Triumph TR6: How To Convert A Vintage Engine To Run On Unleaded Fuel | Wheeler Dealers

Eds China has a Triumph TR6 in the workshop in a rare unrusted condition. Despite this, however, major work needs to be done to the engine to convert it from running leaded fuel to unleaded fuel, as this will increase the value of the vehicle as well as make it safer for the environment.
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[@dapoppa2256]

Ed China..The undisputed Zen Master of auto Repair.

[@roodick85]

This was when the show was interesting not pimp my ride 🙏🏿 thank you Big Ed!

[@Arthagnou]

Its now "Pimp my ride"? They mostly bring things back to stock....

[@OldSkoolF]

Miss you Ed... Show's lame without you!...

[@triumphtr779]

The good old days when Ed was still teaching us a thing or two.

[@Scalihoo]

I like both Ed & Ant

[@daniele.967]

Good moornig Edd..help me my car Ford Corsair Consul V4 GT...problem meccanics...

[@bingosunnoon9341]

Really? I was impressed with how wrong he got a lot of different things.

[@beboboymann3823]

Bingo Sun Noon Ummmmm.......like what?

[@kpbarrow]

The best bits were always Ed's mechanics. It's a massive shame what happened to the show.

[@neilmurphy845]

Ya I loved how he explained how everything worked just like on Junkyard digs.

[@josemariabasa7015]

​@@neilmurphy845lp

[@tacob69]

Man I loved this show and brings back memories of 2007-2008 when I was obsessed. Edd and Mike were on the same page and were so great together.

[@InformationIsTheEdge]

I miss this show. I haven't watched since Edd's been gone.

[@wurly164]

InformationIsTheEdge me too

[@InformationIsTheEdge]

@Rocky Nealis I was trying to puzzle out how "Ant" is somehow supposed to Edd then I realized, that is the new guy, right? Never watched a single episode without Edd.

[@advancelast1740]

InformationIsTheEdge you need to get out more

[@InformationIsTheEdge]

​@@advancelast1740 Thanks for the advice.

[@InformationIsTheEdge]

@Rocky Nealis I totally get your point. But I actually love Sandi Toksvig on QI. Liked Steven better but still think Sandi is excellent!

[@pkwom]

Reminds me how much I miss Ed ☹️

[@jimbookholt8400]

Sure miss Ed, the way he got things up and running on a shoestring budget. Like some others I DO NOT watch the show without him.

[@boatbloke6701]

When I used to look forward to watching Wheeler Dealers with interesting greasy bits.... thanks Edd!

[@williamkennedy5492]

Great to see Ed in action he was the star of the show, my TR6 was 9 years old when i had to rebuild it due RUST it was probably left outside during one of those numerous strikes during manufacture ! I converted over to two 175 Strombergs carbs from the PI and saved so much money , SAH of Leighton Buzzard did a kit for the 2 litre engine thats how i knew the carb conversion would work, Sadly i had to let the car go due the ex !!!! but it lives on i googled the Reg and its still out there. For now i have a Merc 300-24 SL but still miss that TR6 last time i saw it was 1985.The memory lingers on. they were known as the last of the hairy chested sports cars !

[@CowboyStag]

This was the only show on car mechanics that was informative

[@steviecuz2396]

But still the only wheeler dealer ones I’ll watch.

[@jamesgrant956]

A brilliant mechanical engineer we sorly miss, good luck Edd for the future, it was a pleasure to watch your skill and presentation.

[@user-fl7bb2mm1q]

Such high-quality and professional commentary videos , More nostalgic than the funny modified car videos that look like clown jokes.

[@HarleyRog]

He didn’t get things wrong here, he’s just talking in simple language for learners.

[@chadmccolm6544]

Ed made the show work

[@SKEptic-mg2dd]

@John Doe Thanks for that Mike.

[@MrFlyingguy]

@@SKEptic-mg2dd very sharp.....

[@polygamous1]

£300 in to days labour cost for this kind of top quality engineering work is a bargain

[@simonsackett]

Came to say exactly that! All that precision work for £50 a pot.

[@tanvirhussain6106]

Bargain. I bet today it would be an easy £650 starting in most places that so offer this service

[@Snarl616]

@@tanvirhussain6106 they ask 350€ for a Fiat Punto. More or less the same thing.

