It's starting to look beautiful ........... almost a shame to put it in and get it dirty lol
It's looking good Marty.
You do realise that you're now going to be forced to detail the entire engine bay and all the ancillaries before you drop that lump of precision shininess into it, don't you?
:)
Martyuk wrote:
Oh well... rant over... At least the engine will be nice and shiny when finished..
Till you drive home from the workshop :)
Yeah, I'm well under the impression that the rest of the engine bay is going to look a mess compared to that!!
I'm actually thinking I will get a second set of alternator & AC/PAS pump brackets to clean up and bolt on the front too, so they can be in a shiny finished condition too.
I'm also thinking that whilst the engine is out, I'll remove all the crumbling foam from the bulkhead, and try to find a suitable replacement material to refit before the new engine goes back in. Might have to jet wash the underside and engine bay before the old one comes out as it's pretty dirty under there...
Yeah, I'm well under the impression that the rest of the engine bay is going to look a mess compared to that!!
I'm actually thinking I will get a second set of alternator & AC/PAS pump brackets to clean up and bolt on the front too, so they can be in a shiny finished condition too.
I'm also thinking that whilst the engine is out, I'll remove all the crumbling foam from the bulkhead, and try to find a suitable replacement material to refit before the new engine goes back in. Might have to jet wash the underside and engine bay before the old one comes out as it's pretty dirty under there...
Sloth wrote:
Martyuk wrote:
Oh well... rant over... At least the engine will be nice and shiny when finished..
Till you drive home from the workshop :)
Shhhhhhhhhhh......
Lol... I am planning to give the whole vehicle a wash, wax, and polish once it's done, so she can be clean and shiny at least for a little while!
So, it's been awhile since I've updated this... mostly because I've been away for work!
But I'm back now and been trying to make some more progress... So here's the latest...
So I got back and my bits from LPG shop had arrived, so I drilled/tapped the manifold:
And then masked it for paint. This ended up only getting one coat top/bottom as it won't be seen that much - but it looks nicer than the stained cast alloy...
And then painted..
Whilst the manifold was drying, I figured it was as good a time as any to put the front cover on.. got it all attached, and used an old water pump to act as a spacer for the long bolts until my LR direct order turned up with the new pump...
You can see the cam sensor wiring bracket in this one - there was a note in the overhaul manual that I thought said it went on that bolt and had to sit parallel to the crankshaft... after fitting the sensor itself though, it doesn't go there and got moved the next day to the correct location.
Then I figured that whilst I'm on a roll, I'd get the sump on.. So flipped it over
Fitted the oil pickup/strainer on:
And then the sump - with gasket and RTV in the locations shown in the manual:
With all bolts done up to correct torque, and in correct sequence as shown in RAVE
Then flipped it back upright;
Next day, my LR Direct goodies arrived... including the water pump, which came in a nice box:
Shiny and new... even with the company logo - I presume laser etched - on it... Don't think you'll find that in a blue box unit...
And then fitted to the engine:
And then refitting the cam sensor and figuring out where the pesky bracket should actually go...
Today's task was to get the valley gasket, and the lower intake manifold fitted... So started with the RTV and the rubber end seals:
I ended up putting a very thin smear of RTV around all of the intake openings to try and make sure there's a proper seal - and especially around the water outlets, as don't really want that leaking...
Then got the valley gasket in, lower manifold on, and torqued - again in correct sequence - and the end plates on/bolted up aswell
I then did some mocking up with the rocker covers and upper manifold on to see about the clearances for LPG injectors under the bananas... it looks like they might just fit...
I've also now cleaned a spare set of petrol injectors, and fitted new O-rings. I am about to go back to the garage to take all the top bits back off, and get it packaged up and hopefully in the vehicle... as tomorrow is D-Day...
I've got Sloth very kindly coming up to give me a hand to rip the old one out tomorrow and get the extra bits needed from my old engine off, and then get this one installed. I am optimistically hoping that the old one comes out easily enough and we get the parts stripped off it, and onto this one in good time, and maybe even get this one ready to drop in...
