05-05-2022, 09:13 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-05-2022, 09:35 PM by Tony Betts.)
Well after an unsuccessful drive at guildtown. It's time to tackle the supersports engine.
Yes it's an original ulster engine, and I'm sure many would be afraid to use it. I've always had the same view there. If it's not being used. WHO is it being saved for.
anyway let's start with the problem, late last year I started to get the problem that the engine wouldn't start as quickly as it had, or even without choke. I put the car away in November. And in march a customer asked if I could start it for him. When I tried it refused totally with a no start. It sputtered a few times. Then nothing at all.
I checked the carb, fuel was going through fine. I checked the distrib. The rotor needed cleaning. And the engine started.but ran poorly.
So thinking it was an electrical problem, I started changing plugs, no change. Cap and leads, no change, condenser, no change. Coil, no change. I didnt change the contacts, but they were cleaned and adjusted.
Symptoms from here are, the engine starts with no throttle. But when revved it is rough, and the revs are not responsive, slow to build, then everything.
I gave it a road run before going to scotland, and it was the same on the road. Lumpy to get going but when it did it ran at 70mph as if it was a new car. So I thought I'd get away with the scotland weekend.
Sadly no, took the car into Perth friday. Alot of traffic. And everything just got worse.
I decided not to do the run Saturday, as I didnt want to risk a bigger bill. The only light relief was we got a trophy for car needing the most work
I've always felt the carb is far to rich, I've had the block off in the past to fix leaks, and the play in the bores was HUGE, and the distrib had plenty of slop in it.
So when I got back this week, the decision was to strip everything out and start from scratch.
Let's see what's working, and what's not.
So tuesday the 30 MOV carb came off, and was sent to the countries expert on these carbs. All being well a couple of weeks time it will come back ready to go.
I also phoned to made sure I could get the block in for a rebore, the answer. Drop it off saterday morning. Should be 1 1/2 to 2 weeks.
So here's the strip down, as of today.
Plenty of oil on the starter, although I have NO clutch slip?
Losing plenty of oil under the car, on sump. And dripping down chassis.
Although I should say, a new leak started before scotland.
Turned out, oil was being forced up out of the rev counter cable. Which is in the nosecone.
Engine out.
Alot of oil around the engine bay.
This one surprised me.
The exhaust is a 3 into 1. So centre stud is cut off.
The exhaust is blowing between 2 and 3 exhaust port.
This is were it starts to get fun.
Removed the head.
The seal on the gasket is stunningly good.
But check the NEW spark plugs, 3 are parcially sooted. And 1 is fully sooted. They have only been in for 15 miles.
Also check the white patches over the inlet valves, but only in 3 cylinders.
Dont worry about the head gasket, I'll be putting a new one on
But also check the whitening around the inlet valve.
The pistons are old seven workshop ones.
I've tried to show the slop. It's around 30 thou. And should be around 10 thou.
Also after checking the bores. Number 3 cylinder is starting to get two grooves from the gudgeon pin.
This could be part of the progressive problem.
I dont know if the pics will show the sideways movement in the pistons.
However, they are standard pistons.
That's as far as I have gotten today.
Tomorrow the block has to come off, to go to the rebores saterday morning.
End of day 1.
Yes it's an original ulster engine, and I'm sure many would be afraid to use it. I've always had the same view there. If it's not being used. WHO is it being saved for.
anyway let's start with the problem, late last year I started to get the problem that the engine wouldn't start as quickly as it had, or even without choke. I put the car away in November. And in march a customer asked if I could start it for him. When I tried it refused totally with a no start. It sputtered a few times. Then nothing at all.
I checked the carb, fuel was going through fine. I checked the distrib. The rotor needed cleaning. And the engine started.but ran poorly.
So thinking it was an electrical problem, I started changing plugs, no change. Cap and leads, no change, condenser, no change. Coil, no change. I didnt change the contacts, but they were cleaned and adjusted.
Symptoms from here are, the engine starts with no throttle. But when revved it is rough, and the revs are not responsive, slow to build, then everything.
I gave it a road run before going to scotland, and it was the same on the road. Lumpy to get going but when it did it ran at 70mph as if it was a new car. So I thought I'd get away with the scotland weekend.
Sadly no, took the car into Perth friday. Alot of traffic. And everything just got worse.
I decided not to do the run Saturday, as I didnt want to risk a bigger bill. The only light relief was we got a trophy for car needing the most work
I've always felt the carb is far to rich, I've had the block off in the past to fix leaks, and the play in the bores was HUGE, and the distrib had plenty of slop in it.
So when I got back this week, the decision was to strip everything out and start from scratch.
Let's see what's working, and what's not.
So tuesday the 30 MOV carb came off, and was sent to the countries expert on these carbs. All being well a couple of weeks time it will come back ready to go.
I also phoned to made sure I could get the block in for a rebore, the answer. Drop it off saterday morning. Should be 1 1/2 to 2 weeks.
So here's the strip down, as of today.
Plenty of oil on the starter, although I have NO clutch slip?
Losing plenty of oil under the car, on sump. And dripping down chassis.
Although I should say, a new leak started before scotland.
Turned out, oil was being forced up out of the rev counter cable. Which is in the nosecone.
Engine out.
Alot of oil around the engine bay.
This one surprised me.
The exhaust is a 3 into 1. So centre stud is cut off.
The exhaust is blowing between 2 and 3 exhaust port.
This is were it starts to get fun.
Removed the head.
The seal on the gasket is stunningly good.
But check the NEW spark plugs, 3 are parcially sooted. And 1 is fully sooted. They have only been in for 15 miles.
Also check the white patches over the inlet valves, but only in 3 cylinders.
Dont worry about the head gasket, I'll be putting a new one on
But also check the whitening around the inlet valve.
The pistons are old seven workshop ones.
I've tried to show the slop. It's around 30 thou. And should be around 10 thou.
Also after checking the bores. Number 3 cylinder is starting to get two grooves from the gudgeon pin.
This could be part of the progressive problem.
I dont know if the pics will show the sideways movement in the pistons.
However, they are standard pistons.
That's as far as I have gotten today.
Tomorrow the block has to come off, to go to the rebores saterday morning.
End of day 1.