New to me ‘62 TR 4

[YankeeTR]

My second post here… be gentle!

I found a project ‘62 TR4 that I have agreed to buy. Unfortunately I have to finance this deal since I have spent the last 9 months out of work due to fighting the Big C… I won BTW!

It’s not a lot of cash… can be a runner if I can fix the no compression issue in the engine… I can do that. 

I haven’t picked up the car but I will this weekend.

I’m wondering if any of you have any experience with a zero compression situation on a TR. I have owned about ten TR2-TR4’s over the last 20 years. Mostly projects that I flipped.

i also have more than 65 years of experience working on everything from Morris Minors to 900 HP dirt track racers.

And big diesel trucks.

I was a dealership mechanic various shops in the 60’s and was a GM Master Mechanic during that time.

The fella I bought the car from thinks it’s a timing chain that skipped. Perhaps.

From the pic you would think it’s a rust bucket but it spent 30 years parked in a leaky barn after the engine quit. It’s had two poor repaints,too. Started out as baby blue, then white now red. The paint is flaking off like that on an old house.

One other question… did Mulliners build the TR 4 bodies as they did the TR3’s? Just curious…

Thanks

Rick

 

Edited August 30 by YankeeTR

[Hamish]

If it’s been stood for a while in the barn I would guess the lack of compression could be due to the valves sticking open 

and or the piston rings no longer sealing. 
 

you’ll know more when you get it home. 
but I would suggest you do the body chassis and suspension first. 
I wouldn’t have a rebuilt engine sat around whilst you the “car” work. 
 

You have enough skills to cope with any issues found. 
 

and congrats on the all clear. 

[iain]

Looks a great project. As Hamish says you’ve the experience to sort this. I think I’d pull the head to see what is going on, could be valve, could be rings, etc. once you know, then it’s time to sort the rest of the car.Return to the engine when your ready for it to go back in. They are just a very simple Meccano/ Erector set after all 😂.

Iain

[stuart]

Good project, Marvel mystery oil down the bores for a month and see if that frees everything up, looks like it’s got either TR250 or TR6 seats. Hopefully it comes with a set of dash clocks.

The chassis are pretty bomb proof so you’ve got a good start.

Stuart

[YankeeTR]

Thanks… I think I’ll first put a battery in it and pour some 30wt oil in the cylinders to see if the compression increases… that will tell me the condition of the rings.

If I can get the brakes to work I could drag it around the block a few times the rings might loosen up a bit. An old timer taught me that the heat from friction may loosen stuck rings. It worked on a ‘39 Ford I rescued many moons ago.

The valve cover is loose so I can see about stuck valves too.

I owned TS1203LO years ago… also zero compression. Sold it as is to a guy in Italy.

This deal will be fun… got to get it roadworthy before I assume room temperature.

[stuart]

12 hours ago, YankeeTR said:

Thanks… I think I’ll first put a battery in it and pour some 30wt oil in the cylinders to see if the compression increases… that will tell me the condition of the rings.

If I can get the brakes to work I could drag it around the block a few times the rings might loosen up a bit. An old timer taught me that the heat from friction may loosen stuck rings. It worked on a ‘39 Ford I rescued many moons ago.

The valve cover is loose so I can see about stuck valves too.

I owned TS1203LO years ago… also zero compression. Sold it as is to a guy in Italy.

This deal will be fun… got to get it roadworthy before I assume room temperature.

I would put some diesel down the bores first before oil so it`ll soak in better, be aware that dragging it round may well just break piston rings so better to let it soak for few weeks first.

Stuart.

[YankeeTR]

Stuart

The engine is free… spins easily.  I’m going to take a close look at the valve to see if any are stuck open… I’ll lube the heck out of everything.

Years ago I traded my wife’s daily TR3A for a ‘39 Ford sedan parked in a corn crib since 1957… this was early 2000’s. 
 

With some help I oiled the cylinders and got the engine to wiggle a little. A chain hooked to my pickup got her spinning free.

i got it running but never fixed the brakes. On a quiet night I’d drive to the Dairy Queen for ice cream carefully driving those two blocks without brakes!

Fun!