Upgrades and improvements for longevity

[Colin Wilks]

Thanks Ruairidh. I was thinking that the needs for jointing the block to crankcase and the crankcase to sump are somewhat different, the sump needing to come off regularly, but the block to crankcase joint benefiting from every bit of rigidity that can be mustered, and hopefully not requiring disassembly very often. I am planning a rebuild this winter and thinking that silicone sheet for the sump, but TB1184 for the block/crankcase joint may be the way to go.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Sounds good although I have also found the silicon block gasket pretty bullet proof, I've fitted about 30 of them now and really like them.

[AustinWood]

I have a shallow aluminium sump on my car. I gave up with the tin ones as all mine had, or quickly developed, pin holes. The aluminium ones seal with no problems and also improve the rigidity of the crankcase.
I don't use a gasket but stick it on with ThreeBond 1184. This holds very tightly and further improves the rigidity.
I use ThreeBond 1184, again with no gasket, for the block to crankcase. I am of the opinion that having as rigid a joint here as possible reduces the chance of the block coming loose. Even a very small movement on the joint increases the forces on the studs dramatically.
A friend was helping Chris Gould's 10000 mile record attempt and told me about the block being held down with a brake cable.

Reading the technical bulletin for TB1184 it sounds ideal. How do you find disassembly? The bulletin does not mention this.

It takes a fair amount of leverage to separate the sump from the crankcase. However no danger of damaging either and it demonstrates that it's doing what I intended.
Haven't had to separate block and crankcase but I think it's pretty solid, once again that's what I want it to be. Have had blocks coming loose in the past and studs pulled out complete with part of the crankcase attached.

[Bob Culver]

When remembering the typical Seven of the 60s the workmanship lavished on many today brings a smile. The original engine in my car was dismantled umpteen times by my father and a few by myself yet all threads remain original. Other engines acquired later were  a jumble of threads. Persons learn by experience and many learned on a Seven. Fastener tensions are very different from modern Jap cars!
My father used to joke that the sump rusted. Home made cork gaskets were used but care necessary to avoid chips inside. (I have never purchased a sump gasket for any of my family cars!) If not glued can often reuse. Any threads which break into fluid need a fibre washer under the bolt head.

[James Anderson]

Would there also be a benefit in Steve's additional stiffening plate in place of washers, but keeping bolts? I can see that extra studs might be seen as an extra hassle when it comes to putting crankcases down on disassembly?

Ruairidh - is your sump gasket home made, or from stock now somewhere?

Agree, when it comes to the inevitable removal of the engine, especially one fitted with a deep sump, studs are going to be a big problem. Like the idea of the stiff retainer, I've cut down a battered old sump to just its edge and hold it in place with 4-6 shallow headed bolts to reduce damage to the crankcase/sump surface as much as possible. The retainer could be especially useful for this purpose.

[Mark McKibbin]

I have noticed advertised on Ebay, silicone valve chest gaskets.  Has anyone tried them?

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Yes, they work very well indeed.

See here: https://www.theaustinsevenworkshop.com/p...est-gasket

[David Anthony]

Do stop leak oil additives do any good?

[Steve Bryant]

Thank you all for your comments and input.
 
Everyone generally has their own favored methods of doing things or resolving issues with their particular application. I've seen a lot of sumps on BMC cars with shallow depressions around where the bolts hold the pressed metal sump to the cast block resulting in leaks generally between the bolts. This is from repeated over tightening in order to get a leak proof seal. I reasoned that if there was a thick metal retainer around the edge the compression would be much more even and consistent resulting in no leaks or at least minimal ones.

I guess time will tell once its all together.

Stephen

[Ian Williams]

Steve I can tell you that your Idea works, I have done the same myself in the past. I can also concur that silicone baking sheet gaskets are successful, as is Loctite 518 and paper. Unless your sump is horribly distorted most leaks appear to be oil coming through open bolt threads than past the gasket. Alan Raeburn used to produce an alloy sump that was chamfered at the front, these were/are excellent, slightly deeper than std, stiffening baffles and the chamfer makes engine removal a breeze, not sure if they are currently supplied by anyone in the UK.