I have been reading the rpm discussions about TR4 engines with a great
deal of interest. Old Teddy (1960 TR3A) is a retired (?) Solo II racer, and
has seen his share of high rpm operation, albeit for fairly short bursts.
Unfortunately, I do not know what has been done internally, as a mechanic
friend of mine did the work and always told me, "Don't worry about what I
did; just drive it! It's legal!"
Until I changed the ignition to an Allison electronic, the engine would
start to break up badly between 4,500 and 5,000 rpm. After the Allison was
installed I would regularly run up to 6,000 without even thinking about it,
and on occasion the needle on the (stock) tachometer has gone through the
"twilight zone" and touched the 0! The area between 6,000 and 0 is blank,
but based on the tach segmenting I figure it is probably touching 8,000 rpm
when it gets to the 0. I didn't do it often or hold it there very long...
I am sure that the engine is balanced, and I know the cam isn't stock and
the compression ratio is fairly high. I was running stock with needles
changed SU H6's with small air filters, header, large diameter exhaust, and
a glasspack muffler. Teddy liked to blow a head gasket at least once a
season, just to make sure I had something to do, and he made his displeasure
known about retirement by dumping his coolant into the sump through a piston
liner gasket when I got him ready for a parade several years ago. That's
basically the only engine problems I've had!
================= *** Jim Brannan
> 1. There was some gasket sealing crud used on just a couple of gaskets
TeriAnn is right; I just put enough sealant on the gaskets to hold them
for reassembly, and _nothing_ on the head gasket.
> 2. What did the blob of crud look like that was (PO removed) on the
> timing cover as a sound deadening enhancement?
I've never seen anything like that, either! How long since this engine's
been apart? Could it be dirt and oil?
> 3. Exhaust manifold paint: will any paint hold up? I can't spring
> for nickel plating it.
I just left the header the way it came...
> 4. The bolt (half threaded near head, rest smooth) that goes in the
> shaft on the transmission that actuates the clutch (locks the cast
> piece that has forks that moves the bearing on the trans shaft) is
> broke off inside. How the hell do you get it out?
The EZ out sounds like the best approach.
Yes, we _are_ having FUN!! Good luck!
-Tony in WI
Drive Carefully!
A.WOOTEN@GENIE.GEIS.COM
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