Ian's TSS Rebuild

[ianashdown]

Mine still has the standard system which I believe is a Lucas Rita system.

Seems to spark OK outside of the chamber, but we'll see very soon if it wants to run or not!

Ian

 

[Sea Dog]

Hey Ian,
Really like the copper head gasket as opposed to the cooper rings. Nice work! The alloy push rod tubes are kinda awesome as well.

Mine is still running super well.

 

[Sea Dog]

Mine still has the standard system which I believe is a Lucas Rita system.

Seems to spark OK outside of the chamber, but we'll see very soon if it wants to run or not!

Ian

Still have the stock Lucas Rita in mine and it works fine.

 

[lcgtr]

Hi Ian, I just brought one of these bikes in bits myself.
The link to that thread in your first post is dead, don't suppose anyone has the current location or if anyone cut and paste it into a word document?

What exactly was the problems with these engines as in what should I modify?

Mine was missing all the rocker gear but yesterday I was fortunate enough to find a tone of used spares from an old Triumph dealership including a barrel and complete spare head.
From what I can gather I should replace valves and guides, get the alloy follower blocks and tubes and skim the barrel and use a full sized head gasket.
The guy at the dealership also told me big end bearings are unobtainum and the tappet adjusters used to break frequently. He happens to be working on bearing shells as he has a tss crank in his race bike and they are modifying Cooper S bearings, he said he'd let me know how they get on.

 

[GRIN]

Hi Ian, I just brought one of these bikes in bits myself.
The link to that thread in your first post is dead, don't suppose anyone has the current location or if anyone cut and paste it into a word document?

What exactly was the problems with these engines as in what should I modify?

Mine was missing all the rocker gear but yesterday I was fortunate enough to find a tone of used spares from an old Triumph dealership including a barrel and complete spare head.
From what I can gather I should replace valves and guides, get the alloy follower blocks and tubes and skim the barrel and use a full sized head gasket.
The guy at the dealership also told me big end bearings are unobtainum and the tappet adjusters used to break frequently. He happens to be working on bearing shells as he has a tss crank in his race bike and they are modifying Cooper S bearings, he said he'd let me know how they get on.

 

[GRIN]

------Undersized big end shells and pistons ARE available,problems with these engines are that when Meriden brought out the TSS they were skint and going down the pan fast,so they were built on the cheap and were never fully developed,among the many problems I have found with the TSS motors are, stripped crankcase threads,stripped centre barrel threads,liners dropping in cylinder,loose valve guides,worn out rocker spindles,valve seats falling out,oil leaks in abundance due to several design faults ,cracked/broken crankcases,stripped timing gears the list goes on.
Now your one may be OK and not have any of theses problems,but you will not know until you strip it completely and check everything.
When they are fixed correctly they are indeed a very good motorcycle,smoother than the 2 valver 650/750 Twins,with loads of torque and fairly fast for a bike of its age .
Its one of those big "1fs" in the history of Triumph,if only they had brought it out some 10 years earlier,after all its based on the Weslake 8 valve design which was around in the late 1960`s.

 

[lcgtr]

Thanks mate.
Mine has done 44,000 km and apparently seized before it was stripped in 93ish
Could you recommend any suppliers for those pistons and shells?
Is there any technical way to check for rocker/spindle wear or do I just gauge by how much they wiggle about.

 

[lcgtr]

Going through it, it all seems good at the moment so fingers crossed then, just still trying to figure out where it all goes, I've never played with Triumphs before.

I know what your saying by it being 10 years too late. I can't believe how antiquated it is compared to something air cooled from the same year like a GPZ. It it reminds me far too much of my 70 Commando, which is ultimately why I love the thing but they were clearly miles behind the 8 ball

 

[devo]

Hi Ian, I just brought one of these bikes in bits myself.
The link to that thread in your first post is dead, don't suppose anyone has the current location or if anyone cut and paste it into a word document?

