Triumph Repair: TR6 valve adjustment, vacuum gauge, exhaust stroke

Question
QUESTION: what is the correct way to adjust the intake and exhaust valves on a 1973 TR6 6 cylinder engine

ANSWER: Hi Bob,
We always used the factory method of adjusting the opposite valve from the one that the valve spring is compressed. "Opposite" meaning if you put a mirror in the center of the head and you see #10 and # 12 compressed you would set #1 and #3 valve. As you rotate the engine you will see that two valve springs are compressed at the same time. When #2 and #5 are compressed set #8 and #11 and so on. Using this method it does not matter if the base of the cam is cam ground or round.

Some cams have a round base so you can use another method and that is to put two valves on one cylinder in overlap (both valves slightly open) and set both valves on the opposite cylinder. When #6 cylinder is in overlap you can set both valves on #1 cylinder. All inline 6 cylinder engines have two pistons at TDC at the same time but one is on the compression stroke and the other cylinder is on the exhaust stroke.

Howard

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Howard,
 My TR6 has no power when the engine is warmed up.160 degrees. I've checked all the normal things, points,plugs,timing valve adjustment.It runs fine cold.no missing ect: would the fuel tem compensators on the 175cd carborators cause this, I've ordered rebuild kits for the two units. thanks

BOB Paris

Answer
Hi Bob,
If you are talking about the long auto trimmer on the side with the long plastic cover. It normally will not affect the running that much but just as a test you can take the small screws out of the plastic cover and put something (anything) between the plastic cover and the end of the valve to hold it in the closed position and run the car to be sure it is not affecting the performance.

If it runs smoothly but just lacks power you should put a vacuum gauge on the intake manifold and run the hose out from under the hood and tape the gauge so you can see it and drive the car. get up to 3rd or 4th gear and accelerate on up in RPM and watch the gauge and tell me the reading.
Howard