Tim,
>Date: Wed, 06 May 1998 15:07:24 -0500
>From: karen hakala & tim hutchisen <hakhutch@megalink.net>
Below is my experience. I've had the car for 18 months and learned
quite a bit in that time.
Just finished a rebuild on my 72 TR6. Before I got 150-200 miles per
quart of oil. Lifting the accelerator pedal on the freeway at 70+ mph
produced a very noticeable cloud of smoke (engine braking - oil sucked
down the valve guides). My compression numbers were about 130 dry, 160
wet. The engine had 126,000 miles on the believed original piston
rings. The previous owner claimed a valve job 15,000 miles ago. I was
also a victim of low oil pressure, but the car performed very well, able
to accelerate from 80 mph in O/D in a noticeable manner.
I removed/dissembled the engine and painted the engine compartment. I
took the head to a local auto machine shop to get a seat replaced and be
checked out. The valve guides and one valve were worn and needed to be
replaced. I had new bronze guides put in.
The pistons seemed glazed. I honed and measured them and was suprised
that they were still well within tolerances. I replaced the piston
rings, all bearings, and seals and put the now clean and freshly painted
engine back in the car.
I have 450 miles on the engine and have only used 1/3 a quart of oil.
That included about 20 minutes of track time at Buttonwillow raceway
during the VARA/Moss event last weekend (used a full quart on the track
last year). There is no hint of smoke during engine braking and my hand
in front of the exhaust no longer gets covered with black spots. I can
even tell my oil pressure gauge is working with the engine at warm idle.
My engine ran very rich when I got the car (10-12 mpg). I think I saw
somewhere that this can glaze the cylinders and allow gas to dilute the
oil, allowing it to burn off faster. Try a wet compression test and see
if the numbers go up much. If so, suspect rings.
To test the valves, try some heavy engine braking. If you get smoke
your valve guides may not have been replaced or you valves may be worn.
There are others tests for the valves/guides, but this is an easy one.
Hopefully this will give you more information to improve your car. I
know many people that would be happy to get 500+ miles per quart of oil
in their Triumphs. You may just decide a quart of oil every so often is
worth living with.
Brian Kemp
72 TR6
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