457 replies to this topic

[JonnyAlpha]

After putting on the Flywheel Bolt and trying to do it up, I found that it was a very tight fit. The reason for this is that the OD of the built in washer was wider that the ID of the Flywheel. I posted up this potential issue on FB and was told to tap in the washer a bit. Someone also mentioned that I should check the spot welds holding the washer to the bolt as theirs came loose!!

 

After a bit of a fettle on the vice, I was able to drop the washer and bolt in the flywheel recess.

 

 

This led me to look at the spot welds a little closer and to be honest they are pretty poor.

 

 

So they will need to be redone. The quality between the original and the replacement is pretty drastic.

 

 

The other potential issue was highlighted by @Guess-Works.com

He suggested that MED use the wrong bolts in these kits, both in head size and grade. The current bolts are standard hex head grade 8.8, however John suggests that the bolts

should be low profile and grade 10.9. Apparently the standard head bolts do not give enough clearance on the bell housing.

 

Anyway I bought some second hand ones from him and have emailed MED, who are adamant that the bolts will be fine?

 

The next ongoing issue is the trigger wheel, twin belt crank pulley and the sensor / bracket. The trigger wheel is an A Series Trigger Wheel from Trigger Wheels.

It is designed to fit a standard harmonic damper, however the Vmax Twin Belt Pulley is somewhat deeper, so the bottom of the boss on the Trigger Wheel, does not engage with the inner face of the pulley. This means that, in my case, the centra crank bolt would be pulley the pulley from its outer edge via the trigger wheel and not pulling directly in the centre.

 

 

Not being comfortable with this I set about coming up with a plan. 

 

 

Basically I needed to fill the void, shown in yellow above. For this I decided on machining an aluminium spacer (I am not a machinist, but do have access to a Hobby Lathe).

 

I bough some aluminium bar from eBay and fixed it in the chuck.

 

 

After facing it off I centre drilled it and bored a hole in the centre for the Flywheel bolt.

I measured the depth of the void to be 8mm so measured up and set about parting it. This is very difficult on this type of hobby lathe as it just does not have the gumption for this kind of task. I had failed before trying this on steel, but rigged everything up to try and do it with the Ali.

 

 

Seemed to work better that steel, but I used the same process, lathe in reverse and the cutting tool held upside down.

And after some time off it popped.

 

 

The original bracket comes with a length of metal to act as a standoff and sits in the lip around the outside of the timing case. 

Due to the additional width added by the twin belt pulley, this standoff was not required as longer spacers would be need. So, using some spare chrome tubing I found in my scrap pile, I fabricated something better. With a little testing and adjusting the fit was perfect.

 

 

 

 

The next job needed would be to make another spacer, this time for the sensor, to replace the nuts needed to ensure it is positioned about 1mm from the Trigger Wheel Teeth.

[Turbo Phil]

You’ll want to reinforce that bracket a bit Bill. I’d imagine it’ll vibrate as it is now and cause timing issues.

Phil.

[Ethel]

...or start from scratch. It could make life a tad easier if it's inside the perimeter of the drive belt.

 

I found a handy surplus bolt hole, courtesy of  tensionerless  timing gear, the one that has a nut on the other side of the end plate rather than screwing in to the block.

[nicklouse]

As that that pulley had no damper part I would have just attached the trigger to the outer edge in the correct position them removed it and taken the center out.

or better still ask Vmax to do one with the trigger bumps on it.

[JonnyAlpha]

As that that pulley had no damper part I would have just attached the trigger to the outer edge in the correct position them removed it and taken the center out.

or better still ask Vmax to do one with the trigger bumps on it.

 

Removing the centre boos and attaching the trigger wheel directly to the pulley was the original intention, however I thought my machining and engineering skills would not be up to the task of getting the trigger wheel concentric in relation to the pulley. However, I am about to drill and tap three holes around the outer edge of the pulley to prevent it spinning. In doing this I may actually be able to omit the centre boss and remove some of the mass.

Can't find the Vmax twin belt pulleys with built in trigger wheels, he does not have them on his online shop and I have asked about them but no reply as yet.

[JonnyAlpha]

You’ll want to reinforce that bracket a bit Bill. I’d imagine it’ll vibrate as it is now and cause timing issues.

Phil.

It's pretty solid Phil, but I could beef it up with a piece of angled bar held on by using the two long bolts that go through the aluminium block on the Speedo housing.

