2019, July. New engine work back on track

When we got back from holidays I could get on with building the new engine. The pistons and exhaust manifold had been machined so I collected them from Alex at Maynards.

Modified pistons, height reduced and pockets re-cut.

 And now they don't come above the block face!

Modified pistons fitted and more like it should be.

I sorted through my various spares to find the best set of sprockets and guides to use and fitted a new tensioner making sure it was a trusted type - not one of the dreaded Rolon ones that regularly shed the rubber pad like the one is this picture.

Typical Rolon failed tensioner, the rubber pad has come off

I chose the best ones to use out of this lot

Chain fitted with new tensioner, note spacer to aid setting up.

 This was all to do a test fitting so I could make sure there was enough clearance between the valves and pistons when the engine turned over.  I used some Blutack in the valve pockets to act as a check, if it got squashed too thin I would have been in trouble, but all was well.

Blutack in valve pockets to test valve clearance.

Having checked the valves would not hit the pistons I could now fit the head and timing chain stuff properly.  This went well until I checked the camshaft timing marks.  I tried setting the chain in different places on the sprocket and also tried turning the sprocket 180 degrees but there was no way to get the cam lined up properly.

Timing marks are close but not correct.

Next thing was to try using one of my other spare cam sprockets to see if that would give a better result and look what I got, a perfect setting!

That is more like it! Spot on.

Starting to look like an engine.

Next thing with the head on and torqued down was the water pump and cover.  I had a new old stock 12 vane pump which slotted in very easily and a new cover to match so they went on with the gaskets chosen to give the correct clearance .

Heater outlet plate on rear of th head

The distributor that came with the ex rally car engine looked pretty scruffy but testing the shaft for play it seemed in reasonable condition so I thought it would be worth stripping and cleaning to check. Turns out it was in very good condition with no noticeable wear in the shaft so after a good clean up it all went back together and into the new engine.

Looks a bit rough?

But the shaft is in excellent condition.

And no wear in the bearings.

The distributor also had Lumenition installed and it tested OK when I connected it to an amplifier module so that is a bonus.

Distributor and water pump fitted.

Next job was to sort out the inlet manifold for the twin 45DHLA carbs that goes on the engine.Its a new one so has never been used before but a test fit found that it fouled on the water pump outlet. There should be a small gap between the top of the water pump cover and the underside of the manifold.  There is a short link pipe with O rings that fits inside them and joins the two together. I had to file about 1/16" off both the manifold and the pump cover to achieve the gap required.  Best to find out now rather than when the engine is in the car!

Picture showing correct small gap after filing.

I found a piece of steel in my scrap bin that fitted perfectly to hold the flywheel while I torqued up the bolts and fitted the clutch cover.

"special tool" from the scrap bin holds the flywheel

The clutch went on with a new cover and a new old stock competition friction plate that I had bought several years ago and the engine is now ready to fit in the car.

NOS competition clutch plate

STR 0415 NOS competition clutch plate

Engine ready to fit

2019, June. More Classic Tours in the DHC

Black Mountains Classic Tour

Immediately after coming home from holidays we had two classic tours booked on consecutive weekends.

The first one was the Black Mountains based at Talgarth in mid Wales.  We have done this one a couple of times before and it is a lovely area.  It is run by Brecon Motor Club who are a long established and hard core rally club so they always put on a good route.

This year the route took us up into the lanes around Builth Wells but before we even reached the morning coffee and biscuits stop our run was over.  I noticed a couple of notchy gearchanges then the clutch pedal went straight to the floor.  A quick check showed a small puddle forming under the clutch slave cylinder and a fluid top up just added to the puddle.  I would have expected some warning of a developing problem, maybe some fluid loss on the garage floor or a poor pedal but didn't get any. I have never carried a spare cylinder so all we could do was to drive the few miles to the coffee stop without a working clutch and then call the breakdown service. Curses.

At least we got one picture of us taken by Chris Huish of Rally Sport Media

before this happened:-

Aquae Sulis Classic Tour

Soon as we got back from the Black Mountains I ordered a new clutch slave which came the next day.  It is an easy job to fit and normal clutch operation was restored.

Aquae Sulis is the Roman name for Bath and the run is organised by Bath Motor Club.  This was a new area for us, taking us down into Somerset and North Dorset.  Start was at a posh golf club in a place called Farrington Gurney, near Midsomer Norton.   The route included a trip down the amazing Cheddar Gorge.  The weather was lovely so we were able to appreciate the full experience of driving the gorge with the roof down. Fantastic.

Cheddar Gorge, we even had some climbers in action.

Somerset seems to have quite a lot of villages so the route was more built up than our usual ones and the traffic was heavier.   Lunch halt was at Montacute House, a lovely old Elizabethan mansion near Yeovil.

Leaving Montacute House after lunch

Finish was at another posh golf club just south of Bath where they gave us a rather nice roast dinner.  It was a nice day out but with the extra traffic we would probably not do this one again.