[TR] General Conversation

[terryrs at comcast.net]

A.  I put the head back in the TR3, buttoned everything up, and started it.  Wanted to run it up to operating temperature.  Hooboy.  Smoked like crazy, just like before I blew the head gasket.  Still and all, I retorqued the head.  Checked the archives about how cold it could get, found varied opinion.  Like Randall said, it depends on the metal, the ambient temperature, and a host of other variables.  I went ahead and retorqued it at probably between 100 and 120 degrees.  Will let you know if it's a problem.  Then, I readjusted the valves.  ...Uhm, this time I didn't do the four valves open at TDC at the same time, but as I should have the first time, making sure each mating valve was completely open before gapping the adjacent one.  No smoke, but a ton of relief.

B.  Old topic, but one we should probably keep current on.  Went battery shopping for my John Deere 210C diesel loader because it's close to snow removal time.  Autozone had Optima red tops for $159, but the date was stickered at 2/10 and the actual coded dates seemed even earlier, though it's hard to decipher these battery to battery.  A battery 10 months old already before I carry it out the door didn't seem like a good idea.  Also checked internet comments on a variety of batteries.  Everlast seemed okay.  Napa too.  Couldn't find anything newer than 7 months old in Napa, and no Everlast anywhere locally, not Robbins, Walmart, Autozone, VIP.  Went with a Sears Diehard Gold 65 series.  General comments were positive on the internet.  Need lots of cold cranking power for the diesel in the dead of winter here, despite an engine heater.  Any new battery developments in the past six months or so since I've seen it on the List?

Terry Smith, '59 TR3A
New Hampshire