[@markh1085]

I am no mechanic but Ed had a way of drawing interest from anyone . I miss these

[@outdoorfreedom9778]

Something I learned the hard way as a teen back in the 60s. If you rebuild the top end you should rebuild the lower end also. Things like bearing and rings have a problem with the fresh compression and tend to fail. Back in the 70s and 80s when I was building VW engines I would take the heads to the machine shop and have the Valves, seats and guides replaced with stainless to account for the lack of lead. The older Chevys were easy to set up for lead-free gas but Fords were a pain in the ass with the stupid flame hardened seats!!

[@tolrem]

Very interesting.Skilled work.I used to own an identical one in the 70's.Wish I still did.

[@nomebear]

My sister bought a new, yellow TR6 and performed all of the services herself. A gorgeous blonde, there was usually some guy standing there holding the wrenches for her with the hope of getting a ride. Marriage and pregnancy brought a quick end to it all. Funny how that changes the scope of everything.

[@louie391]

nomebear good on you for marrying your gorgeous blonde sister before you got her pregnant 👍

[@3rd-eye-neenja563]

@@louie391 lmao 🤣 😱

[@triumph6600]

God , I certainly miss Ed. He was the best. I used to pickup so many time saving tricks from him. I also will not watch the show without him.

[@muskogee9948]

We miss ya Ed!

[@frankgeorge7809]

So glad I found you......miss you , and wish you had your own show.... I HAVE NEVER WATCHED THE NEW SHOW WITH THAT BACK STABBING ######.....

[@wrightonman]

FASCINATING!!! I want to hug this sweet TR- lol She is lovely!

[@michaelmixon2479]

TR6 was a beautiful car!

[@spikespa5208]

He said this one had no rust. Except in the coolant. Hope the previous owner was better in the oil maintenance department.

[@bobjenkins3862]

I really wish I still owned my 1959 TR3 A ! I would send it to you to correct and still have my favorite car ever!

[@NATO_9870]

James did a awsome job on the top end 👍

[@WisconsinWanderer]

Yes I miss this show also! Ed’s the best.

[@sleepymotion7011]

Wonderful program , thanks for sharing.

[@SeverSTL]

Helps a lot. Been trying to understand how an engine works for a long time.

[@dabombinablemi6188]

I've got to do the same for a Vauxhall slant 4 at some point. However since it will cost more than what the engine was bought for, it'll only be done when the head definitely needs actual work. The rest of the engine has almost zero wear so it'll last a -long time- decent amount of Sunday drives yet. Having an engine that was hard on valve seats even with leaded fuel is fun.

[@shinigami117s8]

I had a 1990 300zx with excessively hard valves from the factory leading to excessive wear. Essentially the valve was chipping itself to bits molecule by molecule over the years. Slightly softer valves made her run smooth and restored power due to better sealing.

[@daverunner3397]

I drive a BMW Z4 on the weekends but Ive always loved the TR 6.

[@NickDe39]

Had to do this with my 1970 Buick Riviera, was able to purchase a 1973 455 CID intake manifold with the carb and EGR valve on it for ten bucks. Found Canadian thicker head gaskets to reduce the CR from 10.5 to 9.0:1. With connections to GM got an HEI distributor with the cap and silicone spark plug cable for six bucks, that is what they cost to manufacture. Retimed it with my distributor tester. Took less than a Saturday morning to make the switch, this is sure history. Unleaded gas shot up to 35 cents per gallon, leaded was $1.65 a gallon, never was a hot rodder, but still got 20 mpg. But crazy Nixon hurt that by dropping the speed limit to 55 mph when the peak torque of this car was set to 70 mph, dropped the mpg to 17, what an ahole this guy was. Back then this earth would be out of gas in eight years, and that was 42 years ago! Today everyone driving SUVS and Pickup trucks, lucky to get 12 mpg hot hodding in the cities where 90% of the driving is done. Nixon was an idiot.

[@tphvictims5101]

A car like that deserves a 2jz. Back in the day a friend of mine had a butterscotch colored TR. It was beautiful. And the job you did is SPOT ON 😉👍🏻

[@dphotos007]

Bring Ed back. He was why I watched the show. The show was so much better with Ed.

