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RE: TR4A Engine ?

To: TR4guyinVa@aol.com, triumphs@autox.team.net
Subject: RE: TR4A Engine ?
From: pcarson@primenet.com (Paul A. Carson)
Date: Sun, 28 May 1995 10:03:06 -0700
     Well, to the TR4guy in Va, I don't think that I was deliberately
trolling for a flame, I was just trying to find out if other people had
encountered the same problems.  The problems were as follows...
     The current block in my car has cracks in the block from the corner
water jackets to the head studs (one is from a water jacket to the cylinder
liner), all from the PO.  I have known TR2-4A owners with similar cracks for
years, and nobody has had a problem.  The engine I have with these cracks is
operational and functions flawlessly.  This is apparently due to the design
of the TR engine, with its removeable cylinder liners...as long as the head
gasket seals around the liner, Bob's your uncle.  What I was looking for is
not magical goop to repair this in place or any other magical panacea, but a
feeling of whether my assumptions or the word of mouth I have received about
this problem are correct and the degree of correctness.
I know that with the block removed there are techniques to repair cracks
such as a ceramic flowed process or the time honored drill and plug.  I
STILL request information/horror stories about this.
     As far as my question of what to do with my original block, the one
that has numerous broken head studs and stripped threads, I wanted to know
if anything could be done with the block to resurrect this block.  I
received no answers from the list, but have found out since that machine
shops can drill and screw in robust inserts to save the block with a high
degree of success.
     As far as the availability of different engines blocks to buy or TR-4A
parts cars...in the Republic of California, these types of things are
largely unavailable due to heightened awareness of what these things are
worth and due to the robustness of bodies, etc., because of the lack of
rust.  People rarely give cars away, even if they're complete pieces of
shit.  These cars are actively pursued by professional restoration shops
that resurrect these cars and unfortunately export them to Japan, Belgium
and the like.  Little old ladies around here can typically teach you how to
scrape babbitt off of bearings shells, etc.  
     So, I am not trolling for the flame, but genuinely interested in anyone
has info about the block cracks.  I know that something needs to be done,
but again, people have stated that its a non-problem (as crazy as it sounds)
and I would like input besides..."you idiot, of course the block cracks
render the engine useless, and I'll never take your advice on anything again
because you are obviously brain dead".
   Sorry about the delay in answering, I've committed myself to OS/2 and
have had my system down for a while.....

Paul A. Carson                         1967 Triumph TR-4A / CTC 78299LO
Program Manager/Flight Test Navigator  1974 Norton Commando 850 Mk. II Roadster
Lockheed - Martin Aircraft Services    1988 Isuzu Trooper SE
Ontario, Ca                            1993 Honda Civic EX
(909) 338-9873                         

Yes...I really do wear a Nomex flight suit to work everyday...to keep the
flames off!


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