tom horse

  Was this the start of all that electronic stuff that switches yer car off when a sensor goes wrong?             https://fb.watch/rTvXeyhtKS/

It seems to fit , it does have a pronounced slope down

towards the rear that my other MK4 doesn't have

Hi , I've bought another Spitfire that needs a lot of tlc. One of the things I've noticed about it is the soft top frame has been shorten. The uprights have been cut and rewelded as the photos show. Is the likely reason because the PO only had an early soft top lying about and cut the frame to fit or is there another reason they would have done this. My nice new not so shiny roof wont fit the modded frame so I'll have to un-mod it.

 The problem with it , other than the dodgy welding, was probably caused by it not being securely  bolted onto something flat when the flanges were welded on.  Most likely because they only used the outside bolthole as there isn't any other and rather than make a suitable clamp they just went with the one bolt. this arrangement would have allowed the inner edge of the flange to bend  due the the heat of the welding.

  I have a similar manifold to go on my 2000 when I get around to putting the engine back in. I'll have to check before hand now, especially as I couldn't find one for a 2000 mk1 and had to tweek a GT6 MK1 manifold to fit (more heat and bending). I should learn the black art of TIG welding and make my own manifolds.

4 hours ago, glang said:

Cant have cheap to buy so wasnt worth going back to said shop?

 

 It's not like it's a 10 mins drive down the road and with brexit the extra paperwork and expense makes it easier, quicker and cheaper to do it yerself.  Stuff used to take a couple of days either way  but now it can get held up in customs if all the 'I's aren't dotted and 'T's crossed.   

 Having bought a sports manifold from a place who's name resembles an  outside  area you'd expect horses to be kept,  It became apparent it wasn't well made, leaky welds etc. so we welded up the leaks and thought that was job done. Oh how wrong we were.  Yesterday as we again tried to stop the blowing where the rear  (N°4) flange meets the head  by fitting yet another gasket, but first  we decided to take the whole manifold off and check the  trueness of the flange alignment.  Sure enough both outer flanges where at an angle to each other meaning there was no way it was ever going to seal as  there was gaps where both inner flange edges meet the head of about 1.5mm on N°1 & 4.  So  in the vice it went,  one at a time we heated up N° 1 & 4 downpipes and twisted them to get the flange straight and level with each other. After getting them fairly close (less than 0.5mm gap) the offended part was bolted to a spare head using a rachet strap to pull the flanges in as the twisting had made the whole thing too wide to fit on the studs, it was then   tightened down to pull it in contact with the head, all round the flanges. The pipes where then heated to red hot to relive any stress from the twisting and hopefully get rid of the last remaining 0.5mm gap. 

  After  it cooled down it was then fitted to the head  using the rachet strap to pull the two flanges in ,  inlet refitted  and all tightened down.  It's so much quieter now, so quiet  that you can now here the diff whine. Deep joy followed by *+°$**§%  as the diff will now need to come out.   One last thing if you ever have to do this make sure you either remove inlet completely or disconnect the battery because when the two met yer accelerator cable  becomes one with itself. resulting is a mad dash to fabricate a replacement cable from the cable in an old Izusu you happen to have lying around. 

I've attached the only photo we took unless you want to see the gasket where it was blowing through.

 greeting all. I'm in the process of rebuild the backend of my MK1 2000, including changing diff ratio. All is well so far, except I can't find any info on setting the pinion height other than reuse the original shims, which would work with a different CW/pinion. There are a few write ups on adjusting the height but none give a figure to set it to,  one actually tell you how to set it up, and  says "now do some maths" but without a figure you can't.  So does anyone have a figure and the best way to set the pinion height in a 2000/stag diff?

 Hi, Has anyone had INLET valve seats installed in a GT6 MK1. Due to the  valves, inlet and exhaust, recessing into the head  the PO had put shims under the rocker pedestals, otherwise there was no adjustment possible. I've had the exhaust seats done to convert to unleaded, it was while reassembling the engine I realised why they had used these hand cut brass shims, the inlets had recessed as well or perhaps they'd been cut to match the worn exhausts. Either way, the engineering company reckons they can't put inlet  inserts in, as there isn't enough metal. If they try they'll have to cut into the water jacket. If anyone has had it done I can let them know it is possible.

 Thanks JMM

14 hours ago, Nick Jones said:

IIRC there is no need to remove the pin or the plate, you can just open out the tensioner, pop it off the pin and withdraw.

I really want to change the split pin as I've found a shed load of bodges, bad workmanship, and mechanical malpractice, not just in the engine but the whole car. To the point where I don't trust this pin, it may well be weakened and just waiting to snap and drop out when the engine is at full chat.  I'd hate to destroy the rebuilt engine for the sake of a small split pin.

 

JMM

3 hours ago, JohnD said:

Tom,

I echo Nick's caution!     Over on the TRR site a racing member had a new spring break up and ruin his engine recently.

Removing the pin that secures the spring is by pulling out the split pin that is deepest into the timing cover, as it lies on the bench.   That is at the front as it is mounted on the engine, so maybe you meant that when you said "outer".     It may help to remove the oil seal.    Through that openeing, grasp the head of the pin with needle-nosed pliers, pull and twist.   It's a tiny pin and will pull straight enough to come out!

 I know all that but it's been cut so short you can't get enough of a grip to straighten the legs out. Which is strange when you compare it to all the other 'stuff' done to the engine during it's last rebuild. A shaped piece of feeler gauge used to try and mask a cracked head and block, no locking plate on the camshaft gear, shims under the rocker shaft to allow for the valve recession,  wrong bolts holding the cam gear on (too short)and so the list goes on. 

