Bfg

Bearing in mind a modest budget as I start to look at specifications to rebuild this engine to - I'm faced with various questions. The first of which is regarding bore size. The standard is 86mm. 87mm piston and sleeves are the very same price for a 50cc increase in capacity. But then, referring to the current TR shop prices - the 89mm pistons and sleeves are £170 more for an additional 100cc in capacity ( 2,188cc -v- 2289cc) and cut away / short piston skirts. Seeing as I have no wish to increase the compression ratio, nor to increase valve sizes or to invest £-hundreds in porting, nor will I be using twin choke Weber carburettors. Indeed I am looking forward to low to mid-range torque characteristics rather than higher engine speeds power (and yes I accept power & torque are linear).. am I not correct in thinking this 4.5% increase in capacity does not directly translate to producing 4.5% more power / torque.? So I'm led to ask - Can just 100cc difference in capacity be felt with a 2.2 ltr engine ? And, are pistons with longer skirts (of the 87mm pistons) less liable to cock, so be less noisy and perhaps wear less than those with cut away skirts, or is there an offset benefit in slightly more splash lubrication to the cylinder walls ? Cheers, Pete.

Good morning , My thinking this morning. . . The big end shells are clearly shot. This was evident by the deposits of white metal in the sump and also my feeling how slack their end float is. End float not being the issue, but their sliding so freely back n' forth tells me they are not such a snug fit ! Very likely then the big end journals are also worn. And as the end float is so free moving then I might presume the little ends are likewise worn on the gudgeon pins. And, with such an inevitable drop in oil pressure from the big ends being loose - one might reasonably expect the main bearings to also be worn. I'm sure when the engine last ran it was very free revving but distinctively rattly. As previously discussed #3 cylinder bore was seized with surface rust, and subsequent to it freeing off - my distinctively pink coloured penetrating oil had leaked into the sump. ie., passed the rings of at least one cylinder. This suggests the rings are seized into at least one piston's grooves. Clearly the engine needs to be rebuilt ..which was of course to be expected, but I live in hope for something to be better than 'one might reasonably expect'. Today I'll check the tightness of the big end caps to see that non are loose (with not having tab washers on the bolts), and also the condition of the rockers, and then armed with a parts and task list - need explore prices.. for parts from different suppliers and for the engineering / machining. I'll also go back to the engine re-builders, with this crude assessment, to further discuss / for revised quotes. Only when I have all the information can I balance the odds. "if I were a rich man, da dee da de da ..." Pete.

. The camshaft on these engines is situated half way down the crankcase on the LHS. It's chain driven at the front from the crankshaft and along its length it has a gear drive for the oil pump, distributor and speedo cable, and an extra lobe for the mechanical fuel pump. From the camshaft up it is cam-followers and push rods to the valve's rockers. From below / viewing upwards inside from the sump you can see the camshaft and its lobes. I only had a quick look before I started cleaning and I've not turned the crank to inspect them all, but the one or two I could see - looked in fair to serviceable condition. The one shown below appears to have a mark or a crack near the top of its lobe. I've seen this sort of flaw on cams which have been rebuilt ..and they seem to work fine, but after cleaning, a better set of photographs, and closer inspection we'll have to see about these. ^ looking at the big end bolts in this photo - I cannot see a locking washer.? Similarly in the photo (below) of the cleaned engine they are not obviously apparent. Is it usual practice with car engines to leave them off and perhaps rely on thread-lock instead ? ^ I'm also noticing the numbers are missing on #2 cylinder con-rods.

oh that was last weekend. Doesn't time fly when your hands are covered with filthy black oil. . Today Before n' After . . . ^ oops sorry, the engine was inverted inbetween photos

Ok, first thing first., Let's change things ! ^ My landlord had a scrap piece of 60mm dia steel tube, and kindly cut off a 60mm length for my needs. I cleaned it up (heavy build up of paints over rust) and welded it as an extension to the engine stand's rotisserie spindle. ^ now with the weld finished flat and the spindle greased - the engine can be pulled a little way out of the socket so its front engine mount clears the stand's upright. Success ! I can turn the engine over (safely) on the rotisserie spindle without needing the winch. It's handy that it holds the engine at any angle without needing the lock-pin. So., back to business . . . ^ this is as bought. But now that I can easily turn the engine on end and upside down, so the muck doesn't all go inside as I scrub it out ..this is now where we're at (below) . . Perhaps it doesn't look very different, but the filth that came off it was something else.! That's enough for tonight. Pete.

