Quote:
Originally Posted by Othen
As always Dave, many thanks for the excellent advice.
The question wasn't really about how to take the engine, or engine and gearbox out... I have the space and tools to do the job here, and I could do it that way if I wanted to. The question is whether I want this to be a one day refresh, there being nothing much wrong with the RB, or whether I want to rebuild the motor.
I notice the BofH recommends removing the auto box from underneath first - because of its weight, but I have heard others (Luke for instance) recommend lifting the engine and gearbox out together; I'd be comfortable undertaking either with the set up I have here.
If I'm going to bother taking the motor out then I think this becomes a week long job (as I said to John above) where the rings, big ends, mains, gaskets and seals all get done - in which case perhaps I get Knight Engine Services to do a professional rebuild - but then the nature of the project changes a bit.
What I have to decide (and I have at least a year to do so) is whether to do a quick one-day refresh of standard size rings and big end shells when I service the RB next spring, or otherwise do I rebuild the engine... and if I do that do I re-paint the engine bay while the lump is out... and perhaps I fit the AW71L auto box... and maybe refurbish the PAS whilst access is good... and change the alternator... and have the carburettor ultra-sonically cleaned... and fit a tubular exhaust header... and where do I call a halt?
This is exactly the reason I have asked the question amongst this group of like-minded friends now, rather than not be clear about what I'm trying to achieve when the car is apart in a year's time.
If this was a bike (where most of my previous expertise lies) - I'd think nothing of pulling off the head and barrels and swapping the rings as a sensible refresh. On a 2 stroke that would be a couple of hours work, on a 4 stroke it might take a day; both would be sensible things to do for a small effort. I'm now trying to work out whether in car terms a simple refresh like that as part of an annual service would be worthwhile. If the BofH is right and access to the big ends (and therefore the rings) is easy via the sump then that only looks like a day's work to me, and would bring about some useful benefits without the full 9 yards of an engine-out rebuild.
I'm really pleased I asked this question. At the moment I'm tending towards the one day/£100 option (access via the sump pan) rather than the one week/£1000 refurbishment. I've far from decided though - in fact Dan (my son, aged 16) and I have just talked through this very point (I'm so pleased he is taking an interest). My inclination is mainly due to my bike background where light refreshes of the top end would be common.
Many thanks :-)
Alan
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Something you haven't mentioned Alan is whether you've considered the fact that new standard size shells, rings etc may not be right for the engine and are going to hone the cylinders when you replace the rings? Also what if you get part way through the "one day refresh" and find things are out of tolerance? The engine would likely have to still come out then and you also mentioned changing the rear crank oil seal - gearbox needs to be disconnected from the engine to do that.
I've also seen someone do the one-day refresh on a 240 leaving the engine in the car. Took him nearly 2 weeks. All that time the car was up on big axle stands (not commercially available back then, he'd got a colleague to make some up i believe) and by the time he was finished the whole lot was looking wobbly.
I know you are also seeing the "how far do i go with this job" scenario but i think if you decide on set limits (subject to change if you find something that really does need immediate attention) of exactly what you're going to do.
However when all is said and done, it's your choice of how you attack things. Regardless of whether you go for the one day refresh or engine out option, allow double the amount of time you think it will take, there will almost certainly be things that crop up that need more thought and/or parts but the decider for me would be the amount of hassle it is to line up a box on an engine (or vice versa) when one unit is already in the car. It really is so much easier to unite (or split) them outside the car then simply line up three mounting points rather than try to line up the mounting points, the torque covnerter on the flywheel/driveplate, getting the gearbox to slide onto the engine while maintaining the mounting points in position.