tr7triumph.com

My 1976 TR7 passed state inspection this morning! I'm almost legal! Tomorrow, I hope to get plates and be 100% law-abiding!
Actually, I'm really surprised that it passed since the front suspension is worn and noisy. The car still has lots of it's racing suspension pieces on it and though it handles incredibly, it will rattle your fillings. I really need to swap some parts out for more street friendly ones since I have no plans to race this car, like the PO had.
My wife and I did take it for a short trip today. It started right up, ran great (the idle is a little inconsistent) but the biggest thing that caught my attention is the transmission noise - waaaay too much. Growling, rattling, grinding in first when at a stoplight, etc. Really bad when cold, better when warmed up, but noisy nonetheless.

This is a fun car to drive (I'm just finding this out BTW), but you have to DRIVE it, none of this sit back and enjoy the ride kind of stuff. It's great!
Aaron



Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it.

Maybe time for a 5spd transplant.[:)] Polyurethane bushes for the frt don't cost much. Don't notice any harsher ride with mine but did take out the shakes.

72 MGB BRG
80 TR8 Persian Aqua
If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

Well done Aaron. Your noise may be a minor problem.

It sounds as if you may be a candidate for the missing gearbox mount
spacer Syndrome. Do a search, if you haven't seen the threads.

If your noise is less when you have your foot on the clutch, this is
probable. It is also cheep, & easy to fix.

Good luck, & enjoy the car.

Hasbeen

Having endured the 4 speed gearbox for some 30 years in our 1976 TR7, I am surprised how noisy and yet, how rugged the little thing was. 135,000 miles and never split open. 1st too high, 2nd too low, 3rd about right, and 4th pretty good tho 60mph at 3275RPM was a bit of a pain. But, I got used to it. Oh, yes. Let us not forget all the gear and synchro grinding when a gear change was attempted too fast.
Whew! I am so glad that's over and done.

Anyways, the one most likely bearing to have gone bad is the ball bearing at the back of the tailshaft. However, you indicate the noisy-ness is in first and at a stoplight. If the rear mount is okay, the first step is to flush out the old gear oil and refill till it overflows out the filler hole with most any kind of 90wt gear oil. You will avoid the gearbox oil arguments because the 4 speed does not have an oil pump as the 5 speed does. As it relies solely on the splash method, it is very tolerant of more basic gear lubes.

Our conversion to the LT77 5 speed has been a revelation, particularly with the use of the Pennzoil gearbox oil. If one day you do opt to convert, do keep your 4 speed 3.63/1 rear end and have your driveshaft lengthed to fit. You will not be sorry. In the meantime, drive the car some more and see if it loosens up, or if you become more accustomed to it's various noises. Please report back later.

Mildred Hargis

Well, I got my plates and I'm now a legal TR7 driver! I've spent most of today working on and driving this amazing and fun car.
I got the gauge gas working - it turned out to be a ground wire broken inside the insulation. I'm certainly glad I didn't buy a new sending unit because I would have been majorly PO'd when that didn't fix the problem.
I hooked up a generic, universal fit windshield washer pump to replace my burned up one.
The next couple of minor things on my 'to do' list is get a power antenna installed and find some way to keep this annoying carpeting from sliding all the way to the front or back of the wheelwell. I'm thinking some industrial strength velcro glued to the floor and carpet back.
Aaron



Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it.