Sunday, September 7, 2014

Running motor





Shot of the engine before I put everything back together again.
Few little dramas on the way.
The new thermostat housing didn't quite fit the thermostat and I ended up with coolant allover the floor.
Once all together, I tried starting it but no luck, the battery went flat before I could turn it over.
Put the battery on charge for a couple of days and tried again.
Still no luck.
Needed to check the three major elements of an engine.
Compression: Should be fine. Brand new engine. If anything, the compression should be a bit high as its not run in yet.
Spark: Checked all the terminals and leads. All connected. Was running before, should be fine. Also a bit difficult to check the spark on your own.
Fuel: Hmmmm. No fuel in the carby when I pulled on the throttle.

Took the fuel line off the carby . Petrol went everywhere! Appears to be a blockage at the carby. Thought it might be the control needle from the float. Swappewd it for one off another carby I had. Success. The engine turned over, but fuel started pouring out of the top of the fuel chamber like a tap. Turn it off.

Pulled the carby off, took the top of and checked the floats. Appears it might have been stuck. Put the original fuel line connector back on and reinstalled the carby. Turned the key and the engine started.

No noises. No scares. Just a nice sounding V8 humming along.

I now just need to tune it and it should sound awesome. Well not as awesome as when I put the Genie headers on and split it into a dual exhaust. But that's for another day that might be tomorrow, next week or next month. The body is priority now.


Sometimes hurdles need a ladder

Winner winner, chicken dinner!
I now have a running engine with no scary noises!
Total inspiration to get the car finished and on the road.
I'm finishing up a job at the moment and looking forward to getting a bit done on the body work to get it looking a little more presntable.
Now for the motor.
The hydraulic lifter cost $8.00.
It took 1/2 a day to get it out!
After removing the Air Conditioning compressor, the distributor, the carburettor, numerous bits and pieces as well as the intake manifold, the lifter finally came out.
It was stuffed. Couldn't get it to budge. Only place it was good for was the bin.
 
 Now with the lifter out, and what little time I had to do it, I needed to find another day to put it all back together.

Tomorrow is always a day away.

Well tomorrow has finally arrived! 
Better late than never I reckon.

I'm still on track although it's a year behind.

I appreciate the emails asking if I was OK and apologise for not replying.
I've found myself extremely snowed under with everything else in my life that the VIP went on the back burner. . . . with a problem.

In the last year I've virtually worked myself into the ground. End of 2013 saw me working weekends leading up to christmas. I had a couple of weeks break but couldn't bear to deal with "the problem"

In the new year I went back to school and completed a Diploma to help with work. It was a good distraction from "the problem", but I knew it was still waiting for me.

We had a huge storm a few months ago and the neighbours trampoline took out the power line to the house. After getting the house repaired and the power reconnected there was no avoiding "the problem" any more.

Have I kept you all in suspense??

The Problem:

I got the motor back together. Got it in the car. Put in the new remote oil filter lines. Fired it up. Success! Yay!
There's a noise. There's a noise? Doesn't sound right. What is it?? Listen carefully
Tick. . . . . Tick. . . . . Tick. . . . . Tick.
Where's it coming from?
Rocker cover. Passenger side. Listen carefully.
TICK. . . . TICK. . . . .TICK. . . . .TICK.
Removed the rocker cover.
1 pushrod is just flopping about. Given up the ghost.
Took the rocker assembly off and checked the pushrod. All good, nice and straight.

Realisation!!!

Hydraulic lifter on cylinder 7 inlet has shit itself. I walked away. Head hanging low. I know it needs to be fixed but it's so much work for just a little part. It's a problem I'll get back to.

And it took a year!

Next post will be about getting the engine started again.