There are a few of us doing a lot of work on rally cars. I have an engine to build, dry sumping to sort out + Omex ingintion and replacing the 40DCOE Webers with a pair of 45DHLA Dellortos. Busy time.
How is the Mk1 build getting on Nick?
When will the Golf be out and about Steve?
Dave "donut" Perrot has his Escort running now. When will that be doing an event?
Who else is doing major builds/rebuilds?
Well the Mk1....
So far the shell has the Rollcage, Dry sump tank in and all the plumbing (Oil & Fuel) as far as the engine bay, I've made and installed the wiring loom to the rear of the car and the cross member & front suspension & Steering is in (change to 2 1/4" coil overs).
I collected my Engine and parts from Andersons last Thursday (glad I took the head off to check the engine whilst it was out of the car it wasn't far off a "big" bang!! but hadn't budgetted for the Engine work) , Over the weekend I built up the block and fitted the dry sump kit. I still have to build the head up, lap the valves etc as the head has been skimmed and unleaded valve seats installed.
On the rear end I have built (well installed bushes & rose joints) 4 link rods, new pan hard rod (nasty bend in the last one!) and slipper kit & springs, slipper kit is bolted to the car, my new Baby Atlas (actually custom made to 47 1/2") is due to arrive this week from Fostek so hopefully that can be bolted straight on. (Famous last words)
Objective for this weekend is the wiring loom for the Engine bay, made & installed, Axle bolted on and head built up and installed onto the block ... shame I loose all day saturday as we're off to a Wedding.
After that I need to weld brakets on to roll cage for the Door bars, fit Engine & gear box (fabricating G/B Mount), complete dash and centre console wiring & install, fit seats, fire extingisher (gone for a Zero 360) ... and respray Fibreglass bonnet as someone let it blow over in the wind ! (I'll let you off Steve as it could of done with a spray anyway!) plus all the other bits & pieces like sump guard, brakes, exhaust, windows etc.
I had hoped to have it running by the end of June but I'm away next weekend, have Radio commitments at Caerwent on 17th and being away all week makes the weekends very short ! ..... the recipe to a happy marriage ... work away all week and spend the weekends in the garage ... ... oops I forgot Sarah reads this
As everyone knows we blew 2 engines in 12 months due to oil starvation at the big end bearings. I had been using the same components (baffled sump, pick up pipe etc) since 1994 when I started with this type of engine. The only reason I could think of was that I was now out driving the sump arrangement. I decided the only way to guarantee this would not happen again was to go dry sump.
Last month I finally finished paying for the 2005/2006 rebuild and 2006 seasons spend so I could start on the 2007 rebuild. I had already bought a donor engine via eBay which turned out to be in excellent condition. I was a bit shocked to find out a couple of weeks ago that forged pistons were going to take about 6 weeks. The normal over sizes for these engines is 87mm bore + 0.5mm and +2mm. Unfortunately +0.5mm is 1606cc so I have to have 87.25mm pistons made.
I had a quotation from Anderson Racing Engines to do the full rebuild but the price was just too much so I will be getting Frank Anderson to do the machining work and will be building it all myself as usual. The engine will be run in and set up on Franks dyno.
The progress so far is - engine bought, pistons on order, head acid dipped, valves in process of being lapped. ARP bolts, aluminum flywheel, aluminum vernier cam gears all purchased direct from the USA at a great saving in price. That’s about it. The new engine will be running on 45DHLA Dellortos and Omex electronic ignition instead of the 40DCOE Webers and a cranky old distributor conversion running a Luminition kit. I have installed the carbs and Omex on the standard engine that is in the 306 since the Wyedean. The Omex is on a standard 'safe' map supplied with the unit and the Dellortos are jetted for a 2 litre Astra (allegedly). I have set up the throttle position sensor and idle using a laptop and it runs very well although I have only tickled it down the road and back.