[@benward5732]

UK based and with longer explanations I miss wheeler dealers as was .. the new show seems to assume a lack of attention span from the viewer - nice to remember the good old days

[@hugolafhugolaf]

The producers (americans) wanted it that way. Edd refused to dumb it down and was labeled «difficult» by Fat Mike, and they went their separate ways, Edd with his integrity intact and Mike with Ant who hooked up with that high-maintenance hoebag whom he just divorced...

[@McRocket]

Before I saw this episode (back when)? I had no idea about why engines ran on leaded fuel. Or that you could convert them. Just another reason why I liked this show so much. ☮

[@randaldockstader4309]

I have 2 of them Edd a 72 & a 75. You have featured many that I have except my Somerset & 67 London taxi.

[@ppmtnez]

the only interesting part of Wheeler Dealers was with Ed China

[@AMPHICARSdotCOM]

Just highlights what a great show WD was back in the day. Thankfully this type of quality engineering is now freely available on KZbin so there is no need to endure Brewer and all the fake nonsense that sadly WD now is.

[@frogandspanner]

It is so irritating that Brewer always referred to Edd as "his mechanic" - a mere sidekick. It's a little similar on Car SOS, where Fuzz is the powerhouse (Practical Classics took a downturn following his departure). There was recently a programme on azlheimer's TV that had Allen Millyard (he who takes the sprues from Airfix kits and turns them into 5 litre V-twin motorcycles) and he actually *was* described as a sidekick. There really is something wrong with a country that does not appreciate such "lowly" things as manufacturing, technology and craftsmanship.

[@AMPHICARSdotCOM]

@@frogandspanner Yes, that is something the Germans do well, they appreciate their engineers. Fortunately KZbin now gives engineers the voice and audience they deserve. Look at people like Colin Furze who is a bit Edd China-ish. 10 million followers.

[@AMPHICARSdotCOM]

Also look up Soup classic motoring, George there is a brilliant engineer doing great work on a W123 Mercedes, Range Rover and Lotus.

[@tonychan4526]

that looks like enormous fun!

[@SKEptic-mg2dd]

Seeing this just reminds me of how superfluous that other guy was on WDs. Edd rules and always will.

[@spikespa5208]

The other guy was a sales kinda guy. With all that that implies.

[@johngray8249]

Nice one Ed 👍👍👍👍👍

[@sevenohnine]

Oh man, this video brought back memories of the first time I did a top-end on an old '68 Toyota Hilux pickup truck in my parents' garage .... back in the 70's. I am glad I have upgraded to a Tesla and no longer need to get my hands dirty handling engine parts with oil and greese .... and adjust those damn SU carburetors. Thank the Lord for fuel injection, and now EV. I have always considered myself a "car' guy having worked on them for 4 decades but I fully embraced the evolution of the automobile and I am content driving my Tesla and Gem golf cart around these days. BTW, I had a TR-6 back in the late '70s and loved it .... when it ran.

[@emilefouquet9005]

You worked on them for 40 years ? You obviously did not learn much. Fuel Injection versus carburetors is a joke relative to their cost of production for a "Manufacturer". The evolution of automotive components and systems were designed to increase 'profits', not to increase quality and longevity.

[@sevenohnine]

So true! I am continue to learn new things everyday! I love new tech's so there are a lot to learn each day. For example, my 2022 ExWay Flex riot eBoard is so much better than my 2019 Kaabo Mantis 10 scooter in terms of the Li-Ion battery, ECS and OTA update. I have given up driving an ICE vehicle since 2015 and I don't miss changing oil or adjusting the valves, etc.

[@edwardcnnell2853]

Once had an four cylinder head repaired in a shop. Using masking tape to mark how things went back together. Did not bother to label them as to what they were for just as A/A, B/B, etc so only needed to match the tape on one part to the matching letter on another part. My cylinder head's bolts unscrewed and had to be removed completely so no shafts sticking up to guide the head back onto the block. Found in hardware store two bolts of the proper size and thread cut and about the same length. Cut the heads off the bolts and cut a slot for a screwdriver to fit the end the heads had been cut off. With file rounded off the sharp edges on the screwdriver slot end. Now when time to put the head back on put the two altered bolts as guides for the head. Simply placed head gasket onto the block and dropped the cylinder head onto the guide bolts. Installed the head bolts removing the two guide bolts last and replacing them with the head bolts. Went together easy and the gasket could not shift during head installation.

