• Hey Guest!
    British Car Forum has been supporting enthusiasts for over 25 years by providing a great place to share our love for British cars. You can support our efforts by upgrading your membership for less than the dues of most car clubs. There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Upgraded members don't see this banner, nor will you see the Google ads that appear on the site.)
Tips
Tips

Sick engine

Share this page

Thanks for the tip. My theory on these LBCs is that like kids, they thrive with a little creative neglect. Ever since these cars were new - and remember I was there from day 1 - more trouble has been caused by owners who won't leave their cars alone, always fussing with the carburetors, timing, points and God Knows what else, and so-called mechanics (now called technicians) who have butchered more cars than you can ever imagine. Remember the old saying: Perfect is the enemy of good.
 
pdplot,

I agree with you entirely. I worked hard for about two years to get my TR3 to the point where it runs well ... to the point where I can hop in, crank it up, and take off. And that is where I have left it. People keep tlling me that I need to regularly adjust the carbs, the valves, the points.. etc, etc. As long as the car is running well, I am going to leave it alone. If I notice something going wrong, I'll work on it, otherwise I'll just enjoy it.
 
I'll disagree, at least to some extent. I've spent waay too much time over the years addressing the results of neglected maintenance (including my own neglect). My goal is to do at least one full service (when's the last time you lubed the e-brake cable?) per year. Of course I cover enough distance per year that I've exceeded all of the recommended service intervals. Likely most people take a lot longer to reach the service intervals.

And for some odd reason, now I practically never have to replace corroded fasteners, or cut things apart. :smile:
 
Preventive maintenance is one thing - fussing is another. I constantly inspect all my cars and if anything, I over-lubricate considering I only put just over 6,000 miles on the TR6 in the 16 years I've owned it. I replaced a couple of hoses and the fan belt. I've continually maintained and upgraded the car - but - once set up and running fine, I leave it alone unless there's a problem. Compared to the MG TDs I owned back in the day, these TRs are very reliable. The only ignition trouble I ever had is when I tried to "upgrade" and installed electronic ignition a few years ago. When it continually cut out in hot weather, I sent it back to the factory for testing. They told me it was perfect and sent it back. I re-installed it, and it cut out again on an August day. I dis-installed it, replaced the points and have had no trouble since. When one carb began dripping fuel, instead of panicking and tearing apart the carbs, I rapped the float bowl with a screwdriver handle a couple of times and the drip stopped - permanently. I've found these Su/Stromberg carbs to be very reliable - if you leave them alone and stop fussing with them, lifting the pistons, fooling with the jets, taking off the domes, etc., etc. Just make sure they're pulling equally ( a stethoscope works fine), top off the oil once in a while and leave them alone. If trouble develops that can't be fixed with a screwdriver rap or some oil, then you can have them rebuilt.
 
In my opinion, you are both right: preventive and periodic maintenance is good; fussing is not so good. I have worked out a schedule with recommended mileage checkpoints listed. When I reach each checkpoint, I do the maintenance. Other than that, I limit my activity to checking levels and tire pressures before each road trip and generally checking things over for unexpected problems. My fussing -- and I am guilty of some -- is limited to paying close attention to any unusual sounds or performance issues.... but I try to refrain from tinkering around with my carbs and timing as long as the car is running well.

Must admit, however, that the urge to tinker and to fuss is great. One sure cure is to have a number of these cars (my friend has 15 LBCs in his barn) so that it's impossible to spend the time fussing over them. (ha, ha!)
 
You're not driving nearly enough, then. Every time you get the urge to tinker, take a drive and remind yourself "If something goes wrong, I'll lose this".

I have the opposite problem; generally every drive produces some small chore to attend to. Dang throttle is still hanging up somehow, only when the engine compartment is really hot.
 
I think the obsessing&tinkering thing comes from age and too much knowledge about our cars. Knowing what could go wrong can put a damper on enjoyment. My most enjoyable years with TRs were when I had no idea of what could go wrong. Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then. Berry
 
titanic,

Well said! Back in 1962, with a '58 TR3, I had no idea what could go wrong or how to fix it. I just enjoyed it. (Of course, it could be argued that it was "new" and unlikely to have any major problems.... but the car I had was "used" and had been abused.) Now, "some" years later and with a little knowledge, I think of the things that can go wrong.

Randall,
I don't want to give the idea that my car is trouble free. Like you, it seems that every time I take it out, some ("usually minor") problem arises: a loose screw or bolt, some strange noise, an unexpected hesitation, something sticking, etc., etc. Fortunately, lately, nothing major.
 
Back
Top