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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 22:01:18 GMT
My mate Mark turned up tonight, with his Dolomite 1850.    Its not meant to do that :sad: Its using lots and lots of water, it has a misfire, smoke screen out the back, and a lovely stream of bubbles in the expansion bottle. Further evidence of a dead head gasket is evidence of water leaking from the head to block joint leaving nice rusty trails. So thats next weeks work sorted.... Shall we have a guess how many head studs will be siezed in? For anyone in the dark on this, google "Dolomite 1850 head studs" and have a good laugh.... Matt. |
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 22:02:11 GMT
Started this today:     We got the right stud extractor from Hart Racing and the studs, with some heat and swearing, came out ok. Rest of the job was pretty simple. A few observations - the head bolts / studs were nowhere near the right torque - all much too slack. The exhaust manifold bolts were hand tight - and some had fallen out. The valve timing is a tooth out. And the head surface is awful - very heavily pitted, maybe too bad to take a skim. Will drop it off at the engineering shop tomorrow and see what they say. Not very impressive for a £2500 rebuilt engine from a "specialist", less than 5000 miles old.. We have decided to pull the block right out, as its only held in now by the mounts and bell housing bolts so it will be pretty easy. The car has always had a very noisy clutch thrust bearing, this will be a good chance to put that right and paint the block up nicely. More soon.. Matt. |
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 22:02:38 GMT
What do we think of this:    Theres a few corroded areas that have gone deep - ringed with tipex. They line up with the waterways in the block so they should not matter too much. The rest of the head surface is pitted to hell - never seen a head like it! The entire surface is bad - im mystified as to what could have caused it - unless the head pre-rebuild was sitting on a engine that had suffered head gasket failure and sat for a long while? Im expecting to need another head, i will get an opinion from the machine shop first but i think this one is too far gone... |
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 22:03:13 GMT
Cylinder head has gone off to Whitmores of Briston, a local old fashioned engine rebuilder. They reckon they can fix it  Its going to need welding and a heavy skim, but they have measured it and its not been skimmed before so they assure me it will be ok. Tonight, plan is to remove the block from the car so Mark can start cleaning and painting it, and the clutch can be inspected. Ive found and ordered a "proper" asbestos Payen head gasket that im happy to use. When the head comes back, i will need to try and remember how to use my micrometer and work out the shim thicknesses for the valve clearances... Then a large order to Rimmer Bros for all the rest of the bits.... Matt. |
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 22:03:40 GMT
Thats better  |
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 22:04:14 GMT
So, I decided to pull the engine to sort the noisy clutch...    Release bearing knackered and noisy... pilot bearing worn out and rattling round inside the crank... friction plate springs broken and lots of free play in the plate. I wonder which of these he was hearing? :lol: Clearly the clutch was not replaced with the engine 5000 miles ago - how odd...  When it got too dark to laugh at broken clutches, I retired inside with the head, micrometer, and lots of paper to work out what shims i needed to reset the valve clearances. I had to remember how to use a micrometer - Youtube is good for this! - and in the end, by mixing and matching shims ive only had to order 3 more. I really enjoy clean hands measuring jobs like this - im sad i know.. More soon Matt.  Dont engineless cars look sad, sitting up high... |
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 22:04:51 GMT
Cam refitted, with correct shims and clearances. The inlet valve clearances where all quite a bit out so it should be quieter now..   |
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 22:05:23 GMT
Mark's been busy painting the engine:  So i fitted the new clutch:  And new release bearing:  Then dropped the engine back in. Just as easy as that. Didnt take an hour of jiggling to get the new clutch to align with the gearbox, and the dowels to match up on the bellhousing, oh no.. :roll:  So progress is good. Going to carry on during the week, see if it can be running by Easter.. Matt. |
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 22:06:14 GMT
Lots more done tonight... Bell housing bolts found and fitted - slightly cut down some 5/16 UNC with some lock washers and they fitted fine. Threads in the block were ok, so only reason for leaving them out was pure laziness - some were a little awkward, but even so... It now has the full compliment of 11 bolts. Starter cleaned up and refitted. Head fitted and torqued down with new studs / bolts. Exhaust manifold fitted - another awkward job - and there was a bolt missing here too! The worst one, over the top of the starter... found another suitable bolt and that went in ok. Cam timing reset - had to move cam sprocket round one tooth to get the timing marks to line up. Cam torqued down. Rocker cover refitted. Got all day Friday to finish it.....   getting dark... |
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 22:06:54 GMT
More done today:  Inlet manifold and carbs back on  Radiator, hoses, and coolant reinstalled...  ....IT STARTS! No leaks as it warmed up, and....  .... no smoke screen here either!  So we took it for a decent test run. Verdict from the owner - "its never driven so well". Its not overheating, leaking or smoking. Clutch feels great and he can now get reverse without a fight. Engine sounds very sweet indeed now the valve clearances are correct.  Happy owner, healthy car. Sadly there is more to come though - i noticed today the state of the front tiebar bushes while i was fitting the bottom hose - so they need doing asap. There is about 1/4" of play in the tie rods where the remains of the old bush has just disappeared.. Job for next week - Mark is going to order some new Poly ones. Matt. |
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 22:07:31 GMT
And still more to do: Went to Marks to do the suspension bushes tonight. He met me with the words "dont go  , but ive done something and the electrics have gone screwy"... Turned out the main beam had failed, and after checking the fuse the car would not start, the radio would not work, and the battery was fizzing :shock: The battery fizzing was easy - its got a knackered cell. Told him to buy a new one.. The non start was just as easy - when he checked the fuses he knocked the wire off that powers the aftermarket electronic ignition - ive crimped it back on tight so he will have to try harder next time. The main beam failing was a broken contact in the switch - luckily i had a spare, but someone had cut the plug off it so i had to do some soldering:  With that done, and the radio plugged in (!!) everything was back to normal. Apart from the exhaust blow that was now obvious "yeah that was the other thing i thought you might want to look at"... Simply tightening the manifold joint cured that, i guess it had settled a bit since being disturbed after the head gasket job. So on to the job i actually intended to do:    Yeah, they are a bit tired... Reassembly was easy....  ... until i got ready to refit the last anti roll bar clamp and noticed an odd lump in it. I poked it with a screwdriver and....  ... we have a hole. This car always bites back! So have downed tools and ordered another bracket. Anyone know a good exorcist? Matt. |
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 22:08:13 GMT
 New bracket, usual struggle with the anti roll bar, fit the new battery, pump the tyres up, and...  ITS FINISHED!!!! Not surprisingly, Mark reckons the steering feels a lot better! Ive left him with instructions to get the tracking reset, and at some point we really ought to look at the rear brakes, as the drums have never been off on his ownership - but thats for another time. He just wants to clean it and drive it now. So ive got a weekends break, then "White Dolomite" arrives... more on that later.... |
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, but ive done something and the electrics have gone screwy"... Turned out the main beam had failed, and after checking the fuse the car would not start, the radio would not work, and the battery was fizzing :shock: