[6pack] Rebuilding an engine

[Robert M. Lang]

On Thu, 29 Oct 2009, Ron Landis wrote:

> Listers:
>
> Question should I attempt to rebuild my TR250 engine, which still runs. 
> Or do I found a newer TR6 engine?  I have never done this before but 
> want to try. How hard is it?

There's more than one answer to this one...

do you want originality? if so, then stick with the stock unit.

Also - WHY do you want to rebuild? Is the motor healthy? If so, why 
rebuild? If it's not healthy, what's wrong with it? A LOT of stuff can be 
fixed with the motor still in the car. Do yo want more power? This is 
somewhat easy to do (compression bump, cam, header and so forth) if you 
can read and follow directions (the Bentley manual is fairly easy to 
follow once you get around jargon terms like "gudgeon pin" and "spanner").

How hard is this job? I think it's easy, but I've also been building 
motors for a long time (I did my first valve job in 1968 on my Dad's 
boat with a small block chevy motor). TR6's are just plain really easy to 
work on. There's no high-tech anything in there. You do need to know how 
to read vernier calipers and / or micrometers, but you can farm that stuff 
out to a trusted automotive machinist... but probably the hardest part is 
the physical strength needed to lift the head, the crank and / or the 
block (the block is by far the heaviest component at something like 100 
lb.) If you don't have a lifting crane, buy - borrow - rent one. It makes 
the job SOOOOOOO  much easier.

The other hard part is writing the checks for the parts and the labor as 
this can get out of control easily. MAKE A PLAN AND STICK TO IT. You can 
budget a series of knowns. You cannot budget a series of unknowns. So 
don't get half-way done and then decide you want to put a hi-po cam in or 
something like that. Budget it up front and stick to the budget.

As for swapping in a TR6 motor... it's a drop in replacement. But why swap 
in a later motor unless oyu happen to have one sitting around? If the 
answer is "so I can drive the car", then do it. Otherwise, I'd rebuild 
what's in there, especially if you can ID that it's an original piece. The 
adds to the value of the car.

Last - there's more than one TR6 motor. 69's are pretty muvh the same as 
the TR250 (long-tail crank, narrow port head). 72 is the best year as far 
as the best crank, rods and head, but they're getting hard to find in 
non-modified condition so if you don't know what you're looking for ASSUME 
that it's not all original and bid accordingly.

So - it's not a no-brainer, by any stretch, but with a plan, a budget and 
a realistic schedule, this is a pretty easy job.

> Ron
> 68TR250+65

regards,
rml
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Lang              Triumph TR6!!            |  This space for rent
2009 NER Solo Chair                            |
Voice:617-253-7438                             |  Cell: 339-927-4489
---------------------------------------------------------------------------