First start, very hot....

[quattro]

When I first got Sparky, I had a few running troubles and ended up taking it back to the company who had supplied the previous owner with the engine. The muckanik was trying to set up the four barrel weber and checked the fuel pressure on the dash gauge. He told me that the fuel pressure gauge didn't read PSI but was instead was reading "lb" then a picture of a square and then some inverted commas.

 

[Neilr]

Hi You got there in the end. These cars do tend to try us don't they.

 

[mtb_tuli]

Hi Ron,
PM sent, here some photos from the fan installation, thermoswitch placement etc.
BTW, my AKI relay for the Hüco fuel pump which cuts off the pump after 2-3 seconds, if the engine is not running but ignition is on. Hitech
For sure, if anyone founds any suspect here, please feel free to comment.

 

[SydneyRoverP6B]

Hi Jörg,

I have just now replied to your PM. The fan looks good and your engine looks great, although as I mentioned, it could be that the fan is too small. The only way to really know if it is successful is to test it out on the road in normal driving conditions. I would be inclined though to have the cowling across the top of your radiator fitted, to assist in concentrating the direction of air flow.

Ron.

 

[mtb_tuli]

Could only spend some time on the car the last weeks. Got a dealer´s license plate to make a short test drive today. Had fitted a thermoswitch with lower settings and refitted the cowling. Short distance and back, again water thermometer close to the red area. Will see tomorrow, if air is out or not. But, when hot, waiting at the garage door to open, it started knocking at idle (oil pressure very low at idle, but no warning light). Have the high volume oil kit, and oil pressure rises with cold engine at fast idle quickly over half of the gauge (do not remember, half is 30 psi or ?). Driving distance was too short to see where oil pressure goes with warm/hot engine. Knocking disappears when reving and comes back at idle. Must admit (shame) that I did not check the crank bearings, so I think I will have to take off the sump pan and check them. Are all of them suspects or more rear end or front end ? When I pulled away with cold engine, there was a kind of metallic shattering (like a loose metal panel) and at the first start now the BW65 had some problems to engage D or R, but I think, that´s because of the long standstill. Gear changes are fine and body roll (with new GAZ shocks...) is impressive. When I bought the car, I thought it had orig 139 tkm, but in the meantime went through all the bills from the owner with the longest ownership (around 30 years) and it has 239 tkm. Ok, 1974......
The service history from 35 tkm to approx 210 tkm is impressive, a lot of oil changes.
Have setted CO to 3,5% with the Gunson and have 5-star fuel in, but I think, lean knocking is not at idle, or ?

 

[mtb_tuli]

ok, sump off again...
I have taken off the middle main bearings, see photos. Yep, they do not look very good. With my fingernails I can feel no damages on the crank, but one journal looks "cloudy". Am not sure, how to get off the big end ones. Access to the front one isn´t very good, but I think, it will work. With the rear one I am not sure how it gets off. Is there any trick for it ?

 

[Quagmire]

Hi Jörg,

You could try posting on v8forum.co.uk - there are a lot of people on there with good knowledge of the RV8 in all it's forms - they might be able to help.

Good luck

Jamie

 

[harveyp6]

ok, sump off again...
I have taken off the middle main bearings, see photos. Yep, they do not look very good. With my fingernails I can feel no damages on the crank, but one journal looks "cloudy". Am not sure, how to get off the big end ones. Access to the front one isn´t very good, but I think, it will work. With the rear one I am not sure how it gets off. Is there any trick for it ?

The copper showing through means you've just caught it before it caused real problems. The rear cap is a tight fit in the block because of the seals fitted to the side of the cap. It just needs wiggling backwards/forwards, but not so much to dislodge the rear main seal. The crank looks OK from the pics, but that's no substitute for inspection in person so you'll have to satisfy yourself over that. I'd replace the mains shells, and once they're back in turn the engine over by hand to access each pair of big ends when the journal is at the bottom and inspect/replace those as well.

 

[mtb_tuli]

Think, with "journal" I made a wrong translation. With journal I meant surface of the crank itself, and, you are right, I have to convince myself. Will spend some time polishing the crank although it is not the funniest work lying under the car. Ok, will carefully try to loosen the rear big end.
Just for understanding, do I have access to the upper shells of the main bearings and also the upper shells of the big end ones ? When I have the big end ones at the moment in situ, can I turn the crank (by hand) and the upper shells come down ? Same with the big ends ?
Jörg

 

[mtb_tuli]

Thanks Jamie, I had a look on the V8forum, but most of them had their engine out. Mine ist still in and so I must be clear about every step I take now. For getting more HP from your RV8, the V8forum is fine.
But, Harvey was there already, so.....

 

[harveyp6]

Think, with "journal" I made a wrong translation. With journal I meant surface of the crank itself,

That's what I meant as well. It's still a journal whether it has the caps on it or not.

