Triumphrat

looseparts · 05-22-2009, 01:49 AM

Bought a TR6C at a vintage show last Saturday. It looked pretty beat-up, no tank, seat, lights - a real starter-project, if there ever was. The seller's big pitch was "Look! The numbers match. It will never go down in value - kick it over - has good compression, doesn't it? yadda, yadda..." So I rolled it home and have been having a blast - looking at the manuals, looking at the websites. Making lists of what I need, all that. Figured I'd have it re-wired and filled with fresh fluids by Saturday and fire it up.

<insert Debbie-Downer muted trumpet sounds - waa-waaa>

Power washed the underside so I could find the drain plug and when I unscrewed it I discovered how screwed I am...

About 2 ozs of thick oil plopped out, and with it was a substantial pile of what looks like aluminum shavings...

I'm new. Maybe it isn't so bad. What are your thoughts?

OzBloke · 05-22-2009, 01:58 AM

IMHO - perfect opportunity to get really involved with your engine, and strip it down completely. Check/replace the sludge trap, check all components for wear, and replace all bearings/bushes/seals. Do it right, and only do it once.

RetroRod · 05-22-2009, 05:14 AM

Yep, break out the tools. Get yourself a workshop manual and spare parts cactalogue for starters.

Post here things you don't understand and all shall be revealed!!

Best of luck. Keep up with regular progress reports. RR

mark61120 · 05-22-2009, 06:54 AM

OzBloke is spot on when he mentions the sludge trap. If that is what your oil looks like, your sludge tube will probably be bunged up too. And that is before you find out where the bits came from.
Sorry that it isn't good news.
Mark

quagmire · 05-22-2009, 09:02 AM

What year did you get?

There are some great engine teardown/rebuild videos out there that have fantastic information. I'm partial to Hughie Hancox's video. Definately a must have. Especially with those little shavings you discovered.

Like you I had a basketcase and did a complete nut and bolt resto. Personally I found the engine work was the most fun.

Tear that thing down and have fun with it.

looseparts · 05-22-2009, 10:07 AM

Thank you all for your encouragement and advice.

I am somewhat worried that along the way there will be show-stoppers like specialized tools and/or my own ignorance. What kind of special tools am I likely to need?

I did another 1967 British engine teardown and rebuild; than one was a MGB, and you're right - it was fun, and came out quite well.

When I told my wife the news and that a rebuilt motor would run about $2,500 she winced and then said "Well, that's not so bad is it?" I wonder what she might have actually been thinking...

How much will a total of parts probably set me back?

Thanks again for all the help!

GrandPaulZ · 05-22-2009, 10:26 AM

TYPICAL basic engine overhaul parts are between $1,000 - $1,500. However, you need to figure out where the shavings came from, as that's not typical.

mark61120 · 05-22-2009, 01:30 PM

Don't know the ins and outs of your model of bike, does the plug seat in aluminium? Could the bits just be stripped thread?
Mark

Snakeoil · 05-23-2009, 10:00 AM

Loose,

View this as an opportunity to learn. If you bought it right, there will be a lot more statisfaction is getting it back in running condition if you rebuild it yourself than if you got a marginal runner.

Don't worry about ignorance creeping into your project. You can be sure it will ;-)

As for your wife, go buy that little gem a bouquet of flowers and do the dishes for the rest of the week. She sounds like my wife and would much rather see you having fun in the garage instead of drinking beer on the couch and watching Oprah or stuffing dollar bills into the nether regions of women at the local juice bar.

As for the shiny bits in your oil, just keep telling yourself that you found an original bike with close to zero miles on the engine and that swarf is from all those new factory parts "wearing in".

Good luck with the rebuild,
Rob

looseparts · 05-28-2009, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakeoil

Loose,

View this as an opportunity to learn. If you bought it right, there will be a lot more statisfaction is getting it back in running condition if you rebuild it yourself than if you got a marginal runner.

Don't worry about ignorance creeping into your project. You can be sure it will ;-)

As for your wife, go buy that little gem a bouquet of flowers and do the dishes for the rest of the week. She sounds like my wife and would much rather see you having fun in the garage instead of drinking beer on the couch and watching Oprah or stuffing dollar bills into the nether regions of women at the local juice bar.

As for the shiny bits in your oil, just keep telling yourself that you found an original bike with close to zero miles on the engine and that swarf is from all those new factory parts "wearing in".

Good luck with the rebuild,
Rob

Rob, Thank you for your kind words and encouragement.

I believe I've found the source of the 'bits in the oil'.

The engine has the head and block off, plus the side covers. I was toying with the lump, examining how I might remove this or that and I noticed I could move one of the connecting rods side to side about a quarter of an inch! The other rod - not so much. I wonder what those rod bearings (used to) look like?

Just another 'Hahaha' on me - I was seriously thinking I was going to build the top half and see how it worked out. If the bottom lasted just a season or so, I'd go back and do it later. Hahaha.

As I was pricing out a speedometer gear box, it suddenly dawned on me "I bought a dirt bike!" and there are going to be a large number of things I'll need to get road-ready. How I didn't give that any serious thought when writing the guy the check tells a bit about me... (ok, it was my wife's check - nevermind)

So I have accepted the harsh reality that there is no turning back. The engine will be a top to bottom job and I can skip some of the shortcuts I was once thinking of.

Off to the races!