GuyotLeonF@aol.com wrote:
> Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1999 07:12:22 -0800 (PST)
> From: jim williams <sportsix63@yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: A curious dilemma
>
> - --- jonmac <jonmac@ndirect.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> > The subject is external oil feeds. I've just
> > refitted my
> > 2500 injection head having had hardened valveseats
> > fitted
> > and a general top end overhaul, including gas
> > flowing and a
> > skim to clean up mating surfaces. Prior to fitting,
> > I spent
> > about an hour with various lengths of welding wire
> > and a
> > high pressure kero wash and brush probing into oil
> > drillings. I then spent a further happy few minutes
> > with
> > many cubic metres of very compressed air. Prior to
> > fitting
> > the head, I installed the oil supply pipe to the
> > rear of the
> > head, properly installed copper washers etc and then
> > went
> > through the motions of torquing the head, fitting
> > valve gear
> > etc - as you do. After cranking to circulate oil,
> > time comes
> > to re-connect essential wires and start.
> > Oil p******g out and initially traced to a defective
> > spin-on
> > oil filter sealing ring. Changed that. P*****g
> > continued
> > unabated and eventually traced to the external feed
> > into the
> > head where, despite what appeared to be a very
> > comprehensive
> > and effective seal, the oil was being forced out in
> > voluminous quantities. We open for skating on the
> > garage
> > floor tomorrow.
> > I'm as satisfied as I can be that there are no
> > internal
> > obstructions and the rockers are clearly getting
> > their oil
> > supply via the pedestal drillings, so I've
> > temporarily taken
> > off the feed pipe and replaced the blanking plug. No
> > more
> > leaks.
> > The only reason I can think is that possibly there's
> > an
> > excessive oil flow up top and too much to go through
> > the
> > drillings. Seems odd. Has anyone else had this
> > problem and
> > if so, did you dispense with the external oil feed -
> > oe
> > what?
> >
> > Jonmac
> >
> > I had an oil line fitted to a Vitesse when I
> purchased
> it. Every time I started the car the engine let out a
> cloud of smoke. During each gear change, same thing.
> Thinking the problem was with the valve guides and
> wear in the engine I rebuilt the whole thing. Now, I'm
> convinced the problem was with the external oil feed.
> I removed it. A machine shop owner told me that the
> amount of oil flowing to the head was too much.
> Again, one man's opinion.
> Jim Williams
> 13/60 Estate
> Sport6 1963
Jon,
You may want to look at how deep the recess is in the head where the upper
fitting
bolts in. Triumph wasn't very careful with how deep the counterbore was and
it's
possible your washer isn't thick enough and the banjo fitting is getting cocked
on the
casting rather than seating flat in the counterbore.
I've replaced far too many worn rocker shafts to say I'd run one of my engines
without
some supplimental lubrication to the top end, usually by grooving a supply
gallery
behind the rear cam bearing (note: you must fit cam bearings for that trick to
work
properly) but you will get smoking unless the head has good guides with
positive valve
stem seals. My recomendation on older engines is to observe the valvetrain
without
the rocker feed and see if everything stays nice and oily all the time. If it
does,
then don't bother with the external feed. If the top end looks dry, especially
at the
front, then fit the feed pipe or be prepared to replace rockers and shafts at
frequent
intervals.
Good luck!
Brian Schlorff '61 TR-4 '64 TR-4 '72 TR-6 '79 Spit
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