Sump removal

[Raider]

Does anyone know if it's possible to remove the sump on a Vitesse whilst the engine is still in the car?

Would the cross member get in the way for example?

I am considering checking out the engine cylinders, piston rings etc without removing the entire engine - all as part of the competitions department's review of possible rally cars!

[Tim Bancroft]

Raider,

Intead of dropping the sump why not do the following:
A compression test
Hook up a oil pressure gauge, I use a mini 850 smiths oil pressure gauge recued from a scrapped car.
Check to see how much oil you loose.
Use a large screwdriver and check the endfloat by levering the front pulley, this will check your thrust washers, the achilles heel of these engines.
Also check to see if the front of the engine leaks oil where the the timing cover bolts onto the aluminium spacer block, this is generally down to overtightening of the cheese-headed screws into the blind tapped holes that attach the timing cover.
If all fine I would not bother going to the bother of lifting the engine and dropping the sump.
To answer your orig. question the chassis crossmember and the engine end plate make it impossible to drop the sump, therefore you will need to lift the engine up. This will entail taking the exhaust and induction system off, meaning setting up implications.

Sorry to state the obvious.