457 replies to this topic

[JonnyAlpha]

So here's everything back from being Aqua Blasted and after I gave it all a damm good wash down with my Karcher, to get rid of all the glass bead:

 

Here's the GearBox before washing - you can see the piles of white bead:

 

 

And here's everything washed:

 

 

I was considering taking it down to a machine shop and asking them to run it through the parts washer but I reckon it's clean enough?

 

 

 

I have been told to spray the outside with AC50 once it's built?

 

These are all the GearBox Casing bolts, to be honest they are all good so I may get them re-plated:

 

 

Next job, get all the parts I have ready for plating and get them sent off. Once that's done I think I'll build up the gearbox and wrap it up before doing the the spare subframe, although I am contemplating getting someone else to blast it to avoid the mess in my garage!! 

 

Then it's Engine Building Time

Edited by JonnyAlpha, 22 June 2020 - 08:53 PM.

[JonnyAlpha]

So just looked at my shopping list, only a few things left to get:

 

Radiator and Radiator Hoses - Looking at a Lechler from Huddersfield Mini Spares and some Blue Silocone Hoses

Fuel System - Going with Deamon Tweaks Facet Fuel Pump Kit with a Filter King and Pressure Regulator

Cylinder Head refurb - May have to do at a later stage 

Rocker Assy - New Rocker Shaft and some AC Dodd 1.3 ish Rockers

Brakes - Mini Sport 7.5 Calipers, Discs and Flanges

 

Only other bits are subframe paint, electro plating, Diff Shims (once I know what I need), Thrust Washers (again only know what I need once I re-measure the End Float)

 

You never know - it might be in and running by Castle Combe this year

[JonnyAlpha]

Just a very quick update for anyone following this.

 

Dropped all the bolts into a tub of DIY Citric Acid and yesterday I cleaned them up.

Here's the before shot:

 

 

And here's the after:

 

 

 

Most of the flanged bolts came up well, but if you zoom into the pic, you'll see that some of the others are pitted.

 

Not sure what to do really - buy a new Nut and Bolt set from Crafted Classics for £45 or send the better bolts off to get Zinc Plated? And buy the ones that need replacing?

What I don't want is inferior bolts and washers rusting up a week or so after they go in the car.

[MatthewsDad]

I tend to replace old fixings with new zinc plated. Old ones can let the side down if they're being refitted to a nicely restored engine or component. I don't think you need to worry about new ones rusting up, and you can always apply a squirt of dynax UC to be sure.

[sonscar]

I would be more concerned that new fasteners could be made of cheese than tarnish on the old ones.Steve..

[JonnyAlpha]

I would be more concerned that new fasteners could be made of cheese than tarnish on the old ones.Steve..

 

These old ones have flanges on them which I like compared to new ones which have a washer. When cleaning them up one of the flicked out of my hand and to this day still can't be found!!

[JonnyAlpha]

A little progress.

Dropped the Diff Output covers off to get new bushes fitted and machined.

I have two sets, this set that came off of the engine that I am rebuilding:

 

 

And these two I picked up at Castle Combe:

 

 

Today, now that I finally have some free time, I did the final cleaning of the GearBox casing in preparation for re-building:

 

Boiling hot soapy water and a scrub, to remove any hidden glass bead, followed by a rinse with boiling hot fresh water, then dried and blown through with an airline and dried with a hair dryer: 

 

 

Interestingly 2 -3 of the threads on the Transfer Case side are 5/16 UNF not UNC?

 

Then using a bit of WD40 as lubricant, I cleaned out all the threads and then blew them out with an airline:

 

And finally a spray with WD40 on the inside and wrapped up to keep clean:

 

 

Then I spent a bit of time sorting out which parts to get plated. Still not sure about the Timing Plate, whether to countersink it and get it plated or buy an Alloy one from MED?

 

Edited by JonnyAlpha, 05 July 2020 - 06:11 PM.

