So, another installment... Hopefully everyone isn't too bored of it already, as hopefully in the next couple of days there will be pictures of a shiny short engine being posted up...

Today's task was round 3 of cleaning the front cover, and I think I'm now at a point where once it's dry, I will look it over and then probably mask it all up and get it ready for painting. I could probably go another round of cleaning, but most of the staining is now so ingrained, that it will just get covered up by the paint anyway. That and I want to start getting stuff painted and ready for being able to actually reassemble - as I have a new front crank seal, pressure relief valve O-rings, and the likes to go on. I need to source new O-rings for the oil cooler lines, and a new oil pressure switch, I considered removing the bung above the pressure switch and re-sealing it, but it's covering an unused port on the P38, so I figure I may aswell just be done with it and paint over the whole thing as-is.

So some progress pics...

So from there I moved onto cleaning the rocker cover I had started, (didn't get any pics of this yet) which the inside is nearly there - it will need another pass of degreaser tomorrow.. and then I'm going to attack the exterior of the cover with the wire wheel and then that will be ready for masking and paint. I've got the second one to start cleaning, and that's on the list for tomorrow too.

Next up was the lower inlet manifold which had been given a wire brush over yesterday, so today it got a dip in the degreaser and a scrub down...

It's now drying, and I've marked out where I think the LPG nozzles need to go.. I then laid the fuel rail back on top, and revised a couple of them! I'l trying to decide if I drill/tap the manifold before painting it, or wait until I've ordered them and tap it first, then paint it. I'm leaning towards drilling it after painting - only as I have the time at the moment to paint parts, but part of me says that if I drill/tap and install the nozzles, then I can just mask them off and I'll get a nicer paint job.

Also, I am trying to decide if I remove the outlet spout at the front of the manifold as it's pretty rusty (it goes to the throttle heater) and then getting a brass one and then drill/tap the top of the manifold. Or do I just leave it? thoughts?

Finally, a couple of pictures of the upper inlet manifolds - got the first coat of paint on these today aswell, on the top at least - I need to do the underside still, which will probably be the first task tomorrow, so I don't get two coats on the top, and nothing on the bottom! I still need to drill/tap the upper manifold for the pressure points for the LPG system, but I'm thinking that I might be able to use the spare port at the end for the one to the sensor, and then just need to tap the one for the vapouriser.

Will see what I can get done tomorrow... hopefully a nice big pallet or crate will show up...

Marty

If you are going to the effort of drilling and tapping the lower manifold, drill and tap in the right place. Where you've marked is still too far up, they want to be next to the petrol injectors. If it wasn't dark outside I'd get some pictures of where mine is drilled.

Why not remove the bung above oil pressure switch and install a sender for an oil pressure gauge?
The internal gauge itself only needs to be temporary as you can always work out how to wire it in/ interface to your android tablet later and an actual display of oil pressure is a lovely thing to have, especially with a brand new engine.
It'll give you a nice comfortable feeling to monitor when you spin it over to get oil pressure before your initial start, during the cam break in cycle, and for your first forays out with the new motor.

Seconded, even my Jeep has an oil pressure gauge and that's 1980s tech!

Is the outletspout that rusty? I've read that they are a pain to remove. As for the vac's, is a T piece an option?

It is pretty rusty, yes - in the picture, that's after I've cleaned it up a bit with a wire wheel... If I were to swap it, then I would probably first try to pull it out, which is probably nearly impossible.... and if that didn't work, then I was thinking I'd just cut it off and then tap the hole that's there, and then thread in a brass replacement of the correct diameter (I think it's supposed to be 8mm). Vac... The port on the end if pretty tiny - so I need to see if it's big enough for the hose to go on it to the sensor. The vap run on my current manifold is 6mm I think, and the sensor might be 4mm (it's definitely smaller) so think I'll have to drill at least one port anyway - but it's not a big deal.

I'm a bit peeved at the workshop that did my heads, as they took the liberty of charging a pretty penny when I said for them to do what was needed to get them in usable condition again. But hey, for that kind of money you expect them to be sparkling and clean throughout.... well, no... I went to change the valve stem seals and the valve springs today, now I've got the valve spring compressor. Found a load of muck in and around the top of the valves/stem seals, and also around the bottom where the valves had been lapped in.. Not the most impressed... next time, I'll definitely be doing the valve lapping, and cleaning myself... I only told them to do it this time as I was going away for work for 3 weeks just before I dropped them off, so wouldn't have had time... and they were a bit heavy to sneak into my luggage to take with me!

Today the short engine turned up, so checked it over, but it's not unpacked yet, as I want to finish off a few bits of painting of other parts before I do, in case there's any spray or stuff about - don't want that in a nice, new engine!

I got the first coat on the undersides of the upper manifold parts today, so hopefully tomorrow, I can get the second coat on the top the parts and it can be drying whilst I go and swap a heater box for another owner.

Throttle body has had 3 coats, and is now un-masked, ready for me to put the springs and bits back on, which I might try and do tomorrow evening when I get home.

Front cover needs masking up, ready to paint, and then the rocker pedestals, springs, washers etc need a clean - as with the other rocker cover, and the first one needs finishing on the cleaning, before it is also masked for painting. I've also got another sump - which came to me nice and clean, so this can be masked aswell when I get a chance!

Going to try and fit the camshaft to the block tomorrow, and then get it mounted on the engine stand I think. I've heard it can be easier to mount the camshaft with the block sitting on it's end, so might do that whilst it's on the pallet, before attaching the engine stand mount and lifting it up.

Make sure you lube the bearings and journals, you don't want a dry start, will stuff your rebuild up otherwise

I'll check, but I would expect that the bottom end should all be lubed and ready from when it was built at v8 Dev?