On 18/05/2021 at 11:54, Jason said:

Is that what they call "hammer finished" 😉

Dunno, but you could nearly buy a refurbished shaft for what he wants for it. and the flange is probablyy taco shaped as well

 g'day,

 I'm in the process of rebuilding my engine and need to change the timing chain tensioner. The outer split pin is impossible to get hold of as it's been cut too short. Is there any quick ways of getting to it or will I just have to presevere with the long nose pliers and what ever else I can try to get in there? The other option is to drill the rivets out and remove the anchor plate, which would then need rivetting back on.   Has anyone else came across this problem?

JMM

While looking for a replacement rear driveshaft/hub I found this gem...  

 Well it was cheaper to buy a reground crank with bearings and get it  delivered, that it was to get this one reground locally.

 local price €45 per journal plus tax which is over €500. bearings extra

reground one with bearings  delivered £220

unfortunatley I have to get the block bored at

Monsieur   Opportuniste

Vous a par les couilles Ingènierie

I hope he realises I have a limited number of arms and legs otherwise I'll be using the good old myford to skim the head.

Clearly you've never worked on a Herald 🤪

Or a Fergie tractor

 After trying all sorts of weird stuff to remove the rear hubs  I eventually ended up trying one of these https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B07QYFRZHW/ref=dp_prsubs_2   

And the hubs all but fell off. The hydraulic part wasn't much cop as the tiny crossbar just folded up on itself, but using the normal threaded part with a piece of aluminium between the end of the threaded rod and the shaft all it took was a bit of grunting and off they came. The hub flanges didn't warp and the only damage was to one of the retaining nuts (the first one before I opted for the aluminium) I left on incase it went ballistic. It cost about £80 but it's not a one job tool and should come in handy for other stuff including the Spitfire rear hubs if I ever need to do them.

 Brilliant! That what I was after.  I can now order the bearings etc and get on with rebuilding this block. The original MK1 block has a nice crack and other problems between cyls 5 + 6. The original  engine is an early block with the small journals which is a shame as the crank is in better condition than the crank in the replacement engine.

The fun never ends with this 2000 MK1. I should write a book on it. From the extended clutch rod, the cracked brake drum, the ham fisted attempts at set up the carbs, the silicon used to seal the float chambers and all the other class one bodges. The bodywork is nice  though.

 Thanks again for the information. JMM

 Do you happen to know what size each are?

 Hi,

 Does anyone know the dia of the main journals on a GT6 MK1 crankshaft? The reason I ask is that the only info I have is for the 2000/2500 saloon.  And that tells me that the 2000 engine has  2.0" journals and the 2500 is 2.3". My gt6 mk1 block 2ltr ( KC5***E) has 2.3" journals. I'm rebuilding it and want to make sure I order the correct bits.

 Thanks 

When it's running spray some easi-start (devil's fluid) around the joints. if it's drawing air in the revs will increase.

 I know it's been ages since I discovered this problem but I've only just found the time for engine G/box removal.

 The pin wasn't broken, however the hole in the shaft was oval, the shaft bearings were gubbed. It actually looks like someone has twatted them with a screwdriver and hammer in an attempt to close the gap up. The spring on the end of the shaft is missing, it has the wrong release bearing carrier fitted and that  is mutilated. On a positive note the clutch itself looks fairly new.

So ever fitted it probably thought " Now would be a good time to apply one of my world famous bodgies to the clutch mechanism"

Given all that it will come as no surprise when I tell you the parcel shelves are held in place with 1 1/4" wood screws

 How does one contact you other than via this forum subject as I'm sure you don't want to be leaving your details on a public forum? I don't but  I am interested in the cappings.

 thanks for that its pretty much what i thought.  in My last 1300 build i used 4 rods from a Gt6 engine. i just wasnt sure about the difference between 1300 and 1500 pistons  the easiest thing would be to find a 1500 engine and bung some low comp pistons in it or use my spare 1300 and keep the boost pressure down to about 0.7 bar.  in the meantime its back to the minidigger engine and try to set the tappets without having to take the hydraulic pump off.

theyve only gone and put the tdc mark behind the bellhousing so you cant see it without taking the pump and bellhousing off

 Hi,

 Does anyone know what differences there are between a 1300 piston and the 1500 piston? I know the bore is the same and the only thing I can think of that might be different is the location of the gudgeon pin.  I'm just about to build another 1300 engine was was thinking it would interesting to stick a turbo on it.

Thanks JMM

 It's not, I had a swimming pool in the front footwells after a short but heavy shower. There is a new rubber waiting to go in.

 I'm beginning to wonder if I might be best stripping it down and rebuilding it properly. It was stripped down to the bare shell, blasted, repainted and rebuilt a couple of years ago. But the number of bodges is starting to worry me. The throttle linkage had a jubilee clip to compress the small clamp as it had been over tightened so much the end on the rod had opened up, so to fix it they forced it close with the jubilee clip. That bodge is now gone but then I noticed the carbatooters and had a FFS! moment.  Please take note of the Hi-pressure cable ties to secure the fuel hose and the hi-tech gasket replacement.

I'm reliably informed that the brake pads are not made of plasticine and there is no truth in the rumour that the fuel pump packed in and the fuel was re-routed through the windscreen washer pump. (I will be checking just incase)