Step by Silky Step

[RonR]

Thanks for the advice, guys.

The O2 sensor is now in pieces but at least I was able to remove it after breaking the top off. New one is on it's way from Rock Auto.
I tried the extensions / axle stand / breaker bar / jack handle on the crank pulley bolt but no go.
Eventually got the bolt undone using a mains-powered impact wrench, don't know why I didn't try it before!

Had to drill out and re-tap a front disk locating screw today, also found out that the front wheel bearing I installed last year has failed in a few hundred miles.
I bought SKF to ensure quality but it looks like it was a fake.

Note to self - ONLY order bearings from known sources.

[chrisP]

Glad you are making progress Ron

Chris

[RonR]

The cylinder head is now off and the steam cleaned top of No.1 piston confirms HGF.

No.1 piston steam cleaned

The head side of the gasket was the source of the leak - luckily only from water jacket to cylinder.
There's also a mark (yellow arrow) on the head which looks like the fire ring was breached there as well.

However I found some corrosion in the head around No.4 cylinder.

The corrosion ends about 2mm from the head gasket fire ring.
I'm not sure whether to get some more material welded in or just leave it - it's taken 29 years to corrode this far - what do you think?

[RonR]

The cylinder head is back from the machine shop.
The head was skimmed and new bronze valve guides were fitted, as like Jonathan F I had some corrosion on the leaking cylinder's guides which restricted valve movement.
Also had a 3-angle job done on the seats as they were being re-cut anyway.
The corrosion around No.4 was well away from the fire ring even after skimming, so was left alone.

Skimmed

While disconnecting the fuel injectors I managed to break one of the now brittle plastic connectors, due to the clamping spring being almost impossible to release.
I found replacements with springs which are much easier to handle - they'll be crimped AND soldered during the rebuild.
They can be found by putting "TYCO AMP Junior Power Timer 2pin Fuel injector sensor plug" into your favourite auction site search.

[Rambo]

Ron - did you know you had HGF, or suspected you had HGF, before you took the head off? If so, what were your particular symptons?

PS nice shiny head

[RonR]

Yes Rambo,
I suspected it earlier this year when I had the occasional mysterious loss of coolant and the hoses seemed to be under a bit more pressure than usual. There was no emulsion in the cam cover so I knew oil and water were kept apart.
The clincher was on the way back from CC when I gave it the beans with what was subsequently found to be a stuck wastegate. The turbo over-boosted which I think was the last straw for the gasket.
Next morning the car wasn't happy, misfiring and puffing steam out of the exhaust.

[RonR]

Just restarted the cylinder head rebuild after life got in the way for a bit.
Now we're all prone to a bit of project creep now and again, so I thought I'd keep a record of the extra work carried out while I'm supposed to be rebuilding my cylinder head.
If nothing else it will shame me into concentrating on the job at hand.

1. Front caliper rebuild with new pistons and seals.

[RonR]

2. Found TPS wiring under the rubber boot was not looking so good:

TPS Wiring as found

Stripped back and re-soldered:

TPS Wiring after re-soldering

tps-after.jpg (78.81 KiB) Viewed 491926 times

[HJ2]

Top Job!

Did you need to cut away conformal coating to resolder?

[RonR]

No conformal coating on this TPS HJ, just a rubber boot over the soldered wires. It appears to be an original Hitachi version and tests nice and smooth on the Multimeter.
The terminals have forked ends which need to be spread apart slightly to allow the wires to be inserted, then nipped in before soldering.

As Sod's law dictates a circlip inside my solder sucker broke and spread plunger, spring and bits of solder over a wide area of the dining room! Just managed to clean it up before SWMBO got home!

[RonR]

More project creep items, mainly due to finding some dodgy bushes and some surface rust in the longerons:

3. Dismantled front suspension, removed all bushes and sent for Powder coating

Before

4. Ally parts sent for Vapour blasting. Received back looking far, far better than when sent:

Before & After

5. Replaced both wheel bearings and Jackshaft bearing

Bearings

Driveshaft Brgs.jpg (75.5 KiB) Viewed 491755 times

6. Refurbished Alternator with Simon's kit and replaced Starter motor contacts

7. Ported wastegate to 19.5mm

8. Adjusted focus of Durite main beam headlights

9. Started engine bay cleanup

[TorqueHorse]

Wow, that vapor blasting result is beautiful (CO2?). Silky as always .
Where did you find all the bushings for the other parts you are getting powder coated?

[RonR]

Hi Matt,

Most of the bushes came from SJs, though some from SW Lotus centre, and a couple from Ebay. Wishbone bushes are Polyurethane, but I managed to find all the rest in the proper rubber.

I have S2 wheels on my SE, so not sure whether to go for the SE or S2 bushes in the lower rear of the rafts -
Any experts on here? Was the bush uprated to suit the heavier S2 wheels, or for some other reason? and is it just a straight substitution i.e dimensions the same?

BTW Although it's called "Vapour" blasting, the guy who did it tells me it uses a glass bead medium, and it's not suitable for ferrous materials.

[RonR]

Project Creep..... Moi?

Took out the headlight pivot frames to free up the pivots and both bottom studs sheared off. The heads are sandwiched between the topshell and front cross-member. Found in the WSM that I had 2 choices - cut slots in the topshell or remove the front cross-member. The Longerons are off for powder coating anyway, so off it came!

[378S2]

Hi Ron

I’ve been following your creeping scope for a while now - love the progress! Do you have an opinion yet on the clutch you bought from RA (Sachs K7004701) please?

Cheers
George

[RonR]

Sorry George, real life got in the way yet again, but for longer this time!

The car still looks much the same as it did back in May last year, so the clutch is still in it's box waiting to be fitted.
I promise I'll have it done for May this year!

[Saltire]

I promise I'll have it done for May this year!

That sounds to me like a commitment to drive it to Castle Combe

[378S2]

OK thanks Ron - that'll be about the right timing for me. I am certain that curiosity will get the better of me this winter and I will be tracing your silky steps!

What axel stands are you using there please?

Cheers
George.

[Tuga2112]

those are not axel stands

Ron's is using a lift solution similar to this
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233940443922


I been pondering such investment for a long time but my Elan originally cost me £1850 in 2014 and i just cant find the courage to spend 80% of the cost of the car in the tool that i use to lift it

[RonR]

Spot on Joao,

The lift paid for itself the first time I used it. IIRC it was around £900 from Costco - a QuickJack BL-5000.
BMW wanted £2700 to replace the front differential on my X1, I bought the lift and a set of bearings, rebuilt the diff myself and still saved >£1000.

It only just fits between the wheels of the M100, so if I was getting one just for that I'd get the smaller version, but the X1 was marginal on lifting weight so needs must...