780 replies to this topic

[alex-95]

Really nice job on that binnacle! 

Cheers!

 

Crackle finish paint won't react if you prime first, even if it does react slightly you won't be likely to notice

Thanks, I've tried it on so off cut fibreglass and it seems to have stuck and started to wrinkle up

[Will16]

Binnacle looks sick, really good job on that man! Make sure you bake the wrinkle paint to get the best effect

[alex-95]

Binnacle looks sick, really good job on that man! Make sure you bake the wrinkle paint to get the best effect

Cheers mate. Yeah I'll spray it while it's on the heater and get the hot air gun going, I sprayed the heater panel with it while on the heater and came up really well. The heater stinks of the paint every time I switch it on now though

[alex-95]

I was looking at cleaning up the transfer case the other day when I spotted that it was a little worn where the idler gear shims sit, just about see it in the below photo. This meant that the idler gear bearings were badly worn or the casing and G/Box were out of line by misaligned dowels.

 

I then got the Rebuilt gearbox out from underneath the bench and unfortunately that was damaged to   

 

To rule out the dowels being out of align I machined 2 shafts, one to fit into the idler bearing bores and the other to fit in the first motion bearing bore and onto the shaft. The idler gear and first motion bearings had to be removed (The one in the G/box being new and fitted by the gearbox rebuilder) method of removing it shown in this thread http://www.theminifo...ng-replacement/  

 

 

Which when I went to fit it together found the cause of the problem, there was only one dowel in the G/box which made it not line up. So machined a dowel and it fitted together perfectly.

 

So then all I needed to do was to machine the maces square again.

 

Gearbox clamped to an angle plate and clocked in square, then put a bag over the top to keep the swarf out the G/box. I Had to machine 0.3mm off the gearbox face and 0.08mm off the transfer case so will need and oversize shim (around 0.146") for the gearbox side but probably get the biggest shim 0.139" minispares do for the transfer case side.

 

[alex-95]

8 year's apart, the day I picked it up to today.

 

 

Got the plastiguage out yesterday to check the main bearings and big ends.

 

 

Then had to check the piston ring gaps, The pistons come with the rings already attached so I tried getting them off by hand but felt like they were going to break so I bought a set of piston ring pliers and modified them so that I can't open the ring to much and break them. 

 

Then with feeler gauges checked the gap, it should be 12 thou but they come pre gapped now so they are 14 thou.

 

And to finish the weekend, I gave the block and head another coat of paint.

 

[alex-95]

With the piston ring gaps checked I borrowed a blow torch to fit the pistons to the conrods. Easier said than done really. Have gudgen pin already in one side of the piston, Heat up conrod to straw colour, put conrod into piston and push gudgen pin through to other side while keeping the conrod in the centre. The first one went alright apart from getting the piston 180 degrees out in the rush to fit it before it cools down to much but the second the gudgen pin wouldn't push through the other side of the piston and the conrod shrunk of half way through  so had to push that back out again. It got easier once I knew what was happening.

 

I Ended up machining the transfer case face that butts up against the gearbox as it was quite a way out of flat. I then sand blasted it and the wok.

 

 

Which meant I could fit it with the idler gear and gasket I'll be using to get the Endfloat which after machining the face gave me an end float of 8 thou of which it should be around 4 thou so just need a bit thicker shim.

 

Then the crank went in. which turned nice and freely

 

 

...

Edited by alex-95, 04 March 2018 - 08:51 PM.

[alex-95]

Then making sure everything was clean, I fitted the big end bearings, oiled everything up, and fitted the piston and conrods into the block. I used Torco Engine assembly lube on the Big ends and on the gudgen pins as it's a lot thicker than standard engine oil and doesn't run of the parts you put on straight away and leaves film on it. 

 

 

I also removed the conrod bolts before fitting the pistons as they were the minispares ones and I replaced them with the ARP ones.

 

Next up was the cam followers.

 

Then the Kent 266 Cam

 

Then my DSN timing cover could go on along with the can triangle plate, The cover is top quality and worth the money IMO. 

