Boxofbits

😆😆definitely!

Maybe it didn’t matter too much though it definitely seemed down on power. With the reworked head and a good engine tune that may well come back. I know the carbs ‘swallowed’ quite a lot of water that weekend so possibly the filters were saturated? We’ll see what it’s like when all back together fingers crossed. Kevin

I know The TR Register have an initiative called the ‘Spares Development Fund’, and many owners or companies manufacturer spare parts of a high standard. Some very useful previously unobtainable parts there back in production. This is the link.. https://www.trsdf.uk/projects But I’ve not come across this one with the tensioner before though it could always be a one-off. I’ll have a chat with Moss and TR shop tomorrow about it. It would not be difficult to manufacture it from high quality sprung steel I wouldn’t have thought? Am I right in thinking the Standard Vanguard also was 28%? Not surprising the engines only did 60k before rebuild back in the day as the gear ratios were so much lower! Thanks all Kevin

As you say the tensioner far too brittle and just snapped, so it can’t be good quality sprung steel. I don’t remember them ever snapping like that. Funny you should mention wind noise. On the RBRR the wind noise through the soft top gets a bit of a pain after a while, and as it happened shipped a fair bit of water in the ‘lush’ conditions! Luckily I do have the original aluminium hard top stashed away somewhere, so I’m thinking of fitting that for events like the RBRR in future. Regards Kevin

My apologies I meant to say I do have the 22% standard overdrive which as you say is standard equip. I suppose when it was mostly ‘A’ and ‘B’ roads back in the day, the gearing was about right, so that’s why I was considering an overdrive with a higher ratio for the straighter faster roads we encounter these days, both here and on the Continent. The only issue I know of is that it will virtually be on a par with some of the standard gearbox ratios at 28%. However, I wanted it to have longer legs on the top gear cruising speed if anything. I’ll have a chat with ORS as you say. Thanks Kevin

Would agree with that Tim..definitely not your finest Sheffield sprung steel is it. More likely made in the GonnWong car parts factory somewhere in the Far East ! Kevin

Hi Triumphers After a few months in err ‘dry’ storage finally found cause of engine noise and down on power which suddenly appeared on the Friday night of the RBRR and put us in some doubt of continuing. However, we decided to get very wet and press on! Today, hooked the timing cover off and found a piece of chain tensioner floating around inside which explains the rattle. I’m guessing this would’ve left the valve timing to go all over the place too hence down on power. Could’ve been a lot worse but crack on now and get it repaired and ready - it’s a promising start to Feb! Picking up the cylinder head next week hopefully from Peter Burgess for valving and porting work so should be back in action soon. Anyone else fitted a 22% overdrive to these and is it worth it? Thanks Kevin

Hi Danny If no joy there are a number of companies out there on the net who recondition and reset existing road springs. You might be lucky and retain equivalence of ride height across the back but if not you could send both springs off for reconditioning and fit as a balanced pair. Out of interest regarding your rear flexi-hose in particular , do you currently have your car MOT’d, as both the condition at the time, and potentially going forward, of the rear spring breakage and weeping brake pipe should have been red flagged upon inspection I would have thought? Kevin

I agree new cars are a pain in the proverbial. They also undertake/ overtake, constantly change lanes behind AND in front you, and their lights.. arrrrgh!!! I certainly think all round improved vision is a must…including a dipping mirror! I’ve gone the TR6 mirror route for my 4a. Kevin

I would second that! Brilliantly organised and run by Tim, Nigel, Jason & co. And don’t forget a Sou’wester next time!

Right, DEFINITELY ready now..I think anyway 🫢😆

Many thanks Tim. BIG sigh of relief there! I may well change to an electric fan as it possibly drags a few horses too. I’ve just got around to finishing the crop of jobs I had on my list for the RBRR -and some..I’ve just finished fitting a rear screen heater from Holden. Fiddly, but hope it works. I’ve wired in a 10 minute timer relay with a momentary switch. It sounds like the relay is coming on which is a good start, along with a period ‘jewel’ orange warning light… so looks very good, but I just hope that’s not the only part that works! Usually get some condensation on the run so hopefully it will. I hope your ‘Smiths’ unit is still working. Kevin

That’s an answer - they were tightened when I rebuilt the engine, but maybe the rubber damper bushings aren’t quite the same quality as the originals (surprise surprise )! The TR4 and 4a ( maybe 5/6 too) have the fan running off the crankshaft hub, so being more of a direct drive it might be more susceptible to noise if it works loose.