Here ya go
1983 Triumph T140W 750 TSS; 8 valves & electric start! | Triumph Motorcycle Forum - TriumphTalk

 

[lcgtr]

Thanks mate, that's exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to find. It's the best source I've found for info on these bikes, especially for one like mine which is engine condition unknown.

 

[tunarfish]

Read this thread with interest as I've just put my TSS on the road having owned it for eight years ( it was last on the road in '87 ). Only one cloud on the horizon, an oil leak behind the rear pushrod tube between the head and the barrels. This motor has leaked like this from new so I'm told, I've had the had head checked and tried, stripped and rebuilt numerous times, even going to the trouble of having some special seals made to ensure that the leak isn't occurring under the centre rear head nut,to no avail and can't help but think that I'm missing something obvious or simple, any of you guys got any ideas?
Tunarfish

 

[tunarfish]

;

Read this thread with interest as I've just put my TSS on the road having owned it for eight years ( it was last on the road in '87 ). Only one cloud on the horizon, an oil leak behind the rear pushrod tube between the head and the barrels. This motor has leaked like this from new so I'm told, I've had the had head checked and tried, stripped and rebuilt numerous times, even going to the trouble of having some special seals made to ensure that the leak isn't occurring under the centre rear head nut,to no avail and can't help but think that I'm missing something obvious or simple, any of you guys got any ideas?
Tunarfish

Read this thread with interest as I've just put my TSS on the road having owned it for eight years ( it was last on the road in '87 ). Only one cloud on the horizon, an oil leak behind the rear pushrod tube between the head and the barrels. This motor has leaked like this from new so I'm told, I've had the had head checked and tried, stripped and rebuilt numerous times, even going to the trouble of having some special seals made to ensure that the leak isn't occurring under the centre rear head nut,to no avail and can't help but think that I'm missing something obvious or simple, any of you guys got any ideas?
Tunarfish

Have just read the thread re' the original error over the cylinder liners dropping, given my limited technical knowledge this would point to it being the likely diagnosis. The possibility of fitting a one piece copper gasket ( as opposed to the two rings ) along with having the cylinder top skimmed should eliminate the fault... hopefully!

 

[grandpaul]

Welcome to the forum!

Hope you get it sorted; but as long as it's not too bad, RIDE IT!!!

 

[tunarfish]

Good luck...you may need it!

Hi Ian, reading your post with interest as I have a TSS myself that I am running. Would be gratefully if you supply me with the details of the folks who made up your copper head gaskets as mine is suffering from a leak ( gas and oil ) from between the head and the cylinders caused by the liners "sinking" when the head was tightened up. The gasket is the most obvious method of curing this problem,
Regards, Chris Tunney

 

[tunarfish]

 

[tunarfish]

A shot of the old girl after passing her MOT ( roadworthiness certificate ) for the first time since 1987 ... glorious!

 

[CarlS]

Outstanding. That is a great accomplishment. Congratulations.

 

[Mad On Triumphs]

Very nice.

 

[grandpaul]

They are beauties, aren't they?

 

[Bill McD]

Hi,

Just be careful when it comes to replacing your sprocket, which you'll have to do eventually. If they apear in anyway tight apply some heat with a heat gun. The differential expansion will help. Copaslip when reassembling!

Here's a situation Bryce should be familiar with. It seems that Shipwrights Disease is setting in. I popped the valves out of the head last night, initially for cleaning and re-lapping, but even though this bike has low miles on it, under 10K, there appears to be more play in the guides than I think there should be. So, it one of those "I'm in here I might as well do the job properly" situations. $500 later and new valves and guides are on their way from Mitch Klemph - highly recomended! - the parts are all in the parts washer and will be off to the Vapor Blaster tomorrow. I'll take and post some pictures tonight.

Gotta make that date . . .

Ian

Can I get the contact info for Mitch Klemph? I'm needing valves and guides for mine. thanks!