As a new list subscriber, I am resubmitting the following item. It seems
that the first submission didn't make the list.
Fellow Triumph enthusiasts: HELP!
Somewhere, somewhere, but I cannot remember where, I did see an address for
someone offering a kit to convert a TR2 - TR3 drivetrain to a Toyota Supra
5 speed gearbox. Can anybody shock my memory or tell me where or who is
offering this "kit?" Has anyone undertaken such a conversion? Were there
complications? Were you satisfied with the end result? Is this a cost
effective alternative to rebuilding (in my case having some else rebuild)
the old Triumph gearbox? Would the Toyota Supra five speed be a better
alternative than a rebuilt TR4 full synchro, overdrive gearbox? (Are there
any TR4 overdrive units available?) I am not worried about keeping the
gearbox in my TR2 authentic Triumph. My car (its name is IPE-GAGG (short
i - long e) ... Internal Percussion Engine - Grinding And Growling Gears)
is NOT a prime candidate for restoration. As a genuine "bondo buggy" it is
a sculptor's work of art. The fellow who restored my TR2 before I bought
it should probably have given it up as a lost cause and I should probably
do so too. But as he couldn't, I can't either. I feel bold and
adventuresome (silly and foolish?) and I won't throw in the towel on this
"car of character."
Over the Thanksgiving break I hope to pull my engine and transmission for a
winter project of overhauling my engine. I have never removed an engine
from an automobile before and only once have I overhauled an engine.
Thirty two years ago as a lad of seventeen I overhauled the 215 cu.in.
alumimium V8 in my first car, a '62 Olds Cutlass F-85. It was done in my
dad's barn with the engine still in the car. It was an absolute miracle
that it ever ran again. Do miracles ever happen twice in a person's
lifetime??
My gearbox is a mess with excessive growling in first gear and almost no
synchronizer remaining between first and second gear. (I have mastered the
art of double clutching on the 1-2 and 2-1 gear change, but it only works
with warm oil.) I saw lots of glittering gold (brass) in the gearbox oil
that I drained from the tranny last week. I might as well take care of
engine and gearbox together.
My engine must be in bad shape down on the crank. Even with 50 wt. oil I
have very low oil pressure, (0 - 5 lbs) on idle with a warm engine, 60
lbs on a coldstart. En route to an MG / TRIUMPH challenge event in Indy
back in August I think I lost an exhaust valve. Number 1, 2, and 4 have
175 - 200 PSI compression and #3 has only 68 psi. I have no evidence of
back pressure into the intake manifold or the carbs, but there is a new
irregularity in the exhaust tone (hence my belief that something is amiss
with the exhaust valve). No significant change in compression on #3 when
wet tested. Does this confirm "valve" instead of bad or broken rings?
Even before the compression loss in #3, I have had lots of puffing and
smoking through the oil filler cap crankcase vent. Since I have owned the
car (one year and four months) is has leaked and used oil excessively.
Previous owner had bored the sleves .030" over. Is that common on a sleved
engine? Should I count on new sleves and pistons this time around? (I
need to be cost effective on this job.) In a TR2 of my vintage, is it true
that carriers for the camshaft are machined into the block and if these are
worn a new engine is the only answer? In any case, the engine in old
TS7690 is ripe for an overhaul. Does anyone have experience with or
suggestions for or against grinding away the spiral oil throw groves on the
crank and going with the alternative "positive" main seal?? Since my
engine seems to have a wide range on problems, would a rebuilt "exchange"
engine be a better or more cost effective solution? I think these are
available from TRF.
Any tips, hints, suggestions, sympathy,
empathy, and prayers would be appreciated.
Yours for foolish endeavours,
Rob Blubaugh
4805 Locksley Dr. E.
Rensselaer, IN 47978
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