Esprit Posted March 24, 2011 Author Share Posted March 24, 2011 Aah no, all solid lifters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Positive Ape Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Hey, Esprit, just encouraging you to have a quick squizz at the engine. Don't give up now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted April 4, 2011 Author Share Posted April 4, 2011 Hehe cheers. Had a look tonight, update to follow. Nothing really of note, just deepens the mystery even further :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted April 4, 2011 Author Share Posted April 4, 2011 Well tonight I finally plucked up the courage to get back out in the garage. I got the cam cover off and set about checking the valve clearances. I was expecting that this would have shown whether some of the clearances were either very low, perhaps indicating a recessed valve seat or failing valve, or a very high value indicating a bent valve. Based on the figures that Dave Andrews gave me, most of the valves were in spec. Of the ones that were out of spec, they were only just out and some of these were on the best-sealing cylinders... in short, I've yet to stumble across a "smoking gun" so to speak. So I'm not sure what more I can really find out without taking the head off... which will probably get tackled this coming weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted April 5, 2011 Author Share Posted April 5, 2011 Tonight I got back into the garage again for another couple of hours slog on the sodding car. Got a bunch of trim removed in the engine bay and the undertrays as well as a couple of litres of coolant drained off in preparation for pulling the head. I got the inlet manifold removed as well... everything looks to be in order so far as I can tell... Tomorrow I might make up some brackets to allow me to check the valve timing before I go about pulling everything apart... and might buy me some decent DTI gauges as I could do with some and I'll need some to set the cams up at the conclusion of the job. Ho hum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Keep at it man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted April 15, 2011 Author Share Posted April 15, 2011 Well, last night I did a little more on the car. Made up some brackets and bought a shiny new digital DTI (I've been looking for an excuse for a while) and got to work checking the cam timing. This was to see whether the problem was caused by improperly set cam timing or a cambelt jumping a tooth or slipping on the verniers. With the exception of a few hundredths of millimetres though, everything seemed pretty close to being on, so it's unlikely that it's bent a valve through touching a piston unless something's let go on the bottom end. Tomorrow I whip the head off and begin the open-heart surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share Posted April 25, 2011 Right, well after a number of delays on the sodding car we're back on deck again. In stripping the thing down, it's become clear that the heatshield I've got on the firewall is struggling where it sits behind the manifold heatshield. Being about 10mm thick, it touches this heatshield and has promptly delaminated and is on the way to melting. This is precisely what happened to the OEM heatshield and why I pulled that off in the first place (although the OEM shield was way further along the degradation path). Given that the car's already half in bits again, I figure that I'll figure out a better solution while the engine stuff happens. Rear clam will come off again shortly (it's already unbolted), the roof will come off and the firewall will be stripped and re-lined in another product or products... with more of an emphasis on heat protection than sound absorption, since I can handle some noise, but can't handle the car burning to the ground. Onto the engine, I FINALLY managed to get the cylinder head off tonight. The good news is that there doesn't seem to have been any valve to piston contact and the bores look good. The valves all appear to be in good nick, with no OBVIOUS damage, but this is only after a cursory inspection. Given that I've come this far, I've decided that I'll strip the bottom end as well. I'd HATE to just rebuild the head and then find out there was another issue like a cracked ring that the valve issue was masking.... it might be a bit over-cautious, but I figure the engine's 2/3 stripped and going to be out of the car so what the hell? I also have a weeping driveshaft seal that's come about from all the engine in/out business so we'll replace that at the same time. So here you can see the head as it came out. The suspect #4 inlet valves are at top right. The remaining images are of the bottom end. #4 cylinder at left. Still a bit over the whole thing to be honest. Running out of space to do things where I am, so it's all cramped... I'm completely out of enthusiasm for the project at the moment, and really hating every minute I spend on the car right now. I've been here before though, and I know it'll pass, but I'm struggling right now. Having spent an awesomely fun weekend thraping around with my father in his E-Type Jag, I'm almost tempted to sell the Lotus and start looking for a nice Jaaaaaaaaaaag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakesae101 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 dont sell it keep a stiff upper lip old chap and plod along imagine how insane this beast will be when done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullitt Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Just to save you going back through the previous posts Handling wise, the car is AMAZING. ... I took these same roads about 18 months ago in the GTi6, and I questioned the need to have a Lotus, the Peugeot being nearly as fast and nearly as much fun... While I stand by