To begin with, I would like to thank everyone who contributed thoughts
towards trying to solve my problems of spinning bearings. I copied and
pasted all of these messages into one document and printed it. Now I can
grind away on what was said, and hopefully improve on my situation.
<<Just for completeness, I assume you are talking about the later "full flow"
Purolator setup. Earlier engines (as described in the red manual) used a
'bypass' arrangement, where oil from the filter was returned to the sump,
and the galleries always fed with 'unfiltered' oil. I believe this was done
because the early felt filters could not pass enough oil. The later setup
has a bypass valve for just the reason you mention, so the engine still
receives oil even when the filter media becomes clogged.>>
After I read the above, I went down to the garage and looked in my massive
stash of old parts. I did find one different filter head with a recessed
nose plug, which seems like the plug will not come out. In other words, I
would not be able to use my existing oil cooler setup. The oil cooler supply
is connected to the filter head by removing the nose plug. This part has
printing on the outside of TECALEMIT L FILTER NO FA2735, ELT.NoFP3305/105,and
on the inside,114719171 .
The filter head that I have always used has outside printing of: DIALOY 2, AP
CO LTD, PUROLATOR, REG. TRADE MARK. The number inside of this filter head is
M/C7854D. This filter head has the removable nose plug where my oil cooler
supply is connected. Both filter heads have the following spring loaded
ball bearings: 1) Main relief valve to control high oil pressure by returning
oil to the sump (can be adjusted from outside the engine), and 2) relief
valve to bypass the filter and send oil directly to the oil gallery. I do
not know which filter head is the older or newer.
<< We manufacture an oil cooler line adapter block that goes between the
oil filter adapter and the block of the engine. The route that the oil
follows is: out of the pump past the main oil pressure relief valve, through
the filter, then out to the cooler and then back into the main galley of the
engine. This prevents cooler failure due to oil pressure surges when the oil
is cold and also filters the oil before running it through the cooler. This
should keep the cooler clean in case of engine debris problems.>>
I re-analyzed my ancient components that I bought from Bix Durbin in 1966
after he sent his TR-3 end over end at Nelson Ledges. The sandwich block
that goes between the Purolator Filter head and the block shuts off any oil
going to the oil gallery, sends it all to the oil cooler, and returning it to
the oil gallery. There is still a hole in the Purolator filter head in front
of the filter to let oil bypass the filter. This hole resulted in taking out
the nose plug to connect the cooler. The spring and ball bearing then comes
out.
<<We measure the oil pressure directly out of the main galley instead of the
standard location and have installed an adapter block in this oil line where
there is a 30 # switch to turn on a low oil pressure light as well as the
pipe going to the oil pressure gauge.>>
This is a good idea. I assume that you had to drill and tap an oil gallery
plug hole. I installed an oil pressure idiot light switch in the existing
gage line -- not as good a setup as your 30# switch.
<<We have constructed a special "pick up" that is basically a rectangular box
with a screened bottom. the bottom
of the box is in the same location as the open end of the standard pickup
tube but the opening faces the floor of the oil pan instead of being a
horizontal tube with an open end. The open bottom of the box is about
3/16"off of the bottom of the oil pan.>>
Another good idea. I wonder if anyone makes and sells these things? Of
course it would require the deep, aluminum sump. There is very limited room
for the oil pump to clear the slotted opening at the top of the stock oil
pan. The dip stick also has to fit.
<<With yoko A 008R race tires we have experienced oil starvation only under
one set of circumstances. That is hard braking, followed by a left turn and
then immediate hard acceleration.>>
This is interesting. My last two bearing spins took place at the hard left
turn entering the straight for the long sweeping right hand turn at Nelson
Ledges.
<<We have installed horizontal surge baffles on both sides of the pan to
prevent oil going up the side of the block from centrifigul force. Next we
are going to try the same type of horizontal plate at the front of the pan to
prevent oil going forward up into the block under hard braking. I hope that
this should solve the current problem. the next thing might be to move the
pickup forward in the pan.>>
Excellent idea if it can be done. There must be some very critical
measurements and clearances. You need room for the oil pump, attachment, and
dip stick. I am taking my baffle out. It might be providing a good ramp for
the oil to fly up the block in its vertical position.
<<Part of the problem may be that, as discussed on this list at
times...bearings aren't exactly what they used to be either...
Vandervell tri-metal bearings are hard to come by and after reading some of
the comments on this list, I was very relieved to find a complete set of
.010 under Vandervell bearings for the TR4A. The factory had trouble with
bearings and had to upgrade them when developing the engine for the TR2
(ref: Triumph Guide).>>
This is probably right. I have been using what ever the Roadster Factory
sends to me -- mostly Glacier. In the olden days, everyone seemed to be
using the Glacier over the Vandervell bearings. At that time, they were
harder and seemed to last for more races. Now everybody seems to want
Vandervell bearings. Does anyone know a good source for these bearings?
<<While bearing quality may have declined, I think oil quality has gained
tremendously from the 50's and 60's. I have used Castrol Syntec in the TR4A
since it's break in with new pistons and sleeves 15 years ago...>>
I have a couple of cases of the Castrol Syntex in the garage, but never used
it yet. Recently, I have been following the Jack Wheeler 20w/50 Valvolene
Racing Oil with Molydine (now Mr. Moly-can't get Molydine anymore) for the
first weekend, and then going to Redline.
<<The 3 quart Accusump is tapped directly into the main oil gallery at the
location
of the rearmost bolt. The Accusump does get hot after a run, so it is seeing
some hot oil. I have wondered
just how necessary it really is on more than one occasion!>>
This seems like the logical thing to do. I assume that you had to drill and
tap the plug hole for the fitting. My guess would be that it is very
necessary. If it is getting hot, oil is moving back and fourth making up for
pressure drops due to sloshing.
<snip><< I finally noticed that when you take the plug out of the
Purolater Filter Head to hook up the original Triumph oil cooler, the spring
and ball must be removed. >><snip>Not at all! The factory filter head hose
adapter has a seat for the relief spring and ball!>>
Hardy now informs me that I do not have the real factory setup. The ancient
system that I bought from Bix Durbin consisted of the cooler that mounts on
the side of the radiator, sandwich plate that fits between the block and the
Purolator filter head, and heavy rubber hoses with fittings, which have been
replaced by Aeroquip lines. There is next to no clearance between the filter
head nose fitting, steering column, and frame of the car.
<<BTW The factory setup runs the oil through the filter before the cooler. I
have run this setup for years with the standard oil filter (Hint) and Redline
oil. The one problem with the factory set up was the 90 deg bend out of the
filter head fitting; numerous TR2/3 racers had this work loose as it hit the
frame and steering tube. Naturally
it was a whitworth fitting that was very hard to get to!>>
If I plugged off the open hole in front of the two sandwich adapters and
spin-on filter cartridge as Ken Galanders says, I should have the same flow
path as above. The question would be, would I get sufficient flow using the
three adapters and spin-on filter? A pressure gage in the oil gallery should
tell this. To go back to the stock filter canister with changeable
cartridges, I would have to connect the accusump to the oil gallery. I
assume that is what Hardy did.
The spin-on filters that I have been using are Motorcraft FL-400S for Ford
Escorts. The box says: "New Silicone Valve". Is this the internal bypass
valves that the list is talking about? I also noticed that the adapter for
the accusump has a spring loaded ball check valve. This adapter is screwed
onto the adapter for converting to the spin-on filter. The spin-on filter
then screws onto the second accusump adapter.
Again, thanks for all of the information. Any further suggestions would be
appreciated. I will try to figure out a solution, and try not to plug up
your computers in the future.
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