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TR6 Engine Rebuild in progress

To: british-cars@hoosier
Subject: TR6 Engine Rebuild in progress
From: paisley@cme.nist.gov (Scott Paisley)
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 91 16:27:02 EDT
Thanks to all the replies about my fouling plugs and oil consumption
about two weeks ago.  Well, I just finished pulling the last piston
out of the engine last night.  I found all sorts of neat things about
the engine, and should know what to do about most of them after I see
my machine shop.  But I thought I would ask the advice of the net
since it's the best around!  This is a '75 TR6 I'm talking about here...

The head was a BITCH to get off.  And required some major whacking
with a 2x4 and a hammer to get off.  I couldn't get 4 of the exhaust
studs out so I had to remove the head with those studs in place.  I
had an engine stand so I was able to use the following method which
might prove useful to someone who has a similar problem with head
removal.  Turn the engine upside down.  Take a rope and make a sling
by wrapping the rope around the head and the block so that there is
enough room for the head to drop off the block but not hit the floor.
Place the 2x4 on the manifold side of the head and start wacking the
2x4 with a hammer.  When the head drops off, it will be caught in the
sling.  Worked like a champ, and I must say, that it was not my
idea...  It was my mothers...  Yay mom!

Now for lots of engine questions!  Gigga AD-thanks-VANCE !!!

. Some of the pistons are scratched on the sides below the rings.
Does this qualify them for replacement?  Personally, I think they can
be reused without any problems with a long life still.  I will have
them cleaned at the machine shop.  The rings will be renewed as well
as rod bushings.  The tops are NOT pitted, and the cylinder walls make
a baby's butt look like sand paper.  To my surprise the cyl walls are
in great shape.  (Of course they may not be round but I'll have to ask
the shop about that.  :-)

. The cam is shot.  Mostly the lobes are pitted, just plain ugly.
Anyone got suggestions for a replacement?  I'm not interested in
something like a roller cam, but something with a *little* more lift
might be attractive..  :-) My machine shop says that they can fix the
old one.  Anyone have that kind of work done?  Can I believe them?

. Some of the tappets are badly pitted too.  Can I just replace the
pitted ones?  Or it is best to replace them all?  Seven of them appear
to be in good shape.  Do the exhaust valves take more of a beating than
intake?  That is, can I buy 6 new ones for just the exhaust, and use
the old ones for intake?

. I had one bearing in it that was scored, big time.  That was on
number one.  The crank isn't in bad shape at all, but I'm going to
have it turned to make sure it's real smooth.  My quote for that was
$75.  The engine is going to get new bearings all around of course.

. My machine shop says that I can't put in new valve guides without a
press?  Is that true?  Any tricks I should know about?  They also
suggest that they rebuild the head, not me.  Uh, I feel like I could
do it, but then again I've never done it so... Have any of you guys
rebuild a head in your garage?  (or in the kitchen sink for that
matter... ;-)

. Does anyone know what the thickness of the clutch disk is supposed
to be when new?  TRF doesn't seem to list the spec, nor does my Haynes
manual.  I was told that the clutch was new, but from the clutches I
have seen, it hardly looks new.  It's not worn out, but I want to
replace it since I've got this sucker completely apart.

. I would like to raise the compression on this engine just a tad.
Stock it's at 7.75, and I'd like to see 8.5 like the earlier engines.
Am I being stupid, or is this a good idea?

. what should I watch out for when I re-assemble this puppy?

. what oil should I use to break in the rebuild?  How soon can I start
to run synthetic?

. any mods I should know about before I can't do them?

I must say I feel good about the engine in general though.  As for my
oil consumption problem, most of the oil was going through the valve
guides, and other oil was leaving via the rear crank seal.  From the
look of the pistons there was some blow by grudgeon pins.  (a black
color there which wasn't on the rest of the piston.  The inside of the
bell housing of the trans was VERY oily.  Kinda funny though...  Not
many drips when it was running.  Of course now there WILL BE NO drips!
:-)

BTW does anyone know how to remove grease from a sun keyboard?  :-)

---
"Well, if you can't believe what you read in a comic book, what *can*
you believe?!"                      -- Bullwinkle J. Moose [Jay Ward]

Scott Paisley        paisley@cme.nist.gov      ..!uunet!cme-durer!paisley


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