BXProject

[Vanny]

So, what was the problem?

[mat_the_cat]

To elaborate a bit more, when checking the firing order I found that the distributor was on roughly two cylinders out from normal, so that meant it was firing way too early. That explained the slow cranking, as I feared the engine was starting to seize It actually started pretty easily after that, probably due to the amount of fuel it had sucked through!

Unfortunately there was no oil pressure to start with, and in my excitement I didn't check and gave the throttle a couple of blips. Hopefully no harm done. But after priming the pump, it got the pressure up. Well chuffed, even though I'm barely further on than I was a few years back at least I can fire it up any time my motivation starts to slide!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOlb27RPqR8

[mat_the_cat]

The video should work now, as I've just realised it was set to private!

[mat_the_cat]

I've been putting off lifting the gearbox into place as it weighs an absolute ton, plus I'm not sure I could get it fitted in my lunch half hour. So instead I've been doing unimportant things like tidying the wiring, getting the rev counter working (after I'd junked the divide by two circuit) etc...

It turns out that the design of the instruments was licensed from Lucas, so a bit of research gave me the circuit diagram for the rev counter from a TR7 site:
http://www.team.net/TR8/tr8cca/wedgelab ... h/tach.htm

All I needed to do was sprag a 48k ohm resistor across a couple of terminals, and job's a good 'un!



(although I had to make it up from a combination of 3 different resistors - I didn't even have any 47k ones in stock )

Water temperature sender was easily sorted, as the M16 x 1.5 mm sender from Hyundai was a close enough match to the 5/8" UNF hole in the Rover manifold (only 0.1 mm different in both diameter and pitch) therefore screwed straight in.

Oil pressure gauge is a little more of a pain. Stupidly I binned the senders from the old engine, thinking I'd just match up the resistances with a couple of series/paralell resistors. But the V8 sender has an increasing resistance with oil pressure, the opposite to what the gauge is expecting. Couldn't think how to do that without more complex electronics! Water temperature sender was under a tenner so I bought that, but the oil pressure one was £170 plus the VAT (actually amazed the dealer can still get them, not like Citroen!) So I scrapped that idea.

After playing around with a resistance box, it seems like the sender I need is a standard American 240-33 ohm (low-high) one, rather than the more usual 10-180 ohm ones normally seen over here. Drawn a blank finding one with a 1/2" UNF thread though, but adapters are available.

http://www.egauges.com/vdo_indS.asp?Sen ... US&PN=SN54

[docchevron132]

working party in the spring?? Lift gearbox, get drunk, dont drive a 4x4? Plan

[mat_the_cat]

That sounds like a good plan, but I'm hoping to get the box in before Christmas. I've cut some logs to the right sort of height to support it, so with the aid of a few packing pieces should be able to slide the box in (as opposed to sliding it in the box ) without balancing the whole lot on a jack. Still have the scars from the last time I did that, when it all fell off and burst my finger Might put some studs in the back of the gearbox too, to help guide it in

Just had to take off the brake calipers, as a couple of the pistons are completely seized. They're so far in the body I can't even get anything to grip on them, so have decided to send them off for a refurb. Anybody here used Bigg Red before? I've bought bits like seals, bleed screws and fitting kits from them in the past but never got them to do any of the work. They seem to get good press on magazine staff cars, but you would make sure you do a good job if it's going in a magazine, wouldn't you?

[mat_the_cat]

Sent the calipers off now, so they can be my Christmas present to myself! New radiator now in, and the American oil pressure sender arrived quite quickly. So I wired that in and found I get around 40 psi at cold fast idle, which I don't reckon is too bad, especially for a pre-76 engine. Rather pleased with that

[docchevron132]

Bigg Red are fine, they did a really lovely job on the cylinders for the FG. Albeit that was a while back, but I'd use them again without hesitation.
I assume you tried blowing them with compressed air after sticking them in a bath of plus gas?
studs are a very good idea, wish I'd done that when we put the gearbox in the decker. 1/2 tonne of ZF's finest hanging off a forklift in -11°C, in the dark, with no studs resulted in three stripped threads easy enough to tap them to be fair, but either way, bit of a pisser, not that it matters, that bus has been sold aswell

[mat_the_cat]

TBH I didn't try anything - apart from levering them in with an old screwdriver and chipping the end. Was thinking of possible ways (Matt Smith suggested a hydraulic ram piped in) but after the break in I thought just fuck it, I'm out of pocket so much now that an extra £100 or so is going to make no odds, and will go some way into cheering me up!

