TR2/3/3A Reproduction TR3A Grille

[DavidApp]

That is exactly what I plan to do. I have enough slack having slipped the clips on the fuel line back to the back of the engine.

Keep getting distracted by work related texts.

David

 

[DavidApp]

Update.

The gauge in the car is reading within a few degrees of the Grill thermometer which was the one that got boiling water correct. So I am running just below 200 degrees in the Georgia heat.

David

 

[Graham H]

Hi David,

If all your cooling system is working ok you should be able to get it to run at 185, you may need to put in a cooler thermostat.

Graham

 

[sp53]

My experience has been the engine is happier running at 185. Once my car starts to get close to 200, like sitting traffic the engine seems agitated. Does the engine run at 200 driving on an open road?

 

[Graham H]

The thermostat I am using is a Tridon TT2000-170 Highflow with a reducer in the bypass house, I tried the skirted thermostat from Moss, very expensive but it ran too hot so I took it out and fitted the Tridon and under normal driving conditions the temp sites on the 8 of 185.

Graham

 

[DavidApp]

Got a 160 degree thermostat and fitted it today. Not taken the TR out yet to see if that has helped.

I did remove what I think may be a 195 degree thermostat.

David

 

[groupdeville]

+1 on the Tridon thermostat mentioned above. The 170 degree unit works well for me also. Ordered mine from an outfit called "Sparesbox" in Australia, and had it by airmail in a few days. Why don't TRF, Moss, and the other suppliers carry these? When the Tridon thermostat opens, the area of the opening is larger than a stock unit and permits greater coolant flow through the radiator, without the downside effects of running without a thermostat at all. The increased opening area of the Tridon unit was measured and calculated by a friend, who found it to be approximately 30% larger than the opening area of a stock Triumph-size thermostat.

+1 also on the need to restrict the bypass hose opening. It's been a warm-climate Triumph recommendation for many years, and has worked well for me in many TRs and Morgans over the past 30 or 40 years.

 

[Graham H]

Be interesting to see how it runes with that one David

Graham

 

[DavidApp]

I do have the bypass partially blocked.

On a side note I did modify the grill a bit. Made a tool so I could gently squeeze the ribs to create slightly larger gaps. It seemed to make about a 5 degree difference. The needle stayed on the edge of the 5 of the 185 mark. The gaps are 0.62" now up from 0.51"
I have another grill that I could have used if the tool did not work.
The openings by the crank hole were not modified.

David

 

[Graham H]

David, that looks great what does your special tool look like?

Graham

 

[DavidApp]

Here is the tool. It is just wide enough to fit the main openings. Just squeeze carefully and check the opening.

Please excuse the welding.

David

 

[sp53]

That sounds about right. Mine is in there around the 185 somewhere. Sounds like your thermostat was too hot all a long—Good News!—need some of that.

 

[groupdeville]

Or, another alternative to the flat-bar stock grille is:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/153612958204?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

[Graham H]

Took me a little while to work out how your grill tool works but got it in the end, thank you David.

Graham

 

[DavidApp]

Sorry should have posted a photo of it in action.

Once again the pit helped as I could sit down in front of the TR to work on the grill.

David

 

[DavidApp]

Well the 160 degree thermostat fixed the problem a bit too well. I am running at 140 degrees now. So I will get a 180 thermostat as I understand the motor should run at around 180.

David

 

[Graham H]

Why not try for the Tridon TT2000-170 high-flowhttps://tridon.com.au/products/Tridon/35/479/thermostats-and-gaskets/528046/thermostat-high-flow#3

 

[DavidApp]

Hello Graham

I think my next step is a trip to Advance Auto or similar for a 180 degree one.
The motor seems to run at the temp . on the thermostat. The old one being a 195 one and was running just over that.

David

 

[DavidApp]

I fitted the 180 degree thermostat and now the car runs at 180 to 185. So that appears to be fixed.

Thank everyone for all the suggestions and help.

David

 

[Graham H]

Magic, you would have to be happy with that.

Graham