847 replies to this topic

[Mrstars11]

also craig. 

 

I have noticed that the temperature starts to creep up on idle also, ive had an electronic fan installed between the wing and the rad, but it wasnt working, i think it looks like there isnt room for the blades to turn and they are fouling on the inner wing. so its come back out for now and ill have to chop the inner wing out in order to fit the electric fan into place.

 

im hoping the standard fan is enough cooling for now while its being looked at. 

[minisilverbullet]

also craig. 

 

I have noticed that the temperature starts to creep up on idle also, ive had an electronic fan installed between the wing and the rad, but it wasnt working, i think it looks like there isnt room for the blades to turn and they are fouling on the inner wing. so its come back out for now and ill have to chop the inner wing out in order to fit the electric fan into place.

 

im hoping the standard fan is enough cooling for now while its being looked at. 

I have the aux fan fitted form when i had the SPi engine. It does work on mine. So maybe I don't have anything to worry about. 

[minisilverbullet]

Some days are more testing than other....

 

After breaking down a couple of weeks ago due to the trigger wheel moving/slipping. I managed to reset this, but it meant removing the radiator etc.

 

This morning I drove to work, parked up and saw a small pool of oil under the car. I openened the bonnet to be met with the sight of oil splattered everywhere. 

 

 

I thought at first I had been carless with the routing of the oil drain pipe and it had rubbed on the fan. Wasn't that unfortunately, I am sure it is one of the cam oil seals, it is really oily around one of these. 

 

I ended up, taking the train home, picking up my audi and hiring a trailer. Was an effort to load the car as i had never done it before. I managed!

 

 

 

Atleast it was good view in the rearview mirror: 

 

 

 

Over the weekend I will need to remove the cam plate, the camshafts belt, pulleys etc. Source a new seal. the real pain is timing in the cams again. I might upgrade to RS cams while I am at it. Every cloud and all that. 

[Streetscreamer]

Hi Craig, I am learning a lot by your struggles. Will avoid for my project, fairly the same setup.

Regarding the oil leak: if I see the details on the photo, it looks like the outer side of the sprocket is more oily than the side close to the cover where the cam seals are located.

Are you sure you have mounted the very thin O-rings on the back of the head of the bolts in the camshafts?

Just know the cams are hollow and pressure fed with oil. Along the thread there might leak oil along the bolt, unless you have mounted the O rings.

Why I know....? I have my bolts mounted already and later I found a plastic bag with these O rings... I have to disassemble again...

good luck and please make some more vids with good sound !

Bart

[72hump]

What a bugger!, will have to keep an eye on my engine once I get it in the car, seems to becoming a common problem on these conversions.

Edited by 72hump, 16 June 2017 - 06:55 PM.

[Streetscreamer]

If it is the seal in the plate: maybe look for a better quality (Viton?).

Some are rotation direction sensitive, small grooves on the inside pushing aay the oil.

Or maybe look for a type like on modern engines, those dry mounted PTFE types.

[minisilverbullet]

Hi Craig, I am learning a lot by your struggles. Will avoid for my project, fairly the same setup.

Regarding the oil leak: if I see the details on the photo, it looks like the outer side of the sprocket is more oily than the side close to the cover where the cam seals are located.

Are you sure you have mounted the very thin O-rings on the back of the head of the bolts in the camshafts?

Just know the cams are hollow and pressure fed with oil. Along the thread there might leak oil along the bolt, unless you have mounted the O rings.

Why I know....? I have my bolts mounted already and later I found a plastic bag with these O rings... I have to disassemble again...

good luck and please make some more vids with good sound !

 

 

I am sure it is the seal, looking at the bottom of  the seal and down the cam plate, it definitely looks like the seal. 

 

I have the o rings fitted and some sealent too. 

[minisilverbullet]

What a bugger!, will have to keep an eye on my engine once I get it in the car, seems to becoming a common problem on these conversions.

Yip a bit of a bugger. 

 

Such a cheap part. I will need to drop the coolant, remove the radiator, fane etc for the second time in 10 days. 

 

The biggest pain is that i will need to retime the cams again. John at SC suggested I just mark up the position of the pulleys etc, but I am not sure that will be very accurate. 

 

I will need a new cam cover seal also, since the sealant i used  (Permatex "the right stuff") is next to impossible to clean off. 

 

I dont have a press or any tools to fit a new cam seal, so I have asked SC to send me a new cam plate with seals fitted. 

[Northernpower]

The biggest pain is that i will need to retime the cams again. John at SC suggested I just mark up the position of the pulleys etc, but I am not sure that will be very accurate. 
 

If you're using the same timing belt I'd mark all the pulleys including the bottom pulley and re-tension it. I'd be surprised if it wasn't there or thereabouts. If you fully remove the timing belt and you're using this method don't forget to put the belt on with the same direction of travel.

[minisilverbullet]

Before the above happened I actually treated myself to some DSN parts:

 

 

The plan is to try and tidy up the left hand side of the engine bay. At the moment I have a cumbersome standard breather on the clutch case, then a thick oil pipe running to a catch can in the top left hand side of my engine bay. The same catch can is used for the breather on the cam plate and at the back of the block. SO a bit messy.

 

It might also explain the little bit of mayo in the breather?

 

 

 

Instead I will use the DSN clutch housing breather adapter and use a filter on it. It might be a bit smelly, but hey. I will then just use the catch can for the other to breather lines. 

 

I will also fit a DSN engine steady, regret that purchase a bit (it was bought before the oil leak issue, plus the minispares adjustable i have does the job.

[HUBBA.HUBBA]

Before the above happened I actually treated myself to some DSN parts:
 

 
The plan is to try and tidy up the left hand side of the engine bay. At the moment I have a cumbersome standard breather on the clutch case, then a thick oil pipe running to a catch can in the top left hand side of my engine bay. The same catch can is used for the breather on the cam plate and at the back of the block. SO a bit messy.
 
It might also explain the little bit of mayo in the breather?
 

 
 
Instead I will use the DSN clutch housing breather adapter and use a filter on it. It might be a bit smelly, but hey. I will then just use the catch can for the other to breather lines. 
 
I will also fit a DSN engine steady, regret that purchase a bit (it was bought before the oil leak issue, plus the minispares adjustable i have does the job.

Don't regret it. You wanted it, needed and bought it! Other things going pear shaped is just one of those things. Learning curve and character building and all that boll@@x. Keep your chin up.

[minisilverbullet]

Open heart surgery begins.

 

 

I used Permatex "the right stuff" to seal cam cover and cam plate, god it is strong and tough to clean off. 

 

 

 

When removing the cam pulleys it was evident that it was indeed the oil seal which had failed as it came out of the plate with the pulley. 

 

 

I now wait for the new cam plate form SC. 

[minisilverbullet]

Looking at where I might fit an oil cooler. 

 

found this picture: 

 

Is that positioning alright? would suit me since, I doing have a lot of space behind the grill. 

[omegamtb]

Why ca,nt i see the photos on the pages they have photo bucket on them and when i click on it and go the page,nothing

[Steve220]

Why ca,nt i see the photos on the pages they have photo bucket on them and when i click on it and go the page,nothing

 

http://www.theminifo...on-photobucket/