. a little more this afternoon. Starting with spinning the prop ..oh OK., the engine. ^ with the winch slid back along the strop rearward - Take the weight of the engine on the winch. Pull the spindle part way out of the stand (..it's still in the tube by over 3", but I have a scaffolding pole in there just in case the winch should fail). ^ lift it a little higher ..so the stand is lifted, a couple of inches off the floor, and rotate the stand under and passed the front engine mount bracket. Stuff a rag in there to prevent it scratching the stand. And then gently lower the winch. ^ with the engine hanging front end down - push the spindle back into the tube. And lower the winch. It's simple but a little nerve wracking first time around and with equipment I don't yet trust. I didn't rotate the engine further than this ..because the sump, although drained of oil, has not been cleaned out of its sludge. And I didn't want that gunge up inside the block. However at the moment I cannot see why it shouldn't now fully invert - on the stand. Turning the engine back upright is the same operation ..in reverse. It worked fine but I think I'll extend the length of this (60mm dia.) spindle another 50mm in length ..and add a couple of safety pins. Then it will just be a matter of sliding the spindle out along its tube, turning the engine, and then pushing the spindle back into the tube (ie. normal position). Although I can't remove the cylinder head with the engine stand mounted onto the side ..all in all - I'm happy with it being like this. Now back to work . When the engine was on end I took the opportunity to just slightly loosened all the sump bolts. So then, with the engine back upright on its stand, but canted to 45 degrees . . . ^ bolts out and straight into a jar of old petrol ..to clean them. I reckon that reddish colour is the penetrating fluid I put into the bores. It's leaked passed the piston rings. Otherwise yuk in the bottom of the pan. Black sludge with white metal by the look of it. BUT., there are no nasty hard chunks ! Yippee ! ^ a pair of disposable plastic gloves, half an hour with a scraper to get out the heavier deposits, 1/2 pint of old petrol, a dozen paper towels ..and both inside and out is clean enough to handle . That's the progress I wanted to make. And I'm really chuffed there's no nasty surprises (no big bits) in the sump. I also replaced the link from the winch to the lifting strop with a piece of 6 x 50mm flat bar. So all in all ..a good afternoon's work. Pete

^ valid point Colin. The rope I'm using over timber roof beam is 10mm polypropylene which has a rated breaking strain of 1400kg. From the information I've read and my own estimate, I reckon this motor weighs in around 200kg. What a nice clean garage ceiling you have !

