4AGE fun and games

[Lauren]

We have some last minute parts coming Saturday morning, so fingers crossed, if all goes well we'll hopefully have it running at some point during the day.

If anyone fancies popping over to say hello (we are in Macclesfield) PM me for the address.

[vashy]

I'm not sure those cams are much use to anyone, too little lift for big power and too much duration for sensible running. If you're building an engine to exploit that much duration then a little machining to allow 10-11mm lift would be a no brainer.

Maybe I'm wrong.

No, you are right! TODA also did a 304 cam with 10.5mm lift.

[vashy]

Finally after much wiggling, the bottom end is free! Here is Mark posing as usual! It really was a royal PITA to separate the block from the gearbox.

ah it´s not as bad as when you try to connect it back up again

[kaiowas]

Finally after much wiggling, the bottom end is free! Here is Mark posing as usual! It really was a royal PITA to separate the block from the gearbox.

ah it´s not as bad as when you try to connect it back up again

Indeed. Plus on an MR2 you're usually only moving the gearbox around, I can imagine it being a right mare trying to manouvre the weight of a complete engine onto the gearbox. In fact seeing as your engine is split anyway I'd recommend putting the new bottom end in by itself (manhandling a short block isn't too bad, I pick mine up and move them round the garage by hand all the time) then assembling the rest of the engine in situ.

[Icsunonove]

I think I would have removed the engine and gearbox as one. Then you can put the engine pointing vertically upwards and then lower the gearbox onto it. Not quite sure why Lauren descided not toremove the gearbox

[Lauren]

I think I would have removed the engine and gearbox as one. Then you can put the engine pointing vertically upwards and then lower the gearbox onto it. Not quite sure why Lauren descided not toremove the gearbox

Yeah, yeah! I wanted to remove the engine and gearbox as one, but Mark wasn't keen so I made the mistake of listening to him. To be fair when I pulled off the head we didn't know if it was just going to be a sticky valve. It was fine, only took four hours to separate the block from the gearbox!

So when we put it back together we'll put the block in first and just do the head in situ. Tbh there's tons more room than that there is on an MR2 so it's far less of an issue.

[pk_090]

can the cams on the table go "missing" if i come and help at the weekend?
Alex

[pk_090]

Maybe try this next time Lauren?
http://m.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2 ... =pAQG7NK8a

[Lauren]

Removed your URL tags (you don't need them on here) but your link doesn't work.


Okay, made some progress today, but could still do with helpers. Are you busy Peter and Alex seeing as you're local?

Found the problem alright (will post pics shortly), the ringland around the piston and the ring had gone big style, to the point where there is a hole through the side of the piston where the ringland was. We found many bits in the sump!

Have sorted out the 3 rib, just need to attach my sump to it and torque up my flywheel, fit clutch and then the block can go back in and we can start putting it all together again.

[Lauren]

Okay pics:

Me looking busy:


LOL, we made a poncho for Tom (Icunonsove) out of the hundreds of metres of spare fabric Mark had lying around:



4AGE blocks everywhere:



3 rib bottom end that's going in:



View from the top of the stairs by the office area:


Here's the problem!


The ring had gone and the ringland had gone with it with a hole in the piston.



We found a fair few bits in the sump.

We gave the 3 rib a look over. It looks fine to be fair. We changed the sump for the one of my engine as it was pretty rusty and mine was mint.

[Steve Horrocks]

Going picking an engine up tomorrow morning L, but should be free in afternoon if we can be of any use? Me & Lee, my mate.

Either PM or text is the address & we'll try & call round.

[Lauren]

Ah cheers, Steve, will be good to catch up.

[Icsunonove]

The more hands the better Can't be there today, hope you all have a good productive day, don't forget to take and post up some pictures.

The good news is that the block that has been taken out is recoverable with a rebore. I am really glad Lauren didn't continue driving it like that, it would have surely eventually blown itself to pieces

That block will make a fantastic base for a rebuild

[Lauren]

Okay, this is pics and progress from yesterday.

Have to say a massive thanks to all who came to the bearding party and a huge thanks for all your help. Thanks, Alex, John, Steve, Lee, Tom and Mark of course. I could not believe the speed it went back together!

Sump and flywheel on:


Clutch on and aligned by eye(!)


Yes it is a 7 rib block, no idea why I thought it was three rib!



As the block came out of Anna and Alex's MR2 we had to put bolts in where they had never been before for the AE86 engine mounts. Mark had to modify a bolt and use it as a tap. PITA but we got there in the end. This sort of thing is typical of what happens when messing about with 20+ year old parts!


First attempt at putting the block in:


Then the cavalry arrived in the shape of Steve and Lee and well, we found out that the bellhousing cover plate was catching on the banjo on the steering rack for the power steering so it was out with the grinder to modify it slightly as it was the one thing stopping the engine mating up to the bell housing.



Inspection of Mark's grinding. Was it enough? Not quite so more grinding required!


Steve and Lee help lower the block in and line it up. with 6 of us it became a lot easier!



The pic from above. Love it that John's legs are poking out from underneath:


Steve's arm poking up from underneath. Steve enjoyed some love from Indy whilst he was under there, getting various orifices cleaned!



Mark cleans up the head face in prep for putting it on:



Guess which cylinder had the problem!


Bearding:


Alex, Mark and I put the head on:


Bearding at it's best:



Me putting the cams in:


Mark putting the first (or was it the second?) ninety degree turn to finish torquing the head:



John tightens the bolts for the cams (HKS cams back in):



Indy in the driving seat:


Cam covers are just resting on at the moment to keep the dust out. This was close of play at 9pm on Saturday night:

[Steve Horrocks]

Top banana. Glad we could be of some use, made a nice change not to be out in the rain for once!!

[boondougal]

Great stuff to see everyone working together....

Looks like you did a great job and no doubt had a great laugh doing it! Brilliant.

[Lauren]

LOL, Steve, you're welcome anytime. It was good fun and we did have a laugh along the way. That's what it's all about really.

Well, it's back on the road and it seems to drift alright, so all is right with the world again.

The Slug bottom end feels sweet and it goes pretty well.

Here's the last instalment of pics:

Still a fair bit to do this morning:


Mark filing the dowels that had rusted themselves into the oil pump.


More filing of the other dowel that had done the same:


Exhaust manifold on:


Tom checking TDC with a vernier:


Me underneath, turning the crank so Tom can find TDC and set a timing mark:


Everything in it's place:






And the car is gone!


After we got it going I took it for the obligatory fairly sideways test drive. It passed!



Overall it didn't go too bad today. We had some issues with the Slug block as it had been standing for around 5 years and there were a few rusted threads and the like, which just slowed things down a little.

Had to laugh though as when we turned it over for a compression test and to give the oil a chance to circulate, fuel sprayed everywhere from the feed to the cold start injector! Then second try and I realised that I hadn't connected the return pipe for the fuel. Then there was the unconnected coolant pipes! Eventually we got there. Timing was one tooth out on the dizzy but we sorted that and timed it up properly with our new toy, a timing gun.

It's fab to have the car on the road again and it drove very well back from Macclesfield to home.

I'd like to say a massive thanks to all who helped and came to the bearding party and a big thanks to Garrick for the engines and the engine crane.

[Steve Horrocks]

Fantastic!

[Lee H]

Excellent. Glad to help out.

[vashy]

After we got it going I took it for the obligatory fairly sideways test drive.

should have got a picture of the 'new engine test procedure' really, but I was too busy laughing