Making the factory seal work is not that difficult
the factory TR4 manual is a bit better than the TR2/3 one,
but both have a CRITICAL Error
The alignment tool needs to be 2.818" where it fits inside
the seal. The rest of the drawings in the TR2/3 & TR4 factory
manuals will work. To make the tool is much less expensive than
one of the "ruin your crank for other uses" kits.
Rule A if the seal is working OK do not mess with it. There is never
a need to boil one of these blocks. The water jacket can be cleaned by
hand/grinder. Just glue the old fig 8 gaskets in to protect the fig 8
seats.
1. use the tool to check the seal's ID for size and roundness.
2. hand work can usually make the seal fit the tool very well
or try another seal
3. Install the tool in the block and carefully check that the seal halfs
will fit in the block recess. There have been seals made where their
step OD was too big (the part just in front of the flange that the seal
retaining set screws go through) A problem here can be fixed by a
hand file.
If you omit this step, you can destroy the seal and not realize
it until too late.
4. Use silicone seal between the seal and block. Use it also
on the seal split line, but VERY thinly so that it does NOT block
the internal threads.
5. Do not move the seal when you tighten the set screws.
6 Do not hash the seal when you lay the crank in place.
7. follow the manual carefully. The felt cap sealing needs to be
soaked in something like aviation permatex, short pieces at a
time, and then be driven in. An hex key works ok.
Lets face it, millions of miles on thousands of motors have been
covered with this seal. My race motor uses this seal, as does
my street TR3.
Good Luck from a TR3 Racer
|