[TR] Smoking TR3 after replacing Head Gasket

[Skip Gurnee]

Hi Allan-
I'll jump in here and provide some basics, no doubt there are lots of others
who have better or more knowledge, so pay attention to everybody....
1.  Any water in the oil is a bad thing.  If you haven't found the original
culprit, you must, because it won't go away by itself, unless water was
allowed to get into the oil when you disassembled the engine.
2.  Since it's connected with a head gasket change, the gasket must be
suspect.  Is it possible the gasket was installed incorrectly, in some way
as to allow water and oil passages to cross  (i.e. upside down, for a
different engine, with larger or smaller bores, etc.?
3.  Is the head warped or block/liners no longer flat?  Did any of the
liners move when you removed the head to replace the gasket?  - there's a
gasket at the base of each liner which separates oil from water; if the
liners aren't sealing properly, you'll get oil/water mixing.
4.  Did you torque the head properly?  (I had a click-type torque wrench
that clicked at an indicated 80 lbs but was only turning 70, leaving
everything looser than it should be...)
5.  Smoke is caused by contaminants.  Either water or oil will do it.  Is
water coming out of the exhaust pipe?

Best,
Skip Gurnee
64 TR4
66 TR4A

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Allan Reich" <areich at telus.net>
To: <triumphs at autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 3:01 PM
Subject: [TR] Smoking TR3 after replacing Head Gasket


> I have just replaced a blown head gasket and now have a smoking TR3 !
> There was lots of water in the oil, in fact it was totally emulsified!
> The oil was a creamy mixture when it came out. I drained the oil and
> replaced the spin-on filter.
> After filling it with fresh oil, I started it up and there was lots of
> smoke .. it was not blue or too smelly.  After 1/2 hour of running, it
> was till smoking the same amount. The car is running as well as ever,
> with all cylinders contributing equal amounts when I do a "relative
> contribution check" by pulling off a single spark plug lead
> I checked the dipstick and I did notice tiny bubbles (maybe three or
> four on the dip-stick) ... must be residue of water that was stuck in
> the pan and other hidden storage areas.
> My questions to the group are:
> - Do you think just changing the oil will fix things?
> - Is the tiny bit of water in the slipping by the oil rings?
> - Can I just run it and it will eventually burn/steam off?
>
> Allan Reich - Vancouver
> 1960 TR3A - TS56713L (+O)