I'm caught by Murphy's law

[TrapperJohn]

Just a quick note - thanks for the motivation. I've spent the entire afternoon wrestling with a cam belt change. Can't get the bottom cover off, bolts rusted solid and the heads are twisting off, trouble getting the alternator mount loose.... after a few hours of that, the devil starts whispering in your ear, saying that cam belt doesn't look all that bad anyway, and it's running like a dream, and it's a beautiful afternoon...

After reading this - no way. All of the belts and hoses are being replaced, just too old, the consequences of failure too severe. I haven't fought this hard to get it back on the road, only to lose it due to laziness.

That was just round 1. I'll be back tomorrow evening, and the next, even if this fight goes the full 15 rounds. You may be difficult, but I'm persistent.

[trackmagic]

John,

Doing a cam belt isn't an easy task on your first try. My rule for time on a project is to take whatever time I "think" it should take and then times it by three for a more accurate time line. Also, if you are doing it without aid of a car lift, then even more patience is needed. If this is your first Lotus then you are probably becoming aware the previous owner(s) didn't exactly keep up with maintaining it ($$$$$$) and so small projects can easily turn into bigger tasks.

Be patient, don't get in a hurry or cut any corner and in the end it will pay off.

Cheers,

jeff

[Günter]

someone is liftin up my 'hits per topic'-rate

..good thing for me: I do have patience & time, and even if it's the first 918 engine -it is not the first timing belt ever

as usual, have done more change in my life (several in all my 'official years' as service man , and also one on my first private car ..)

[Günter]

Thanks Mike, I've got it !

...there is no time to see whats really inside (have to sleep, tomorrow is an national gathering, as usual 500km far away.. ) -bud i bet it will be shiny and new

Even the fuel-tanks are not ready by now, so thats first on the list. With a bid luck I can still be back on the road (probably to wards France ?) in later summer

[Günter]

picture of the day..

...have done it with an mild concentration, so its not perfect by now and not totally clean on the inside. After all it will get an POR15 type of fuel-tank coat inside, and some ordinary phosphoric coat out of an spray-can on the outside. Than i can paint it black as stock... .

[Günter]

I'm still in the process of *DIY-refurbishment*

have to clean it inside once more, as it was not totally free of grease/oil. But the first look inside and out seemed to be quite good... .

By the way, does somebody know what +GMC+ refers to, is that an hint on partnumber from GMC-trucks or 'mobile homes' (just for example) ?

[Günter]

neutralized & first spray coat on the outside..

[Günter]

can't help myself -bud this one does not look any better now

..taste of bad humor, I know..

[Günter]

the time will tell us...

[Günter]

have to finish the balance pipe connections tomorrow. It looks like now it's time to go back on the engine work...

[kyliesmith.com]

Wow its coming really great Gunter, that chassis in there looks beautful. This clean up is so worth it Keep at it and love the updates.

[Günter]

have done the *poly-bushes* 'upgrade/replacement' on the rear last year. So this little clean up was pure cosmetic play..., as the zinc coat underneath is still intact. Bud i can really recommend to inspect the fuel-tanks as soon as your on the way to do some engine work. The engine gets easily out of the car (you can do any modifications/works on the engine even if its out..) -and the fueltanks of nearly all European cars (or those who 'lived' in Europe in the early years..) will need it.

It's so stupid to use zinc coated car-frames on one hand, and in the other Lotus does still use open foam under the body (where it sits onto the main frame) and it is also above & under the fueltanks. The frame is coated, bud those bloody tanks are just bare metal with a thin layer of primitive cellulose paint (pained with a brush, so it's not perfect at all.. )

Kylie, just mention to avoid that it comes out this way (something that still worries me.. ) -there is an serious amount of metal gone on one of the corners, just where the two sheets of metal are welded together. My hope is that it will hold together, an be sealed as long as i not have an replacement tank out of stainless steel. Th phosphoric coat did react, so it should be covered from now on.. .

