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[TR] engine RUNNING!!!

To: "triumph list" <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Subject: [TR] engine RUNNING!!!
From: "Paul Dorsey" <dorpaul@negia.net>
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2006 23:08:11 -0400
I am happy to say that I ran my engine for 15 more minutes at 2000 rpm (thus
making for 30 minutes total since being rebuilt.)  I still may have a vacuum
leak, I don't know.  I was just now told of another method for finding
vacuum leaks.  Previously, I would point a plastic straw help to spray
starting fluid but invariably it would not squirt upside down too well.
Cosmo suggested using an unlit propane hand torch- and the propane works
like starting fluid!
    Back to my car:
I could entirely seal the rear SU's mouth (where the piston is seen) with my
hand and still feel no suction.  However, the engine did run smoothly. The
rear throttle butterfly is opening in concert with the front SU's butterfly.
Strangely enough, it would take about 10 seconds of holding my hand in front
of it's mouth (at 3000rpm) before it started to skip out or falter.  There
was no rpm tach so engine speed is just a guess.
    I believe both carbs are suppose to act exactly alike, right?  There is
strong suction at the front carb.  Question: How much crossover
vacuum/mixture flows thru the middle tube of the intake manifold?  Is this
tube just suppose to equalise pressure?
    After about 12-15 minutes the water temp began to rise from about 160 to
210, so I shut it off.  I had a box fan 6" away from the radiator because
the engine's fan is broken.
    Initially when I cranked it today, the oil pressure came up to about
60psi within 30 seconds, however, after about 10 minutes it dropped to
40-50, but as it was overheating the gauge read 30 psi.  Although previously
it was started with straight 30 weight oil.  Prior to today's running I had
changed it to 20w-50.  Someone wrote me an extensive psi suggested
expectancy, but I temporaily can't find it.

    The needle or jet is not centered on the rear carb. and I've been
forgetting to do this (since Doug Matthews pointed it out).  Essentially it
keeps this carb's piston from completely closing so it hangs on the jet with
about 3/16" before it hits the bottom of it's fall.  Could this account for
the lack of this carb's vacuum?  I don't think so, since with the intake
manifold off, all the intake ports have equal suction.  So I guess today's
work also eliminates a valve lash problem.
    I've also lacked the equipment and need to time the engine.  In fact,
with points and plugs set, it now starts within 2-3 seconds.  Autozone
doesn't rent timing lights!
    At this point I need to do some yard work, although I will put the
engine in a more perminent arrangement.  I need to shore up the carbs and
find out why it's overheating.  Getting the body street legal may
necessitate my cranking the motor, however, true breaking-it-in will have to
wait several months at which time it will be put to very mild mannered
driving for the first 300 miles. I've heard this is the way to
'run-them-in'.
    Now that I think about it, I think an ideal break-in is when the engine
is under very little or no load.  And so, since my tranny is not connected
to the prop shaft, it would seem that this least load I could ask for.  I
can handle varying the engine speeds (as I think break-in suggests).  Is
this a possible?
Thanks,
Paul Dorsey  60 TR3A


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