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TR2/3/3A Engine Work 61 TR3A

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Earl

Earl

Senior Member
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I'm afraid I may have to do some engine work. Sounds like I have a rod knock, not sure yet but???? My question is, how far into the engine would you work before pulling the engine? I've limited help now that my son has headed back to college and removing the engine would definitly require help. Also I really hate to take apart a car that just looks beautiful. We just got her repainted and have new upolstry, lights and chrome, and I just ordered a new exhaust system.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nopity.gif
 
Hi Earl thats a shame,Here is an approach that might get you some driving time.If I suspected a rod knock I would pull the pan and inspect each rod bearing and crank journal for wear.If the wear is not sever you may be able to replace that bearing,assuming only one or two are the culprits, and push the eventual engine out repair down stream a bit. However, if it is wrist pin or piston there is no help but pull the engine---Fwiw---Keoke
 
I think some things are worth doing and if you think you have a knock there may be other things that would benefit from a tear down.

I have thought about how to get a rad out of the TR3 without removing the front apron. I wonder if you could remove the tranny form inside the cockpit, then pull the engine with a crane from the engine bay. Once this was done then the rad could come out from where the engine was (did I miss anything that would prevent this??)

In summary, I would suggest you go for the engine pull over the winter and have fun doing it. At the end you will know for sure there are no hidden "gotchya" in there.
 
Hi Earl,

I referred to https://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=36459#34 for the numbers below.

Keoke is right. You can check the big end and crank bearings from below. Big end (#86 on the illustration) might be carefully replaced without removing the engine from the car, if the crank journals aren't too heavily worn, grooved or out of round. You'll have to measure the journal carefully to get the correct size bearings, if oversize have been installed in the past.

Before you pull the engine out of the car, another thing to check is the oil pump/distributor drive shaft (#33). This can be removed from above, by pulling off the distributor, first, and then the dizzy pedestal (not labelled in th e illustration, it's just above #30). The drive gear (#31, driven by the cam shaft) is keyed to the shaft and that sometimes develops wear and play (#33 & #34).

A worn and loosened key will make a noise that sounds a bit like a bad bearing, most noticible at idle and lower rpms. If it's worn, it deserves prompt attention. If the key or shaft shears off, it can mean immediate loss of oil pressure and might do a lot of additional damage to the engine.

In case you haven't done this before, during removal of the dizzy, you might want to first set the engine with #1 piston at top dead center and carefully leave it there, then note the position of the rotor in the dizzy. It should point toward pushrod tube #1 on the head.

Note the shims under the dizzy pedestal (#30), too. They adjust the end play of the shaft and are important. In fact, watch the orientation of each item as it is removed. These precautions make reassembly a lot easier!

Everything has to mesh properly when reassembled. It actually only goes together one way. The oil pump/dizzy shaft has a tang on the bottom driving driving the oil pump, that should be checked for signs of wear, too.

Working in the bottom end, as Keoke suggested, there are some things to be careful about.

First, keep each bearing cap matched up with its original connecting rod. There should be a mark stamped on both, for identification and proper orientation.

While you have the caps off, it's a good idea to check for stretched bolts (#57), replace as necessary. The way to check for stretch is to thread it in by hand and see if it spins easily the full length of the threads. If it binds at all, the bolt is stretched and needs to be replaced because it will be impossible to properly torque.

When reinstalling a conrod bearing cap, start both bolts and run each in a little at a time, switching back and forth, to pull the cap up squarely. If one side were run all the way in first, the other side would bind and likely damage the cap or bearing if forced in.

You'll also need some gaskets, of course, and new conrod tab locking plates (#56), to put it all back together. (If there are no tab lock plates on the conrod caps, someone has replaced the bolts with the later self-locking bolts that stretch, which cannot be reused.)

Honestly, it's not hard to pull the engine out, but requires a good bit of prep work and disassembly. An engine leveller, that allows the motor/gearbox to be tilted while being lifted, is a big help. A second set of eyes and hands is useful, too, as you noted.

Hope this helps!

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif.
'62 TR4 CT17602L
 
Alan and Keoke are right on. I checked my engine for a knock way back in 1977 and found the middle main bearing cap had loosened. Just changed the bearing and re-tightned. Everything was fine until I sold it in 1986.

Oh , How is the oil pressure?
 
You certainly shouldn't be afraid to tackle this in situ, assuming you're handy and have a decent tool kit and ramps.
Just finished my TR6 engine rework and did it in situ.
Started with a slight knock, dropped the pan, checked the bearing shells and sure enough they were down to the base metal (copper?) the journals were fine though, checked with a micrometer. So "while I'm in there" checked the mains, same thing, "while I'm in there" checked the thrust washers, they were ok but changed them anyway, "while I'm in there" pulled the head and reringed the pistons, bores were good (just a light honing) however #6 piston was scuffed, so replaced that piston only (had to locate a used one that just needed the top ring groove machining and a spacer.
So ended up doing the whole thing and it's wonderful, oil pressure way up, no knock and great compression.
Good luck with it, oh and use a torque wrench! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Earl -- Just to add another endorsement, I went the 'in situ' route on my TR3A thinking that would hold me for a couple of years until a real rebuild could be done.

Ronald Reagan had just been elected president and I still had a full head of hair. Still driving lots of miles on that engine.
 
Earl, As if another word were needed here, I've the same story. Many decades ago as a student mine was doing the same trick, but upon dropping the pan found the journal to be the worse for wear. Stuck in new a new bearing set anyway (no choice) and it lasted the rest of the school year just fine. Go for it.
Tom Lains
 
BillSpit,
The Oil pressure is in the 60s warm, 80s cold. From that I assummed that the main and rob bearings are OK. I spent last night listening and listening trying to isolate or ID the "noise". I ran compression tests and have 165 to 180 in each cyl. The new plugs with less than 5 miles on them were BLACK. I'm wondering if the noise I hear is not a rod but fuel igniting in the exhaust header. Remember this car has not been driven in 15 years. The exhaust is clear, not back or oily.

Thanks for the advice
Earl
 
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