[TR] Head Gasket for TR3A - smooth up or down

[Allan Reich]

Randall:
Thanks for the great advice .. I will try to follow it .. not sure how accurately I can check the measurements. 

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "Randall" <tr3driver at ca.rr.com> 


> > 
> > The flat washers under the head nuts are special items and are important; 
> > hardware store washers are too soft and the wrong size. If yours are 
> > missing or wrong, replace them. I believe they are now available from TRF 
> > et al. Same goes for the nuts. I wound up with a set of 'tall' nuts from 
> > BFE, but the original spec nuts are fine, IMO. Just don't use hardware 
> > store nuts (even grade 8). 
> > 
>   
I don't have flat washers .. I only have lock washers.  Do you think the 
"Moss" hardware is better than going to a fastener outfit .. what grade 
would I specify?

> > BTW, the owner's manual specifies that the head gasket should be installed 
> > smooth side down. 
>   
I found reference to "smooth face downwards" under heading 17 re the 
"Low compression kit" ..page 27 of "Service Instruction Manual"  but 
couldn't find it elsewhere in that book.  So i went out and found 
Kenneth Ball's "Triumph TR2, TR3, and TR3A 1952-62" Workshop manual and 
it also said on Page 13 "a new gasket smooth side down".

Based on simple principles, there are different surfaces on the block 
side (4 sleeves, block) and only the head up top, so without knowing 
anything else, I would conclude that smooth side to many surfaces and 
non-smooth to the single surface ....  ie  Smooth Side down.  But that 
may be too simple.

Allan