On Sat, 24 Jun 1995, Thomas M. Niccum wrote:
> I just aquired a '63 TR-4, and have some cooling system troubles, i'd
> appreciate any advice...
Congrats and welcome. Please consider joining our national
club, The Vintage Triumph Register. Info is included at the
end of this email.
> Engine was rebuilt < 100 miles ago.
> On my first drive the radiator blew its stack, popped off the filler neck
> and cap. It was a very hot day and I got stuck in some traffic, but still...
> Replaced radiator. Filled, started engine. No leaks, but radiator blows
> fluid out of overflow tube. I removed thermostat and problem seems better,
> at least it doesn't do this at idle, but at road speeds / rpms it is still
> blowing coolant out of the overflow.
>
> Any advice, its beautiful out and I want to drive!
Tom,
Was the engine totally torn down? Many so called rebuilds
never clean out the internals of the cooling system and
TR3 and 4 engines often build up a ton of sediment at
the rear of the engine's internal water passageways.
One good check is to open the water petcock on the engine and
see how quickly water flows out. If it just dripples or
seeps, then odds are there's a ton of junk still inside.
You can loosen some of it with an air hose by blowing into
the engine petcock (use maybe 15/20 pounds or air, NOT 100
pounds. Be sure to have the radiator cap off and have a large rag
or towel over the radiator as it will "erupt" with water
when the air enters thhhe cooling system from the engine
petcock.
Other problems can be the water bypass hose is allwing too much
coolant to bypass the radiator. Original thermostats had a
sleeve that blocked off the bypass hose opening when the thermostate
opened. Alternatives to that are completely blocking the
bypass hose or inserting a plug in the bypass hose with a 1/4"
hole (allows some flow but restricts most) in it.
And now......
Are you aware of the Vintage Triumph Register?
Here's info about our national club:
WHAT'S VTR
The Vintage Triumph Register is a national club
of over 3700 Triumph owners and enthusiasts.
(You do not have to own a Triumph to join.)
VTR is the only national club in North America
which covers and supports all models of Triumphs.
VTR regularly publishes a quarterly magazine,
"The Vintage Triumph."
In addition to the magazine, membership in VTR also provides
free classified advertising in the magazine, access
to VTR's staff of vehicle consultants, a discount book
service, and various VTR regalia. Most recently, VTR has
worked out an agreement with a major insurance carrier
to now provide low cost collector car auto liability
coverages at costs far below most regular insurance rates.
VTR also has an annual convention, hosted by one of its local
chapters. In 1995 the national convention
will be in Rockford, Illinois.
Prior convention locations have been in:
Ashville, North Carolina (1994);
Seattle, WA (1993); Savannah, GA (1992); Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky (1991),
Boulder, CO (1990); Albany, NY (1989); Dallas, TX (1988);
Atlanta, GA (1987); Pittsburg, PA (1986); Troy, Michigan;
St. Charles, IL; Long Island, NY; Indianapolis, IN, etc.
Membership dues for VTR is:
$25 for all USA zipcode addresses
$30 (US Dollars) for Canada and Mexico
$35 (US Dollars) anywhere else
To join the VTR now, send name, address and dues to:
VTR-E - New Membership
15218 West Warren
Dearborn, MI 48126
or, write to the above address for a free information brochure.
Please include details about your car when sending in
new membership info.
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Bill Sohl K2UNK (Budd lake, New Jersey) (billsohl@planet.net)
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