Planning to remove engine - advice needed :)

[Nellie]

Hi Everyone,

A little while since I have posted on my Esprit as its sat in storage for a few years whilst I wasted money on racing 🤣

I am re-commissioning the car and have a few jobs around the engine so am planning to remove it.

The plan is to address the following:

• Full engine out clean of engine bay and engine itself
• Replace the turbo oil cooling lines
• Full service and timing belt change (inc all new pulley bearings and water pump)
• Remove cams, clean and check all tappet buckets
• Address 3 broken exhaust studs
• Replace the exhaust heat shields - cracked
• Ceramic coat the exhaust headers
• Refix oil dipstick tube (Bolt sheared somehow in head cover
• Lower oil seals - I have a leak from somewhere
• Will endoscope all the bores
• Remove sump and check strainer fixings and maybe inspect big ends (or replace them)
• Remove the fuel tanks and check condition and refurbish them
• Replace fuel lines (20 years old now)
• New Engine and Gearbox mounts

On top of this I am considering uprating the gearbox to the single piece primary shaft (undecided at the moment)

The engine is strong and has not lost any coolant other than a recent leak developed on the aluminium pipe in the front N/S of car which is weeping (Will also replace)

So my query or advice I am after from the expertise in the forum:

• Is there anything else worth checking/replacing whilst the engine is out?
• I want to compression test the engine before I remove it to check compression - Which relays do I remove to stop the fueling when cranking the engine?
• Can I remove the big ends without having to remove the full crank?
• Is it worth removing the injectors and getting them cleaned/checked?

Thanks in advance 😊

Nellie

 

[Steve V8]

Hi Adam,

That all sounds familiar, 5 years ago my engine came out to address excessive play in the intermediate shaft bearings, (something worth checking out whilst replacing the cam belts).

Other issues I found along the way,

Water ingress into the fuel tank wells through perished rubbers around the filler neck, and through loosely riveted intake vents behind the quarterlights, replace the foam on the top and bottom of the tanks with closed cell foam, I used 15mm gym mats.

Check for corrosion on the through chassis pipes.

PVC evap pipes to the charcoal canister, all mine were split and perished.

Replace the handbrake cables while the tanks are out.

Be prepared for every nut and bolt to shear, buy a huge box of plasters, and good luck.

 

 

[ramjet]

Advice? 🙏

[mike_sekinger]

That`s a very comprehensive work list.   A lot of work ahead for you, but you will know the car inside out afterwards and get great satisfaction from getting her running again afterwards.

If you don`t have already, you are absoliutely going to need the associated Service Notes.  If you give me an email address over PM, I can send you the Sections that you will need.

With the list of seals and bearing to be replaced, you are pretty close to taking the engine back to bare block rebuild.  That would give you a chance to check every component before re-assembling.  New roller and shell bearings all round.  With the top- and bottom-end rebuild kit, you can completely refresh every seal and gasket.

I would also suggest introducing the scotch key safeguard into the IMS and pulleys. 

For your compression check, remove fuses B3 and B4 (primary and secondary pump and injectors).  Make sure to charge your battery fully beforehand.

I would also be looking at inspecting the clutch and turbos to see if they may need refreshing.

Lots of folks on here to help, so ask if you are unsure about anything along the way.

 

 

[Nellie]

17 hours ago, Steve V8 said:

Hi Adam,

That all sounds familiar, 5 years ago my engine came out to address excessive play in the intermediate shaft bearings, (something worth checking out whilst replacing the cam belts).

Other issues I found along the way,

Water ingress into the fuel tank wells through perished rubbers around the filler neck, and through loosely riveted intake vents behind the quarterlights, replace the foam on the top and bottom of the tanks with closed cell foam, I used 15mm gym mats.

Check for corrosion on the through chassis pipes.

PVC evap pipes to the charcoal canister, all mine were split and perished.

Replace the handbrake cables while the tanks are out.

Be prepared for every nut and bolt to shear, buy a huge box of plasters, and good luck.

 

 

Thanks Steve, I don't have the EVAP system on my car so one less issue 😊

The handbrake cable might be a good call, thanks.

Fully prepared for the nuts and bolts fun as already stripped the suspension some years back and had immense fun! 😤

10 hours ago, mike_sekinger said:

That`s a very comprehensive work list.   A lot of work ahead for you, but you will know the car inside out afterwards and get great satisfaction from getting her running again afterwards.

If you don`t have already, you are absoliutely going to need the associated Service Notes.  If you give me an email address over PM, I can send you the Sections that you will need.

With the list of seals and bearing to be replaced, you are pretty close to taking the engine back to bare block rebuild.  That would give you a chance to check every component before re-assembling.  New roller and shell bearings all round.  With the top- and bottom-end rebuild kit, you can completely refresh every seal and gasket.

I would also suggest introducing the scotch key safeguard into the IMS and pulleys. 

For your compression check, remove fuses B3 and B4 (primary and secondary pump and injectors).  Make sure to charge your battery fully beforehand.

I would also be looking at inspecting the clutch and turbos to see if they may need refreshing.

Lots of folks on here to help, so ask if you are unsure about anything along the way.

 

 

Thanks Mike, I have the service manual so should be good on that front.

Just found Pancho's video the other day on his engine rebuild and saw the IMS upgrade so will likely do that, just got to get the jig made locally 😊

Will check the clutch, I should really reface the flywheel as well thinking about it 🤔

Turbo's are good as were refurbished and uprated the year before I stopped using the car in anger so hoping they have held up well 

Thanks for confirming the fuses to remove 👍

 

Cheers All

Nellie

[jannickz]

Hi Nellie,

It's great to hear you're getting your Esprit back on the road after a racing hiatus! Your plan for the engine refresh is very thorough and covers most of the key areas. Cleaning and checking the injectors is a good idea, especially considering their age. This can improve fuel efficiency and performance. Consider sending them to a professional injector cleaning service for the best results.