I'm restoring a late model TR3A for a friend in Toronto. About 7 years ago
he spent $4200 for a shop to redo his engine, then after 300 miles on it, he
spun and really clobbered the whole left side - he found himself going
backwards under a semi-trailer.
The car sat on the rear lawn in his garden, winter and summer, under a tarp
for 3 years and then he sent it to me to restore. It hasn't run in 7 years.
But 3 years ago, the compession was zero on 3 cylinders and 20 psi in the
4th one. This was dry. With oil in the spark plug holes the compression
read 155 to 175 psi.
I don't know what the rings were made of. Maybe they are chrome ?? Someone
mentioned that "Sea Foam" is available and is used in inboard power boats to
get an engine in this condition to get it's compression back.
What should I do ? Is this "Sea Foam" available ? Should I try it ? Where
can I find it ? Any other suggestions. ?
Don Elliott, TR3A, Montreal
----- Original Message -----
From: "kas kastner" <kaskas@cox.net>
To: <fot@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2004 11:20 AM
Subject: Re: 86 MM Chromium Rings-Help
> If I had just remembered this stuff before I'd have had another
> ten pages for my book. I used chrome rings in my TR-4 engines and
> found that lapping them in first saved a lot of breaking time on the
> dyno and always gave a higher power number and a lot less blowby and
> early loss of pressure. My system is not fun to do but here is how I
> did it successfully for lots of years & engines:
>
> With the pistons you are going to use fit all the rings making sure to
> already have the end gap checked. Fit the correct rod.
>
> Then lay out four pans that will hold about a quart of your
> favorite cleaning fluid. ( I used lacquer thinner cause it was there
> and no one was lighting fires in the shop)
>
> Mount the sleeve in a fixture to hold it .
> (such as easy gripping in the vise)
>
> Make up a thin paste of kerosene and Bon-Ami ( yup, the old time
> cleaning powder) The paste should be about the consistency of cold 50
> weight motor oil.
>
> Apply a lite coating to the rings of the piston that matches the
> sleeve in the vise, and a lite smear to the bore of the sleeve
>
> Fit your ring compressor to the rings just as normal.
>
> Fit the piston into the sleeve and give it ten strokes , one up and
two
> down and so on.
>
> Remove the assembly from the sleeve, carefully remove the compressor
and
> ABOVE ALL, DO NOT TAKE ANY OF THE RINGS OFF THE PISTON. DO NOT DISTURB
> THE RINGS.
>
> In the first pan of cleaner use a small paint brush to start
> cleaning the paste off the piston and the rings. After the worst is
> removed go to the second pan, DO NOT TRY TO MOVE THE RINGS. Work with
> a brush again to clear the paste residue.
>
> Now go to the third pan and very carefully by gripping the ring
> away from the ends move it slightly and a little more and a little
> with the head of the piston submerged in the liquid more until the
> ring is free to turn easily. Do one ring at a time, this is not the
> time to be lazy.
>
> On the last pan of fresh cleaner. Move the rings as above several
> rotations on the pistons making sure there is no gritty feeling.
>
> Now that the pain part is over, wash in hot soapy water and blow
> dry and immediately coat with WD-40 or similar type oil. Do not try to
> remove or bend the rings or pull on the ends.
>
> You will see a fine grey line on the top edge of the rings showing
that
> they indeed are lapped into the bore. Not only that the rings are ROUND.
> (keeping them round after the lapping is why you don't want to carelessly
> try to move them too soon while cleaning.)
>
> Wash the sleeve in the same manner, you can eliminate a couple of
> the cleaning steps as there is no finesse involved,. Finish though
> with soapy water and blow dry and coat with lite oil. Both the piston
> assembly and the sleeve should be immediately put into a plastic bag
> or sack to keep clean and dust free until time of assembly. Remember
> each piston has it's own sleeve and should not be changed out to
> another part.
>
> Clean the ring compressor some before starting on the second piston
> assembly.
>
> When fitting to the engine just a lite oil on the rings and bore,
finish
> up and stand on the gas after about four or five minutes.
>
> Done in this manner my rings lasted longer than any other method and
> gave the best perforce all round.
>
> I did make up a torquing plate for the dry blocks and did everything
in
> much the same manner. My torquing plate was made of 1" thick mild steel.
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