The rebuild that goes one step foward two back!

[michaeljf]

Hello,  Well I have had bits and pieces all over this forum,so now that I have actually started to assemble the motor I thought I should put it all together (if I can). It's a 1968 built TR6 U.S. model (via Scotland) which is now in Australia (via Japan). I bought it in San Francisco in 1994. Enough of that down to the real stuff. Regards,Michael.                                                                                                               Bore 77.5mm (SORRY)+.002".  Pistons Mazda 3, Rods Triumph Lightened a "bit"and shot peened.  Crank (the one that fell off the back of the carriers truck and it's four week holiday till it found it's way back to me) crack tested Re-balanced and re balanced again after I convinced my engine ""adviser" that I needed 7 attaching bolts for the flywheel, heat treated and checked for straightness twice (once after it's trip off the truck). To be continued.....     

[michaeljf]

Hello, You might be starting to work out why I chose the title. Have come to a bit of a pause, the main bearing studs ARP Mini come in a set of six (this is my second attempt to do the mains, the first set supplied (ARP )were to long) but my engine build advisor says he has a left over pair from another job so will provide these and sends them (it's 120km) without nuts/washers so now waiting for those. Did the plasti gauge test on main bearings in the mean time. Did the end gap on the rings and piston to bore clearance(all .002") then proceeded to fit rings and discovered that the second ring has a 0.5mm (Mazda pistons remember) gap in it's groove so on the phone to the piston/ring supplier (about 600 odd km away) to supply right rings.Regards,Michael. The second picture has bridging piece for front of block which my son has machined (on his Bridge-Port) to clear the ends of the Mini studs.

[PeteStupps]

All those brightly coloured packages make it look like Christmas! You are not the only one taking 2 or 3 steps backwards at every opportunity though... everything seems to take 4 times longer and cost 4 times as much as I expect. 

What clearances have you got on the mains / big ends? I wondered whether smallest tolerance or middle of the tolerance is most desirable. 

[michaeljf]

Hello, And they cost about as much as my last 73 Christmasses too. I didn't write that down,will ask my son tomorrow (where I am building the motor) and havn't done big ends yet. Regards,Michael.

[michaeljf]

Hello,  Cleaned up the rods and got things ready to fit bearings and when I took the bearings from their Kings box they had turned into County bearings! Quick phone call to supplier and voice on other end( the 600 odd Km.one) said he would put in the right persons collection for Monday (same person who is looking into my ring problem) SO another step........ . So to stop from going sillier I cleaned and painted the rocker cover. And a couple of other photo's to keep you interested. Regards,Michael.

[Nick Jones]

King and County are likely one and the same.

The actual bearing manufacturer is King in Israel. County pull in parts from many manufacturers and stick their labels on the box.  The important thing is whether the bearings are standard duty (aluminium/tin) or heavy duty (tri-metal).

If you have the HD ones then measure carefully. On two occasions now I’ve found the King bearings giving .0001 more bearing clearance compared to Glacier. Maybe ok if your journals are at the bigger end of tolerance.

If you don’t have and can’t get the HD ones then suggest checking to see whether Revingtons have any of their AE remanufactured Trimetal ones available in the size needed.

You could also try contacting Basil Adams in the US as he has cornered a fair chunk of the world’s remaining stocks of VP2 bearing. Be ready to sell a kidney though!

Alternatively, best quality aluminium/tin from ACL, Clevite or Glacier. My old Vitesse engine took a good deal of thrashing with a set of Glaciers over 70k miles, with both they and the crank looking excellent when dismantled.

[yorkshire_spam]

26 minutes ago, Nick Jones said:

Alternatively, best quality aluminium/tin from ACL, Clevite or Glacier. My old Vitesse engine took a good deal of thrashing with a set of Glaciers over 70k miles, with both they and the crank looking excellent when dismantled.

I used Glacier in my recent 1500 engine build. I'll report back in 50,000 to 100,000 miles ;-)

[Nick Jones]

1500 engine is a bearing tester...... do you have an oil cooler?