[@BastardX13]

Same on a jeep 4 liter straight six engine. Simple and inexpensive.

[@edwardcnnell2853]

@@BastardX13 Yes. Any inline that is not an overhead valve would be easy to do. My inline 4 cylinder was a push rod valves and carburetor. Intake and exhaust manifolds were bolted to each other and unbolted them from block and just removed them as an assembly. All went well bout for one thing. About 6 months later when I was driving home from work there was a loud WHUMP! and huge clouds of gray smoke poured out the exhaust. So much smoke cars behind me at 60 mph were slamming on their brakes. I dare not stop and limped it the 15 more miles home. The engine cut off a few feet from my parking space and I pushed it in. Checked and all the oil had burned out through the exhaust. Figured I had blown a piston ring and ran on my spare car for a few months until I knuckled down and got under the hood. Compression new was 180psi and test to my amazement showed 175psi on all cylinders and all spark plugs oil fouled. Scratched my head and thought what path did the oil take to get into the cylinder? Pulled the PVC valve and it had collapsed internally and sucked all the oil into the cylinders. Just replaced PCV valve and 4 park plugs and it ran like a top. When I had taken the intake manifold, exhaust manifold, carburetor assembly and laid it on the ground it laid on the PCV valve distorting it's case allowing the internal parts to fall apart.

[@sylvainrozon8584]

Nice person...i really wish i had your input before buying my tr6. Soooo bad. But its now over and i have wonderful driving memories. Regards from Canada ❤❤

[@michaelmerta8956]

Eddy is an pleasure to watch, I'm have no much use with the new boy.

[@arturasstatkus8613]

Very interesting,thank You.

[@Skyline26r33]

Ed is the best love watching his videos very clever man

[@hughnelmes864]

Edd well done✌️

[@gooondie]

I love this episode

[@1967250s]

300 Pounds for a head rebuild?! What a deal. Nice TR6. Hope you show more on this baby.

[@goa5373]

that was beautiful to watch, thanks

[@harwoods11]

Where would we be without these highly skilled machine engineers that are fast disappearing 😬

[@mpetersen6]

I worked in a facility that built a variety of automotive engines. Inline 4's, inline 6's (1), V-6's and V-8's. Cast iron and aluminum. The Aluminum engines had Stellite valve seats. The cast iron engines with the introduction of unleaded gas (2) had the valve seats induction hardened at the factory. Both intake and exhaust. 1) Last OHV inline 6 produced in the US. You figure out which one. 2) Unleaded gas was sold for years as White Gas for Coleman lanterns.

[@kenyoung5604]

White gas is another name for kerosene.

[@twooldfartsinanrv7137]

I had a TR3 and 2 TR7;s Those TR7;s were a blast to drive but a pain in the ass to keep running right

[@tjm3900]

Funny how in North America where most of these cars were sold, Leaded gasoline has been restricted/banned since the 70's. But to this day, many, many of the are still on the road, running perfectly well on unleaded gasoline without having to resort to harden valve seats. My car for instance had the engine rebuilt in the 90's, the valves were ground, exhaust valves replaced, valve guides replaced, but the valve seats were basically fine. Since then the car has covered 50 k miles. There is no evidence of VSR. In my opinion valve inserts are not always necessary. If you do have VSR, sure get valve seats fitted. But. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[@neisantos4444]

Olá Ed gostaria de ver o que você faria em um carro que eu gosto muito aqui no Brasil o Chevette . parabéns pelo seu trabalho

[@stewartmcmanus3991]

I might have fitted the gearbox to that car when I worked at Standard-Triumph in Coventry in the seventies before I emigrated to Oz.

[@groermaik]

I miss you Edd.

[@reacp9114]

I did 50k miles on some 68 pontiac GTO heads using unleaded with no seat deterioration. I did run a couple of leaded tankfuls through it after the rebuild, however

[@buddygallagher1193]

Yeah I miss the show too!!! Miss Ed. I don't miss Mike

[@BobbyJ2002]

Ed! What are you doing now? We all miss you man!

[@duccanard9079]

Should have milled the head some.I take.060 off my 200 fords to get up to 9.6 compression, also makes up for poor gas.Run real good with higher compression,3 angle valve job, hardened valve seats, and a 32/36 conversion.

