[TR] what happened?

[Andrew Uprichard]

Just by the way - I wouldn't say  "#2 and 4 are perfect".  They look kinda
black to me.

 

Andrew Uprichard

 

From: Triumphs [mailto:triumphs-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Rye
Livingston
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 6:02 PM
To: triumphs at autox.team.net
Subject: [TR] what happened?

 

Last week was Triumphest in San Diego.  I'd been rebuilding my 1960 TR3 in
preparation for this event with a pretty tight timeline. I got the engine in
the car a week before and was out getting some break-in miles and it was
running very strong, but I discovered it was burning oil like it was going
out of style.  Took out the plugs and 2, 3 and 4 were perfect - a dusty
white color, and #1 was so buggered up I don't know how it was firing.  It
was such a mess it was clear the oil ring didn't go on right.  So on
Saturday I pulled the pan and the head, pulled #1 piston out and yep, the
oil wrong was not right. The red and green ends to the oil ring and
overlapped and only one color was showing. Nothing appeared to be damaged,
and in effect with it not fully expanded it wasn't making any kind of a
seal, thus why the oil was blowing by and burning up.

 

Before I reassembled it I put the piston in as an experiment with OUT having
the overlap right, to see how it felt loose, and I didn't even need the ring
compression collar. So then I put the collar on and tapped the piston back
into the sleeve, then pushed it back up so the compression rings came up,
but not the oil ring, and tested to check the fit.  It was very snug, so it
should be all good.  Put the collar back on and tapped it back down in
place, attached the connecting rod to the crank, and then had to wait.  This
was Saturday and I needed a head gasket, which I ordered Monday with
overnight delivery and got it at 10am Tuesday.  We were leaving for
Triumphest at 8AM Wednesday, 1000 mile round trip.

 

Tuesday I got it all back together, torqued the head, adjusted the valves
and it seemed to be running well.  Went down to the British Motorsports
garage and Dave was doing a final tune up on to the carbs and timing.  He
had it idling for about 20 mins while he was revving it up and tuning
things, all good.  Engine purring like a kitten.  Being a new engine there
was a little smoke as he revved it up but very little, and I asked him how
long it would do that as the rings bed in.  With that question he revved it
2-3 more times and on that 3rd time, all of a sudden TONs of while smoke
come rolling out, like a cartoon, a smoke screen.  What the?  The mechanic
was flabbergasted as to what could have all of a sudden happened.  Now it
was running rough and spewing out white smoke. This was at about 5:30 PM,
and we were both at a total loss as to what could have happened.  I drove it
home, about 15 miles, pulled the plugs and took the photo which I've
attached.  The #1 plug is on the right in the photo, and as you'll see both
1 and 3 are a mess, while #2 and 4 are perfect.  Obviously something is not
right.  What I really don't understand is how #3 got bad too.  I didn't
touch #2, 3 and 4 and they were prefect before?  

 

Anyway, there was no ugly noise.  Nothing broke. It can be sorted out.  But
can't go on a 1000 mile drive to San Diego with it like that.  So I left the
next morning at 8AM in my non-Triumph back up car and had a great time at
Triumphest, but not in my TR3.

 

This weekend I'm planning to do a compression test and my brother has a leak
down tester so I'll do that too before dismantling again.

 

Any thoughts on what may have happened?  What I should look for?

 

And yes, some of you may have seen my post over a week ago about the OD
transmission I put in at the same time with the new engine.  The one that
seems to either downshift by itself under load in 3rd gear, or not shift
into OD in 4th under load.  That clearly become a non-issue with this engine
problem, but something I plan to get addresses after the engine is squared
away and running properly.

 

Thanks for the help,

 

Rye

 

 



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