[docchevron132]

sounds fair enough to me, love the new avatar by the way!

[mat_the_cat]

Gearbox now in too...I'm starting to make some progress at last!



Gear lever is exactly the right place, although it meant that the hole I previously cut for the (shorter) LT77 gearbox needs to be welded up again.

[mat_the_cat]

Hmmm, question.



Looks like the pushrod is too long - if I engage it with the slave cylinder then that bottoms out before I can bolt the cylinder to the bellhousing. It's a bit of a mismatch of various parts, and I (now!) know there are at least two different lengths of push rod. Not sure I can swap that without taking the box off again, which I'd rather not do!

One bodge would be to space out the slave cylinder with about an inch of washers. That way is completely reversible. Or I could just cut down the pushrod I have. Can it really be that simple? I'll probably remove any case hardening, but it's not likely to do mega miles!

Unless I'm missing something...? And if I cut it then how do I know what length? Am guessing just enough so I can mount the cylinder without the piston inside *quite* bottoming out.

[docchevron132]

you sure the release bearing is engaged in the fork right?
If so, I'd space it out. Save yourself the headache

[mat_the_cat]

Yeah, rod engages in a plastic clip which I can see is ok. The only other thing I can see affecting it is. the position of the pivot which extends back from the front face of the gearbox. That's basically a ball on a length of rod, which is also available in different lengths...whether I have the correct one is anyone's guess!

[mat_the_cat]

As it happens it wasn't too bad getting the old pushrod out, and one from a late 90s Defender seems to do the job. No fluid at the moment, as the reservoir is shared with the brakes, and to bleed it I need to do the brakes as well (Eezibleed), but the calipers are away being worked on. So I won't know whether it operates just yet...

Gear level now in - I welded the Hyundai lever to the base of a Sherpa van linkage. This had the bonus of both coming up through the floor in the right place, but also being designed for a long fuck off gear lever, with my short stubby one there's only an inch or two of lever movement. Lovely and precise, if a little stiff but I'm hoping that gets easier as the recon box wears in.



Next job is propshaft, and I have a quote of around £160 to £180 for a complete new shaft, less if they can modify my old one. Not 100% sure it'll be up to the torque so it's likely I'll have to go all new. Getting a little bogged down with the angles of everything, but I've got the gearbox and diff angles within half a degree of each other which should be close enough. All joints should be working between 1 and 3 degrees, so the UJs will rotate to prevent seizing but not too much. Not that I'm going to do mega miles it in!

The plan is to get it mobile and structurally sound (but unlikely to be MOT'd) by May, so I can take it to the Autoshite show not too far away from here on a trailer. For some reason there seems to be quite a few Stellar fans on that forum, but I've not mentioned anything about the engine. Should be a laugh to see people's faces when I first fire it up!

[Philhod]

Should be a laugh to see people's faces when I first fire it up!

That should be quite kool

[mat_the_cat]

Got the calipers back, well pleased with the job they've done on them

Propshaft is being assesesed now, just waiting for a firm price before giving them a go ahead. Starting to move onto the shell now - grinding and welding. Oh joy...

[Vanny]

how are you managing to get so much done all the time? Are you not in work?

[Way2go]

how are you managing to get so much done all the time? Are you not in work?

I also find it very impressive for the time of year to be so motivated in the cold & rain! (Maybe the benefits of a warm garage assist here? )

[mat_the_cat]

It's in a very cold garage, but so long as I keep working, and avoid laying directly on the floor it's not too bad. Still working as normal, but trying to spend some time on it every day on it so I can keep progress going. Quite fired up about it TBH, which I think makes things happen more quickly. Also spending less time on the internet seeing as I have no working laptop!

Much more fun than this weekend's chores, laying in the mud playing exhausts, and felling trees. Quite frankly the big ones scare me, especially when they hit the ground and bounce. Still, I've survived so far and only another 6 to go.

Propshaft is £110 to modify mine, or £180 for a complete new one. There is a tiny amount of play in the splines between the front and rear sections, but they said if it's a limited mileage vehicle it should last for years before it becomes an issue. But it may cause a slight vibration...hmm, decisions!