Edited May 21, 2009 by G

[fjmuurling]

Simple words G

[Günter]

thanks man!

It's not hard work so far -as i do it with patience and on 'lazy days' if I want to do it... .

Even if the engine is back in it will not be an perfect car -as there is still much to do: gearbox-, radiator- and front suspension & all springs/damper-overhaul.

[Günter]

today was some 'improvisation play' -have not the money for perfect materials, or even the Lotus labeled stuff. Bud as you can see here -everything works with time & patience...

the *ship wrack look* is back

[Günter]

some more on the 'strip-down' route:

bud was me worries is, that even with my liners (who are also on RH only in an range between *6 and up to 12 of a hundred* [mm] wider than 83mm specification), the new piston rings gabs are out of specification or close to the end of it !

Have fitted an new *first compression* and the gab is: more than 0.3mm , and as i fitted one of the second compression rings in an other liner: 0.6mm ! -now mention that the limit for first is 0.39mm and for second 0.59mm, so this is something strange... !?

Anyway, every new ring will be more suitable than my old ones. This are the measurements so far:

first compression (from cylinder 1 to 4) 0.35mm+ , 0.4mm, 0.35mm and 0.4mm

second compression: (again, from cylinder 1 to 4) 0.8mm, 0.7mm+, and so on.. no wonder that i've got some type of *blow by* from time to time. (this is my old *second compression ring*, fitted into liner nb.1 ->)

Mike, i think i need your advice -what have you done, wasn't there an comment about gabs and DIY fabrication of propper gab-setup in your engine post !? Is there an type of *oversize* rings available, in an way that i can fabricate my own rings ???

Edited May 25, 2009 by G

[mike_sekinger]

Hi G

[Günter]

where did you get those liner informations -that was something i could not find in my workshop-documentations... .

Ohh, stop wait an moment -there it is : *cylinder liner diameter 83.000-83.013mm * damn ! 6/100 can be the world -I should more think in an sportscar manner -not those truck mechanic ways

As far as i can see all pistons have an *B* stamped into the crown. My liner measurements where taken in the traditional way. Below the lower dead-center, as there the liner should be in stock condition, right !? The dial-bore gauge was than set to *0* and i measured it on the desk with an micrometer gouge. It said 82.99 -as far so good.... .

Than i tested the bore along the stroke, in both ways (along & across main axis) -> the indicator gave me around 6-12/100 more... . >Does not sound good now

It means there was an slight rework in first owners hand (as the engine was in bits first time..) !?

Edited May 25, 2009 by G

[mike_sekinger]

Hi G

[Günter]

you say it *bad news* ... . give's me some kick in the ass feeling now, and will cost me more time than expected. Anyway, i think i can find some good used or just buy some new stock.

Other way is to think totally out of normal ways: what was your whole setup on the *high power engine* -can you give me an advice in all those parts prices. Not that I would really need some extra power

PS.

to verify cross-reference parts from my engine guys I would need to know what *grade A* *grade B* exactly means. So this is not really an wight class, it is more an diameter fabrication class !? Where does the limit lay up. right in the middle between both tolerance ends ?

Edited May 25, 2009 by G

[mike_sekinger]

Oh gosh... you don

[Günter]

PM me prices & sources , just to be on the save side

In the moment i try to contact the sources overhere. Problem is that you can get 'various' used pistons (from those stock cast to mahle forged modifications) overhere. bud no liners so far..

[Günter]

a cardboard-box, full of scrap -or should i call it *artwork*

[Günter]

was @ the engine shop today, an they nearly confirmed my measurements. That means nothing else as that my liner must have got an type of rework in previous owners hands [as the engine was in parts first time, do to the typical *intermediate drive fault* on the early engines.. ]. Even below the stroke area there is not on all cylinder liners an perfect 83mm bore. Some of them have 3/100 taken off on the base. and some have marks from an valve or something else that did hit the liner on the topend -on my 'break down' there was 4 valves bend, bud none was broken... .

Edited May 28, 2009 by G

[Günter]