Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[Lotusfab]

So today is going well. I opened my maticulously labelled bearing bags. Place the thrust washers and half shells in, so far so good. After having a rest due to the mental strain I realised I never took the splash sheild out! Ohhhhh dear, they never fitted it! Well fortunately you can buy them. But that doesn't help here at this point in time. So without any further ado I, taking the passengers door to pieces to take the glass out and polish it, I noticed a scratch! 😩😩😩😩😩😩😩I have decided not to remove the plugs, based on earlier advice, after sleeping on it. I have cleaned up to them and around no dirt was found. I have blasted the paths ways with air and brake cleaner, and used bent plastic. This is the second rebuild so I'm guessing it's so clean because it has already been done. Now I have cleaned it again! 

[Lotusfab]

Ok I have now taken internal photos of the oil galleries. They are spotless. Must have been cleaned before. I know they are boring but I post them for interest, if I can get them off the borescope. Maybe thus should be added to the shoping  list of engine builders, seeing is believing! 

I'm going to use permabond A136, and not fit the spraysheild. It hadn't been fitted because of new seal technology which make it obsolete. 

[910Esprit]

The reason there is no splash guard is because the manual leads you to believe it can be fitted after the MBP is assembled - it can't!!   That oil seal will still cope if its not fitted, but that's obviously not the recommended approach.  

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Steve, I knew that but took advice and decided not to fit it. Obviously everyone must make their own decisions. If you copy my procedures and have a problem I accept no liability. You must use the manual provided by Lotus and follow their procedures. This blog is just for fun!

[Lotusfab]

Oil pipe still to fit. Slightly less sealant next time.

[Lotusfab]

Pistons in. Rings were on wrong, now perfect. Oil pipe to do!

Gallery pictures coming when Inhave sorted the IT.

[Lotusfab]

So here's the longditudinal oil gallery. With the plug in the right. It's much clearer on my scope. Basically it's very very clean.

The reflective bit is where the dirt would collect.

[Lotusfab]

So far so good! Well onto my next problem I don't have the front and rear oil seal alignment tools. I need to be sure they are centred exactly. Any ideas???? If nit I will have to devise a solution.

[Lotusfab]

I got to say my feeling with the seals is they will be self centering. If the bolts are done up slowly and progressively I can't  see an issue. Provided you can get the seals over the crank of course! 

Any input much appreciated! 

[Steve4012]

Fabian, when doing my dry sump I found the seals went on the crank easily with plenty of lubrication. It was a job I was fearing to be difficult but was far easier than I imagined and importantly no leaks! 

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Steve,

thats my gut feeling on this. The seals have probably changed a lot in 40'years. 

[snowrx]

I have used a shim cut from a plastic bottle to help center the seal housing whilst I tighten the bolts.

[Lotusfab]

That's a good idea, thanks.

[Lotusfab]

Well Chaps I'm really glad I decided to rebuild this engine. Look at this.RTV silicon used on a paper gasket. We all know where the RTV strands are going to end up! 

Wellseal for this I think!

Oil pick up pipe in. Off to work later so a short stoppage to my engine building program. Overall well with the effort. A shame it was such a sloppy rebuild before as all the parts are in good shape!

[Andyww]

Thats very naughty as any strands there would have ended up blocking the turbo oil feed.

 

[CHANGES]

20 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

Oil pipe still to fit. Slightly less sealant next time.

 

Thanks!  Good job I havn't adjusted it! Hopefully I would have checked the manual again before doing anything! 

Hi Fabian ,

I don't wish to interfere, but Just  small points i noted so was interested .  Did you decided or where you advised by your expert the above was not necessary on your particular engine  and if so why,  does that also apply to no apparent oil/ loctite on the MDH threads before torquing....  I only ask as many people will be using this as an instruction thread and you drew attention to it circa page 151 .    The oil and Loctite also applies to the big end bolts .. ?

[Lotusfab]

Good spot. Firstly, can I suggest no one uses this as a reference manual! Many of the things I have discussed and photograph have not been shown in detail before for one reason or another. I don't claim to have any more knowledge than anyone else. I use the Lotus manual firstly, then take advice from experts. Everything I have done on this project has been researched. There may be omissions or errors. Inevitable when many jobs are boing done by me and documented for the first time. I accept no liability for loss if you use this blog to assemble your Lotus. It's purely for fun.I suggest sticking to the Lotus manual!

Things like the pattern of sealant on the face of the block are not detailed anywhere. Also no experts have ever posted any detailed pictures, so this is my guess of where it should go. Copy it at your own risk, although I did post it so other people have some idea, I'm working from not a lot! We are of course being very pedantic on this thread. Engines are very robust and well designed. A little bit of permabond a few mm of centre will have little affect on the engine. The upside when you do everything your self is if at first it's no good you can just do it all again. As I have done many times on these projects.

Dave and others thanks for keeping a watchful eye on this. This engine has been rebuilt before and very recently. Some things are done better than others.

The MBH bearing mod. As I assemble this engine I am learning a great deal. I believe some things in the Lotus manual are now outdated. It was written about 40 years ago after all. Look at this picture of my MBH. Look at the face below the no 5 bearing. It's flush and has no recesses. Look at the bearing mod page. You have guessed it this MBH is from a later series engine where Lotus have redesigned the MBH so there is sufficient lubrication without the mod. Also the bearing shell doesn't need a notch. 

There's no Loctite on any threads. The thread end  in the lower part of the  upper picture touched briefly on the A136 when I was aligning the MBH, just hadn't wiped  it off. 

Dave, what's your take on the crank shaft seals? Alignment tool or not? 

[Lotusfab]

I think the head is going to take a lot more time to sort out. Cleaning and valve clearances. There will be a lot of trial and error! 