If you mean the cam shaft, then it came with can lube and it will be getting a healthy dose of it for sure. I've bought some extra engine assembly lube aswell, so I will be able to go over everything before sealing it up!

Yes, I did mean the cam, once started you need to run at around 1500-2000 for 20 mins to bed it in and harden the journals.
Did you get new pistons or use existing?

Sorry to hear that the guys who did your heads have dissappointed you, especially when you payd a fair amount of money. Put them on the blacklist! About painting the sump, does it inflluence the cooling when the surface becomes that smooth? I know from my motorcycle-time the rough surface of a sump has a function (again: the Gems has a steel pan so I might be wrong in that). What lube/paste can be used for first install of the cam, in my case cam and crank? I've seen a vid on youtube where the guy uses some graphite smear. Pretty important as Chris states too for first run-in.

This is the assembly lube I use Tony
http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-60228-millers-oils-competition-assembly-lube.aspx
I believe that Piper re-package it for inclusion in their cam kits as well.
Only place I don't use assembly lube is on pistons/ bores on the premise that you actually want the rings/ bores to start to bed in as fast as possible rather than to protect them from friction. For those I just use good old dino 20/50 mineral
EDIT- I also pack the oil pump with good ole Vaseline. Helps with initial oil pick up on first start. Unlike the "old" Rover V8's you can't spin the oil pump over with a drill to get oil pressure up before 1st start.

Thanks OB for the link, I'll see what I can buy here, since I did not buy the Piper (false economy?) I have to look for it myself. I will follow your advice in lubing the cylinderwalls, I had a chat with the guy who does the block, I can pick it up by monday and he will wait with the heads to skim until I come to pick them up. He says because he will wash the heads when he is finished and there will be no chance for rust on the valve stems/guides. A serious guy I think.

As for the priming I thought about fitting the sump already in the stand, fill it with oil and prime the block by turning the crank for a while by hand (drill), heads off until the oil comes up in the lifter gallery. A Classic was easier to prime indeed, I still have my 3.9 Special Priming tool ha ha.

There seems to be some listed on eBog NL.
It'd have to be a pretty beefy drill to spin over the entire engine! May as well wait until you've got the engine back together, flex plate on and do it with the starter motor. You can watch the oil flowing out of rockers etc then :)

It came to mind because a friend of mine is a plasterer, he has a giant 2 speed drill to mix his stucco in a tub. But might be better to wait and turn the key with plugs out...

Too easy!
Much more fun to spin it over on the bench :)

Ferryman wrote:

It came to mind because a friend of mine is a plasterer, he has a giant 2 speed drill to mix his stucco in a tub. But might be better to wait and turn the key with plugs out...

no10chris wrote:

Yes, I did mean the cam, once started you need to run at around 1500-2000 for 20 mins to bed it in and harden the journals.
Did you get new pistons or use existing?

As I mentioned - it's a full rebuilt short engine from V8 Developments - so it's come to me including top hat linered block, crank, rods, pistons etc. I don't know what they do to rebuild them, but I would expect that they are new pistons, rings etc. or at least fully cleaned and check pistons if they are re-used.

I got Piper cam lube with the cam, but have bought a bottle of Torco MPZ Engine Assembly lube - so will make sure there is an extra dose on the cam lobes, before it get started. Piper cam sheet says I think 2500 rpm for 20mins as break in, but will revise the instructions when I go to fire it up for the first time.

Do you have to spin it over without the plugs, or is it just easier to pull the fuse/plugs on ignition coils and spin it on the starter so it can't spark and fire up?

Martyuk wrote:

Do you have to spin it over without the plugs, or is it just easier to pull the fuse/plugs on ignition coils and spin it on the starter so it can't spark and fire up?

All I want is eliminate the airlock in the suctionline in the sump when first starting with new bearings and an empty block. I think spinning it by the startermotor goes too slow to overcome the airlock, I was playing with the idea to do it faster with a drill so it could pump up the oil without the stress of combustion. If I see oil in the tappetgallery it's good enough for me and am at rest that the oilways are filled. But maybe I am too careful when it is all lubed in advance with special treatments.

And yes, (sorry to overlook the question)if the heads are on it is done without sparkplugs, you could also pull the fuelpumprelay to prevent drowning.

My engine came from V8 Dev with no heads on it but the crank, oil pump and cam installed. The cam had plenty of lube on it that they'd put on. I filled it with oil by pouring it over the cam before the valley gasket went on. Once the heads were on, but no sparkplugs in, I just spun it over on the starter while watching the oil pressure light. It went out within a couple of full turns.....

Gilbertd wrote:

My engine came from V8 Dev with no heads on it but the crank, oil pump and cam installed. The cam had plenty of lube on it that they'd put on. I filled it with oil by pouring it over the cam before the valley gasket went on. Once the heads were on, but no sparkplugs in, I just spun it over on the starter while watching the oil pressure light. It went out within a couple of full turns.....

Good to know - I don't have the front cover/oil pump on at the moment, as I'm supplying/fitting those. I have new oil pump gears to fit and will pack them with lube/vaseline before fitting the front cover. I'll make sure that the plugs are out and fuel pump relay are removed before spinning it over on the starter to prime the oil system. Given the inlet manifold situation on the Thor, covering the rocker covers, is it worth me doing that, before even putting the rocker covers, upper inlet manifold on? or just fit the rocker covers, inlet manifold, and spin it over to get oil up there and keep an eye on the oil pressure light?

If it were GEMS, then it would be easy enough to leave the RH rocker cover off to get a visual indication, but a bit more difficult with a bunch of bananas in the way!