roy53 Posted February 16, 2021 Report Share Posted February 16, 2021 Do all 4 cyl have the drain tap ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 14 hours ago, roy53 said: Do all 4 cyl have the drain tap ? Originally yes. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
roy53 Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 i ask as i have just helped out with a service / anti freeze on a 4 and there was no block drain tap fitted. I can see the threaded hole but due to access i cannot see in. Very solid when i try to push a small screwdriver in hole with no give as if solid steel. No allen key/screwdriver slots etc. been driving about for years and no leaks. Worried about leaving well alone. Owners happy though. Roy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 1 hour ago, roy53 said: i ask as i have just helped out with a service / anti freeze on a 4 and there was no block drain tap fitted. I can see the threaded hole but due to access i cannot see in. Very solid when i try to push a small screwdriver in hole with no give as if solid steel. No allen key/screwdriver slots etc. been driving about for years and no leaks. Worried about leaving well alone. Owners happy though. Roy Probably bunged up solid with crud then as often when opening a drain tap nothing comes out anyway. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 (edited) The holes usually get blocked by rust etc. My thought is that someone in the past has tried to drain the block using the tap, found that nothing came out (normal) & removed the tap. Still found nothing coming out, so assumed the hole did not go right into the water area. If you get to it again, stuff a sharp screwdriver or similar into the hole, & jiggle around. You wont do any harm, but you may be able to clear a path through the blockage. Then fit the tap if you have one. Bob. Stuart beat me to it ! Edited February 17, 2021 by Lebro Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Z320 Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 My TR4A came without a plug and without a tap. A closer examination showed the tab was ripped off and the hole sealed with dust. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
roy53 Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 Thanks to everyone. i will pass on information to owner. As it's not mine i cannot go to far with this but surprised as i did give it a good try with a small screwdriver . Restricted access a problem. I will suggest that a tap or plug in the hole incase the rust/crud gives way at some time. Roy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 Back in the 1940s to the 1960s, many vehicle owners used anti-freeze only in winter. The rest of the time, it was tap water, which caused a lot of corrosion to the inside of the engine. I don't know, but it may be that anti-freeze in those days didn't have the decent inhibitors found nowadays, so perhaps owners were wary about leaving anti-freeze in the cooling system all year round. Or was it that so frequently did the cooling systems spring leaks or burst, losing all the coolant, that owners used anti-freeze (costs money) only when absolutely necessary. It wasn't uncommon during and after the War to notice canvas showing through a tyre, which probably had next to no tread anyway. Back in the 1960s, my brother had a TR3 We rotated the tap on the block and nothing came out, so we unscrewed and found that the tap had been in the Open position all the time he had been driving the car. We dug out the rust and did a lot of flushing, then reinstated the tap, but with it Closed. Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 Ian, The manufacturers and owners knew that an anti freezed engine will run hotter in summer. I had a 105E Anglia as my first car and it's handbook recommended a different thermostat from winter to summer and whilst doing the change (only 5 months apart) to use only water with no anti freeze in summer to help prevent overheating. The bye product of this was...blocks which mostly stayed clean of debri and rust...because you were flushing the engine block out at least twice yearly. Since the Blue col anti freeze and more modern Bi annual anti freeze replacement practices (surely another year won't matter Kerrching ! there's another year) is carried out to the engine they remain sealed slowly accumulating blockages. Flush and renew anti freeze EVERY year and the engine will remain cool. Mick Richards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter V W Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 During the winter months in the 1950’s my Dad would place a paraffin heater under the engine of his car. I assume he did not use any anti freeze. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel C Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 yea my dad used to put a leadlamp under and a blanket on top Quote Link to post Share on other sites
roy53 Posted February 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2021 As the car i mentioned was an import from Texas i wonder if because they probably never used anti freeze that dry state cars suffer more from rusting up. I know the weather is bad now, but. Roy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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