. Yesterday was not so productive, in terms getting on with the engine itself, but I did get the winch set up and also a first arrangement of the engine stand. . I removed the covers off the winch and greases the gears inside. As expected they were bone dry. And I drilled a piece of flat bar which I through-bolted to the base of the winch. This is plenty long enough for the handle to turn, however with the weight of this lump it bends so I think I'll make another from a more robust length of steel. The hook on the winch's strap I clipped onto the rope I have around the garage roof beam ..so the winch goes up n' down with the engine. This means that they are always in close reach of each other. The garage roof beams are 5-1/2" x 3" timber, but as this engine lift is midway to its span - I cut a 3" x 3" timber prop to place under it. I don't know how much the beam would have bowed under that sort of weight but I had left 1/8" between the end of the prop and the beam ..and when the engine was lifted - that prop was in tight. I tentatively lifted the engine, just taking the weight ..with the motorcycle lift still under it. Then lowered it and adjusted the position of strop attached to the engine to better adjust to its centre of gravity (so the engine lifted up squarely. The winch's inside ratchet clicks as it goes up, and holds that engine's position without the need to activate a locking latch. Turn the handle the other way and it slowly comes down again. I don't know how it works because there's no ratchet lever to release ..but it does work. I tried again and decided to relocate the wire strop, where I had fastened it to the bellhousing end of the engine. I used a block of wood to hold the wire away from the cylinder head. Setting these things up for the first time takes a fair amount of fiddling around ..but hopefully will be easily / quickly repeatable next time it's used. ^ Fraction of inch at a time I tested it, up and down, allowing the winches strap to slip tight around its drum. I left it for a while (as I was greasing the castors and assembling the engine stand) just to check that the winch wasn't slowly loosening on its own. It wasn't. In time and after a few more lifts and lowerings, I felt a little more confident and so removed the transport pallet out of the way. Success.! With the castors greased the engine stand was then assembled. I must admit I'm pleased with the apparent quality of this very inexpensive stand. There are x3 through-bolts at the upright to base joint, but only one of those secures the socketed forward extension to the castored wheels ..so I reckon (when the stand is not being used) I could pull that out and then the two parts will lay flat for storage. I checked the rotisserie spindle in the tube, as I'd read that sometimes there can be a burr from the holes being drilled. These were fine, and the holes locking pin holes all aligned, so I greased the spindle and its tube. I had looked on-line how these stands are usually attached to the engine around the gearbox mounting flange. But surely that would make turning the engine over (crank, pistons, etc) really difficult ? I'd like to get to that end of the engine to turn the crank via its flywheel ..or at least its fixing bolts. I also seemed to recall reading that with the stand mounted on that end makes removing the rear main-bearing awkward, and sometimes impossible. I had seen on an American website and here on the TR forum where engines had been mounted from their side. That made more sense to me, not least because the engine's weight (frightfully massive to me !) is lesser cantilevered so far out from the stand. The LH side of the 4-cyl engine is lumpy. It has a ridge for the camshaft half way down the block and a sizeable lump of casting poking out where the distributor is fitted. Where the oil filter and the petrol pump were fixed would provide good places to bolt the stand to, but there is nowhere below this and the only place above them were the two small holes intended just to mount the ignition coil. The engine's weight partly hanging on such a small fastening might be theoretically plausible ..but to me would be a worry. Ok I thought - the RHS of the engine then. That's reasonably flat, but is of limited use ..if the cylinder head needs to be removed ..because the stand's top fixing brackets go onto where the manifolds bolt. That side's lower fastenings are where the dynamo bracket fit at the front, and the drain tap for the water jacket at the rear. These have a decent size boss so also ought to be plenty strong enough. So with four good places to bolt to - it's where I chose to do it. There is another issue though.. if one wishes to spin the engine over, because (..on this stand) the turning one way - the starter motor mounting would interfere with the stand's upright leg. And turning the other way - the front the engine mount plate likewise sticks out. ^ taking the engine's weight for the first time. The stand's upright leg is just 1/2" clear of the sump flange, so the engine's weight is least cantilevered. ^ The base of the stand is not bending, what is seen above is distortion from the camera lens. Indeed this stand feels very sturdy with or without the engine on it, and the balance point I chose is (so far) good. However the engine can only be rotated to this (above) angle in either direction before the stand's leg fouls the engine mounting plate or the starter motor housing. It needs to go out 3" (75mm) or thereabouts to clear. The rotisserie spindle is 6-3/8" long (160mm) so with it pulled out to clear the front engine mount, there would still be 3-3/8" (85mm) of the spindle in the tube. I won't need to fully rotate the engine very often, so later today I'll see if doing this, with the winch as a security line, is (safely) feasible. Hey, I can always reattach the stand elsewhere if it doesn't work out, or if I wish to remove the cylinder head. But in the meantime, this position gives me good access to turn the crankshaft, the front end of the engine including the cam-chain cover, and of course the rockers and the LHS of the engine (distributor, oil filter, fuel pump, etc.). The sump can be dropped ..and at 45 degrees either way - I'll have reasonably decent access under the engine. It seems that wherever these stands are mounted will be a compromise to something. As I say I've never used one of these engine stands before, and I find the weight of this cast iron engine rather intimidating, so I'll take things at my own slow pace as I learn. Pete. p.s. the flywheel supplied with the engine is the wrong one. Its pcd is 2-1/4" and the flywheel mounting appears to be 3-1/4". I've called the seller and he'll check what's what and let me know.