[alex-95]

Looking good mate! It is strange that 3 threads are UNF, Has it been heli-coiled? If it's UNF in the Alloy then I'd heli-coil them the to UNC, about £15 for a set. I would just get the plate plated to save a few quid.

[JonnyAlpha]

Looking good mate! It is strange that 3 threads are UNF, Has it been heli-coiled? If it's UNF in the Alloy then I'd heli-coil them the to UNC, about £15 for a set. I would just get the plate plated to save a few quid.

 

Yes it is strange, the bolts are the same as the UNC, flanged, doesn't look heli coiled? Do you mean a set like this?

 

Need to countersink the two holes in the plate first, without messing it up

Edited by JonnyAlpha, 05 July 2020 - 06:50 PM.

[alex-95]

 

Looking good mate! It is strange that 3 threads are UNF, Has it been heli-coiled? If it's UNF in the Alloy then I'd heli-coil them the to UNC, about £15 for a set. I would just get the plate plated to save a few quid.

 

Yes it is strange, the bolts are the same as the UNC, flanged, doesn't look heli coiled? Do you mean a set like this?

 

Need to countersink the two holes in the plate first, without messing it up

Yeah that should be fine, I did mine just with a hand drill, checking it is square, the drill should follow the hole. 

[JonnyAlpha]

Some more small progress today.

Sorted out the parts for plating and got some answers on changing the Oil Transfer Pipe for a braided type.

 

These are all the parts for plating:

 

 

I cleaned a few dents and dings up with a 120 Grit flap disc.

 

 

 

Next job was to check the Crank Bearing Clearances using Plasti Gauge. Had to watch a YouTube Video before hand

This is all done dry so you cannot rotate the crank, as such I decided to just do the main bearings for now and after lube the mains and do the big ends.

Here it is before fitting the Bearing Caps.

 

 

Then on go the bearing caps and torqued down to the correct final torque setting, which I think was 85Nm or 63lb/ft?

 

 

And once Torqued all off again to check the plasti gauge and measure the 'squish'.

 

 

 

All of them were between 2.0 or slightly over on the gauge which equates to 0.002" that is correct for a 1275 main journal, hopefully ok for one thats been ground +10?

Edited by JonnyAlpha, 07 July 2020 - 07:30 PM.

[alex-95]

Check that the clutch plunger (http://www.minispare...|Back to search\) isn't worn where the ball of the clutch arm goes, I've had a few where they've been pretty badly worn.

[JonnyAlpha]

Check that the clutch plunger (http://www.minispare...|Back to search\) isn't worn where the ball of the clutch arm goes, I've had a few where they've been pretty badly worn.

 

Mine looks like new - no evident wearing

[JonnyAlpha]

Well best laid plans of mice and men and all that, thought i'd get the pistons in today but no such luck.

 

First job clean the preservation grease off of the block and check all the threads. To do this I did some with a die and others with a correctly sized bolt. After I flushed them all out with WD 40 and an air line. Then cleaned all the Oilways again with a brush soaked in white spirit then brake cleaner.

 

Next up fit the lower bearing shells and this time apply some build lube - never sure how much to use?

 

 

Then I lowered in the crank and lubed up and lowered in the new Thrust Washers.

Next I applied some lube to the upper bearing shells and added the upper Thrust Washers and Centre Main Cap.

 

 

Then after Torquing up the Centre Main, I rigged up the DTI gauge and checked the Crank End Float.

It's only reading about 0.0015" so I need to sand down one side? Although someone suggested fitting the old Thrust Washers to the Clutch Side of the Crank?

 

We will see.

  

I struggled a bit, mainly because I didn't have things out ready and had to keep stopping to find things, this is not good practice when building an engine as you can miss vital steps like torquing up bolts.

 

Need to get more organised.

Edited by JonnyAlpha, 10 July 2020 - 08:12 PM.

[Steve220]

Take into account that you checked the float on a dry build. If you've got build lube in there, it will be slightly less. But dry I aim for 5thou.