General TR Nautical Heritage

[CJD]

Just had to share...

Yesterdays task was rebuilding the heater shut-off valve. I rebuilt the TR3A valve a couple years ago, and it was nothing special. The TR2 valve was stamped with a build month of 1/54. When I took the packing out for the shaft seal, it was actually a string wrapped around the shaft and held down with a packing nut. For anyone that has been around boats, this is the way the prop shaft in boats are sealed...using a packing cord. Most plumbing valves from this era use a paper fiber seal.

That just struck me... how, after the big war, on an island, in a country that became great for its navy, many of the ship-fitting companies were likely contracted to build parts for our Triumphs. Thought it was cool!

 

[TR3driver]

What did you find in the later valve? I thought they all used "string" originally. Valve packing is still in common general use, although these days it has PTFE instead of graphite.

https://www.wikihow.com/Pack-a-Water-Shutoff-Valve

 

[CJD]

Maybe it's more common than I thought. The 1960 valve had more of a paper packing instead of string...although that doesn't mean it had not been replaced over its 50 years. All the 1980's and newer household valves I have worked on used a rubber-like packing. I'll check the hardware to see what they have for replacement packing.

 

[TR3driver]

The 1960 valve had more of a paper packing instead of string...although that doesn't mean it had not been replaced over its 50 years.

Just to be clear, I don't know any different. It's been a long time since I worked on one of those valves, but I thought it had string in it. Which could easily have been replaced as well.

And FWIW, my first car, a 1962 Chevy, originally had a "rope" rear seal somewhat similar to the packing used on boats. I understand the TR2-4 motor did too, when it was built for tractor service. The scroll seal was actually supposed to be an upgrade as the rope wears while in theory the scroll does not.

 

[HerronScott]

What did you find in the later valve? I thought they all used "string" originally. Valve packing is still in common general use, although these days it has PTFE instead of graphite.

https://www.wikihow.com/Pack-a-Water-Shutoff-Valve

There were still a number of faucets and valves (outside and basement) in our first home that was built in 52 that had this kind of packing.

Scott

 

[CJD]

I've dealt with the old rope seals for the rear crankshaft. They are similar, in that they are, in fact, a treated cord. You wrap a single wrap, being careful to cut the joint where the ends of the cord meet. That single wrap is pushed into a fixed sized groove in the block and bearing cap. They are different in that they don't have a packing nut to adjust the sealing, though, like a boat. With a packing nut, if it leaks too much (or too little for a boat), you tighten the packing nut a bit to stop the leak.

Maybe the break in technology was the advent of synthetic rubber for seals? Everything prior to the 60's used rope and packing nuts...while boats, along with some other industries, have stuck to the "old ways". That would burst my bubble, though...I'll stick with thinking our cars have some "nautical" technology built in.

And by the way, Randall...you sure get up early for being on CA time! I'm 2 hours later and my whole family is still sleeping...