The camshaft seals are also going to be replaced, together with resized thrust washers. No looking forward to that! 

[CHANGES]

3 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

Things like the pattern of sealant on the face of the block are not detailed anywhere. Also no experts have ever posted any detailed pictures, 

Your sealant pattern is fine ,  There were / are pic's of the sealant and other bits on page 4 of S300 No. 25 Restoration resumed   also of the sump page 12 of 412 BHP...THAT WILL DO NICELY......

3 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

You have guessed it this MBH is from a later series engine where Lotus have redesigned the MBH so there is sufficient lubrication without the mod.

As the MBH and the block are pattern parts machined as one , this if as you say may indicate the whole engine is of later spec and not original to your Esprit..  Even though the machining is very similar between engines it is very rare to get an MBH from one engine to fit another perfect without line boring and fitting outsize bearings, These bearing are no longer available and the MBH and engine would have been stamped with outsize adjustment.. 

3 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

There's no Loctite on any threads. The thread end  in the lower part of the  upper picture touched briefly on the A136 when I was aligning the MBH, just hadn't wiped  it off. 

Before you torqued up the MBH the threads should have been lightly oiled.  Some people use loctite as the lubricant. I prefer to lightly oil the threads and then also use loctite blue as extra precaution..     Maybe you were not aware of the reason for this , so mabe this will help.  

When a bolt is lubricated - less torque is required to achieve bolt axial load or tension. Reduction of torques for lubricated vs. dry bolts are indicated in the table below.

Lubricant	Torque Reduction  (%)
		No lube	0
Graphite	50 - 55
White Grease	35 - 45
SAE 30 oil	35 - 45
SAE 40 oil	30 - 40

Example - Reduction of Torque when Bolt is Lubricated

The maximum tightening torque for a slightly lubricated 1" Grade 5 coarse bolt is 483 lb ft. Dry bolt torque is approximately 30% higher - or 628 lb ft.

T_dry = (483 lb ft) (1 + (30%) / (100%))

   = 628 lb ft

If the bolt is lubricated with SAE 30 oil - the torque compared to a dry bolt is reduced with approximately 40%.

T_SAE30 = (628 lb ft) (1 - (40%) / (100%))

   = 377 lb ft

Note that if torque specified for a dry or slightly oiled bolt torque is applied to a lubricated bolt  - the bolt may overload and break.

 Referring to the  last paragraph, in your case you may well not have reached the required torque , It may be worth just undoing the nuts and big end bolts applying a bit of oil and re torquing..   I only suggest this, as it is such and important area where the extreme loading's are the reason for that level of torque.. 

3 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

Dave, what's your take on the crank shaft seals? Alignment tool or not? 

I have been fitting them for years without a tool or leaks..  I normally apply a liberal amount of Graphogen to the crank and the seal and it slips on quite easy..  Slide the cover and seal into place against the block , it with self center . then tighten..   NB these are very low torque so I apply smear of welseal to both sides of gasket to ensure no leak...  it also helps keep the gasket in place when doing the job..  

[Lotusfab]

Hi Dave, excellent post. I wasnt aware of your other blogs. I have already copied the sump picture and shall read the rest! 

Im lucky in a way. The MBP is indeed a later spec as is the crank  and block. I traced back through the receipts, in 1988 the owner blew up the engine and paid  to  have a new 1/2 engine and rebuild. The car then had just over 40000 miles when the engine blew and went off road at 66000! This may explain why there is not much wear, coupled with all the new bits bought in the last 10 years of restoration. Like many this one has gone on long before I started on it!

i wasn’t aware of the torque being affected so much by the friction level. There are a lot of errors possible when torquing up like the wrench used! Some just don’t work very well. I snapped a camber castor suspension bolt on the Disco by trying to torque it to 270 nms. It snapped before I realised the Teng wrench, which  was new had broken! 

I shall revisit the big end bolts and ensure correct torque. Thanks. 

As I said it’s a learning process! 

 

 

[CHANGES]

4 minutes ago, Lotusfab said:

I shall revisit the big end bolts and ensure correct torque. Thanks. 

Your Very welcome ...   

[drdoom]

3 hours ago, CHANGES said:

Your Very welcome ...   

 

3 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

Hi Dave, excellent post. I wasnt aware of your other blogs. I have already copied the sump picture and shall read the rest! 

Im lucky in a way. The MBP is indeed a later spec as is the crank  and block. I traced back through the receipts, in 1988 the owner blew up the engine and paid  to  have a new 1/2 engine and rebuild. The car then had just over 40000 miles when the engine blew and went off road at 66000! This may explain why there is not much wear, coupled with all the new bits bought in the last 10 years of restoration. Like many this one has gone on long before I started on it!

i wasn’t aware of the torque being affected so much by the friction level. There are a lot of errors possible when torquing up like the wrench used! Some just don’t work very well. I snapped a camber castor suspension bolt on the Disco by trying to torque it to 270 nms. It snapped before I realised the Teng wrench, which  was new had broken! 

I shall revisit the big end bolts and ensure correct torque. Thanks. 

As I said it’s a learning process! 

 

 

Errors in torqueing big ends are possibly the most sure way to blow up an engine catastrophically. Great caution advised, bolts to be of reliable provenance and not previously torqued.

[Lotusfab]

Well this thread is delving into some pretty boring but essential tenchnical stuff. Here's a reminder of what I am trying to achieve!

 

[Andyww]

I never even noticed in that picture RM is wearing a jacket with a Lotus logo on it! I only ever noticed the 007 logo before.

Which would be a pretty strange thing for a secret agent to wear "I am secret agent 007".

Hope you are going to reproduce that jacket too   

[Fridge]

Farrah slacks and blousons were never a good look.

Check out View to a Kill for further proof.

Ski choice is questionable also.