XIL - A Rolling Project

[cliff]

I used to have an engine stand like yours

Cheap and available.

[cliff]

Having just done it, I can vouch for it being possible

Great write up, took me less time to take the engine out though.

Seriously, I thought the master cylinder was tricky, well done

[Ian T]

I'm rather hoping that I don't regret selling my engine crane - it had been so long since I last used it that I decided to flog it and just keep the engine lifting bar I've got that goes between the tops of the inner wings. Fine on an Astra but no use whatsoever on an Elan...

I really should finish uploading the photos to that write up and then can transpose it onto the wiki.

Master cylinder does look tricky to get at, just everything else in the way. I wouldn't much fancy removing the servo, but guess that once the other stuff has been removed it's not that bad to do.

Ian.

[cliff]

Cylinder head is off.

Looks like someone has used radiator sealer at some time in the past as a few of the water passages are clogged, the rest is not too bad.

After a quick clean.

Bores are in good condition for 166k miles.

Cylinder head, again not bad for the mileage.

Engine ready to go for rebuild, stripped like this, it is surprisingly light, I can move it by myself without any problem.

Gearbox cleaned and ready to go to Alan Voigt to have the third gear synchro looked at.

Next stop steering rack.

[cliff]

It's out, not without a certain amount of bad language though.

The lower uj would not come off the spline so I had to remove the RH raft as well as the prongeron. It is still stuck on there so I will soak it for a while in penetrating fluid, if that doesn't work, I will get the guy doing the overhaul to remove it.

More grime and corrosion.

The headlight motors will be rebuilt so everything has been stripped out for cleaning and refurb.

The RH engine mount looked good from the top but underneath is a different story, that won't be going back on.

The brake pipes had to be removed to get at this corroded bit, probably caused by brake fluid eating the paint, but it is cleaning up pretty well.

The bottle is there to catch the fluid from the master cylinder and Alfa flywheel bolts make great blanks for the forward BMC ports.

[cliff]

I was thinking of taking the clam off and having all of the removable metalwork blasted and powder coated but there has been enough project creep already especially as have now dropped the LH suspension to treat a little corrosion behind the upper raft mount.

Always a nice feeling when the cleaning treating and preparing is done. I used Granville Rust Cure for the first time, it does seem to work better than FE 123 and gives a much better finish.

Masked and primed.

Humberside Paints matched the chassis colour pretty well and suggested an enamel type paint which they made in aerosol for me.

The engine is back, honed, new rings, bearings and seals. Many thanks to Bryan at the Humberside Engine Centre in Scunthorpe.

Head skimmed, valve stem and cam seals replaced, valves reground. Bryan did mention that the engine was very coked, in fact he was surprised it ran so well. All cleaned and sorted now.

Engine block painted with POR 15 engine enamel. All of the brackets and attachments have gone to be either powder coated or galvanised. So it should all look pretty good when it goes back together next month.

[Jamie N]

Looking great Cliff, on course for the cleanest engine bay on the Forum .

[HJ2]

Wow, now i'm jealous!

[cliff]

So, after some time away, I have finally managed get back to the UK for a few days, we have a new base in Lome, Togo so the commute just got a bit longer. Not much to update but have had a few things done.

Steering rack and pump refurbished by SRE Hydrosteer in Dewsbury.

http://powersteeringracks.co.uk

Starter motor refurbished by WNS in Scunthorpe, they mentioned that these motors are very reliable which is good news given how hard it must be to change it with the engine fitted.

http://www.wnselectrics.com/

Flywheel skimmed then balanced with the new pressure plate by AMB engineering in Sheffield .

http://www.amb-engineering.com/

Everything that was removed from the engine bay including the prongeron and mounting brackets have been powder coated or galvanized at Yorkshire Power Coating.

http://www.yorkshirepowdercoating.co.uk

The turbo and ac compressor will be going for overhaul as well. Everything was working when I removed them from the car but knowing how hard it is to access these parts normally, it was well worth having them done. I have also had new fuel, oil and ac pipes made up.

Time to put it all back together.

[cliff]

Seem to have been busy all day with not much to show for it.

Oil cooler pipes were not in the best condition.

Bit of cleaning and paint, much better.

Steering rack fitted, a total pita to do on your own, had to unbolt the steering column to fit the uj.

Few p-clips and brackets fitted as well.

Lets see how tomorrow goes.

[dapinky]

Looking good, Cliff.

Steering rack is on my list of jobs to do for the winter. I have a nice new S2 rack to fit, together with new lower UJ. I am not going to attempt it until I whip the engine out as it looks like a real PITA to do with it in situ. Does the prongeron have to come off? (or at least, would it be easier if I took it off anyway?).

[cliff]

Looking good, Cliff.

Steering rack is on my list of jobs to do for the winter. I have a nice new S2 rack to fit, together with new lower UJ. I am not going to attempt it until I whip the engine out as it looks like a real PITA to do with it in situ. Does the prongeron have to come off? (or at least, would it be easier if I took it off anyway?).

Dave,

I had the prongeron off for powder coating anyway, I ended up dropping the RH raft for clearance as well. Must be a nightmare with the engine in, although probably better on a lift.

[dapinky]

Thanks Cliff - that's pretty well as I thought.... Engine will be out anyway, so dropping the prongeron (and raft) isn't a big issue (I think Its been up and down more often than a whores drawers in the past year or so anyway )

[cliff]

Getting good at this now as well, left the prongeron loose and had both rafts on in about 10 minutes.

[cliff]

Better day today.

BMC & pipes installed, spent a lot of time replacing conduit and tidying up the cable looms. Looks much better now.

Newly powder coating prongeron and stays fitted. The before and after pics make it all worthwhile.

Before:

After:

RH & LH suspension fitted. It looks worse than it is as it was given a coat of aviation grade dinitrol last year.

[Ian T]

Lovely job Cliff, hope to see it sometime.

[cliff]

Thanks Ian, I hope to finally make to some Lotus meets sometime.

[cliff]

My throttle cable was in poor condition, I picked up a new one last time I was at Brammer Parts in Mettmann.

Surprising easy to change, a simple clip on the pedal, prize out the old grommet, heat and lubricate the new grommet which comes as part of the cable, re-attach the clip and job done. The RH wheel arch liner needs to be off as well as there is very little room beside the BMC.

Build an engine stand and start attaching parts.

Last look inside for the next 160k.

Head on and torqued.

[lotusgirlmarie]

Truly amazing work!! Congrats!!

[cliff]

Thanks Marie, praise indeed!