[yorkshire_spam]

On 5/16/2020 at 9:18 PM, Nick Jones said:

1500 engine is a bearing tester...... do you have an oil cooler?

Yes, after I saw what the first 10CR we did did to the oil I fitted one!

[michaeljf]

Hello,  You are right Nick, The sales person informed me that County have the bearings made by Kings but.... as you can see from some of my earlier photos the Kings box and inside were lurking the County bearings which were sold to me as Kings bearings (which I am probably in trouble now, assumed were Kings Tri-metal ) and thanks for the suggestions.        So I get to 100 on here and 74 on my trip up the hill.   The supply co. have found me two sets of rings  to replace the wrong ones.  Have been making a baffle for the sump ( with the help of Johns emailed pictures ) Have another step in the wrong direction with yet another wait ,a special tap for the big end thread as one has a little mark on a thread.  Couple more photos to follow.  Regards,Michael.

[michaeljf]

Hello, Thread tap and nuts arrived.That bit done,now waiting for my son to mill a small bit of tops of pistons so I can hopefully assemble most of the motor! Regards,Michael.

[michaeljf]

Hello, Well I might be on the move (Foward I hope) again as my son has machined the pistons (photo). As can be seen from the first couple of photo's (in this post) how the bore ends up after a 77.5mm  machining, a later one of a couple of rods with Triumph little end bushes reamed to suit Triumph pins Shortened to suit the Mazda pistons which are modified from press fit pins to floating  and the top of the pistons a slight skim (.65mm, the height of the "dome") to clear the shape of the combustion chamber. Be back soon I hope! Regards,Michael. 

[michaeljf]

Hello,  The pistons are now back on the rods after their little trim and de-bur. All  between 381 and 385 grams with pins,clips and rings. Regards,Michael.

[michaeljf]

Hello, Rings are on pistons and pistons are on rods but now for the backwars steps, the bearings are wrong (county std. in King tri-metal box ) Thanks for some of Nicks detective work on that as the company wern't saying anything until I gave them what I had learned from Nick. Regards,Michael.  Rods cleaned and shot peened and ARP fastners.

[michaeljf]

Hello, The backward step is going to take at least two weeks as they have to order the King tri-metal bearings in (to replace the wrong ones supplied) and with the virus there will be a delay. I can just about go backwards without a mirror now!  Will do a bit on one of my other cars in the meantime or maybe I had better do a bit on  my wife's 3A? Regards,Michael.

[michaeljf]

Hello, Having a bit of a fiddle with this while I am waiting for the bearings....Regards,Michael.

[Nick Jones]

I have always liked the idea of one of those, but I’ve not sat in one much less driven one.......

[RedRooster]

Nah, tail happy widow maker and its a beetle isn't it?

[Nick Jones]

Make a nice noise......

[Hamish]

The bike would be the one for me by a mile. 

[michaeljf]

Hello,  Nick,it is the second one that I have had(the first one about 50 years ago and a similar colour to the 750 Sport) This one for 26 years,$6,500.then!  I'm not sure which sounds best it or the bike . I have another bike that sounds better than both of them.   RedRoster, It's a matter of adapting and we have a VW too but motor in front and four wheel drive,R32.   Hamish you have seen the better sounding bike on another thread. Anyway hope to be back on the rebuild soon.Regards,Michael.

[michaeljf]

Hello,  Well after too long a lay off,back to the build I hope.  Regards,Michael.

[michaeljf]

Hello, More distractions! Helping a builder mate re-build my mother in-law's ensuiete AND the grand-kids have arrived for the school holidays ( missed them for the last ones because of the virus). So next week.....Regards,Michael.

[michaeljf]

Hello all?  Well I have finally made a bit of a re-start. Plastigaged and fitted main bearings. Looking for my ring compressor (loaned it to some-one and havn't got it back yet so have to borrow one off a mate). Regards, Michael.

[Nick Jones]

Start made 

Crack on