Timing chain/front main bearing area - Spit 1500

[Phil Siddall]

Got the front crankshaft pulley bolt off at last- impact wrenches are magic!

Had to buy an electric one though- the few garages here on Mull only have compressed air ones.

The timing chain is about on the limit for wear, and the end of the tensioning spring has made quite a  worn ridge in the timing cover, and is sticking.- I will have to get the Dremel out.

More worrying is the front main bearing area- has the cap been fitted wrong way round? the front faces do not line up by about 2mm.

Ideas, please!

All not what I would expect from a rebuilt engine from the club, that has now done just over 2,000 miles.

It was delivered with a blowing head gasket, and an incorrect and loose sump plug. It turned out to have a solid copper gasket, having been bored out to + .060", rather than the recommended  +030" limit. Had to wait two months for the head to be skimmed, and a replacement copper gasket to arrive from the US. Now has a slight oil leak from the gasket.

 Not a happy bunny.

[Pete Lewis]

thats not sounding like Ivor searles  they are pretty meticulous  and everything is remanufacured not old stuff throw together 

dont like the sound of the bearing caps  

but these club engines have good reputation talk to Bern at HQ it doenst sound likw its been fit for purpose 

consumer rights act would give to recourse to some help here its not lasted a reasonable time or been of the expected reasonable quality 

Pete

[Phil Siddall]

It was from Ivor Searle, via the Club, but it was fitted nearly eight years ago. I have just checked-the car has in fact done 2,496 miles since, and has not yet been off the island. I do not trust it! The 2014 mileage reading was a genuine 29,168; it now reads 31,664.

I was worried about the original engine, as although it was low mileage, it had a bit of a rattle when first starting, until the oil pressure came up. The replacement engine is, if anything, even more rattly. Should have kept the original engine!

ETA: having had a think about it, I have been assuming that the machined front faces of the bearing housing and the bearing cap should be in the same plane. Having had a further close look at the Haynes manual, it appears that they are not, after all. Could someone confirm if this is correct, please- I'd like to get it back together again!

Haynes also had me puzzled, saying the steering rack had to be unbolted before you could get the crank pulley off. It doesn't.

 

Phil