[TR] TR3 Engine rebuild

[Carl TR]

Well - I finally got the breather pipe plug out.   Major operation... 
Initial efforts resulted in the plug being pushed inwards.  I eventually was 
able to drill a hole in it , threading a 1/4" lag bolt into the hole.   I 
was then able to "reverse" the plug out by turning the bolt.  Had to take 
off the oil pan and clutch slave to gain access.

I know this has been covered before but ....  one old email and a more 
recent thread from the archives:   Is the outlined process below correct? 
Thanks Carl

1997 email:
There are several ways to tackle this... here's what I did when I started
my fresh motor the first time...

For some reason (dunno why) you're supposed to do the break-in with 30wt
non-detergent oil.  We took a pressure plant sprayer and filled it with
oil, then adapted the nozzle end to fit into the oil pressure sending unit
hole.  Then we pumped that oil into the block this way.  Theoretically,
this pressurized to some extent the entire oil galley, and I even remember
reading the pressure (albeit less than 10 pounds or so) on the gauge.  Once
all the oil was in, then we fired it up.  We ran it for 1 hour, then dumped
the oil and changed the filter, poured in fresh 30 wt (no plant sprayer
this time), replaced the sending unit, then started it up again.  After
about 500 miles I changed the oil and filter again, and did another 500
miles.  After that first 1000 miles I switched over to Mobil 1 15W50.

2004 thread:
Message text written by INTERNET:TERJE_KOLBEINSEN at bluezone.no
I've just completed assembly of the chassis / drive train of my 1957 TR3.
Yesterday I turn the engine around for the first time using the starter
(no ignition yet) and my question is: Am I right to worry not being abel
to get oilpressure readings during this short, slow RPM turning?

Is there anything I could do to ensure oil is transfered through the
system?

Message text written by Dave Massey:
You should see oil pressure when turning the engine on the starter but
since this is a fresh rebuild it may take quite some time to prime the
pump.  If you have the spark plugs removed the starter will turn the engine
more quickly with less load on the starter so you can turn it for longer
periods than if the plugs were installed.

Since this is a fresh rebuild did you pack the oil pump with some grease?
The pump depends on oil filling the clearances and without it (if the pump
was dry) air will blead pass these clearances and it will not pump well at
all.  Packing it with grease (both petroleum jelly of the special engine
assembly grease are good choices) will close off the clearances within the
pump and it will prime more readily.  Without oil or grease it may take
several minutes of cranking before you get pressure.

I highly recommend that you verify oil presssure before you attmpt to start
the engine.


Message text written by Randall:> Since this is a fresh rebuild did you pack 
the oil pump with some grease?

The pump on the TR3 hangs down into the oil, there is no need to prime it
with grease.

But the comment about spinning the engine with the plugs out, and it taking
some time to build oil pressure, is right on target.  After all, you've got
that great big filter canister to fill, and the pump only puts out a little
bit per revolution.

In theory you can take apart the distributor drive and turn the oil pump
with an electric drill until it fills all the passages, but IMO it's a lot
of work for no gain.  As long as you've smeared everything with assembly
lube, it won't hurt at all to turn the engine with the starter, especially
with the plugs out.

Message text by Paul Dorsey:At VTR recently, I was told to prime a newly 
rebuilt engine by using a drill
motor to spin the distributor shaft and temporairly produce oil pressure 
prior
to starting the engine.  I thought this sounded like overkill, is it?

Message text by JackDrews:It may be overkill if you're doing your own work 
on your own car because if
you need to solve a problem, your labor is "free", but my opinion is that
it's a good thing to do. I've built quite a few TR engines for vintage
racers and for cars being restored. I always fill the whole system by
turning the pump over  with a drill.  You can do the same thing with a
crank-type spin-on wrench but by using an electric drill and 30 weight
startup oil, the speed of the drill will produce 50 to 60 psi. For cars
with oil coolers and sometimes remote oil filters and lots of hose
connections, I like to get the whole system full, check for leaks prior to
startup, and make sure that the pump is primed.

But then, I also run each engine on a test stand before giving it to the
customer. This is especially important to me since about half the engines I
build are installed by the owner, not me. I started running the engine on a
stand after I shipped an engine from my shop in Illinois to a customer in
Colorado. He had a massive oil leak at the rear of the engine, and I went
to Colorado and fixed it.

I've run into some really goofy things and saved myself and my customers
from a lot of grief by running each engine on a stand, and pressurizing the
system will uncover some but not all of these problems. For example, the
aftermarket rear seals don't work 100% of the time. Occasionally I have to
replace them (but since I've found out what to alter I've had a 100%
success rate). I had an engine that had a timing cover leak -- the pulley
seal was misidentified by the vendor. It had the right OD but an incorrect
ID. I didn't notice that there was no lip seal tension when I put the front
pulley on - one more thing to check. I particularly like the ability to run
in a new camshaft myself and retorque the head, something that customers
cannot be trusted to do, I've found out the hard way. Water pumps are
troublesome too and some are leaky, and rather than try to justify to a
customer a policy of replacing them all, I use the customer's present pump
and replace when necessary.