Chris1Roll's return to 700 ownership

[Chris1Roll]

Very busy weekend just gone.

Borrowed an engine hoist from my local friendly garage, and once the rain stopped, my wife and I got cracking. Next door neighbour helped us move the new engine out into the road and shuffle my car back and forth into position:



I took the opportunity to remove the flex-plate to Torque converter bolts while the engine was stable. Very glad I did that as it would have been a nightmare to do with it all wobbling around. It also required the use of a 16mm swan-necked spanner, which incredibly luckily I had bought one in amongst a bundle of old spanners from a car boot sale just last month. I marked the Flex plate and TC to keep them aligned when back on:



Of course, it then decided to rain, heavily, for the precise amount of time it took to lift out the old engine, but out it came, with a bit of swearing:


And the approx. 6 spots of oil we dropped instantly spread in the rainwater to look like an oil slick, so Mrs1roll was despatched to get some cat litter!

These 7 lumps of Oak my dad had leftover from a job were very useful. To be honest I don’t know quite how we would have done it all without them. I was able to secure the gearbox on these two and draw the old engine off (making sure the Torque converter stayed put).


Then I had the new engine positioned on 4 more, with a piece of 6*3 under the front of the engine to keep it slightly gearbox down, and put the flexplate on the new engine with some blue threadlock on the bolts (yes, I re-used them…. They were 12.8’s and looked fine to me!)

Then, a small miracle, I wire brushed the bellhousing mounting faces, and bolt holes, drove the locating dowels out of the old engine, wire brushed them, lightly greased and re-installed on the new engine. Then my wife and I carried the gearbox round, lined it up, and…it went straight on, perfectly square, first try!
Then, there wasn’t much for it but to try and get it dropped in.

At which point it decided to rain again.
Cue more swearing, while we paused for a while, then went for it:





I had to take the bumper off in order to get enough reach with the hoist – it wasn’t too bad yanking the old one out, but there is no way you’d have been able to push it forward enough when replacing it.

Then I was back to putting it all back together again. I took the opportunity while I had access to wire brush and paint some surface rust on the radiator support, then that was me knackered for the day.


My wife said it seemed easier than she expected, but I doubt she’ll volunteer to do it again in a hurry!


Sunday was the put everything back on again day:

Eagle eyes may spot plain water in the header – this was just for the first start up to check for leaks, then 50% antifreeze once cooled down again:


It was due a service at the start of the month anyway so I already had those bits, but altogether its had:

Exhaust Manifold, Downpipe and Inlet Manifold gaskets. New exhaust manifold nuts
New Plugs, Bougicord leads, Dsitributor Cap and Rotor Arm. New clips for the leads to stop them flapping around.
New waterpump (bit of a story here, but I ended up with a cheapy euro car parts one in order to get the job done, and if anyone needs an SKF pump for the B23E or a 16valve engine (I think) let me know!!)
New earth straps to the head (one had already snapped so replaced both)
Oil Filter, Air Filter, Fuel Filter, Flametrap.
4 litres of ATF (having the gearbox at that angle drained a fair bit more out of the TC. I guess it also stirred up some crap as it made a bit of a ‘whoop’ noise a couple of times but it seems to have quietened down now so finger crossed…not much I could have done about it really)
4 Litres Antifreeze,
4 Litres Oil
New Alternator bushings
And, of course, a new cambelt lol.

Still to do: Front Propshaft U joint, probably the carrier and bearing too, and rear diff oil change. I’ll probably wait a short time to make sure the gearbox has definitely settled down after getting jiggled about first.

And at the moment of truth, after 2*10 seconds of cranking to get the fuel though, it came to life and instantly settled to a nice smooth (for a Kjet redblock!) idle.

Quick test drive into the next town and stopped in the car park to check for leaks and ATF level etc:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da0vjk98yjc

It is considerably quieter and smoother than the old engine ever was. Even when cold, there isn’t the same ‘underlying clatter’ which is very good news. It’s much less ‘droney’ on the motorway too.

This week I’ve done about 175 miles in it already with no issues. I’ve not driven it hard at all yet. Fingers still firmly crossed at this stage, but I think its going to work out OK!

Neighbours and passers by were great. Next door moved his car so I could put the XC there to use as a mobile tool chest, a chap up the road who does his own maintenance too said to knock on his door if I needed another pair of hands, lots of ‘good luck’ etc, and some more people commenting it was good to see someone getting their hands dirty!

https://youtube.com/shorts/CI1MKJjNy...4PbXqD9Z1LZZmX

[Moomoo]

Well done lad!👍😁

Stratford on the 30th?

Weather is always changing!

[griston64]

Good job !!

[J liddy]

Yes a very informative post

[volvo always]

So glad you got it sorted.

Nice to see it lives again.

Really well done.

James.

[Laird Scooby]

Good work there Chris, as you guessed, the whooping noise would have been air in the TC so topping the ATF would have made it quiet.

I'd suggest giving it about a months general running then do an ATF part-change and engine oil/filter change just to be on the safe side.

[Chris1Roll]

Thanks guys. Was a bit of a mission!

Stratford on the 30th is the plan

I had planned on another oil and filter change, probably combined with the 600 mlle cambelt retension, as I could only drain the oil out of it when it was cold, what with it being out of a car, and it was very black.

I hadn't originally planned to do the ATF again, with it having had a 99% change in the first 6 months, and draining 4 litres out of it this time was another >50% change in one go!
But it's probably a good idea, to pull out any of the crap that got stirred up. I'll have to buy more ATF.

The whooping was weird - It did it twice for about 5 seconds during the initial idling, presumably as it filled up which wasnt that alarming once I realised where it was coming from.
Then after I got off the motorway on Weds morning it made a more concerning rotational, slightly metallic ringing whoop-whoop-whoop in N and P but was fine in drive.
Once cooled down It hasn't done it again since, even after a longer drive.
After adding a bit and removing a bit I'm happy with the fluid level. After initial drive I put in 250ml, and after my usual 'level check drive' I sucked out 80'ish ml to get it a little bit below max.
If it does pack up, I guess it's manual time!

Gave her a wash and polish last night, as I think she hadn't been washed since 'Swedish Day' certainly before the breakdown anyway, and all the dust that had baked on along with the oily handprints in various places gave her a bit of a 'survivor' vibe.