. parcels arrived ..early Christmas an all ^ yesterday, a day or two earlier than expected from HandyStraps.. I'll mount that onto a plate with an eye on it's end, and I'll pull the side cover off to grease the gears before use. . then I'll see if it it works hanging from the roof beam in my garage. And then today . . ^ The engine stand, half a day later than the "48 hour delivery" might have implied, but still within reason. Yesterday I looked on line to see how to attach an engine to one of these, as I'd never done this before. And then took myself off to Suffolk Fasteners to buy an assortment of bolts I might need. I had to guesstimate the length I'd need, so today we'll see if what I have will do. In the meantime, I got back from the TSSC club night on Tuesday, where aside from other things a friend (who's a bit of a Del boy) from the TR group was talking to someone else about having missed a few worthwhile purchases by asking questions first, and then before he even gets an answer someone else has got in there and bought the item. He was saying how he now tends to take a risk on the item's condition and buys first and asks questions thereafter.. Well, on getting in on that chilly cold evening, I happened to spot a pair of 1966 Alfin style rear brake drums, for sale, to fit the TR4A - TR6. There was no photo but then they were also not a lot of money. I knew Alfin made different styles but I didn't know what these were, never-the-less they are described as being from the right era ..as my intended car is from 1965 - I thought they can't be too wrong. At 11pm I wasn't going to find out which particular type they were - but I followed the message of what I'd overheard just an hour before, and dropped the seller an email to say I'd happily buy them as long "as they are reusable even if a little refacing is required" I guess I was the first, as yesterday morning he sent me a few piccies and offered them to me. I've agreed to buy. So now all I have to do is to get them from Berkshire to Suffolk. Lots of nice toys ! This now means ; I have bought a set of original steel wheels, their hubcaps, a pair of seats, a steel gearbox cover, a bit of a dashboard, an alloy rocker cover, then an engine, and now rear brake drums - but not yet the car itself. Am I doing something wrong here ?

Thank you Colin, humour of that calibre is scraping the barrel. Consider yourself, along with your uncle, formal discharged. As for the rest of you, let's avoid this thread drift. 5 degrees to your right please gunner.

^ oh yes brass is also well known to contain explosions ..not only small caliber bullets and cartridges but some pretty big shell cases. I remember my grandparents had a pair of three or four inch diameter ones decorating the hearth in their 'front room' which from the first world war.

. Brass and bronze are both alloys of Copper. Brass has zinc as the principle alloy, whereas bronze has tin as its. Of course bronze is also made as composite with manganese, with nickel, with silicon, with aluminium, or with a combination of the above and other compounds, dependent on what properties are required. Each are generic names for a family of copper alloys - and their percentage of the composition varies. Indeed white-manganese-bronze has a good percentage of zinc in it ..so is almost a brass, but the term 'brass' or 'bronze' is related to the principle alloy ..which in this particular case is manganese. Brass has been used for centuries for items which require strength, such as ; hinges, handles, coat hooks, valves, rivets, screws, nails and pins, buckles, bearing surfaces, boat fittings like fairleads and cleats, turning-blocks and the so forth. It is also used structurally in brazing and numerous tiny set screws, together with their nuts and washers. It's an extremely useful material which is nice for fine machining forging or casting. Bronze is very similar, but does tend to be more expensive. It is also deservedly renown for its high resistance to (immersed) salt water corrosion. Pete.

^ yes brass manifold nuts on the Sunbeam. The cyl.head's aluminium so no issues there either. I manage to steal another couple of hours away ..into the garage this afternoon. It was chilly cool but a little more progress was made ..and that was even in the right direction ! ^ I started off with wrestling with the last, rearmost manifold stud. It was *rather* tight ! I had been forewarned this stud goes through to collide with the rear RH cyl.head stud (the one which is missing) ..so anticipated its thread would be damaged inside. I was not disappointed, but with the cyl.head stud out the way I managed to free the exhaust stud by going inwards. I'm sure the big hammer helped rattle any rust on the threads too ! Thereafter it was a matter of carefully back and forth reshaping its damaged thread (inside the cylinder head stud hole) back into its tapped hole. It took a time but we won. Very kindly the seller of the engine gave me a cylinder head stud, so after cleaning out it's hole of crud - I then proceeded to fit that. . ^ fitting the cylinder head stud took a fair amount of back n' forthing to clean out and reshape the threads, but again - Success. ^ It's starting to look like a complete engine. Tbh., This engine is built like the Forth Road Bridge, there's nothing lightweight, sporting or finite engineered about its construction. I happened to find the 7/16" Whitworth studs are much the same size as used on my 1950's Sunbeam motorcycles (where they are used as cylinder head bolts !). These are a tad too long in their threads so I'll have to trim them off to suit, but I reckon even used Sunbeam ones would be fine to simply hold the manifolds on with. And the other end had 7/16" BSF threads so that'll be odd, because the Triumph appears to generally use UNF threads. Ding ! that triggers a thought.. If I recall (some ?) Whitworth sizes correspond to UNC threads. So perhaps that's what the Triumph holes are tapped for., UNC to go with their UNF ? ^^ I also found a screw adapter to go into the water heater hole in the block. Funny things I keep over the years. No idea where it came from but it may have been off the TR4 I part restored in the early 90's. It doesn't do anything but raise the hole from the block to 2" above it, but it looks more complete. More importantly it tells me the exact tapered thread size for when I go shopping for the correct fitting. Moving on .. to the other side of the engine. . ^ Oil filter removed, and the clutch slave cylinder tie bar, and to drain the black crude oil. That square-head drain plug had me wondering because it's a 7/16" size spanner and it wasn't going to shift without chewing things up (both the jaws on a lightweight spanner and the square peg). So instead I used my biggest adjustable spanner (which has wide jaws) and hammered that on as an interference fit and then with a two-foot extension bar ..and at the same time hammering onto the end of the square peg, it came loose surprisingly easily (and undamaged). So more success. This is becoming a nice habit. ! Tonight at the Sorrel Horse, Barham is the local TSSC club night. So that's it I'm off to have a beer. I bid you a good evening. Pete.

