Old coals.

[JFerg]

I refuse to believe that this has not been thrashed half to death in previous postings, but when I search back through there's only two pages and no mention of it. So forgive me for raking some very old coals here.

My car is an early type 1, 2B 81 11.

I've just stuck a pair of 88mm barrels with pistons onto it because the original 850cc didn't have enough torque, or at least did not have it where it mattered. It will have more grunt now.

While I have it up in the air, I thought I'd have a crack at removing the sump with the engine in situ, removing the front through bolt and lifting the engine at the front only to get sufficient clearance to slip the sump out.

This ambition has been thwarted because there are two of the sump retaining cap-head screws that I cannot even get an allen key into, let alone extract, with the engine in place.

So what have others done?

The two options that I see, assuming that the sump can actually be wriggled out just by lifting the front of the engine, are:

1. Next time I have the engine out, do the whole sump and filter thing, but don't re-fit those two screws and hope it does not leak, or;
2. Drill a couple of carefully calculated holes through the cross member so I can pass a long allen key through to reach these screws.

I have seen a photo somewhere of a similar early car with a de-mountable section that un-bolts out of the front cross member, but that is an engineering solution beyond me and in excess of the problem that I have.

What is the collective wisdom and experience here?

cheers,

JFerg

[Richard and Pat]

Hi JFerg,
Dom Chud has made a demountable section recently and I think Andy DSU has similar. But other remedies I know not of. I have the pictures of Dom's system if you decide on this route.
Richard

[Alanla]

The std crossmember is very strong so would easily be fine with some extra access holes drilled in it, Fabricating a removable crossmember is quite involved to keep it reasonably lightweight and construct the fixing in such a way to retain rigidity where essential, Our method was simply to tilt the engine upwards as you say, ex pipes need to be removed to get enough movement. its often just as quick to remove the engine and gearbox as a unit. The remote filter kits available now are pretty good quality but some early ones were not.

[JFerg]

Thanks, Alan.

I'll drill a couple of holes.

JFerg.

[Throwley]

This is my next (well, next but two) job on the Winter Maintenance Programme; I'll be interested in details and pictures if you wouldn't mind, JFerg.

[JFerg]

Too late for the pictures, I'm afraid, but they would not show much.

For my early car with an 850cc Le Mans III motor fitted, two 6.5mm holes, each 38.5mm forward of the rear edge of the cross member, and 220mm apart, 110 either side of the centreline, lined up perfectly with the hidden cap heads. I have a spare sump hanging on the wall, and that helped for measuring.

Laying on my back with the car on the ramps, centre-punched then pilot drilled at 1/8" through one thickness, then followed up with 6.5mm. Due to the gymnastics involved, I made a drill guide for the second, upper, hole. This was a 40mm length of 1/4" round stock, drilled through at 1/8", threaded 1/4" BSC at one end, and screwed into a matching bit of 1/4" flat scrap I had. Done with extra care to ensure square. Inserted the round section into my newly drilled hole, held the flat against the cross member, and drilled through with a long series 1/8" drill. Followed that with 6.5mm and all is fluffy bunnies.

Undid all the crews, dropped the sump. Lifted the engine using an engine crane and slings under the cylinder bases until I could get the sump out. This involved a judicious bending of the return line from the breather, and removing one horn, but it came out.

Refitted with a windage plate. This is maybe 1.5mm stainless sheet, gasket either side, cut out to clear filter, pressure relief valve, dip stick and breather return, but it will stop oil sloshing on corners. This probably is not a problem, but I have cured it anyway.... Nipped 3/8" off the breather return line to make my life easier. Fixed the sump with two screws, then dropped the engine back into place, fitted the remaining screws and tightened everything up. Filled it with oil, ran it up to pressurise, the stuck the plugs in and it started. So far, so good.

Tomorrow I'll sort a couple of other minor jobs and hopefully take it for a run.

Sorry for the jumble of metric and Imperial. Blame the French.

cheers,
JFerg.

[JFerg]

The drill guide.

Tried to take a picture of the allen key in situ, but with the car now on the ground I can't get the allen key in there.

JFerg

[Throwley]

Nice one, thank you.

[Richard and Pat]

I hope together you two guys are going to produce an article for the Trifles please?