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RE: thank you! and how to get a frozen engine running!

To: <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: thank you! and how to get a frozen engine running!
From: "Randall Young" <Ryoung@navcomtech.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2003 20:49:02 -0700
> Glad you got your car started. My situation remains a bit different. My
> 58 TR3A has sat for about 10 months according to the previous owner. I
> topped up fluids, changed oil and checked the gas tank which was full of
> clean-looking gas rather darker brown in color than fresh 87 octane.

If it's visibly discolored, I think I'd try putting some fresh gas in the
float bowls and seeing if that will make it run.  Remove the bowl lids, fish
out the floats with a piece of wire, then use rags or paper towels to mop up
the fuel in the bowl.  Check for debris in the bottom. Drop the floats back
in, then top the bowls up from a gas can (of fresh gas) until the floats are
at the top.  Put the lids back on, and try starting it (with ether again if
necessary).

Other questions :
1) Did you have the choke pulled ?  How far down did the jets come ?  They
should both be down at least 1/4".
2) Do the pistons move freely ?  Drop with a definite click when they're
released ?

> or can
> I drop out the jet without completely dismantling the carburators?

It is possible to remove the jet without dismantling or removing the carbs.
Remove the choke cable (which also disconnects the choke linkage between the
two carbs), then remove two cotter pins and pins, and the entire choke
linkage for the carb in question.  Then pull the jet straight down.  The
contents of the float bowl should run out, so you might want to have a can
handy to catch the fuel.  If they don't, then the blockage is most likely in
the base of the float bowl.  They can also be removed with the carbs on the
car, but it definitely helps (IMO) to have the correct size Whitworth open
end spanner.

> I bought the SU rebuild kits from Moss and the instructions, while
> "detailed," seem to leave out some critical help for the newbie like me.
> Any better books that you would suggest?

ISTR the Haynes TR2-4 workshop manual had a pretty good description of the
rebuild process, except for replacing the bushings.  I think the Haynes
'Weber' manual (which also covers SU and Stromberg) has better diagrams of
how everything goes together, and a better description of how it all works.

Randall




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