[sonscar]

Its not really solid,when running you may get harmonics causing it to oscillate,talking thousandths of inches.Lost synch and resets are not things to have if they can be avoided now easily.Been there a long time ago.Have fun,Steve..

[JonnyAlpha]

So I made up a spacer for the centre of the pulley, with a hole in the middle the same diameter as the Crank Pulley Bolt. 

 

 

I used it to locate the Trigger Wheel to ensure it was central on the pulley.

 

So after separating the trigger wheel, I marked and drilled three equally spaced holes, central to the outer ring of the pulley below.

Next I ensured that the Trigger Wheel was in the correct rotational position on the pulley in relation to TDC and clamped it in place.

 

 

Using the three holes that I had drilled as pilots I drilled one tap hole and tapped it M4. After fitting the allen bolt in it, I then did the second and so on, until all three were completed.

 

 

 

[JonnyAlpha]

Bit of a task today, beefing up the sensor bracket.

 

 

I used the redundant standoff as an extra support. This is fixed to the radiator bracket using one of the existing bolts.

I drilled and bolted it to the sensor bracket using a 5mm bolt, just to hold it in position.

 

I then removed everything and welded it in place.

 

This should hopefully reduce any vibration.

 

 

After cleaning up the weld, I thought about painting it, but I may get it nickel plated?

 

The other job I did whilst the welder was out was strengthen the spot welds in the Flywheel Bolt.

 

 

[JonnyAlpha]

Some delays with the engine.

Firstly, I have decided to fully secure the Trigger Wheel to the outer ring of the Twin Belt Pulley. The main reason for this is that I am not fully happy that there would be enough of the Crank Bolt engaging with the thread in the Crank Tail, even with the extra long bolt. Secondly, I have just seen a problem with a guy I am following on Facebook doing a similar build. His Alloy Pulley came loose!! Another user has had similar issues. Stuart Gurr of Vmaxscart recommends using the original Crank Bolt and the Lock Tab.

 

The previous three allen bolts I fitted were 4mm, so I have decided to use 5mm. I marked the additional three locations, then drilled out each new hole 5mm.

I then marked the centres with a transfer punch.

 

 

I decided however to lightly drill the into the alloy pulley with the trigger wheel fitted using the 5mm drill, but only a small centre portion as this would act as a better guide as to the correct position.

 

 

I then drilled these with the 4.2mm drill supplied with the 5mm Tapping Set I have just bought.

 

After cleaning out the holes, I temporarily fitted the Trigger wheel using some of the original 5mm bolts. (I have ordered some new longer ones).

 

 

I will now be able to remove the centre boss completely.

[JonnyAlpha]

The next thing I need to do is work out what bolts are missing and order them up. 

I am not sure what goes here:

 

 

Here:

 

 

And here:

 

 

Or whether they are Metro Specific?

[JonnyAlpha]

The latest issue I have is with the MED ST1 FLywheel and Clutch Kit. I temporarily fitted it to check the Clutch Bolts didn't foul on the inside of the Wok They are pretty damm close. 

John Guess sent me a set of low profile slightly better grade bolts.

 

However when I went to remove the Clutch / Flywheel, I could not get one of the Flywheel Puller bolts to engage in its thread, it turns out that the clearance hole in the pressure plate on one of the holes was out of line with the threaded portion in the plate behind. 

 

 

Even though I've had it three years, MED agreed that if I sent it back they'd resolve it and re-balance.

[nicklouse]

The next thing I need to do is work out what bolts are missing and order them up. 

I am not sure what goes here:

 

 

Here:

 

 

And here:

 

 

Or whether they are Metro Specific?

Some are metro others are not. One pair are for the clutch slave or bracket or whatever you are planing on using. Again your Haynes manual covers this. The front pair have been used for many things over the years and also for nothing.

[alex-95]

The 3 holes are metro specific, I got some dome head allen bolts to fill them and used one to hold the fuel overflow pipe.

Next 2 holes, a bracket to hold the main electric cable fits on the bottom one, Top one doesn't have anything designated IIRC, Make sure you don't put a long bolt in, else it's hit the flywheel.

Last 2 holes are for the slave cylinder bracket.

Edited by alex-95, 23 July 2022 - 07:51 PM.

[JonnyAlpha]

As that that pulley had no damper part I would have just attached the trigger to the outer edge in the correct position them removed it and taken the center out.

or better still ask Vmax to do one with the trigger bumps on it.

 

After trying everything else, it looks like that's exactly what I am now doing