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Re: TR4 Daily Driver Question

To: BearTranserv@aol.com, Triumph <triumphs@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: Re: TR4 Daily Driver Question
From: Steven Newell <steven@newellboys.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 21:46:30 -0700
BearTranserv@aol.com wrote:

>I want this to be a 2-3 day a week commute to work car.  The question  is, do 
>I overhaul the existing engine, or do I change out to a non-British late  
>model Nissan or Toyota?
>
I think a stock engine will win on both cost and reliability. My engine 
rebuild -- just about everything -- cost just over $3000 in parts in 
2000, but that's worst case replacing everything. Your choice B might be 
reasonable, you'll know more when you start to pull it apart. Fitting a 
salvage late model Nissan/Toyota engine and transmission won't 
necessarily be cheaper, since in addition to the cost of the car/truck 
you'll spend some money getting it to fit and customizing controls and 
such. I had a British car mechanic rebuild mine, but the work was done 
in my garage in just one week (long story). Most of my smoke was from 5 
broken compression rings and one broken oil control ring.

Then I drove it as a daily driver for the next four years and almost 
35,000 miles. I drove it year round in urban traffic around Denver, 
Colorado. I don't think I missed more than a couple days here and there 
for repairs, mostly waiting for parts from Moss. I checked the oil every 
morning, just like the owner's manual says. I'm still driving it, but I 
don't commute so I'm putting on far fewer miles. And when my side of 
Denver started to seriously salt our roads I bought a Volvo wagon for 
the winter. I've had a few breakdowns, but only a couple I couldn't fix 
and drive home. And with a couple more gaskets in my boot there's only 
one that would have left me stranded. Oddly now that I don't need the 
car every day, in the past year I've replaced the differential, head, 
tranny, and front hubs. That's after 42 years and around 80,000 total miles.

A non-standard Nissan or Toyota engine will likely be less reliable 
because you're adding complexity. They're reliable engines, but in a 
vehicle designed for them. Melding the engine management system to youor 
TR4 probably won't be a trivial effort. I'm not sure where you put a 
check engine light on a TR4 dash? ;)  TR4 engines are easy to work on 
and maintain, and run well with attentive maintenance. Even with neglect 
they often give better service than you should expect.

--
Steven Newell
Littleton, CO




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