Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[silverfrost]

Crank it over a few times also with the HT lead to the coil disconnected,  it will get some oil circulated around the engine and the turbo also   Just filling the coolant and allowing it settle for a few hours,  this way you will see leaks also which are always common on new surfaces and new hoses if you used the original rubber that can potentially weep coolant.   Silicone hoses i have found never weep it must be the softer material !

 

[Smithy111]

If you need another pair of hands/eyes I’m around till Thursday 👍

[Lotusfab]

Brake caliper repaired, I think!

[Lotusfab]

Yep caliper is now working with the handbrake. It was a worn ratchet. 

[stephenwhyte]

When’s start up Fabian?🤩 Camera at the ready!🙏

[Lotusfab]

Tomorrow hopefully. I filled the coolant today and the handbrake is working. Just need fuel. None of my circuits are tested and the ignition timing isn't set.

Well three of our members will be assisting, what could possibly go wrong! At least the fire picket is covered! 👍👍👍😬😬😬😬😬

[Lotusfab]

Cry havok and let slip the dogs of war!

[PhilW]

Good luck Fabian 

[Lotusfab]

1st start attempt commencing 10 am! 

All pipes are holding coolant and fuelled for engine start!

Battery charged. Final start checks....

[Lotusfab]

Well thanks Andy, Steve and Chris. 

The first problem the fuel pump was ceased. We took it apart rebuilt it and it didn't leak. Fuel pressure was good. Then it started but I had forget to screw the spark plugs in fully! So after the spark plugs were tightened restarted it. Started pretty easily but no oil pressure! Turned off,  spark plugs out- no matter what we did no oil pressure. So checked  the thermstat all ok. Stuck. Any ideas? The pump was rebuilt by Pete at PNM  and checked for wear. It took a while to build pressure with a drill. Some months back. The oil pick up oilive is new. Could this be the problem?

[drdoom]

Newly built engines have been slow to develop pressure  in my experience. The Lotus design requiring the elevated pump to lift oil to prime is not helpful  at all. Ideas such as spinning up the pump with a drill would be fine except for how the cam belt must be re and re'd. It has been suggested that filling the pump with petroleum jelly is useful in sealing the rotor clearances absolutely for maximum efficiency at turnover revs, and it will dissolve readily into the oil in short order. Cranking revs are short of what is the effective working range of oil pumps in my experience and it will be useful in priming to crank the lump with spark plugs out as it will spin rather more rapidly.

Press on! Nearly there🙂

[DaveyT]

How long was it running before you switched off Fabian. 

Although I didnt fully rebuild mine, the crank and cam seals were done, along with the thrust bearing, and the oil pump olive replaced along with all necessary gaskets.

It took about 30-45 seconds of running to register oil pressure at the dash guage....and I primed the cooler first as well

[Fridge]

I agree. Just removing a full oil filter for maintenance access can mean that it can then take a while for decent oil pressure to register at the gauge (Veglia). Be patient.

[Lotusfab]

Had it running at idle for some minutes begfore I bottled it. Didn't really lift the revs above idle. Run it about four times.  I may have another go after pumping oil through the Turbo pipe and time it.

Could the pressure relief valve in the oil pump be stuck open? Or is it just there's no oil in the pump and it needs to runs slightly above idle for some time?

[drdoom]

7 minutes ago, Lotusfab said:

Had it running at idle for some minutes begfore I bottled it. Didn't really lift the revs above idle. Run it about four times.  I may have another go after pumping oil through the Turbo pipe and time it.

Could the pressure relief valve in the oil pump be stuck open? Or is it just there's no oil in the pump and it needs to runs slightly above idle for some time?

I favour the latter notion. It can be tempting to chase unicorns when under stress, though always good to keep an open mind. Stick to fundamentals until the way forward becomes clear. If the cams/tappets are not new (i.e. broken in already) and all internals are well lubricated as appropriate upon assembly there is no great cause for worry about somewhat lengthy slow running under no load.

[Lotusfab]

Just had another go. I pumped some oil back through the Turbo feed. After about 30 secs got this.I thought job done. Until the engine cut. When Inrestarted no oil pressure!

?????

I ran the engine for about 5 minutes.Could it be the pick up pipe?

[Lotusfab]

Actually must have been longer. Could the thermostat have opened and pressure went to zero because the cooler was filling up?

[910Esprit]

Most likely must be an air leak between pick up and oil pump,  Are you 100% sure olive is well nipped-up?   Cant remember now, did you run the engine OK before the rebuild - to rule out a split pick up?

Did you fit the oil pump gasket dry to minimise clearances?

Edited September 15, 2019 by 910Esprit

[Lotusfab]

I think tightened the olive pretty tight. Used wellseal on gasket. Run with good oil pressure before.

[910Esprit]

tsk tsk - That gasket should be fitted dry!

[Lotusfab]

Mmm, that's annoying. But would it make any difference? Seems reasonable that if the thermostat opened there would be zero oil pressure until the oil cooler and other pipes were full? I primed them but have no idea how long they would take to fill up as I took the thermostat off to check it. 

[910Esprit]

Re-gasket.  I suppose it will be similar to having a couple of thou of axial wear, which doesn't sound much, but I always feel that a 907 has a very small oil pump for the number of bearings.   

[Lotusfab]

The pressure increase to 70 psi. If the pump was the problem how did it achieve the pressure? 

This  Is just before it cutout. When I restarted no oil pressure?

[Lotusfab]

Three possible reasons thermostat opened, air block or pressure relief valve. 

[drdoom]

The oil cooler is worthless until engine is hard at work for a period of time, in case you wish to cut that system out of the loop while sorting  out the rest.

Advisable to have preloaded oil into the cooler and lines. Concur on the value of care in assembling the pump,though can't add to discussion regarding use of sealant. The side clearance of rotors in the housing is critical to its efficiency, I can confirm. That said I advise leaving that for now unless you feel there may have been a considerable layer built up. It seems likely the pressure would plummet if lines were suddenly free to fill.