TR2/3/3A TR3 dipstick marks and oil level?

[karls59tr]

I read on another forum that the distance between the two marks on the dipstick represents 2 quarts. Is this correct? Also ,someone stated that if they just put enough oil in the crankcase so that the level was down 1/2 quart there was less problems with leaks? Any thoughts?

 

[TR3driver]

 

[Don Elliott]

I was adding a quart of Castrol 20W50 oil every 600 miles. I did this for 15 years. It was dripping out the vent pipe down beside the fuel pump all over my garage floor. Then I re-built the engine and had the bores re-honed and installed new rings. This was in 2007. I have been using Castrol 10W30 with 4oz. of ZDDP Plus since then (14,000 miles) and have no more dripping oil and I don't need to add any top-up oil between 3000-mile oil changes.

 

[karls59tr]

I run Castrol 20W50 as well. Why did you switch to 10W30?

 

[Don Elliott]

Karl - Originally, I used straight weight SAE 30 Castrol from 1958 to 1962 or so. Then I switched to the detergent Castrol 10W30, then later to 20W50 when I rebuilt the engine and restored my 1958 TR3A from 1987 to 1990. At that time every TR3 owner was using 20W50 to use less oil in their very tired engines. In 2007, when I found that my problem was the rings and had the bore re-honed as well, I thought I'd try Castrol 10W30 because in the new or recently re-built TR engines, that was what was recommended way back in the late 50s to early 60s. I am an experimental type and felt that in a "new" engine the 10W30 oil would run back down sooner than the 20W50. I felt that if more 20W50 stays up on the barrel walls, there would be more left up there to burn during the next explosion phase of the cycle.

The 10W30 Castrol has done a great job for the last 14,000 miles. I want to go as far as I can like this before I have to switch over to 20W50 because my engine will be worn out again. I estimate that at 3,000 to 4,000 miles a year that will be around 2030 just as I will be turning 92 years old. If I have to do it again - then so be it !

Life is great in a TR3A. I'm still only 20 years old every time I can get out in the TR.

Send me an e-mail message with your e-mail address. Who knows, I may stop in sometime when I'm passing through Winnipeg in the TR.

BTW - did you read about my tour through England in 2011 ? The Toronto Ragtop wrote it all up. That's me on the cover.

Click on the link below for the Montreal TR Club, then click on the small red words Pages from "Spring 2012 Ragtop".
https://www.triumphmontreal.com/members_stories.html




Cheers

Don Elliott, Original Owner, 1958 TR3A

e-mail : - 58tr3a at videotron.ca - - - - - leave out the blanks and change "at" to @

 

[CJD]

I'm with Don. Thinner oil is better in general. Less stress on the pump, less drag on the moving parts so better power and economy. But on a mileage challenged engine thicker may be needed to bring the oil pressure back up before the ultimate rebuild.