[@henrytsai590]

It seems #6 cylinder accumulates some fluid when Edd took out the head. how did Edd and his crew manage that?

[@Larryloafer488]

The end result nicely shafted by Mike..

[@Larryloafer488]

John Doe I’ll be a little clearer, this vid is just ‘click bait’ deliberately not showing the end result, final shot in this is Mike pointing ‘click here’ with a pic of Ant in the background, comes across as shafting Edd’s work that his fans want to see...

[@davidboreham]

Were the US spec engines fitted with different valve seats? Nobody mentions issues with unleaded fuel here.

[@McRocket]

It's not Ant's fault that he had to follow the Gold Standard of TV auto mechanic's.

[@sakiusjulistian1002]

Nice

[@chrismars6950]

Ed new his stuff

[@Mexxx65]

700th Like :) About the current asking price for a Triumph TR6!

[@ralphmctell5210]

Why aren't you doing the inlet valves? Oh, I see!! Love it when Mike and Ant pop up at the end, and the new series in America - talk about living the dream.

[@joesanchez1176]

EDD ES EL MEJOR 👍

[@jaymartin4166]

My brothers and I put a small block Chevy in one of these. It was dangerous fast.

[@pleappleappleap]

What is the reason you didn't want to put in new lighter stronger pushrods?

[@captainprototype187]

I never realized how much ed looks like a 40 yo Richard Sullivan. It's the hair!

[@foreyfriend145]

⭐ + ⭐ Q: Why not check the valves springs?

[@yetzt]

wd caching in on old edd china footage. awkward.

[@gplusgplus2286]

Lame that you're still uploading videos with Ed when you've let him go long ago.

[@roodick85]

I was about to say the same thing! Views must be shit now to upload big Ed

[@jefflyttle928]

Gplus sucks big It’s great that I get to see Edd.

[@edwardcnnell2853]

If he had a good contract he will get royalties from the videos, KZbin pays provider for views of the video, same as reruns of the show.

[@duke9005]

Mike's a wheeler dealer geezer...ducks and dives... not worried about that

[@aaronleverton4221]

The guy walked through his own choice.

[@sinjntompkins2175]

How old is this? This gives me an early 2000s vibe.

[@charleswilson604]

Is there a way to find the name of the machine shop that he used for this show?

[@bernardwarr4187]

Good question

[@pravin231984]

Please show till the end

[@TheDaf95xf]

Ed China is the best 👍🏻

[@bengo76]

After his hands the car is brand new

[@kanggoo57]

7:37 nice.

[@lewstone1934]

Unless you drive at 70+ mph for hours at a time on the motorway, this conversion is irrelevant. In most situations you will barely pass 2500rpm. Add a valve protection additive (lead) when you fill up and you will save a lot of money. I've never, ever had a problem with my TR6, and I've been driving it since 1999.

[@zoltanvarga1606]

At 1:10 "Then the 3 dual carburettors can be removed." Isn't that a Lucas injection system?

[@beachcomber2008]

I would have liked to see it running.

[@firedemon3313]

Good vid, but small mistake... He said the three dual carburetors, but its an Injection model, so these are only the throttle bodies

[@kbrickell4732]

how about gas flow porting the head while it is being overhauled make the engine more efficient and powerful

[@gregfletcher3358]

Old video, they could have corrected the "three dual carburettor " description to fuel injection throttle bodies.

[@jamesford8315]

It would have been nice to see the engine running, before and after.

[@rayst.pierre4499]

You're a cursed man Michael Brewer! Charging money to watch full episodes with edd

[@rudybishop9089]

What no start up ? Bloody Ell !

[@AAAAlberto]

No Eddy ? No party !

[@FrequencyModulator]

Edd, if you read this comment, please start your own show! I'll pay to watch it!

[@Tensquaremetreworkshop]

Carburetors (1:10)? it clearly says injection on the back... Injection is essential to get decent performance on a TR6. You do not need to remove the rocker shaft to take the head off- and you can leave the pushrods in place. The tappet clearance should be set (9:30) with the engine up to temperature.

[@bernardwarr4187]

How do you fit new valve inserts with rockers on? Can I watch you refit a head with the push rods in place? Will be very funny 🤣