[TR] First full year with my TR4

[Brian Jones]

 From acquisition in Fall 2006, this has been my first full year with  
my first 4-wheeled Triumph. Ownership resulted through a motorcycle  
accident that involved a disputed right-of-way between a white tailed  
deer and me on a two-wheeled Triumph (Sky Line Drive, Shenandoah  
National Park, VA). I needed a safer pursuit, and here's where I  
landed: A 'driver' TR4, Signal Red, black/white interior, white hood  
and tonneau. Built on September 19, 1962; registered as a '63 when  
imported and sold by Genser and Forman of New Jersey. She's CT 14455 L.

The car had sat for the best part of 10 years, garaged. It  
'benefitted' from a 1992 body-on restoration. The interior seemed the  
POs main concern, it was a new leather & wool carpet interior,  
installed by TRF.

The car had electrical and mechanical issues, but was still drivable.  
Several electrical items didn't work. Though days after bringing the  
car home I could not get it to start. Triumph Rescue lived up to  
their name, and collected my car. I was a bit dismayed, but Matt told  
me there was no one major issue, but a series of factors contributing  
to a whole: engine ground, new points, etc. All as a result of  
lengthy storage. I knew I had much to learn.

Other electrical issues, not the fault of Lucas, also needed  
attention. Electrical connections comprising twisted wire and black  
tape will only hold out so long. Some switches were broken, but  
thanks to ebay and the big three, all were soon resolved.

Continued difficulty in starting and a lumpy idle led me to diagnose  
a failed exhaust valve on #1. Compression was low on this cylinder. A  
squirt of oil to seal the rings didn't improve it, and I had copious  
soot at the tailpipe and blow-by the oil filler cap. Last winter I  
took the head off. This was beyond my maintenance comfort zone, but I  
had collected several books, found this list and enjoyed the  
challenge. No burned valve or seat was to be found, however. I was  
rewarded though, by discovering an oversize valve guide on #1 exhaust  
valve. This gave a 40 thou gap to the valve stem instead of 3 or 4  
thou, though the o/d was stock. The valve was literally rocking from  
side to side in its bore, allowing exhaust gasses on the combustion  
stroke to escape into the valve cover. I found a home-made technique  
in the archive to remove and replace the guide. With new springs, the  
rebuilt head started immediately.....I had now had a smooth idle, and  
able to better sense the carb and timing adjustments. I was gaining a  
better feel for how smooth this engine can be.

Brakes were next: I had only one pad wearing in each caliper, but the  
rears were OK. Overall, I had marginal brakes at best. Getting the  
seized pistons out of the calipers was a challenge. Compressed air  
could only remove the stiff but working piston. I ended up literally  
hammering the other two out. Restored and bled, with stainless steel  
flexible lines, my brakes now work effectively. Under firm braking, I  
can chirp the tires and even lock them up, such is the improvement in  
stopping power.

A refurbishment of the cooling system, including my replacing the  
brass tap on the engine block, released an eggcup-full of green sand   
- casting sand I guess - from the block. My back-flushed stock system  
has not yet shown any tendency to overheat even in Philly's humid  
summer and heavy traffic.

U-joints, better headlights, new burled walnut dash (replacing a matt  
oak, solid plank that half obscured the turn signal/ignition lights)  
followed.

An uncomfortable shake at 50 to 60 mph led me erroneously down the  
prop shaft balancing route. The cause turned out to be the car's   
original steel wheels. They were not true in any direction. I  
replaced them with 60-spoke chrome Daytons with the Fall offer from  
TRF. Though a gift to myself, I was not sure when I clicked 'send' on  
that order if I'd feel I had value for money. The whole setup,  
including true-to-the-car's-age white wall tires, was a couple of  
thousand dollars. I now know it was worth every penny, to me.

My final resolution this year was to overcome suspension-related  
shakes, rattles and bumps. An ill-fitting stainless exhaust system  
that had been poorly installed was resolved by a local custom exhaust  
shop: they managed to 'silence my silencer'. Remaining noises were  
elusive but resolved by tightening & retightening every nut and bolt  
on the rear suspension. Now, when I drive over rough road, even  
'washboard' tarmac, I expect to hear the usual complaints from the  
car. I am still slightly surprised, and not a little pleased, to hear  
none.

Yesterday, in anticipation that we will soon actually get a winter in  
Pennsylvania, I did a full fluid exchange: engine, tranny and diff. I  
took off and resealed the diff back plate that had been weeping,  
fixing the stretched bolt holes by DPO's over-tightening, and made a  
new gasket.

I then adjusted the valve clearances. I took more care over this than  
I have ever before. Not that I was sloppy previously, but unless you  
use feeler gauges frequently, I think it is an uncertain art. In  
browsing the old archives, as I am wont to do from time to time, I  
came across a post suggesting using the .009", .010" and .011"  
feelers as a set. So if you are unsure if say, the .10 is too tight,  
try the .11, and adjust accordingly. Its an 'obvious' idea, but I'm  
sure I am not the only one not to have worked with feelers in this  
way, am I? With much more precision in my adjustments, the car is now  
quieter than it has ever been. So quiet and smooth, I had to call my  
son out of the house yesterday, to listen to it. Its quieter than my  
BMW, my wife's Lexus and my son's Chrysler. It runs better than ever,  
with simply terrific acceleration.

Which is the point of this post. Like the feeler gauge technique, I  
have learned so much from this list. So many people I may never meet  
have helped me. Some have gone out on a cold night to their garage to  
take a picture to send me to explain something I could not visualise.  
The people who contribute to this list help more than just the guy  
they are responding to, they help many, coincidentally. This list is  
a tremendously civil (yes I've seen the flame wars and handbags in  
the archive), altruistic achievement built over the years by so many  
of you that has helped me improve a 45 year-old car I bought a year  
or so ago. She'll never be a show car, but is now a serviceable,  
presentable driver with a rich patina of use, that I enjoy to drive.

She's better now than when I bought her, and its been fun. Which is  
the point, really, isn't it?

Cheers, and thanks, everybody. Happy New Year!.

Brian
Valley Forge, PA