Still to go - purchase valve springs, bearings, gasket set (Toyota standard set is about £125!!!!), dry sump (have been talking to Pace since January so this just needs finalising and ordering. Then get Frank to do all the machining, balancing etc. Rebuild the engine. Get Frank to sort it all out on the dyno.
I want to do at least a couple of events this year but I am determined to do this properly. Another major engine problem and I could be out for even longer.
At least the car is eligible until at least 31/11/11 since the MSA extended the date for cars that are already log booked but don't comply with the new K37 rules.
If the valves are right and the seats are cut well the valves shouldn't take much lapping.
Also I disagree, I enjoy lapping in the valves. It is realy satisfying and have 16 of them to do. Do you use engineers blue to make sure they are lapped properly?
I never use a course paste. I use a fine past of one manufacturer and they finish off with a fine paste from another. The first fine paste is more course than the second which is really really fine. Then a tiny amount of blue spread thinly and evenly on the valve, turn it lightly in the seat and check that there is an even continuous line on the seat.
The new seats are ok, it's the old ones (tiny bit of pitting on two) at least I've only got 8 to do... finding it tedious was probably to do with my lack of patience and just wanting to get on with it last night (I should of learnt by now not to try and do jobs that you need to take your time over in a short period of time!)... I've all day today and have the full day without work interruptions. - Best get off the internet and get on with it....
Engineers blue, good tip and will try that later!
A tip.
When you put the oil in the engine don't put the full amount in, keep a couple of pints back and then when the engine is ready to start you need to pump a pint of oil directly into the oilway. This is normally done by taking off the pipe to the oil guage replacing it with a piece of ruber tube which is connected to an oil can. You can then pump the oil from the can into the oilways and through into the bearings. This ensures that there is oil every where there needs to be and will reduce the time it takes for the pressure to come up. Then reconnect the oil pressure pipe, take the plugs out and turn the engine on the starter until you see oil pressure. If there is no pressure in 10 seconds the do it all again with another pint of oil. I find that if everything is correct internally the pressure will be shown in between five or ten seconds and I can get about 50-60 pounds pressure just on the starter. Then put the plugs back in and start it.
I apologise if you already know all this.
Thanks Alan.
After your advise I did that last time and it worked a treat
Another tip that works on a Pinto (possible others) .... The oil pump is driven off of a Hex drive at the bottom of the Dizzy. This hex drive happens to be the same size as screwdriver bits you can fit in cordless drills etc (6mm I think). To make sure you've got oil pressure run the pump up using your electric drill with the driver/adapter through the dizzy mount hole !
As for the Dry Sump is there a tip for bleeding any air out of the system ? I was planning to fill all of the pipes with oil and then follow Alan's tip above for turning over the enging for the first time
Sorry I forgot I had rambled on about this before.
As for priming the dry sump system, I don't know. I was going to ask Pace when I buy the kit from them. I would suggest asking your supplier and see what they suggest.
Latest news.
The pistons shoud finally be a Andersons now so I have the block and the crank in the boot of the car to drop off tonight. Frank is going to bore the block to the new pistons and clean it and the crank and polish the journals. I am then going to assemble the block crank and 1 piston assembly and one set of valves in the head so frank can check the compression ration. Then I will strip it all again and then either the block or head will go back to Frank for skimming. Then I hav to retrieve the clutch assembly from the engine still in the car and with the new lightweight flywheel send all the moving bits to Frank for balancing. Then finally I might get to assemble it.
Unfortunately still no pistons. Frank says they are due in tomorrow. Hopefully I should get the block and crank back by the end of the week.
Now of course with Fat Albert just coming up I am not going to have any time to think about engine rebuilds.
What is the next event you plan to enter if all goes right from now on?
How is your build going Nick. We haven't heard anything for a while.
Will it be finished for Castle Combe?
Haven't touched it for 4 weeks...... combination of work, sickness, Fat Albert prep activities, and now I need to decorate the Nursery !!!
I certainly it's hope it's ready before CC weekend, however that's the weekend Sarah's due so not sure if I'll be there...
