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Triumph TR6 - New Cam and Lifters installation

Hello all,

I recieved my new stock cam and lifters for my 73 TR6 engine. The engine block is on a stand with the crank installed and waiting for some slightly warmer temps to finish aasembly.

The new cam and lifters are each packaged in some oil impregnated paper to prevent rust. The new cam and lifters look nice.

I was just wondering about any kind of pre-cleaning required before installation. I was considering just wiping everything down with laquer thinner and then apply cam lube and installing.

If you have any tips beyond that method please let me know.

Thanks
Henry
HP Henry Patterson

Hi Henry,
I would not use laquer thinner, it'll just destroy all oil coating in the smallest of places ...any internal parts that I've put in I just make sure they are clean (I'm sure yours are since they are wrapped in oily paper )..and coat them in some engine pre-lube..that'll do the trick till you fire her up and the oil pressure builds and does the rest.
Charlie
Charlie B.

Question for you engine experts.
Is the purpose of engine pre-lube to give the parts lubrication till the oil pump starts to do its' thing?
Rick C
Rick Crawford

Rick,

I'm not an engine expert but I have done a lot of reading on engine rebuilding and the priming of the oil pump is common to all engines...even our big North American engines. The reason for pre oiling is to be sure the oil galleries are full of oil and that the oil is immediately supplied to the bearings on start up. So, it's main purpose is to minimize the delay of oil pressure build up that would occur if the system had not been primed. It will also coat parts with oil but the engine assembly lube should take care of that anyway. That's what I have read anyway.

Henry
HP Henry Patterson

That's correct Rick..my pal the mechanic says it's sticky make up coats the parts for a while till the oil gets in there and takes over. I just helped Brian H. do his main and rod bearings a couple of days ago and I liberally gooped the stuff on the new bearings and thrust washers.
Charlie
Charlie B.



OOPS!!....Rick...I just realized I misunderstood your question. I should have realized you were asking about the assembly/cam lube not the pump priming. Sorry for any confusion.

HP
HP Henry Patterson

Henry
No problem. Probably should have used the words assembly lube.
Charlie or Henry, does the oil pump need to be primed then?? My oil pump will be new along with the bearings.
Rick C
Rick Crawford


Rick,

Yes you need to prime the system with the oil pump. I haven't done it yet but I did make a tool for it. You have to remove the pump/distributor drive gear to get at the pump shaft to spin it with a cordless drill which has to spin counter clockwize. I used a long shoulder 3/8" (I think) bolt that I cut to the length of the pump drive gear shaft. I slotted the end of the cut bolt and then sanded it to a high polish. The bolt I used fits perfectly into the pump drive shaft bushing. I will use a 1/4 drive socket at the end of the cordless drill to spin the pump at the lowest speed of the drill. It should work. I hope.

Some people prime the pump/system by cranking the engine to build pressure but I have heard it can be a strain on the started since it takes a while.

Some people pack the oil pump with grease to make the pump pump up right away but I don't want to mess with that. I think I will fill the pump with oil as best I can when I install it. Then it shouldn't be any worse than when I change the oil.

Hope that helps
HP Henry Patterson

When I installed my new pump amd bearings I removed the plugs and cranked it for 30 secs or so and watched my pressure gauge start to move then put the plugs back in and she fired right up with lots of pressure
Charlie
Charlie B.

Update...I forget to mention that if you have the oil filter spin on adapter it helps to fill up your filter then install it
Charlie
Charlie B.

I made a oil pump primer from some 1/2" steel rod, which is the same diameter as the shaft which drives the pump (ok - I turned it down a few hundreths on a metal lathe for clearance). The slot is located in the center of the shaft (not offset as the one for the distributer) and was cut using a metal band saw. I cut the 1/2" inch rod to 12" in length, which gave me plenty of clearence to spin the rod with my drill and watch the oil pressure gauge at the same time.

P.S. I've got a couple feet of the 1/2" rod left over - if anyone wants me to build them a primer shaft, send me an e-mail (remove the x's), but don't expect them over-night as, unfortunately (fortunately? $$$?), I tend to be extremely busy as a civil engineer in the Washington, D.C. area, and my personal time is quite limited. I think I have enough rod to build 3 more (at 12" in lenth), so first come...

Bob


Bob Blair

This thread was discussed between 12/02/2005 and 21/02/2005

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