TR2/3/3A Engine Rebuilding.

[sp53]

Engine Rebuilding. I want to use some non-stock parts, but I am not trying to make it a go fast. Here are the pistons I want to use in the rebuild. I need rings and bearing and I hope I can find them. I pulled some rings off an old 87mm piston I have. The rings look like they could work if new, but they are used and have developed a ride on the outside edge so I not sure. I have sent emails to 2 ring suppliers and not heard back. I am probably not asking the correct question.

Does anyone know what thread pitch and diameter the oil gallery end plug that is missing on this engine is? Moss sells a part and suggests there are 4 plugs in the stick package? I do not understand what they mean and do not have one here. Any help, suggestions, or money will be greatly appreciated on this rebuild.

 

[CJD]

The plugs are threaded on an aluminum bar, so that you screw one into the block, and then cut off the rest of the "stick". Then you can screw in the next plug, cut off the excess, etc. They are not tapered, so you have to use a good thread sealant when you install them.

Rings are really fairly standard...either 1/16th inch for the compression rings, or 1/8th". Then the oil is commonly 3/16". If the normal ring manufacturers don't respond, try giving Summit Racing a try. You need the bore size and ring slot size.

 

[KVH]

Okay, I’m no expert but are we talking about that rear camshaft core plug shown in the photo? And those connecting rods are not off a Triumph, right? Just showing in the pic? Not sure you should risk anything but new rings. Is your front oil galley “stick” plug leaking or failing?

 

[Hamish Racing]

Yeah rings should be generally available if you have the measurement but I would try the piston makers if you know them.
Those rods look like posh Carrillo or Arrow I beam type unless like me you went for the cheaper MaXpeeding type ( which have proved to be excellent by the way).
the core plug stick are as described above. A pic here.
And in case a picture ref is useful. My new engine.

 

[sp53]

Thanks you guys that helped a lot. I bought the racing rods, pistons, and milled down head from a tr4 racer guy who I think was going into faster cars. The block in the picture, I purchased as an abandoned whole project car from a guy on Craigslist. The block has new cam bearings and was cleaned and painted once but never got finished. They did a so so job cleaning and the block was left outside or in a wet barn because there is rust in places; we get a lot of rain.

I would like to have the block professionally cleaned, but all the places I knew of are closed and the mechanists retired. If my wife had not retired, I would use our hot water heater with a hose hook up to it and dawn soap. Any ideas of cleaning a block at home.

steve

 

[DavidApp]

Make sure you get the threaded plugs well sealed with a hydraulic sealer. I had the front one leak on my engine. I may have forgotten the sealer on that one because I was still working out of town at the time so I could go weeks between stints on the engine.
Whatever the reason it caused me a headache finding the leak. Kept thinking it was the oil pan. The engine has to come out to fix it.

David

 

[sp53]

Thanks David that sounds like a tuff one to find. The last engine I rebuilt I only looked the old plugs over and went ahead and rebuilt the motor without changing them, probably a mistake. I have had an oil leaks and burned up a cam, so I am still learning. Plus I have an oil drip in the front corner on the driver side that seems odd. I thought it was the pan gasket maybe not

The rods I believe are the cheaper ones and could have some problems because I bought them on Craigslist, but they look nice. One of the things about the rods I do not like are the numbers on the end caps do not match and one rod cap has a 6 on the side. The pistons have some blemishes on the top that looks like it will come off with mild scraping.

Hamish what type of paint did you use on your engine? I am thinking of degreasing this engine at home and actually brushing on the paint. This car stuff is just getting too heavy to move around much. I am also going to look for some heat resistant paint I can spray or maybe just rattle can in the garage. This Fall came later this year in the Seattle area, but came hard and it is freezing out now. Anyways thanks everyone I truly enjoy and need the help with these projects.

Steve

 

[DavidApp]

I finally narrowed it down to the oil gallery plug when I could see the oil oozing out at the top of the engine plate on the drivers side.

David

 

[Hamish Racing]

Hamish what type of paint did you use on your engine? I am thinking of degreasing this engine at home and actually brushing on the paint. This car stuff is just getting too heavy to move around much. I am also going to look for some heat resistant paint I can spray or maybe just rattle can in the garage. This Fall came later this year in the Seattle area, but came hard and it is freezing out now. Anyways thanks everyone I truly enjoy and need the help with these projects.

StevI think it was this type of paint that the engine builder used

VHT ENGINE ENAMEL™ - VHT Paint

www.vhtpaint.com

 

[DrEntropy]

Not me in that quote! T'was Steve. Attribution inaccuracy!

 

[CJD]

Understandable...I can't figure out how to use quotes with this new site either. Sometimes I get...and sometimes I can't.

 

[sp53]

I bought the engine and most of the car in pieces years ago from a third party. My kid thought the guy was a home repo guy because the guy had it in an old airplane hangar with some other junk, like a boat and whatever. I have no information about the engine, but looks like it had been cleaned and painted then left in a damp garage. The blue paint on the engine is over spray from when I painted.

Anyways, I am thinking I should clean the block with some kind of soap maybe carb cleaner and paint black right over the black paint on it, and use it as is. There is not any grease on the block, but the inside block has surface rust which I believe would not harm anything and would have to be shot with peens to remove and that can be a different problem.

The question here is cleaning the oil gallery. Perhaps I could clean it with carb cleaner and rages like cleaning a gun, so I am looking for some feedback and perhaps a better way to DIY.

Thanks Steve

 

[CJD]

It looks pretty good. A few minutes with either scotch brite or steel wool should take off the surface rust on the gasket surfaces. If you have a power washer, you could hit it once over everywhere in a couple minutes, and then blow dry and douse immediately with WD40, LPS, or your own favorite rust preventer.

We'll need more pics of your pretty blue car in the back ground! We never got to see it finished...

 

[sp53]

Well I cleaned and painted the outside of the block before I cleaned the inside because the grease and dirt was off the outside, plus it cosmetically looks and feels better. I started looking into cleaning the oil gallery and did not like what I say. My plan was to clean the gallery with rags and carb cleaner on a stick, but the brass bushing in the distributor bay blocks a clear path and makes that difficult.

I removed one of those brass bushings many years ago by pounding the brass bushing out with a drift. I do remember the removal was not easy. However, it looks like to me I need to remove this one to clean.

The bushing seems to divide the oil gallery into 2 pieces and make the front section separated from the back section of the oil gallery. Perhaps there are oil passages that let the oil gallery sections blend together, but there is no clean and clear way through the gallery. How do they clean that thing?


Have you guys removed that bushing to clean the gallery? My oil gallery is rusted a little and had what looks like dirt come out of the front short section of the gallery. I have blown air through and used some rags on sticks, but I am not satisfied with the outcome. Once again I am open for ideas. Maybe a small brake ½ inch o.d. brake hone. Just do not have a plan, yet

steve

 

[CJD]

I use rifle cleaning rods and brushes. Pick a caliber closest to the gallery diameter.