With all the recent talk about thrust washers, and me in the middle of
a top end rebuild, I decided to drop the oil pan, and take a look.
Mainly since I rebuilt the engine six years ago, and wasn't sure if I
had installed the thrust washers the right way round. The sleepness
nights just weren't worth not knowing. :-)
First, let me say, I'm glad I did this as there was cam/lifter debris
in the sump. Uck. At least I'm starting fresh again. After
measuring the end float with a dial indicator, I knew something was
wrong. My end float was .001. Yup, that's very little slop, and in
fact too little slop. I had measured the end float with a feeler
gauge (see Haynes manual) six years ago during a major rebuild, and
thought that it was .005. Since that was just .001 tighter than the
spec, I figured a few thousand miles of running would put it at .006.
The Bentley and the Haynes both say that the end float should be
.006-.008. Is this correct or is the spec listed on the VTR page
(.007-.013) correct? Anyway, I suggest that using a feeler gauge be
left as a last resort as it seems to have built in inaccuracies.
I installed a new stock thrustwasher (replacing the .005 over TW)
and presto, I was right at .006 end float. Yay!
As for which way round these thrust washers go, it's makes sense if
you think about it. The oil grooves should be on the surface which
wears, or is spinning on the crank. There's only one way for them to
be installed. As you brake the crank will slide forward in the engine
smashing up against the front thrust washer. We want the crank to
smash against the side with the oil grooves. As we accelerate up a
very large hill, or off the line :-), the crank smashes against the
rear thrust washer. Using a screwdriver to move the crank forward and
backward in the engine, you can easily see which surfaces need the
protection, and the direction of the oil grooves. If none of this
makes sense, then simply remember that the oil grooves should face away
from each other when installed on a TR6.
Unfortunately, the main bearing cocked when I reinstalled it. It got
smashed when I torqued the bolts down. Just as well since there was
a very small scratch in it, which made me think replacing wasn't a
bad idea anyway. I suppose the car was telling me something.
I guess I'll replace all of them, mains and con rods. Humm, maybe
I'll balance the pistons and con rods while I'm there... and... and...
It's a good thing I got in there. I guess. :-)
Cheers,
-Scotty
'75TR6
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