Brian, as Clive says the water is intended to overflow into the bottle and then as the water in the cooling system cools it contracts and sucks the water back out of the bottle. For this to work though, the pipe into the bottle should extend all the way down to the bottom, and the bottle would typically be half full when cold, so that air cannot be drawn into the pipe and back into the radiator. Pete.

^ I'd not seen one of those LH drills before, only stud extractors. But I guess it could only work in one's favour. I'd probably have to use a mains' power drill because the hand torque chuck on the cordless has an annoyance of coming loose in that direction. That's not really an issue, just an annoyance. These studs seemed really quite studdorn (if you excuse m' pun ! ), but then with the extreme of exhaust manifold heat cycles, over five decades, I guess it's not surprising they were corroded in. I'll buy a couple of sizes of those LH drills next time I'm at the tool supplies, just to hold in stock and try next time I have an issue. I think they're worth a try. Thanks.

. This afternoon I set about tackling those sheared off manifolds studs in the head, and in the exhaust manifold itself. I thought I had one sheared off in the head and the three in in the exhaust manifold where the down-pipe clamps to it. In fact I found another in the head which had sheared off just proud of its hole (mostly hidden in the old gasket). 24 hours soaking in penetrating fluid, and my attempt to remove the longer sheared off studs failed., with three out of the four shearing off just inside their holes. Just one came out, so the others needed to be drilled . . ^ Buckling down., starting off with a centre punch and then a small drill ..constantly checking that was going in perpendicular to the surface. Similarly with those sheared off in the cylinder head (below) .. ^ ..this is the other one I found after scraping the old gasket away. Looking on the positive side... drilling out all four sheared off studs at once wasn't so bad - as I already had the right size of drill bit in the cordless. ^ all studs were first drilled through with a 1.5mm bit, and then the sequence was ; 3.5, 5mm, 6.5, 7 and 7.5mm. The latter being the largest hole without cutting into the original threads. Of course, the previous smaller hole drilled through the stud guided the next drill size up, so helped keep things central to the hole - but as a visual guide to each drilling I eyed up the drill parallel to another stud I'd screwed into the good hole. ^ Drilled with 7.5mm. I had hoped to be able to prise the remain stud (thread coil) out of the hole, but it didn't want to play nicely. So I had to tap each hole out again. Thankfully the tap bit into the original thread so it was just the old stud being cut out. Btw. each is a 3/8" Whitworth thread. The same was done with the sheared off studs in the cylinder head. . . Naturally I ran the tap into all the other holes just to clean them out. I'm pleased.. The task (try to remove four studs, only one of which came out, and to drill out four studs and clean their threads out) took 4-hours this afternoon, so not nearly as bad as it might have been. I'm glad not to be paying someone £50/hr + VAT to do them.! I now have just the one, rear-most original manifold stud, that will have to come out. I'm expecting it to shear off, which is why I didn't do it today (..I used it as a visual guide for my drilling square into the block). Pete.

