TR2/3/3A tr3 rocker pedestals

[sp53]

Well I am making some progress on the tr3 engine before I put the body back on the frame. I re- torque the head trying to make that little oil leak on the taped side of the engine stop. The head bolts went down some on the manifold side of the engine (3/4 turn), but the other side was tight. I did not back the bolts off before I started and perhaps that is why. I never used to re-torque and never had any problems, but it does make sense to retighten. I looked at a couple of my books and they said that it should be done. The one thing that I did not like and I think I heard somebody say something about it (perhaps Art) are the bolts and lock washers that hold down the rocker pedestal;they cut into the pedestal too much. I think the fix was to use a heave flat washer on the pedestal. Has anyone else experienced the soft aluminum cutting and I think this thing actually had brass bolts on the pedestals. Does that sound right?
Steve

 

[TR3driver]

I have always used flat washers rather than lock washers on the rocker studs; never had one back off. All the catalogs show lockwashers on those studs, but I've often thought it was a mistake (and not the only one). My guess is that the factory changed to flat washers when the pedestals changed to aluminum, but neglected to document that fact.

The original studs & nuts were definitely steel; too much stress there for brass.