 

Then the timing chain, I bought this from Minispares but think it's made by Kent Cams just without the name and box with it. With a bit of fettling on the keys to get it to fit I checked the alignment. With the cam gear pulled out the 2 were both in line within a thou or 2 but pushing it in the cam gear was low compared to the crank one by around 6 thou. I grained the crank one down lightly to make sure there were no high spots, which got the gap into tolerance.

 

Next up was checking the endfloat of the cam.

Zeroed

 

0.16mm, so in tolerance (up to 0.178mm I think)

 

I could then final fit the timing chain, lining up the 2 dots and putting the crank and cam into the same positions. I torqued up the nut and did pull the lock washer over the nut. To torque it I used an old flywheel keyway with an old socket welded to it, while dad held that with a breaker bar I torque it to 65ft/lb's 

 

Now its already to be timed tomorrow evening

 

[Jared Mk3]

Keen to see how this motor comes out 

[alex-95]

A few parts thats arrived Lately 

From Med, ARP head studs and HIF44 stub stack filter kit.

 

Then After De-burring the alloy mounting plate I had it anodised black  . And a new fuel pump and a couple of other bits from Burlen

 

And one from minispares which is hopefully the last one for the engine build, I've probably forgotten something. New radiator, inlet manifold, Idler gear shim...

 

[alex-95]

I've been making a jig over the past few weeks for rolling a new chrome bezel onto the rev counter which I rolled in on Friday.

 

Also drilled and tapped some holes in some half round brass.

 

I checked the timing which come out to 104.5 degrees, It should be 106 but chain stretch needs to be taken into account which is said to be 2-3 degrees. So I slackened the vernier gear, put a sharpie mark where it was and gave it a knock around, which come out to 102, so another knock back and got it to 103.5 degrees .

 

 

I started stripping the engine bay down ready for removing the 998.

 

and to finish off the day

 

 

Oh and I've been doing some painting, It was a choice of leaving them sandblasted finish and let them corrode, paint it silver, black or green. I gave it a coat of etch primer and 3 coats of paint.

 

I've got quite a lot to get done before the start of may, I tested my new manifold with the carb and spacer etc and the carb was nearly touching the bulkhead, I've got another later subframe but have now decided to use the existing frame to save bleeding the brakes and other bits. I'll weld up the engine mount holes and drill new ones further forward and maybe trim the front bar a little.

[Jared Mk3]

That chrome bezel is really nice!

[alex-95]

With the engine out I cracked on with the subframe last weekend, milled some little extensions to fit onto the subframe. Marked out and drilled some pilot holes further forwards, welded the plates on and then welded up the original holes. Then ground it all down and gave it a coat of zinc and 3 coats of black

 

I couldn't get a very good photo but I got the heater panel engraved, just need to dab some white paint on it.

 

Carrying on from the drilling the holes in the half round brass, dad spent a lot of time bending it to the shape of the binnacle which he done an excellent job on. And then we soldered the joints together, sanded it smooth, polished it and have had it plated (no pictures of that yet.

 

And today I got the wrinkle finish paint out after sanding the binnacle down yesterday. 

 

I got my motor tune rocker cover sandblasted during the week

 

Which I also gave the wrinkle finish treatment

 

And also did the cap to as it was badly pitted.

 

Now on to Engine building... It's important to check every part for dirt, swarf and burrs. 

 

This is what I got when you bought a set of MED 1.5 rockers, It might just be a one off but worth checking.

Inside the rocker

 

Bit's of swarf from in the slot on the end of my finger.

 

Inside the oil hole on the rocker post

 

 

Then finally the rockers all built up

 

I wanted to get the engine fully built and possibly in this weekend but a small problem with the head cropped up which is going to be returned and sorted out. Thats why I've been doing the binnacle and other bits, With only 4 weeks left until Riviera run It's going to be down to the wire I think and may end up having to stick the 998 engine back in    

[Jared Mk3]

I do like the look of that rocker cover in the wrinkle paint. I have one as well, but will be polishing it.

[alex-95]

I do like the look of that rocker cover in the wrinkle paint. I have one as well, but will be polishing it.

I'm pleased with the way it came out, wasn't sure if it'd be good or not, I'm planning on having as little silver and chrome in the engine bay as possible. 

[alex-95]

With the paint on the binnacle dry I fitted the brass trim to it. Pretty pleased with the way it turned out