Will spend some time polishing the crank although it is not the funniest work lying under the car. Ok, will carefully try to loosen the rear big end.

I wouldn't bother, if it's good enough to go back, then it doesn't need any fettling beforehand.

Just for understanding, do I have access to the upper shells of the main bearings and also the upper shells of the big end ones ? When I have the big end ones at the moment in situ, can I turn the crank (by hand) and the upper shells come down ? Same with the big ends ?

The upper mains have to be pushed over the top of the crank, going towards the locating tag obviously. All the mains caps need to be loose to do this, and I do it with them all off but it can be done one at a time. You can turn the crank, and if you turn it "away" (for the want of a better word) from the locating tags then the shells you've fitted won't move. The front one is the awkward one. I've seen people get the front shell so far forward that it fouled on the timing chain, but that person did manage to put the main caps on in the wrong place and back to front as well....
Refit the centre main cap first as it locates the crank forwards/backwards. Fit them all before fully torqueing up.
The big ends just need the cap removing and the piston pushing up the bore a touch to fit the top shell. Do this with the journal at BDC.
Put Graphogen on both the big end shells, and on the lower mains in the caps. A smear of oil on the upper main shells will be OK, and help the shell slide around the crank.
Make that that if not all the shells have oil holes, you get the holes where they are needed.

 

[mtb_tuli]

thanks again, Harvey. Had not much time this evening and I´m trying to do it carefully. Upper shell of the centre main cap looks good, see photo.
Beside it´s a new shell. Some time ago bought some spares from a guy. These shells should be from a SD1/Vitesse, do not know, if they fit. They are marked with FS STD M10/L /U /FL /FU and hurrah, one shell missing. The original main shells marked 610865, 610855, 610850, I will look, if this is standard size.

 

[harveyp6]

The lower mains shells aways wear more than the uppers as that's the way the load is transmitted, it's the other way around for the big ends.

 

[mtb_tuli]

it takes its time...
So, all main bearings replaced, also the rear big end ones. Loosening the cap of the front big end is a nightmare. One of my Gedore Ratchet gave up ! Finally I found a way by using a tyre lever inside the engine block and my 2nd ratchet. Before my head exploded, they became loose. Great, these were the only two studs which were mounted dry. See fotos for the bearing shells.
Lower rear one heavy wear, the upper one looks ok. Crank ok. Lower front one looks ok. I have not yet fiddled out the upper front one. Any trick to get the upper new one in as there is no real access from the bottom and for all the other shells it was not too bad to have full acess....
Man, I do not like to do this too often without car lift.

 

[colnerov]

Hi, I'm not having a go but you're getting the terminology mixed up. Main bearings are what the crankshaft rotates in, in the block, Big ends are those where the connecting rod meets the crankshaft. I do realise it's a language thing, so apologies, no offence I hope.
Colin

 

[mtb_tuli]

aaaarrg....
Now, some clouds disappear and I understand Harvey´s advice with the piston up and down. Ok, still working on the 5th main bearing (the front one) and it´s the nightmare.
I did not yet take off any of the rod caps (why big ends, they are not big ?). Is there any specific cylinder known best for check or all of them

 

[colnerov]

I did not yet take off any of the rod caps (why big ends, they are not big ?). Is there any specific cylinder known best for check or all of them

Hi, They are bigger than the little ends (AKA, gudgeon pins) which attach to the piston, which is what they are being compared to.

Colin

 

[mtb_tuli]

ok, will take off the "big end bearings" also. Now I understand Harveys advice and it looks like they are not a big problem to work on. BTW, have measured main bearing clearance on the middle one with Plastigage and it´s ok with 0,035 mm.
One question, the later Range manual says 70 Nm for the main caps (90 Nm for Big ends....), is this still correct ?

 

[SydneyRoverP6B]

ok, will take off the "big end bearings" also. Now I understand Harveys advice and it looks like they are not a big problem to work on. BTW, have measured main bearing clearance on the middle one with Plastigage and it´s ok with 0,035 mm.
One question, the later Range manual says 70 Nm for the main caps (90 Nm for Big ends....), is this still correct ?

Hi Jörg,

All of the bolt threads for the main bearing cap bolts must be coated with Marston lubricant EXP16A prior to assembly. Then all are torqued initially to 14Nm, tightening in sequence. The final torque for the main bearing caps 1 to 4 is 70Nm, with the rear main bearing cap torqued to 90Nm.

Ron.

 

[mtb_tuli]

Thanks Ron,
have to wait for some spares and wanted to take off a big end cap today just to see how it looks. Wanted....
According to the spares manual the nuts are "self locking nuts 11/32 UNS" Non of my sockets fits (have standard inch sockets only in my metric world). What do I need ??
Regarding the Marston lubricant, it does not make it easier, no information for this stuff, but I think, it should be a grease to prevent sticking bolts in the alu block, or ?