Handling this safely got me thinking. ok., it more spending.. but just in case I need it to lift this motor onto the stand, but also something I was going to buy for my boat (for raising / lowering its mast). 1200lb winch using webbing for £16.35 < here > I considered half a tonne (545kg) was about as strong as anything (roof beam or boat) that I might attach it to, so why buy heavier duty.? And I chose the webbing because I prefer the feel when handling it and it won't scuff across the boat deck the same as wire does. Nor will it corrode. Again I'll let you know how I get on with it. Pete

. . spending money like it's going out of fashion .. I must be getting old and suddenly consciously aware of just how easily an engine of this weight falling over might put me out of action for months, if not do more serious damage. A crushed foot or hand even sounds painful ! ..when did I become less than a young fool ? I guess my aluminium motorcycle engines just never presented such a risk. So for £37.67 including 48 hour delivery . . . SwitZer Transmission / Engine support Stand 1000lbs / 450kg < here > . I have a welder so might add a few bits. I think it'll be strong enough but sometimes a little extra bracing for stiffness is useful. And I'd like to add some sort of brakes. I'll let you know how well it works. P.

Thanks Colin. Yesterday I thought to spend a few minutes soaking them in my penetrating oil mix. That into the cylinder head I wrapped tissue around and applied the oil/petrol mix to that. . ^ with my not having oxy-acetylene., I'm not sure any heat I might apply from a blow-torch will make much difference. The cast iron is such a huge heat sink and the ambient temperature in my garage is so low. It is the cylinder head I'd need to heat and expand, not the stud fitting into the hole. However I can weld a nut onto the remains of the stud which ought to give me more to grip to turn. For the manifold, I've been soaking that in my oil/petrol mix over night. . . in the first instance I can get the remains of those studs in vice to grip and try to turn them. otherwise I will again try welding nuts onto them. The blowtorch on the flange might help with this size of part. I'll let you know how I get on. Pete.

Thanks Tony. not so much a wry smile of satisfaction as happily thankful. I didn't think to use heating oil - good idea (but for it being stinky). Instead I use 50/50 mix of synthetic engine oil (summer grade / recycled) with petrol (starting to go stale stuff) ..shaken not stirred ! 'cause I 'av style. Similarly I use a 25/75 mix of the same for cleaning the engine down. The petrol is the solvent and then evaporates away. And the residue oil defers surface rusting. Of course it also quietly works away as penetrating oil in any exposed threads. Pete.

^ Thanks, It doesn't take a lot to please me ..so I've already sat down and quietly very glad. I know buying a seized engine could have been a bear to wrestle long and hard with. Broken studs., what's the technique ? I have a few of those to deal with, one is the forward manifold stud into the head, and then there's all three studs to the down-pipe in the exhaust manifold.

. Sunday, so I'm just pottering, but I wanted to see if my home-brew penetrating oil had worked any ..to free up this seized engine. I started off by releasing the rocker / tappet adjusters ..to minimise as much resistance as I could. And then scratch marked the flywheel mounting flange so that I might see any movement relative to the rear-main bearing cap bolt head. Using two long and two short extension bars from 1/2" drive socket sets for leverage on the flywheel mounting bolts (..so what that ; 70cm (28") ..I struggled. Trying to do this and hold the engine upright isn't very easy on your own. Working back n' forth from one side of the engine to the other with no movement whatsoever, I then heard a gentle thud. It was barely discernibly, which I wouldn't have heard if the radio had been on. Did I break something ? Not sure., but the mark appeared to have just moved a tiny amount ..perhaps 1/2 mm I couldn't be sure. I continued working one way and then the other, tiny thud to tiny ..it wasn't going very far ..just that 1/2mm. No hang on that time it was a whole mm ! Back n' forth, around the bike lift, I could now get the mark to move 1mm each time. And then the mark jumped 3mm (1/8"). whoppie ! ..but it then locked up in that position So with my considerable weight bearing down upon the end of the lever .. Yeah ! ..It moved back 1/2mm. Working again, much back n' forth to get leverage and yet hold the engine up .. 1/2mm movement .. then 1mm ..and then aargh .. I thought an extension bar had broken. The four pieces clattered to the floor. But no it was eureka ! it wasn't yet free but the crank had turned perhaps 20 degrees. Then it was just a matter of working that around and back again. There was pop sound as a valve opened opened or perhaps closed (?) for the first time in numerous years. And then another. In short time I got the crank to turn 360 degrees. You could hear the surface rust being scraped off a rear cylinder bore (most likely #3). And then as if a spit of disgust, my penetrating fluid splurted out of #4 cylinder exhaust port. Ha, I side-stepped just in time ! I steadily worked the crank around until I had seen each of the tappets dip their head in reverence to the lever bar. Job done, as it became easier and freer with every turn. I added some more penetrating fluid, and am now leaving that to soak through the piston rings. It only took an hour but I feel it was a good days work. I'm well chuffed. It might all still need replacing, but being free does make dismantling things so very much easier. Pete.

