triumph 6 t crank sludge trap

[thunderbird]

i have just stripped the crank on my 1952 t bird engine so i could clean the sludge tube and there was plenty of sludge built up inside the crank but no sludge tube? it has the retaining screw on the timing side but the fly wheel has no cut out in it to except a tube.any help much apprieciated

[henry_norton]

Triumph two piece crankshafts didn't get an oil tube 'til 1955. Just change your oil a bit more regularly mate! HN

[L.A.B.]

At some point, your '52 model 6T's crankshaft has been changed for a later ('59-on) one, as it would have had a three-piece bolt-up crankshaft originally. I'm not sure if those early one piece (+flywheel) cranks had a sludge tube before around 1961?

[Goldie]

I remember years ago stripping the motor of a 1960 T110, with the one piece crank.

To get to the sludge trap i had to remove the big plug screw, and then insert a pointed nosed pliers to pull out the sludge tube, which was bunged up solid with sludge, hence the big end shell bearings starting to wear rapidly.

As for the tube not being there i don't know. Have you looked in the workshop manual to see an exploded view of the crank, it could be a different set up to the later cranks.

If there ain't supposed to be one there then clean it out real good, and do as henry norton says, change your oil more regularly.

[thunderbird]

Thanks very much for your rapid answers,the crank is two pieces bolted to a central flywheel so a 3 piece, the flywheel has no cutout to except a tube so i asume it is the early crank as henry has suggested.I do have another question the conrods are white metal as i expected but they seem a fare bit smaller than other 6t conrods i have, they have E 2923 stamped on them.the crank jornals are in very good order but the white metal on one of the conrods has a piece missing, is it possible to get these remetaled. thanks steve

[L.A.B.]

the crank is two pieces bolted to a central flywheel so a 3 piece,

OK, then it would seem that the crankshaft has not been changed as I originally thought.
No sludge tube is shown or listed in the parts books for '52, '54 or '56 , so if one was fitted in '55 it may not have been available as a spare part. Or it could have been fixed into one of the crank sections?  

EDIT

Correction I have now found "Oil tube" listed in the '56 parts book, so presumably that's it?

[L.A.B.]

I checked in Harry Woolridge's "The Triumph Speed Twin & Thunderbird Bible" and it does say that the sludge tube was introduced for 1955.

Also, the larger diameter big end journals and timing-side bearing cranks were introduced in 1954.

[henry_norton]

Sounds like your crank is the correct one for that year although the rods for a pre 54 6t should be E2921 (the 500s used part no. E2932). If it works though.....

 I hear you can get the big ends re-metalled, or you could try and find someone who can machine the big end out to accept a proper shell bearing but I'm afraid I don't know of anyone off the top of my head.

By the way, just to make sure there's no confusion about Triumph crank types, when I said '2 part' crankshaft I meant two parts plus the flywheel - sometimes known as a 3 part crankshaft and not to be confused with the one piece crankshaft - as in one part with a flywheel shrunk onto it fitted to later pre-units.  

[thunderbird]

thanks to LAB and Henry-Norton,thats cleared up my confusion iam more used to working on the later pre units and the manual i have only shows the early and late sludge tube cranks no mention of there not being a tube on the 1st cranks.if there is no difference between the 5t and 6t rods i will re use the rods i have,i have found a company that does white metal bearings have posted a link may be of use to others http://www.jelbearings.co.uk sure i will have more questions for you later as i get stuck in to my rigid tbird build,thanks again steve