oil at that end of the gallery. After much cleaning & degreasing of the internal thread, & the plug, this time I applied Loctite "Retainer"  a thick locktite product meant for retaining bearings in their housings etc. I put a fair amount on the threads, so hopefully it will be sealed this time. I will repeat the oil priming tomorrow with the drill (after removing the distributor & drive gear again) to see if it leaks again.  I did try using PTFE tape, but, not being a tapered thread the tape just got chewed up, & I suspect would not have sealed.

Hopefully if that is all ok, I can proceed with flywheel, clutch & gearbox fitting tomorrow. If not I will have to think again.

Bob.

Edited by Lebro
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This is a really good read. Always fancied rebiulding an engine (I actually have a spare) but after reading this I'm not sure I have that skill. I do have access to a lathe (a big one) but most Knowledge with watch making lathes. 

   It's a great write up Bob and I'm learning a lot (some of which is just how difficult this is). But it's clear you have a keen eye for detail. Keep the reports coming. 

Thanks, 

Neil

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4 hours ago, NCS_TR3A said:

This is a really good read. Always fancied rebiulding an engine (I actually have a spare) but after reading this I'm not sure I have that skill. I do have access to a lathe (a big one) but most Knowledge with watch making lathes. 

   It's a great write up Bob and I'm learning a lot (some of which is just how difficult this is). But it's clear you have a keen eye for detail. Keep the reports coming. 

Thanks, 

Neil

+1

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Just re reading Bob, you think the head has lost 60 thou and the block 40 thou in the skimming.....that’s 100 thou or 2.5mm now in extra pushrod length.
I think I would still be checking that geometry if your figures from above are correct.

Iain

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Iain.

Correct I am assuming 100 thou lost, however the 1st 60 thou off the head I was able to accommodate with the rocker adjustment screws, & no spacers, but they were near the end of their threads, so I knew that with another 40 thou some thing else would need to be done. The rocker ratio is 1.5:1 i.e. the valve is depressed 1 ½ times more than the cam lift, so using the valve head as a reference, raising the pedestal by 40 thou will raise the adjusting screws by 60 thou, which is more than enough to get them back into a working position.

Bob.

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Did the oil pressure test this morning no leaks from gallery plug, so that's sorted.

Fitted the flywheel, & clutch, then decided to fit the Wosp starter motor to the engine temporarily to see where the pinion engaged on the ring gear.

2019144634_Clutchon.thumb.jpg.28bc754616a7868e4ff7cb92096b0a14.jpg  54515790_Starterworry2.thumb.jpg.ebf1dd9e6aae19af084735222f5103fd.jpg

Well, I'm glad I did, because, although it has been working fine for a few years now, the engagement is not very good:

    Spanner is holding the pinion at full throw

A friend of mine found the same with his Wosp starter when he first fitted it to his Alpine engine. Wosp were very good, & sent him a longer pinion which sorted the problem. I emailed Wosp earlier this evening with a description of what I had found, along with the photo above, & some measurements.

Guess what I got a reply, asking for more details at around 10 o'clock. that's service for you ! Hopefully it can be resolved with a new pinion, otherwise I may reduce the thickness of the mounting plate by 3 or 4 mm.

Anyway, back to the main topic, I used a couple of long studs to help align the gearbox, although it is much easier to do when out of the car

607781193_Longstudshelp1.thumb.jpg.cde24a53316fa0d9444d7626c0cd303f.jpg      484886622_Enginebackin.thumb.jpg.a5129332a526be26cbaa9e53be2f2d0b.jpg

And then popped the whole thing back into the car

Well, yes it was not quite that simple, there was a lot of raising, lowering, (swearing), etc.

All bolted up on it's mountings, ready for more fun tomorrow.

Bob.

Edited by Lebro
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Brilliant result from Wosp, the design of their motors has changed in the last 5 years, & as there was no easy way to correct mine they are sending me a new one FOC ! (they want the old one back)  I do wonder how many others are like mine & not fully engaging ?

Bob

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Wow that is amazing progress Bob. You have really worked hard on this task made all the more time consuming by documenting it all with words and pictures. But I thank you for that extra effort as it’s has become a resource well worth pinning to the top. 
 

just need to run it about a bit. Tighten the head, properly run it in oil and filter change and enjoy. 
a rolling road output would be a real bonus

well done that man

H

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Yes, I will be on the standard TR3 SM needles, & distributor advance to start with, which may no longer be right for the bigger mildly tuned engine.

Still a fair number of things to re-attach.  I will run it initially with the front apron, & gearbox cover off (just in case !)

Bob.

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On 12/21/2020 at 8:20 AM, Lebro said:

Brilliant result from Wosp, the design of their motors has changed in the last 5 years, & as there was no easy way to correct mine they are sending me a new one FOC ! (they want the old one back)  

Bob

Agree Bob   i had the same service from them 3 years ago . Nice to hear that they are keeping up such unique customer service.

Roy

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True to their word the replacement motor arrive this evening:

529164269_Startercomparison.thumb.jpg.5c94e8c394dc02d047589302a2d9ff20.jpg Comparing new & old the mounting plate is different, as is the pinion rest is the same.

The new pinion extends around 3.5mm further than the old, so a marked improvement.  Will be fitting tomorrow along with manifolds, & carbs then it's start up time before I fit anything else.

Got most of the other items re-attached today:

Rad fitted.jpg

Edited by Lebro
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