Gotta Gripe! TR shock tower nuts..!!

Hehehehehehehe, and you're a manufacturing engineer too! I thought all you guys had some secret order of the knights of torture where you cooked this stuff up to frustrate us operations types. Hehe, serves you right. I got a whole tool chest full of Rube Goldberg crap I've had to weld, bend, force, and otherwise twist into some kind of shape to deal with those highly engineered fasteners like your shock tower nuts. Oh well, I used to have a Velocette Thruxton back in the olden days. Now there was an engine. No internal oil galleries. If they had to move oil somewhere, they poked a hole in the case, threaded it, stuck in a nipple there and ran a HOSE where it was needed!
If you had a 7/16", 1/2", and a 9/16" open end wrench you could tear him down to his underpants in a couple of hours. Oh, and a phillips screwdriver. Now there was an invention from hell.....uhoh, am I starting to ramble?? I been off my meds for a couple of days...Just kidding. Tomorrow will be a brighter day. I had one just about like yours in the engine room of my boat today. Ever work on a Detroit Diesel??

 

Well I'm glad you liked it. Life's tuff in the fast lane aint it. Now go buy your own set of swivel sockets.


I'm feeling much better now....

 

I just dropped the engine on a TR yesterday. Yes those shock nuts are a pain, but I have found that the Snap-on 3/8 drive rachet (thin design) with a shallow 17mm socket gets right in there.

 

Its amazing how the right tool makes things easy, for my business I have had to grind down wrenches and sockets to make them work otherwise dissassemble major components that can take a full day.

Its hard to find thin wall sockets, thats where the expense of some tools like Snap On makes their insane prices seem reasonable, $45 they wanted for a thin wall spark plug socket that tapered inside to hold the plug vs a rubber insert on others.

 

About how many hours to drop an engine on a TR if you have got a lift and working alone? My engine has a leak on the passenger side front, somewhere. I would like to detail both engine and compartment. The engine runs like a top other than it bothers me every time I open the hatch and see the leak, the black compartment faded, and the dull and faded red-heads. The major was done a thousand miles ago; before I bought it. I have no idea why they did not detail everything- since they had already dumped thousands into it.

Also, anyone make a pipe to replace the CATs on this car? If so, what do I do with the Slow-Down heat sensors and does it effect the general idle and running? Any other changes needed?

Thanks,
Bill

 

If you are up to speed and working alone with the right tools I expect a professional mechanic to be able to get it out in 3-3 1/2 hours and back in in 8. That includes fill fluids, charge A/C, tune motor, test drive and fill out paperwork. That should be a clean professional job without anyone being able to tell you were there.
For a hobbiest at home double to triple depending on ability.

 

We expect pictures Carguy.
I also expect that you will do as good a job as you did the last time. Being a gearhead, I am always glad to see another owner use his hands (and brain) for something other than writing checks.

 

I use two ratchets at once for the shock top nuts on TR... I have a 13mm socket on one in one hand, and a 17mm on the other in the other hand (all snap on 3/8 double hex). And do a double shuffle and then swap over.

I always poke with a screwdriver and then use powerful vacuum or compressed air first, to clear grit away from nuts and washers.

I reckon 4 hours out, and 10 hours in. Plus whatever it's out for. This depends on exhaust system a bit though... '90 cars only have one big exhaust box (like TR) which doesn't need to be touched other than the top hanger brackets, but the 4 box cars (like BB) need it all off.

 

How do you get a TR engine out w/o a lift?

 

Good advice.


What you describe as a 90 exhaust is the only one we have over here (not counting 512TR).

 

~Ferrarifixer said:
"...'90 cars only have one big exhaust box (like TR) which doesn't need to be touched other than the top hanger brackets, but the 4 box cars (like BB) need it all off."

Any problems associated with the weight of the ex system hanging off the piping instead of the frame's hanger brackets? This sounds like the easy way to go - - any downside?


~Carguy said:
..."once the motor is down I can access everything and remove the (AC)pump and tie it up out of the way"

Please keep us posted on your procedure (hose lengths/ binding etc)! I'm eager to hear of your results.

Thanks,
Vince

 

It is done on almost all the subframe cars. No problem.

 

The Service Manual calls for supporting the ex system if not supported by the hangers during the service - a piece of rope placed logically should do it. Probably OK to not support it but if you want to do it right.... Good luck!