I'm not in a major rush - as long as it's done by Sunday afternoon!! I've got new engine mounts, and nuts, exhaust downpipe gaskets and new studs/nuts aswell - so the plan will be to remove the engine with the headers intact and then remove the heat sheilds/manifolds out of the vehicle, and re-attach them to this engine and install complete...
The main bits which are being re-used are the coil packs/HT leads (as they were brand new Bosch coils a couple of years ago, and Magnecore HT leads) The alternator and PAS/ AC Compressor brackets, and the pumps/alternator themselves. Idler pulleys and belt were new not so long ago too, but I have a new tensioner to go on. Also re-using the fan/VC though I might look at replacing these as matter of course...
Other bit being done at the same time... New Nissens radiator, new genuine thermostat... new top hose, bottom hose, water pump hose. New LPG vapouriser, and some new insulation for the firewall..
Going to be a busy weekend - but fingers crossed on Sunday afternoon it will fire up and get run in...
I got given a Gopro for Christmas, so will be taking this to the workshop, as it will let me take timelapse photos... so will do a timelapse of the removal/install... and a video of the first startup...
Back on Sunday, with hopefully some good news!
Marty
It's looking grand Marty!
As you've got Sloth helping, make sure you've got a good supply of Elastoplast around the workshop :)
Decided what Dino oil you're going to use for the break-in period yet?
A couple of observations that shouldn't be taken as criticism, merely observations. On the valley gasket I use RTV on the end rubbers but a thin smear of Hylomar on the intake and waterways. RTV is OK when you need to fill a big gap but doesn't work as well as Hylomar on machined surfaces. I can see the attraction of painting everything but isn't it all going to look at bit, errm, black? Might have looked better with a bit of contrast, some bits in black and others in sliver to match the shiny alloy bits? Although I can't say anything as everything under my bonnet is currently a dusty grey from when the bodywork was sanded down before painting. I could pressure wash it I suppose but maybe not......
Orangebean wrote:
It's looking grand Marty!
As you've got Sloth helping, make sure you've got a good supply of Elastoplast around the workshop :)
I still have the scar from that steering box! I will be putting my first aid kit in the car ;)
I like the black personally. My replacement engine in the old car had been painted silver, and it looked a bit bright and 'fake' if you get what I mean. On mine you can't really see much engine. I've got one bit of rocker cover that I can keep clean!
Once Marty's done one trip up the track to the workshop, the engine colour will be academic- it'll all be brown anyway :)
I'm jealous of how good it looks at the moment though Marty. Having spent hours in the parts washer doing my top end stuff, it looks pretty much as crappy (finish wise) as before I started
Gotta say Marty - you don't hang about!!
Looking great, very jealous. The black intake manifold really hides the porous look of the silver. I resprayed mine silver but it still looked crap.
There are SOME Silver bits on it... the block, heads, water pump ;) To be fair, Orangebean is probably right.. .it's not going to take long before it all becomes somewhat of an earthen tone anyway... I went under the bonnet this afternoon to pluck out the new LPG injectors for test fitting and to figure out how I'm going to manage to fit them under there (4 pairs of 2 would definitely be better... maybe at some point in the future!) and EVERYTHING in my engine bay at the moment is dusty and dirty... I just hope that the painted bits will mean that the dust and crud will wash off a bit easier!
Unfortunately I didn't have any Hylomar for the other orifices - RAVE/Workshop manual doesn't specify using anything there at all, but figured a bit of RTV can't hurt it.. if it starts pissing coolant out from the water galleries then I'll just have to tear it back down and get some hylomar.
It's all loaded up now...
Thank goodness for EAS... as the rear/right was pretty low with a V8 lump plonked on it.. and then there's the engine crane, engine stand, tool box, all the other parts still to go on, other tools, new radiator and who knows what else... but started it up, and up she came to normal height.
I'll try and get a picture in the morning when I'm up at the workshop with it all loaded before I turf it out! It's amazing what you can fit in the back of a P38... and I only folded the small seat all the way down and back up again.. the big one is just folded down!
I'm sure there will be pictures/videos etc of the next couple of days... I just hope it all goes smoothly!
You lobbing a new flexplate in while you're down there Marty?
