I have never replaced a TR engine head gasket, but I have been told a
multiplicity of times by several different knowledgeable people that
turning the engine over to pop the head gasket is a very bad idea
because the wet sleeves tend to come out of the block. Could be an old
wives' tale, but I've heard it several times over the past year.
No disrespect to Brer Vandergraaf, who certainly knows his stuff, but
I would get a second opinion on that aspect of things before either
touching that starter or reaching for that crank.
Chip Brown (who has only replaced other head gaskets)
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: RE: Refugee
Author: "Vandergraaf; Chuck" <vandergraaft@aecl.ca> at nylanr01
Date: 5/28/97 10:39 AM
Greg,
Back in the '60's, I had a '56 TR2 and had to take the head off about
once a year to get an exhaust valve replaced (never could get the 2 SU
carbs to stay tuned, so the back two cylinders ran a bit leaner than
they should). It used to be a very straightforward job, taking me only
an hour or two to get the head off: disconnect the intake and exhaust
manifold, take off valve cover and undo the bolts on the head. To free
the head from the block, Triumph recommended turning the engine one
revolution (which I used to do by using the crank). My TR2 engine had
cylinder sleeves and I had to make sure they didn't come out but it was
never a problem. I used to be able to drive the car down the street to
a friendly neighbourhood garage on a Thursday evening, take the head off
(this was in the summer in Michigan, when the weather was nice enough to
do this outside) and leave it with the garage operator to get the valves
done and to get me a set of new gaskets (need gaskets for intake and
exhaust manifold), have the head back the following day and install
everything, set the valves and drive the car home that evening. So, you
should be able to do the whole job in an evening.
Best of success,
Chuck
Chuck Vandergraaf
'52 +4, P.2473/V.345.ME
'87 Olds Custom Cruiser
'85 Chrysler LeBaron Turbo
Pinawa, Manitoba, R0E 1L0
Canada
vandergraaft@aecl.ca
"procrastination gets you nowhere fast"
>----------
>From: Gregory Petrolati[SMTP:gpetrola@prairienet.org]
>Sent: May 28, 1997 7:53 AM
>To: morgans@Autox.Team.Net
>Subject: Refugee
>
>
> Greetings Moggers,
>
> I have a refugee temporarity residing in my garage next to My TR4.
> It's a 1958 +4 with a blown head gasket. The owner drove it down from
> Wisconsin for our British Car Festival last weekend. The problem
> cropped up on the way, but exacerbated once he got here. The car has
> a TR3 engine which is the same (more or less) as the one in my TR4.
> I feel pretty confident in swapping out the old gasket for the
> new one when it arrives (today, I hope) I'm going to start the
> dismantling process and would like some input as to what to look
> out for before I proceed. It would be real neat if the car was
> done when he arrived on Saturday... That way he wouldn't have to
> spend an entire weekend hassling with the car.
>
> BTW the car is VERY original (lots of patina, if you get my drift)
>
> Greg Petrolati
>
>gpetrola@prairienet.org 1962 TR4 (CT4852L)
> "That's not a leak... My car is just marking its territory!"
>Greg Petrolati, Champaign, Illinois
>
>
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