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Opinions on a TR-2 Engine, Rebuild or Leave Alone?

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Mark_Gibson

Mark_Gibson

Jedi Trainee
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I was able to get the engine on my TR-2 to run today. Needed a carb cleaning, new rotor, cap, wires, plugs and points. It fired up and ran fine. 75 lbs oil pressure at idle cold, 50 lbs at 190 degrees at idle. Smooth, no knocking or any other strange noises. At 3000 RPM there were no noises either. Even the valve train was quiet. The motor has not run in 22 years, so getting it to run after messing with it for 30 minutes is impressive to me. The motor has 56K certified miles on it. I'm doing a frame off restoration, but my initial inclination is to just have the carbs rebuilt, rebuild the water pump, generator, etc, clean and paint the engine and leave it as is. I'm going to put at most 1000 miles a year on this car, and probablly end up putting on a whole lot less. I'm wondering if any of you with this motor have run the mileage up to 80 or 90K with no troubles. My TR-6 engine made 150K before showing signs of ring/valve guide wear. If I don't have to tear the motor apart, I can definitely use the money for other restoration parts. Plus, I'm thinking along the lines of "If it isn't broken, don't mess with it!!" Thanks in advance for your insights,
 
Re: Opinions on a TR-2 Engine, Rebuild or Leave Al

I'd agree, if you don't have any problems the way it is, leave it alone. However, if you would have to pay someone to pull the engine for you, it may be in your best interest to go ahead and do it. Just depends. I personally would leave it be. nothing wrong at all with 75 pressure.
 
Re: Opinions on a TR-2 Engine, Rebuild or Leave Al

I am going to pull the engine and transmission out of the car to replace the clutch and make it easier to get the body off. I'm definitely leaning towards not taking it all down.
Thanks Webb,
 
If you're not going to beat on the engine to bad, I'd just leave it be. Those engines are tanks, they run a good long time as long as they're properly maintained.
 
If you have no noises, and that type of oil pressure, then run it as is. Just make sure you change the oil a bunch of times in the first runs. You'll be surprised how much junk will come out of the oil.

And your story gives me hope that when I get my newly acquired TR3 home in the next few days, that I'll get it running with those results. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Sam
 
I agree with all the other comments. I restored my TR3A from 1987 to 1990 including rebuilding the engine which had 80,350 miles on it. Since the rebuild, I've driven over 87,000 miles in 15 summers. Just the past weekend I drove 981 miles from Montreal to Toronto for the TTC British Car Day and was awarded 2nd in the participants choice with 20 sidescreen TR's in my class. I don't have a CB or a cell phone. Likewise when I drove to VTR in Portland Oregon (7225 miles) in 2000 and VTR 2001 in Breckenridge, Colorado (5225 miles). Take care of your TR engine and it'll take care of you.

Don Elliott, Original Owner, 1958 TR3A, Black with red interior

https://www.britishcarforum.com/ubbthreads/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/1977/cat/517
 
Mark, I vote with the others for leaving it alone. And also with running it up hot with a lighter weight oil than normal and draining. You might want to keep a spare fuel pump diaphragm handy and keep an eye on the water pump. And just avoid using the choke, period, to avoid leaks. With a perfectly stock setup you can probably get that 38 mpg.
Tom Lains
 
Re: Opinions on a TR-2 Engine, Rebuild or Leave Al

Thanks for the opinions guys. I'll start the process of taking the engine and transmission out of the car tomorrow. It will LOOK like new when I put it back in anyways....and I'll definitely change the oil often once I get the car back into running condition.
 
Re: Opinions on a TR-2 Engine, Rebuild or Leave Al

Hi Mark,

IMHO, everyone is pointing you in the right direction. No need to tear into that engine as it sounds. Before running it much, you might want to drop the sump to see how things look and be sure it's clean. Long term storage can lead to a lot of gunk forming. I found what appeared to be the La Brea Tar Pit in the bottom of a 25 year old Honda engine that had sat for at least 5 years, even though it only had 6000 actual miles on it.

Enjoy!

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif.
'62 TR4 CT17602L
 
Re: Opinions on a TR-2 Engine, Rebuild or Leave Al

[ QUOTE ]
I found what appeared to be the La Brea Tar Pit in the bottom of a 25 year old Honda engine
Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif.
'62 TR4 CT17602L

[/ QUOTE ]

Did you find the fake dinosaurs too!?!?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Sorry, Mark. After seeing the pics of you gorgeous TR6 that you restored, I think I know you well enough to say that once that baby is out and on an engine stand, you will feel compelled to tear into it. Just go ahead and do it and make us all feel better knowing that there is another near perfect Triumph out there, saved from some amatuer restoration. By the way, did you see that super landing the Jet Blue guy did in L.A.? Wasn't that what you guys are all about? I had to applaud him.

Bill
 
Re: Opinions on a TR-2 Engine, Rebuild or Leave Al

Bill,

I will at least make the outside of that engine look just as good as my TR-6 motor! Ha! I will drop the pan and take a look, just to make sure it doesn't look like sludge in the bottom of the pan. The JB pilots did do a nice job. Flying the MD-88 at Delta, the only thing the book tells you is to make sure you have enough airspeed to gently lower the nose to the runway, i.e. enough airflow over the elevators to control the rate of lowering. If he had gotten too slow, the nosewheel would have slammed down on the runway, maybe breaking the strut off, and then the fun would have started! Nice job and great centerline control. Couldn't have landed that one better myself..ha!
 
Re: Opinions on a TR-2 Engine, Rebuild or Leave Al

My 2 cents is that you will regret not at least doing the timing chain/tensioner. Old tensioners will shatter after sitting so long in my experience.Also you know in your heart that the front seal will leak like a sieve after a few miles if you just ignore it. Everything else will doubtly serve quite well, but I think that a new seal,chain, and tentioner will add a lot smiles down the road......do it now!!
MD(mad dog)
 
Re: Opinions on a TR-2 Engine, Rebuild or Leave Al

Thanks for the advice, I'll definitely do that much, and maybe when I drop the pan change the oil pump as well....
 
Re: Opinions on a TR-2 Engine, Rebuild or Leave Al

Hi again,

Yes, it's probably a good idea to install a new tensioner. If you do so, try to get the silver finished type, not the black ones. The latter reportedly aren't very durable.

You probably already know, any rubber parts likely need to be replaced, if 5 years or more old.

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif.
'62 TR4 CT17602L
 
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