---------------------- Forwarded by Steve Manwell/BUR/XENERGY on 01/19/97
02:02 PM ---------------------------
Rudy,
Glad to hear you found your Morgan project. Tell us more about it
sometime.
There were two small books published by Triumph that are interesting and
useful. Moss has reprints of the Competition Preparation Manual. There is
a TR2-3A version and a TR4-4A version.
There is all sorts of stuff you can do to modify the TR engine. I am doing
a few mild modifications on my TR2 -- the kind of things that one might as
well do as long as the engine is apart. For starters, I've had hardened
valve seat inserts and bronze guides put in so it unleaded won't be a
problem. I'm also using the thinner stem TR4 valves (stellite) for better
gas flow. Stronger valve springs and lighter spring caps are available.
You can also polish the combustion chambers and match the manifold and head
ports. The TR engines apparently never had very good oil flow to the
rocker shaft (most originals are worn out), so its good to add a flex hose
bypassing more oil flow to the rear end of the shaft. You can also opt for
a tuftrided rocker shaft.
If your engine has 83 mm pistons (2 liter) you can go to 86 or 87 mm for 2.
2 liters, though as a TR4 its probably 2.2 already. You can also use a
higher lift cam. Moss and other Triumph suppliers offer performance cams
or you can send a cam to be reground to different profile. I sent mine to
Isky. With a new cam you need new or reground lifters so you might as well
use lighter lifters. As long as its apart, it seems like a good idea to
have the crank shaft balanced along with everything spinning with it. A
modern oil seal is available for the rear main seal -- crankshaft has to be
machined down to accommodate the lip of the seal. To absorb even more
money, tuned exhaust headers and Weber carbs are available, etc.
Triumphtune (now part of Moss), Racetorations, Cambridge Motorsport, all in
the UK, have extensive lines of goodies for these engines. See ads in
Practical Classics or Classic and Sportscar on the news stand. The Triumph
parts suppliers like the Roadster Factory and Moss, etc. have most of this
stuff here too, but often rather expensive.
There is also a clutch modification that gives a lighter clutch pedal. I
think it involves a TR6 or MGB driven plate with diaphragm springs instead
of coil springs. I believe it is most feasible on the later TR engine
(like yours) because of a flywheel change post TR3. There is an article
about this by Greg Solow that was printed by the +4 Club of California.
--Steve Manwell
smanwell@xenergy.com
'54 +4 with lots of new engine parts ready for assembly
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