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Triumph TR6 - Spinning up oil pump

I've seen the advice to use a drill and spin up the oil pump to thoroughly lubricate everything before starting up the engine, but I have a question...do you remove the cam gear and just drive the oil pump or do you also drive the cam gear and thus the entire rotating mass?? May seem obvious, but not to this dummy. I can see removing the distributor, but what else is removed to get this task done. And how long do you spin it and how fast? Thanks.
db
Doug Baker

Did ya pack it with vasoline?
DON KELLY

Doug,
Go until there is oil in the upper end. You just want to make sure it's everywhere, so when the motor is started initially, you have oil in all the passages, the oil filter, and it ain't turnin trying to push oil thru a dry block. Don't remove the distributor gear. There is a slot on top of gear that the distributor shaft will set down into, and if you look, it's offset, so the distributor only goes in one way. Rotates counter-clockwise, so set your drill to run in reverse. I think when we spun mine up, it developed aroud 40 lbs of pressure.
Another good thing is this checks for oil leaks. I've gone far enough on that subject.
Good night....
Rod
Rod Nichols

Rod, I thought the distributor gear was driven by the cam. So if you don't remove it how does the oil pump turn without turning the cam and therefore the whole engine? I thought you had to remove that gear.

Rob
rw loftus

Okay....
I just looked at the TRF book...
http://www.zeni.net/trf/TR6bluebook/20.php

The oil pump adapter doesn't come out (AL5) but the drive gear does. (AL 2)
Been a few years since I had mine apart (thankfully) So...sorry about the confusion! Old timers disease sets in again. :(
Rod
Rod Nichols

Well that photo was useless.
That's a PI one
DON KELLY

It's both....PI to the right, carb to the left.
Rod Nichols

I don't feel quite so bad now........ :)
Rod Nichols

Are you sure?
DON KELLY

Hey.....we can blame it on Rob......
Rod Nichols

Hi Doug,
When I replaced my pump 4 yrs ago I just put on a new filter already filled with oil ( just be careful putting it on ) added the rest of the oil the usual way and it started up fine with no problem getting pressure quickly.

Cheers
Charlie
Charlie B.

OK, it's Rob's fault
Works for me
DON KELLY

As a side note: A couple of "old guys" I worked with many years back used to 'break -in' a freshly built race engine by firing it without priming the oil pump. They would use assembly grease on the bearings, fire that baby up and run it. The claim was that by the time the oil was circulating, the rings were seated and everything was ready to run. Worked for them, but I never had the courage.
Rod Nichols

So Rod, AL1 which consists of AL 2,3, & 4 comes out and I spin AL5?? OK, Got it. We'll see how it does. Now, can I do this way before the engine is ready to run or must I do it right before I start up the engine? I need to get the whole thing lubricated before it rusts, but won't be installing it for some time yet. Thanks.
db
Doug Baker

Charlie, I could do that now since the engine is on a stand. Just turn it with the oil filter down and load it up, but the oil cooler lines aren't plugged!!
db
Doug Baker

Doug,
Wouldn't hurt to do it now, but I would run it again right before start up, push some oil back up through.
Rod
Rod Nichols

If your not gonna run it in a while don't put oil in it. Fog the cyl. down with WD- 40 and then rotate the pistons a little.

Oil attracts water
DON KELLY

Go ahead guys, pile it on, I can take it!

Rob
rw loftus

Good point Don....we had a Mobile rep come through the shop last year, talked to me about the advantages of storing a vintage car with synthetic oil in the motor. Forgot all about that. Apparently synthetic oil doesn't attract water like the regular stuff either.


Geezz, Rob....cold, raining and snowing PLUS grief from the freakin' yanks. At least it's Friday! :)

Rod
Rod Nichols

Don,
I'm ok with the cylinders. Got WD-40 and a light coat of SAE 30 weight oil there, but am concerned about the crank, especially where it was ground down to relieve weight for balancing and the various oil ports. Had them all cleaned throughly when the machine shop did their thing. Don't want to induce a lot of rust before I can crank it up. It may be as long as another year before I get to the point of turning the key and cranking this hummer up and seeing if all this time and investment is gonna be worth it. I have the maiden drive all planned out after break in of course. Gotta make sure my "tow" protection is in force at USAA though I guess, just in case!!
db
Doug Baker

This thread was discussed between 04/02/2010 and 05/02/2010

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