Page 33 - Feb2023

During the last seven years, I?ve replaced almost - So here?s t he plan:
everything. When I discovered that they used a wide Pre-work: Remove interior carpet and dash
port intake manifold gasket on a narrow port head support to gain access to the top
(causing a vacuum leak and poor idle), I knew they engine/transmission bolts. This is easy because
were, well, amateurs. I installed the carpet with snaps.

I finally got all the mechanical bits sorted, and went 1. Pull the engine to gain access to the seals
on to win my class at the NBCC Annual car show in and make it easier to work on.
t
2022. Should be good enough, right? I don? think 2. Strip the engine, clean, inspect and measure
so--I never really liked how the engine smoked, for cracks and correct tolerances with USA
leaked and felt under powered. The TR6 would likely Motor and Machine in South Nashville
be embarrassed by a modern day minivan in a drag 3. Replace all seals and bearings.
race. (Not that ,that scenario would ever happen!) 4. Replace the original low flow narrow port

I saved my money and set out to make things right, head with late model high flow wide port head.
even though the car ran well enough and was pretty 5. Rebuild the new head with new valve guides,
reliable. Here is a list of the issues with the engine lightweight stainless-steel valves, larger (early
that I felt needed to be addressed: model) exhaust valves, hardened exhaust seats,
heavy duty valve springs, three angle valve job,
- 1) It uses a quart of oil for every tank of gas.
and rebuilt rocker arms.USA Motor and Machine
(Front and rear main seals are leaking bad in South Nashville
and the valve guides are shot).
6. Replace stock camshaft with Goodparts GP2
-
road camshaft with power band between 2,000
2) It releases a big puff of blue smoke when
to 5,500 rpm.Goodparts.com
its started and between gear shifts (worn
7. Replace the Piston Rings if the
valve guides).
pistons/cylinders are within tolerances. If not I
-
will have the cylinders bored out and new
3) Engine knocking during cold starts.
pistons added (Cross fingers)
-
8. Replace original narrow port, low flow intake
4) I need more power! Uh Uh Uh (Tim the Tool
manifold (left) with a late model, wide port,
Man Taylor caveman sounds lol). To gain
high flow intake manifold (below) (donated by
horsepower, you must improve the flow of air Chip Hanback and Rick Mathis).
and fuel through the engine
-
- (Sorry, Purists, I know it won? be original when
t
I'm done , but I drive this car and I want it to
l
perform! Don? worry, I?l keep all of the original
t
parts in case, someday, someone wants to
return it to factory specs. )
Project Goal: Build this engine for reliable
performance that does not include leaks or smoke. 9. Replace inefficient down draft Weber
Carburetors with rebuilt SU side draft
- This includes: Eliminating leaks, smoking and
carburetors.
oil consumption.
- Eliminate knocking on startup. 10. Replace the single output early exhaust
- Increase horsepower to at least 130 hp with a manifold with Goodparts 6-3-1 ceramic coated
useable powerband between 2000 and 5500 exhaust header (which helps to get all the
rpm without sacrificing idle or reliability. exhaust out of the head)Goodparts.com
- Must run on fuel with no more than 89
Story continues on page 34
octane (Mid Grade)
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