Thanks John,. I haven't got an engine lift nor a stand yet, but with this weight of engine I guess it would be prudent to buy one. Talking about cleaning, I started into that for a couple of hours this afternoon. Just to scrape off the heavier crud and a first wipe down with home-mixed cleaning penetrating lube ..so I might dismantle without that grit dropping inside. ^ This is as was, and below is after getting my hands dirty. Access to clean around the front cases was awkward and in any case I would need to removed the fan and pulley sometime soon, so I got on and did that. (NB. I am taking photos of their assembly order). The water pump was seized but that freed off nicely with a squirt of penetrating oil and a little careful tapping. I also mixed-up some penetrating fluid and poured that into each bore in the hope it might free the cylinders up. The spark plugs were in very tight. Three of them were Champion and the fourth was Esso branded. And aside from being a bit sotty, all looking in half decent shape. I hadn't realised they were short reach plugs. ^ so that was the heavy crud off the outside. Mind you the black sludge deposits on the rockers (below) indicate a prior owner(s) ran the car on negligible budget... I'd removed the rocker cover and so aware of this before I bought the engine, so it wasn't a surprise. Despite the oil sludge (which oddly looks blue-grey in this flash photograph) I'm pleased that (aside from the rocker cover studs) its all there and the adjusters aren't all chewed up, from having been adjusted with a pipe wrench ! Still, I would not be surprised if the bearing journals were scored and very worn. Hey-ho it is some 54 years old and from a car which was most likely a fun ride for at least one generation of student. The forward-most manifold stud has been sheared off but there's a good amount of shank to get grips onto. Cylinder#2 is on its exhaust and #4 inlet is open. Their pistons are 1/4 the way down the barrels, and their piston crowns can be seen through the spark plug holes. Conversely #1 & #3 are 3/4 of the way down so are out of sight. But poking around with a bit of wire through the spark plug holes #3 piston crown feels very lumpy ..which is not what i might have expected. I wonder if there's a hole through it ? There's still oil in the sump so I couldn't turn the engine on its side yet. So I guess the next task will be to remove the oil filter, drain the oil and lift the block off the sump. Then we'll see if there are any horrors lurking in the slimy darkness. But I'll not be doing that tonight. Pete.

. after the frost had gone this morning, I decided to tackle this. My being on me own like - it went like this . . . ^ Just because it would have been too easy on the flat n' level, let's at least make it an uphill struggle ^ Then move the straps from being tied to the floor to being tied to the pallet. Theory was that it would be more stable. Whose idea was that ! ? With blocks and lever the motor ascended to dizzie heights. ..I'm not sure if Tutankhamun would have been proud of me or be turning in his Saatchi Gallery ! ^ Part B of the plan was to move the engine onto my home adapted motorcycle lift. That should take the weight shouldn't it . . . . shouldn't it ?? Shuffle., shuffle. Shuffle., shuffle. some more. *Crack* ..what was that ! ? ..can't go back now. Shuffle., shuffle. some more. Yeah ! Balance point ^ duhh., that pallet is bending quite a bit . . . ^ Raving Success !!! The bike lift, now with this heavyweight TR4A engine, is on rollers, so easily moved to under the block n' tackle I use as an aide when removing my Sunbeam (motorcycle) engines. With that tensioned (as a safety steady for the engine) the side blocks and straps could be removed. And it's now at a decent height to work on. I thought I could do get the engine out of the car on my own ..but of course one can never be 110% sure., and I'm darn sure it would hurt if I dropped it on my toe. !

. Successfully viewed, purchased and collected today. . engine number is CT564xxE so that would be a 4A from mid-1965 (..I'm guessing). This engine number is approx 2,660 later than Chance's commission number. I gather about 40,253 TR4's and 28,465 TR4A's were built, but I don't know how many of the 4A's were IRS cars rather than live axle. ..all I need to do now is to figure out how to get it out of the back of my Chrysler Voyager.