New project excel 2.2 and engine HC engine rebuild

[mathat]

Just got the crank back for the machine shop - they have done a nice job, and just trying to get the shopping list done, anyone know what clutch fits these as I would like to change it while I am there but £100 seems very expensive as the old one isn't actually worn out! I am hoping that someone can tell me that it is a standard Toyota clutch and is very cheap - anyone know? ( any other cheap parts tips would be useful)

[mathat]

Ok just an update and a few questions if anyone has done this before - managed to get the gearbox / gear stick parts I required from Toyota

plus all the parts from a well known lotus specialist, expensive at just under £1000 but all the parts required so I can start putting it back together
so I have 3 different gasket sealants - anyone got any advise on the best way to apply and which one goes where?

also what poundage do you have to tighten the head bolts to with the new head gasket (normally they have new settings from the manual as modern materials are different - I thought it would have them on the box - but nothing!)

[Lotus-e-Clan]

I don't know ... your kids have to take their shoes off to enter the house ...but it's OK for to you dump the entire garage on the dining room table!

No wonder kids seek revenge and rebel later in their teen!

Good to see you're rebuilding the engine yourself mind-you - doesn't always pay to get someone else to do it because so often they don't care so much about the longer term reliability.

[Hawaiis0]

also what poundage do you have to tighten the head bolts to with the new head gasket (normally they have new settings from the manual as modern materials are different - I thought it would have them on the box - but nothing!)

Cylinder head tighten cold

both pairs (front & rear ) nuts (oiled thread) 9.7 kgf/m 70 lbf ft
3 pairs (in middle) nuts (oiled thread) 10.4 kgf m 75 lbf ft

[Danny]

Hi there, that looks like a goetz headgasket, there is a revised method of fitting it from Lotus, it is fitted dry and torqued in the existing sequence ti 15lb/ft, then 75 degrees and finally 40 degrees, do a search on Lotus Goetz headgasket procedure, check technical service bulletin 19 on espritfactfile.com
Regards Dan

[mathat]

I don't know ... your kids have to take their shoes off to enter the house ...but it's OK for to you dump the entire garage on the dining room table!

No wonder kids seek revenge and rebel later in their teen!

Good to see you're rebuilding the engine yourself mind-you - doesn't always pay to get someone else to do it because so often they don't care so much about the longer term reliability.

I hate to say it but it's the kid who dumped it on the table (this is not the first time the old girl has done her peaces about car maintenance in the house) - anyway yes the kids do take there shoes off but don't wash the oil out of the sink when they have finished washing there hands!

Hi there, that looks like a goetz headgasket, there is a revised method of fitting it from Lotus, it is fitted dry and torqued in the existing sequence ti 15lb/ft, then 75 degrees and finally 40 degrees, do a search on Lotus Goetz headgasket procedure, check technical service bulletin 19 on espritfactfile.com
Regards Dan

thanks Danny - bulletin 19 is exactly the information I was after, really useful I was also told that I should use new improved nuts but I am just going to go with the old ones

we assembled the crank and bolted it all together last night - working out that the pg307 was the correct stuff to use and made a fine nozzle for the bottle (from the nozzle of a bottle of silicon sealant) so that I got a perfect 1mm bead of gasket, it very slightly showed out both sides of the metal to metal joint (I will try to add a picture later), the sump is now lightly fitted so that we can put some oil in and pump it around to clean out any dirt before we put the pistons on! (still a bit to do before the head goes on)

[mathat]

also what poundage do you have to tighten the head bolts to with the new head gasket (normally they have new settings from the manual as modern materials are different - I thought it would have them on the box - but nothing!)

Cylinder head tighten cold

both pairs (front & rear ) nuts (oiled thread) 9.7 kgf/m 70 lbf ft
3 pairs (in middle) nuts (oiled thread) 10.4 kgf m 75 lbf ft

Thanks but I think I have the newer type although it will be interesting to see how the poundage differs

[jimW]

Hi Mathat,

I'm undertaking a similar father/son Excel project and we are in the process of lifting the engine out at the moment. Can I just ask how easy you found it disengaging the gearbox end from the propshaft. Ours seems reluctant to part at the moment and I wondered if you had any tips. Thanks, Jim

[mathat]

Hi Mathat,

I'm undertaking a similar father/son Excel project and we are in the process of lifting the engine out at the moment. Can I just ask how easy you found it disengaging the gearbox end from the propshaft. Ours seems reluctant to part at the moment and I wondered if you had any tips. Thanks, Jim

Hi - when you lift the engine it just comes out - it seems to me that the prop shaft is impossible to remove without taking the engine or axle off, anyway you will find it no problem as it is just a slide fit and as the engine moves forward the splines hold the prop shaft until you have moved it far enough (so not bolts to undo)!

[mathat]

just an update on how things are going - Ed had a week off from collage and was hoping to get the engine back in on Thursday - BUT! - when assembling the bottom end Ed managed to get some well-seal in the bolt hole when fitting the gasket and sheared the water pump bolt into the block, apparently as he was just tightening it down before he even got the torque wrench on it the bolt just sheared. anyway I tried to tap it back out with a punch ( no luck) and then drilled a hole down the middle and snapped my tungsten stud extractor in the bolt flush with the metal block , so with no other option we stuck the engine in the boot of the car and drove to the local engine engineering shop - who suggested welding another eye to the side of the water pump and tapping a new hole (they seemed bloody useless if you ask me) - so we bought the engine home again and it has sat waiting for a dremel to come through the post and I will try to drill it out!
I will add pictures and tell you how I get on
the only other suggestion I had from a friend was to weld a bolt to the top of the broken one and undo that (taking the risk that the heat won't damage the block)
but apart from that just the cams, water pump tensioner and carbs to go back on.
just as a note - we did forget to put the oil control back on the crank and enjoyed refitting the bottom end to fit it (I knew I would forget when I read another post about forgetting it)

[Danny]

Tungsten stud extractors, horrible things, I would suggest welding another bolt to the broken one, the heat should help free it, I would suggest it be tig welded, I believe you can get a heat sink putty to minimise heat spread.
Regards Dan

[Hawaiis0]

Before you start drilling, are you now in the realms of considering electric water pumps? These may bolt on differently. You need to ask some one who knows. Great thread too

[Danny]

You still need to either refit a plugged water pump housing with the impeller removed of a custom made cover plate if fitting an ewp.
Regards Dan

[mathat]

Hi thanks for your suggestions (do like the idea of an electric pump but as Danny said I would still have to blank the hole and the cost would be to much at the moment - anyway picture of block with bolt in after a little grinding

I did persevere with the the dremel and found that the diamond burrs worked best - I bought a pack of 30 for £4 off an auction site which had very little diamond on but they did the job (used about half of them) - I managed to route a hole down the middle and the old bolt became thin at the edge and fell away with the help of a screw driver, tonight I will get Ed to clean the threads out with a tap and it should be good as new (from what I can tell I have not damaged the thread at all - probably only took a couple of hours) RESULT!

[Hawaiis0]

... drove to the local engine engineering shop - who ......seemed bloody useless if you ask me..

A Good couple of hours well used. Well done on the recovery.