There was and they were locked over. Possible that the rubber bushings are perishing, causing the bolts to appear loose?

All now resolved as per my other post. Thanks everyone. Kevin

Today I decided on rocking the crank to and fro by hand using the original metal fan blades, just to see if there was any free play in relation to the rear of the crankshaft which might be causing the clattering noise coming in around 3000 rpm, suspecting a broken crank but which didn’t really stack up tbh as the oil pressure was good, but apparently these 4 pots have an appetite for crankshafts. Rocking the engine, I noticed the fan assembly moving slightly on the hub, so somehow the 4 bolts retaining the fan had loosened over a period of time. I was relieved to find tightening these another turn each resolved the issue and noise gone. Which makes me think the rubbers might have perished slightly maybe over the years and led to some free movement. It sounded like a piston was just about to let go tbh, so definitely worth checking out these bolts and others on the engine before the run and definitely before stripping it! Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

Thanks Wendy I’ll TRy that tomorrow.

Thanks. Tomorrow I will try to narrow it down. Hoping I don’t hear a very loud noise in the sump!

Hi all I’ve posted this in another section, but posting in here as well. Today I decided to back flush the rad/engine and fill with fresh antifreeze, just to keep the temperature normal…hopefully. When warming the engine up afterwards, I noticed quite a loud ‘clattering’’ noise which comes in at about 3,000 RPM on a steady throttle up. This is with the car stationary so not under load. Oil pressure and temperature look normal and neither wildly fluctuate, so I’ve tentatively ruled out big ends or mains, for the moment, though still could be but I do hope not as I can’t see I can take the engine out and rebuild it before next week! I haven’t ruled out a load of other things like timing chain tensioner, cam followers etc. Does this engine have a ‘known’ weakness which might cause this? I have heard of crankshaft breakage 🤨. Your thoughts please! (If the crank is broke anyone got a spare 4a engine I could use for the event?). Just a thought…. Thanks Kevin

Hi all Well, as I’m doing the RBRR this year, I’ve been doing all those jobs that wouldn’t normally get done, like Brake Master seal kit, new brake fluid, steering rack inner rack joint shim, tracking and wheel balancing. Today I decided to back flush the rad/engine and fill with fresh antifreeze, just to keep the temperature normal…hopefully. When warming the engine up afterwards, I noticed quite a loud ‘clattering’ noise which comes in at about 3,000 RPM. This is with the car stationary so not under load. Oil pressure and temperature look normal and neither wildly fluctuate, so I’ve tentatively ruled out big ends or mains, for the moment, though still could be but I do hope not as I can’t see I can take the engine out and rebuild it before next week! I haven’t ruled out a load of other things like timing chain tensioner, cam followers etc. Does this engine have a ‘known’ weakness which might cause this? Your thoughts please! Kevin

Hi Dave As far as I know it’s a roll pin which holds the drive dog to the shaft. I’m not sure of the size of the pin, but Halfords do a box of roll pins, one of which should fit as they expand into position anyway. Failing that if the holes are worn you might be able to drill out and fit a slightly larger pin.

Although the asking price is quite high, it has provenance and is all factory original. How much would it cost to bring a car up to pristine condition such as this one? Ideal 10 Countries car! Kevin

Hi Tim Yes that is with the standard Lucas DR3a two-speed motor. It had previously slowed up prior to the new wheel boxes being fitted, but then I found the old wheel boxes were partially seized, especially the driver’s side. In fact I was quite surprised that the rack wasn’t damaged by this as the motor was obviously shunting it against a fairly hefty resistance, but I re-used that also. I also rectified the wiring configuration which previously meant I had no second (fastest) speed. If you look at the start of the video, the wiper blade on speed 1 does not quite touch the rubber in its down motion. Only when we got into torrential rain on speed 2 did it touch the two extremes, which I’m quite happy with. The gear wheel btw is a standard 120 ‘ wheel. I believe the TR6 is 115 as standard. The only work I’ve done to the motor is to grease it and renew the phosphor-bronze bearing for the crank, which was elongated. Did you finally fit a 14w motor or decide to revert to standard? Kevin

Hi all just a segment of footage in our TR4a going towards The Netherlands on day 5 of the 10 Countries Run. The rain comes in and up very quickly up to storm force. I’m glad I fixed the two speed wipers! Kevin

Hi just a segment of footage in our TR4a going towards The Netherlands on day 5 of the 10 Countries Run. The rain comes in and up very quickly up to storm force. I’m glad I fixed the two speed wipers! Kevin