Someone else's troubles.....

[TigerTastic]

It seems all is not well with my Tiger  :(

I had a good look at it when I viewed it and again when I picked it up but didn't see the problem I found this morning. I was looking around the engine and noticed 'fresh' brown water on the head that was definitely not there when I looked it over yesterday. It looked to me that the head gasket was leaking so I decided to check out the forum to see if anyone else had suffered the same fate with their Tiger. What I found was the last but one owner's issues with it (Tomski). He had apparently twice changed the gasket and it's obviously still a problem. He also decided to move it on to the guy I bought from who probably decided to do the same thing!

Having called the local Triumph dealer and got a rough price (£650 - £750) to change gaskets, oils, filter, coolant etc and £1500 to replace the head if warped I now find myself with a bit of a dilemma and a little deflated!

With not enough knowledge or inclination to start stripping engines down myself and having things machined I need to find a way out of my predicament. I don't really want to pass the problem on to an unsuspecting buyer - not my way - and I'd quite like to keep the bike but I don't really know what to do for the best.

Any suggestions?
 :?

[Mustang]

ebay ...........used head .......cheap money ............theres a thread on here by jetdocx how to change the head
it's really not that hard .

[TigerTastic]

Hey Mustang, thanks for the reply.

Is the 885 engine used on any other Triumphs do you know that I could get a head from? Just checked ebay uk and although there's a complete engine there are no Tiger heads currently available.

I could be about to embark on a whole new learning experience!

[Mustang]

Sprint with carbs
Daytona with carbs
Trophy 900
early speed triples up to 1997 I believe might be 96
I think a Trident 900 head will work also

[TigerTastic]

Cheers Mustang, appreciate it.

Need to find a supplier of gaskets other than Triumph if I can. I'm sure the guy at the Triumph place said the set is £190

[Mustang]

here's one ...even though the seller says it's a 750 it's really a 900 speed triple head  same casting as tiger head

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIUMPH-750-S ... 4cf4aad22f

here's a daytona head same as steamer

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIUMPH-DAYTO ... 415ef47d54

here's another

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-900-d ... 2eabbe46ef

[TigerTastic]

I saw the Daytona 900 head with valves but hadn't looked any further. All this is new to me so I really appreciate your time and help.

Is there anything I should look for in particular? For instance is there a benefit in going for the £125 one instead of the £40 one or is it all going to be a gamble? Are there any questions I should ask before I look to buy?

Thanks again.

[TigerTastic]

Looks like World of Triumph are cheapest with the full gasket set at £169. Does anyone know of anywhere offering good pattern equivalents or should I avoid pattern and stay original?

[R0B]

How many miles are on your bike. It might just be easier to replace the engine with a known good unit.....anywhere between £250 and £450........when you take into account the gasket set, and anything else you might find it's not such a silly idea.

ROB

[TigerTastic]

It's only just done 20500 (all documented with 7 MOTs) but I see from Tomski's posts it has had a bit of work done internally already. Whole engine swap may not be a bad thing. As you say, by the time I've thrown gaskets onto a new head it could be anything from £250 up to maybe £300? Having said that the engine seems to be fine otherwise, no sign of DAR and it starts brilliantly. How do you go about making that kind of decision?! :?

[R0B]

you'll always have a spare engine to either fix, or have as spares........6 speed gearbox would have  a value, so would the clutch assembley, engine covers etc, so you'd claw some cash back.

ROB

[Mustang]

motor swap is really quick and easy 1 day job
any of the 309/409 motors will bolt right in , worst case you have to change the shift drum to get the shift pattern to be correct

and going down the head swap road
the only gasket you "need" is the head gasket . they are around 50 bucks US

[TigerTastic]

Maybe I should offer the old engine as payment for taking it out and putting a replacement in?! Minus any bits that don't come with the new one - alternator, starter etc. Supply and demand I guess.

Local places are asking stupid money to do the head. One guy quoted me 10 hours minimum which was even more than the Triumph dealer - although I think the labour rates were cheaper so it evened out.

[TigerTastic]

Am I right in saying that the 309 engine could be from a Trident, Thunderbird, Sprint, Speed Triple or Trophy? 409 is the Tiger engine?

[Mustang]

yep