TR2/3/3A Randall's Trick

[Graham H]

I have a 1959 TR3A that i restored in 2012 and recently i started getting preasure build up in the radiator and water blowing out the overflow so i have the head off and find the gasket is starting to let coolant into number 4 cylinder. I checked the sleave hights and find number 3 is 0.003in on the pushrod side and 0.001in on the manifold side all the others are arround 0.004in.

I dont want to take the cylinder out so i'm going to try Randall's trick with the 26SWG copper wire soldered to the new head gasket, my question is did he use 26 SWG .018in coper wire and should i solder the wire to all fire rings on the gasket?

Graham

 

[CJD]

Here's the last time he explained it:

https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf...dall-s-quot-trick-quot&highlight=copper++wire

 

[TR3driver]

FWIW I used 26 American wire gauge, not Standard wire gauge. The AWG is just a bit smaller (.0159" vs .018"), probably not enough difference to matter, but thot I'd clarify.

My inclination would be to go ahead and do all 4 cylinders. But I can't really back that up except to say it worked for me.

BTW, it's not really "my" trick. I got the idea from an article by the late Ken Gillanders, originally published in the local club newsletter and reprinted in the "Tech Talk" collection they published a few years later. Ken later suggested using super glue rather than solder; but I haven't tried that.

 

[Graham H]

Thank you for your reply Randall if it worked for you and Ken Gillanders I am sure it will work for me.

There are probably engineers and purests out there turning over in there graves at the thought of doing something like this but there is an old saying in Australia that any thing can be fixed with Cocky wire. Cocky is a name given to our farmers and the wire could have come from his fence or just laying arround just in case it may come in handy.

If my photo works its what the gasket looks like.

Graham

 

[TR3driver]

Sure looks to me like you had leakage around the other cylinders. Seeing that, I would definitely do all 4.

 

[JerryVV]

Tell me more about the engine? Is it bone stock? Overbore kit 87mm maybe. Milled head how much milled off head? Just wondering why the gasket failed.

 

[TR3driver]

Cocky is a name given to our farmers and the wire could have come from his fence or just laying arround just in case it may come in handy.

Many years ago, small steel wire was used in the US to bind hay bales together. It was cheap and effective; and often used afterwards for fixing fences (or holding mufflers up). I grew up hearing it called "baling wire" (tho with a Missouri accent so it sounds more like "warr"). Often in cute phrases, like a repair done with "bubble gum and baling wire".

It's still in use today, although rarely for hay (after discovering that bits of wire were not good for cattle to eat ). Baling cardboard for recycling is the use I see most often. And I still carry a small roll in the trunk.

 

[Foura]

Back in the 60s, I was a driver in the Army Reserve. We were still driving ex WW2 Studebaker 6x6 trucks. On one occasion, the drop link between the clutch pedal and the clutch lever broke on one of the trucks. We used signals wire to repair it for a week until we could get a replacement. On another occasion, we repaired a distributor rotor with a shirt button and a bandaid. As Graham said, there is a common phrase in Oz that things are held together with"bits of string and baling wire".

Great preparation for my later ownership of TRs.

 

[Graham H]

I put a 87mm cylinder and piston kit in it and this time with the head off i measured the hight and its .030in smaller than new so its been faced a few times but i wouldnt think that is excessive.

I think the problem was that number 3 liner is low on one side , i should have it going tomorrow so time will tell.

Graham

 

[CJD]

I know it's probably not going to work, but have you tried turning the liner to different orientations just for grins? Also you can stack the FO8's to achieve an average good protrusion.

 

[Graham H]

Well it's all back together and so far so good no water leaks or system preasure buildup,did a comp test
number 1 170
" 2 175
" 3 175
" 4 170
Took her for a good run temp was on 185 all the way so now will do the re torque after 500 miles and should be good to go

Thanks for your help.

Graham