Winter Projects

[Mike Bell]

There's not much more I can do to my last year's winter 'that ran into summer' project now except drive it!

The FIA confirmed today that HTP papers on the way, after we submitted the draft exactly two weeks ago. They came back with couple of issues- First, engine pics should have included homologated air cleaner, and some extensions were listed that weren't needed. So two new pics with air cleaner and amendments to extensions list returned. Job done!

Who said the FIA were slow!

[morninggents]

Slow progress here at the moment. One engine complete rebuild underway after a rod out the side of the block and one engine requiring a new jackshaft after b*ggering up three distributors. Plus a dent to be repaired in one door.

Then there's the van to get titivated and the trailer electrics to sort. Also get spare gearbox and diff sorted.

I don't know if it's galloping old age but I'm finding it hard to get enthusiastic about the coming season. Hopefully that will all change as Easter Thruxton approaches.

[Heightswitch]

Coming along

[delta]

Don't stop there ,tell us some history please.
I did a video of Martin driving the Escort on Thursday. **** I had wrong programme on my phone. We have had to put the Escort away now until Stoke Row Motor Sport Day.
Anyone else getting some daft heart things coming up on screen. WTF!!!!!!

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by morninggents

one engine requiring a new jackshaft after b*ggering up three distributors..

New New !!! I thought you just used old worn out Kent camshafts as long as the skew gear is ok ?
Have you drilled a tiny feed hole from the main oil gallery to the distributor drive ?

[delta]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

New New !!! I thought you just used old worn out Kent camshafts as long as the skew gear is ok ?
Have you drilled a tiny feed hole from the main oil gallery to the distributor drive ?

I do that on our F3 Toyota's Gordon. "is there anything you don't know"

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by delta

I do that on our F3 Toyota's Gordon. "is there anything you don't know"

Christ knows how you manage to fit a cam out of Kent engine into a Tonka Toy but what would I know

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

New New !!! I thought you just used old worn out Kent camshafts as long as the skew gear is ok ?
Have you drilled a tiny feed hole from the main oil gallery to the distributor drive ?

No, but I'll ask Mr Enginebuilder if he has.

Re. old worn out kent cams/skew gear I think the reason the other engine put the rod out was that the jackshaft (a shortened cast item) was in several bits when we took the engine out and looked through the large hole in the block. We think it shattered and put the rod out. The jackshaft was one of the few items in the bottom end not replaced when that engine was rebuilt one race earlier!

[GORDON STREETER]

I would have thought it was a rod that clouted the jackshaft rather than the jackshaft breaking first (seen that loads of times) the only other thing that could have broken it would be the oil pump or distributor seizing up as there is not really any load on it (and you would have found that) I don't think you run a dry sump pump do you ? as that puts more load on the skew gear.
Had a big end been run ?

[morninggents]

Yes, that engine was dry sumped. Everything was new including the block. Only the crank, jackshaft and oil pump were from previous engine. Rods, and bearing shells were all new so should have been OK.

It was on the third lap of practice in first race after rebuild.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

I would have thought it was a rod that clouted the jackshaft rather than the jackshaft breaking first (seen that loads of times) the only other thing that could have broken it would be the oil pump or distributor seizing up as there is not really any load on it (and you would have found that) I don't think you run a dry sump pump do you ? as that puts more load on the skew gear.
Had a big end been run ?

A bit like the classic engine builders excuse: "It retired due to electrical problems which usually meant a con-rod had gone through the alternator!

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by morninggents

Yes, that engine was dry sumped. Everything was new including the block. Only the crank, jackshaft and oil pump were from previous engine. Rods, and bearing shells were all new so should have been OK.

It was on the third lap of practice in first race after rebuild.

But had it run a big end was the crank blue on the rod that it spat out ?

[morninggents]

I didn't strip it down but will ask the question.

[GORDON STREETER]

Mmmm sounds a bit suspicious to me ! was the jackshaft in too many bits to see if there was any sign of a longtime fracture, normally a crack will start at a right angle change of direction if it isn't finished with a radius ie by the bearing journals or skew gear, of course it could have been involved in a previous blow up years ago.
I've seen plenty of broken cams in the Kent engines over the years normally caused by broken cam followers but never a Twink jackshaft unless clouted by a rod for whatever reason !

[zefarelly]

I've had 2 catastrophic engine failures ever, both caused by crankshafts. either out of phase or stroke . .causing harmonic vibration. which cause cam failure.

in both instances the cams broke, the bottom end survived.

It could just have been a rod failure, but you'd probably be able to tell that ?

I've got quite good at post mortems over the years.

[Mike Bell]

Trouble is, some engine builders will make the obvious statement, like 'it's overheated and piston has picked up', but the questions are why, and in that order? My Pinto problem last September was exactly that, with finger pointed at my radiator etc. but what if too tight a piston / bore clearance caused the overheating, and not the other way round........

[morninggents]

I have to admit that at the moment I'm only going on gut feeling. As I said earlier the only bottom end bits retained were the crank, oil pump and jackshaft and everything else was new. It was only the third lap of practice on the Silverstone GP circuit last May and the driver was 10 seconds per lap off previous best as we were still bedding in the engine. Cooling and oil system were exactly as has been used for years.
The jackshaft was in 3 large pieces plus odd little bits when we dug it out through the hole in the block. I'm kicking myself that I hadn't insisted on a steel race shaft rather than the cut down cast item we were using.
It could have been a rod but they were brand new steel items and the engine wasn't being over-revved.

[zefarelly]

there are wild variations in rod quality out there. did the rod break due to failure or impact? you should be able to see that ?

Id check the crank.

harmonics/vibration is still my guess. things don't catastrophically fail that often.

ring gaps rather than bore/piston sizes are responsible for pick ups, and detonation. some rings are appalling out of the box, I check and gap every ring I fit on any engine. I've seen some shockers from a UK firm, the first you'd think of if you started at the beginning of the alphabet.

[grantp]

Any Winter Projects likely to be completed ready for a nice summer shakedown meeting as a preparation for the autumn busy period?

http://www.donington-park.co.uk/even...-race-360-mrc/

[morninggents]

Just to update on the reason for the rod through the side of my Lotus tin can engine (I hate it when topics aren't closed out) I heard from the engine builder today that the cause wasn't the jackshaft as I surmised but that the bearings on 1 and 3 main bearings had seized due to oil starvation. No idea what caused that, though.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by morninggents

Just to update on the reason for the rod through the side of my Lotus tin can engine (I hate it when topics aren't closed out) I heard from the engine builder today that the cause wasn't the jackshaft as I surmised but that the bearings on 1 and 3 main bearings had seized due to oil starvation. No idea what caused that, though.

Just what I said Pete ! Who installed the engine in the car ? and does the oil pressure gauge actually run from the main oil gallery on the block ?
Why I ask is that I have seen a remote oil filter housing connected up the wrong way in the past and if the oil filter has a non return valve in it very little oil will get through !

[Heightswitch]

Spannering the racer up ready for Snet test and this one is now coming along nicely…







N.

[zefarelly]

Nice paint job, very nice for plastic!

I actually got to the point of cleaning and polishing on Sunday so I think we're ready for a test drive.

Then on to the next project . . .only 3 more waiting in the wings

[Heightswitch]

The period venetian blinds make that car.
N.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

Nice paint job, very nice for plastic!

I actually got to the point of cleaning and polishing on Sunday so I think we're ready for a test drive.

Then on to the next project . . .only 3 more waiting in the wings

Good to see PEA back in proper shape Joe.