Current State:
Now I need get the Nursery ready first so Steve may have to crack on with the car .. I'd hoped to have the week after FAS off to work on the Car but that's looking unlikely now..... Shame I need to work to afford to do the rallying..... just hope my numbers come up on the Lottery !!
PS.
I'll like to be out competing this year but as a minimum hope to get a testing day somewhere to get the suspension set up, find the gremlins and get the feel of new set up etc... Looking in to Down Ampney at the moment...
Picked up the pistons, bored block and cleaned and polished crank from Andersons yesterday. Now I have to dummy build the block with one piston and the head with 4 valves so Frank can check the compression and work out how much to skim off the block and/or head.
I have also decided to replace all the valves with one piece competition valves. I wasn't going to do this because of the cost and the fact that there is real history of failure but the valves in all 3 heads I have are not that great so need changing anyway really. I wish I had decided this a few weeks ago as I guess there will be another delay now.
More progress reports after the Fat Albert.
Spent nearly 4 hours filing piston rings on Sunday and sill only done two bores rings so far. It really is a labour of love building an engine. I have also ordered a set of one piece valves via Frank Anderson which should be delivered this week.
Also stripped the diff on the Monday after FAS and found that several of the LSD pack retaining bolts were either loose or had already fallen out. These are not the Crown Wheel bolts. I was really lucky that there was no damage to the c/w or pinion teeth with 3 bolts floating around in the diff case. As the bearings are all very good and the LSD `plates are `not worn It is all going back together with new bolts of course. I did not build it myself last time but this time the offending bolts will be locktited and lock wired. Apparently these bolts coming loose is a common occurance on BMW diffs.
While the diff was out I am stripping the driveshaft assemblies and replacing the inner plunge joint rubbe boots with ones that allow more half shaft travel.
I have also checked over and replaced any sherical bearings where necessary. Some of the threads on the sphericals were really tight in the suspension tubes so they have been dismantled and lubricated and put back together again. I don't normally have to do this but the car has been sitting around doing nothing a lot over the past 2 years and some things are seizing up.
I am finally ordering the dry sump kit this week. It has only taken me 7 months to sort it out.
Thats my latest update.
Put the diff back together today. It took ages to do it properly.
Filed the remaining piston rings to size. Also built up the block and crank with just one piston for Frank Anderson to measure along with the head to calculate compression ratio.
Taking the head to Andersons to get the seats cut and should be able to pick up the new valves tomorrow.
Sending my wet sump pan to Pace to modify into a dry sump pan tomorrow. Shouls have it back along with all tghe dry sump kit in about 3 weeks.
Suddenly it is all happening.
How is yours going Nick or are you still decorating?
Decorating finished yesterday (well have a few doors to stain but that can happen gradually!)
Hope to get back into the Workshop next weekend (although we're away Sat&Sun)....
So hope to get the dash and elecs installed in the car next weekend.....
Still no valves.....due in next Wednesday now.
Mean while I am stripping and checking everything else - suspension etc.
2 months after ordering and 1 month after first being promised I still have no valves.
The replacement TCAs from rally Desighn dont fit as there is not enough movement in the ball joint so the inner end will not go high enough to reach the boly hole in the cross member.
the replacement spherical bearings are wrong as well.
Not a good week.
At last some good progress being made.....
Door Bar brackets welded in position, Gear box mounts fabricated, Engine, Gearbox and prop shaft installed. Dry Sump/remote oil filter / oil cooler plumbing all complete, fuel plumbing complete, radiator and cooling systems installed, Engine bay electrics 95% complete, Door &3/4 pannel cards in, rear screen and rear Quarter Polycarbonate windows in.
main Jobs left, Dash Electrics, Seats, belts, fire extingisher, spray bonnet & boot, set up suspension (rear axle alignmnet and front spring hieght)
What you might call a successful weekend then.
My head with valves and valve seats cut is ready to pick up from Andersons. Finally some progress.
What chance of any more progress on the car now Nick???