those comments, the Lotus is just on an entirely new level aurally... it raises the bar substantially. ... Given my initial impressions on the road, I'm very much looking forward to testing at the track as it promises to be nothing short of awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My name is Russell Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 DONT GIVE UP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KKtrips Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Dunno if its an optical illusion or the gasket is sitting off the block but it makes it look like the cylinder liner has moved on number 4. You most probably know this but those K series liners mover very easily with the head off so whatever you do - do NOT rotate the engine with the head off or at least something bolted down over the bores to hold them in.. if they come out it is very hard to get them back in without removing the pants. Good work though - must be so heartbreaking to do this after so much work but at least you get a chance to check all the changes you have done are working - ie heatshield Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share Posted April 25, 2011 That's just the head gasket sitting up that makes it look like the liner has moved. Also, I know not to move the engine fullstop. Having said that, the bottom end is coming to bits anyway. The engine was already drinking oil at higher RPM (witness the amount of carbon on the pistons!) so something's amiss down there. For the cost of it, I'm thinking new liners and rings will be the way to go, I suspect something's not right with them, and given that it's coming to bits, for the few hundred extra that liners and rings cost, doing those and new bearings is a worthwhile insurance policy. Cunt's fucked and it needs fixing.... thank god it's winter and I wouldn't have been using the car anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuel Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 surely that workshop who built the block could be held accountable for this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vintage Grumble Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 You would think so, but I guess its nearly impossible to prove anything? Just dont use them and bad mouth the shit outta them if they dont come to the party? I feel your pain Sir, theres nothing worse than months/years of anticipation and excitement about finishing a project to then have it turn to shit, it can ruin a man IMO. I think everyones gone through this to different degrees. This is the reason I have not touched my car in months, just got the shits with the rust and walked away, but you know you'll miss the car, and wish you never sold it if you did. You just have to take a break sometimes and wait for the bug to bite again. Good luck Sir. P.S. Put a 2ZZ in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share Posted April 25, 2011 Thing is, at the moment, there's nothing I can really point to that indicates something's been put together wrong... There's no smoking gun, it's just not working as it should and there appears to be more than one issue here.... either way, I think the only person that'll be accountable here is me and my wallet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 Right, well I'm organising the cylinder head inspection/rebuild today, but I thought I'd take the chance to post up a photo from the weekend. As part of the E-Type's 50th anniversary celebrations this year, the Jaguar Drivers' club held a little shindig at Taupo on the weekend. My father and I were in attendance with his immaculate S1 3.8L roadster. As well as driving some nice open roads, we were also treated to some parade laps at Taupo motorsport park. While it was pretty hard to misbehave when following a pace-car in single-file, I did manage to get the old girl sideways once or twice It was nice to get away from Auckland and the Lotus for a few days, but I'll admit that after having such fun in the Jag, I'm almost tempted to get one for myself now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikuni Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Damn it, we missed side ways E type action. We were going to hang about and watch, but it was lunch time so we were away getting Gor-mett Hotdawgs and "The best chips you can buy" that really weren't all that great. Was a cool day (weekend) down in Taupo though. A great turn out too, would have been even nicer to be out on the track myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted April 29, 2011 Author Share Posted April 29, 2011 PROJECT ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: Hi all, just putting this up here as I'm going to have to call a halt to things for a week or seven. My father was involved in a massive accident in his Elise today, where he was hit behind while stationary by a Porsche after stopping to avoid some horses that had escaped onto the road. He has a broken neck and is very lucky to be alive. He's not paralysed but it's a miracle that he's not. He's not quite out of the woods yet, but he's been in surgery and is now in traction, where he will be for a few months at least. Obviously the Elise is worse for wear, how bad we're unsure but it doesn't really matter... with what's gone on in my project lately and now with my father coming to grief, I'm not really feeling very Lotusy right now.... I'm sure I'll be back on the horse soon enough, but for now I have other things that need my urgent attention. Cheers and drive safe everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My name is Russell Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 OH NO! Sorry to hear that mate!, hope your father pulls through ok, All the best to you and your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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