Congratulations Marty with this beautyful engine, you have spend a great effort in it. Still jealous about the shiny new rockergear, still on my whishlist.
I see you have ran into the same problem as I did, the LPG nozzles are in the way when bolting the manifold. Trial and error for me was the fact that I had a drip of Locktite added, the wall of the the manifold is too thin to tighten the nozzles properly and on removal I snapped one nozzle so had to heat it to get the remains out.
BTW I fitted the valleygasket dry, no RTV or Hylomar, all waterways are tight and no vacuum leaks according to the MoT tester.
So, fingers crossed for sunday, personally I think it is a tight schedule but my life became slower after retirement ha ha.
Success!
Yes, forgot to mention that there is a new flexplate going in too... I bought the OEM branded one from LR Direct, and it came in a blue bag :( but does have OEM printed on the sticker...
I am planning on swapping the transmission at some point in the near future as I'm sure this one had had a pretty hard life before me, so if I'm not happy with the current plate, then I'll be able to swap it again... But I just have to hope that OEM is just that.. And it's of good quality.
Thank you all for your nice comments I just hope this beast lives up to expectation and performs as well as it looks...
Ferryman, yes, I had the issue with the LPG nozzles and the bolts... Trying to get them as close to the petrol injectors, and the angles I could get the drill in at meant I couldn't quite get them at the angles to be away from the bolts. But as I had the luxury of just taking them out again, I did... Upon putting them back in I've put a bit of permatex thread sealant in there, which I bought when I was doing some bits on the EAS ages ago.. So hopefully this will seal them up nicely where they go into the manifold...
I think the install schedule should be ok... I hope.... I don't have a lot of choice as Nick will have to get back on Sunday evening for work on Monday, so I need to be able to drive home tomorrow night!! Today will be the worst with getting it all out.. If the old one can be out, and the new one dressed to be installed tomorrow morning, then I think we will be ok..
My biggest worry is exhaust manifolds, but worst case the down pipe studs will be cut off to get it out. I've got new studs/nuts so any the don't behave will be cut, drilled, and extracted, and a new one used. Other than that and the bell housing bolts, I think (hope) it should all be fairly straight forward!
Will start finding out in a few hours!
Indeed the downpipestuds are a pain, at mine some studs came out and some nuts came off but I could unbolt them after repeated soaking with penetrating oil (patience and luck).
When swapping the engine I parked it in offroad height (pull the timerrelay) and while hanging in the hoist I first removed the engine mounts, then I lowered the engine allmost onto the axle to gain access for the 4 top bellhousing bolts. Saves your skin on your knuckles.
Success, Tony.
Good luck!
Fabulous, Marty.
So, a quick report from day 1 of the actual install work...
Got up to the workshop about 0830 - and started the shuffle around of vehicles and unloading all the bits. Nick arrived just a shade after 9am, and gave me a hand to finish unloading and get the engine out of the back of the RR. I then spun the wagon around, parked up and then we were ready to get started...
Here's a 'before' picture... just a touch dirty in there!
Got the bonnet lifted to the service position and then made a start:
Made pretty quick work of getting the ancillaries out of the way. Luckily as I have replaced my positive battery terminal and have a split charge system, we were able to link it to the battery in the boot, and then undo/remove the starter motor and the alternator +ve feeds from the battery clamp. Then re-connecting the one to the fuse box - so that way the vehicle would stay powered up, but we didn't have to worry about a couple of loose ends floating around!
Then got stuck into the upper manifold, and also at this time, starting to think about exhaust downpipe studs...
Fast forward a couple of hours... and all bar one of the exhaust studs had come out nicely, and then the pesky bell-housing bolts were attacked - some of them are a right pain (thanks for the tip Ferryman.. will be using that on the rebuild!) but after they were done, and the electrical connections unplugged, we were ready for liftoff:
Starting to come out:
Up and away! :
Big hole left behind!
And it's out:
Looks a bit bigger when it's out and ready for all the extras to be swapped to the new engine.
So tomorrow involves a bit of cleaning of parts, and the assemble for said parts on the new engine - ready for installing it a bit later in the day! adn then finally firing it up and hope for the best!
Marty