On Thu, 29 Oct 2009, Ron Landis wrote:
> Listers:
>
> Question should I attempt to rebuild my TR250 engine, which still runs.
> Or do I found a newer TR6 engine? I have never done this before but
> want to try. How hard is it?
There's more than one answer to this one...
do you want originality? if so, then stick with the stock unit.
Also - WHY do you want to rebuild? Is the motor healthy? If so, why
rebuild? If it's not healthy, what's wrong with it? A LOT of stuff can be
fixed with the motor still in the car. Do yo want more power? This is
somewhat easy to do (compression bump, cam, header and so forth) if you
can read and follow directions (the Bentley manual is fairly easy to
follow once you get around jargon terms like "gudgeon pin" and "spanner").
How hard is this job? I think it's easy, but I've also been building
motors for a long time (I did my first valve job in 1968 on my Dad's
boat with a small block chevy motor). TR6's are just plain really easy to
work on. There's no high-tech anything in there. You do need to know how
to read vernier calipers and / or micrometers, but you can farm that stuff
out to a trusted automotive machinist... but probably the hardest part is
the physical strength needed to lift the head, the crank and / or the
block (the block is by far the heaviest component at something like 100
lb.) If you don't have a lifting crane, buy - borrow - rent one. It makes
the job SOOOOOOO much easier.
The other hard part is writing the checks for the parts and the labor as
this can get out of control easily. MAKE A PLAN AND STICK TO IT. You can
budget a series of knowns. You cannot budget a series of unknowns. So
don't get half-way done and then decide you want to put a hi-po cam in or
something like that. Budget it up front and stick to the budget.
As for swapping in a TR6 motor... it's a drop in replacement. But why swap
in a later motor unless oyu happen to have one sitting around? If the
answer is "so I can drive the car", then do it. Otherwise, I'd rebuild
what's in there, especially if you can ID that it's an original piece. The
adds to the value of the car.
Last - there's more than one TR6 motor. 69's are pretty muvh the same as
the TR250 (long-tail crank, narrow port head). 72 is the best year as far
as the best crank, rods and head, but they're getting hard to find in
non-modified condition so if you don't know what you're looking for ASSUME
that it's not all original and bid accordingly.
So - it's not a no-brainer, by any stretch, but with a plan, a budget and
a realistic schedule, this is a pretty easy job.
> Ron
> 68TR250+65
regards,
rml
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