Engine out/investigate gearbox

[stylussprinter]

I put the car up on axle stands this morning ready to start getting the gearbox out , to investigate what's happened at my Goodwood test day (jamming in 4th and 5th)
Took the flip front off , drained the water and disconnected all the hoses , fuel lines , breathers plus all electrics . It's ready to unbolt everything now , starting with the throttle pedal end cable which is easy enough to get out but not so easy to put back in , so that you get full throttle when your foot's on the floor
Hopefully I'll get the engine out tomorrow , if the exhaust manifold bolts play ball (put them in with threadlock ) It takes ages cleaning out the bolt holes with brake cleaner and a bent wire
Old bones don't help either

[norma]

hmmmm, you may live to regret the threadlock!
good luck.

[CMA]

Would it not be easier to clean the threads with a tap? Flushing with cleaner between rums throughs?

[stylussprinter]

Would it not be easier to clean the threads with a tap? Flushing with cleaner between rums throughs?

It occured to me the last time it had to come out , due to the bellhousing parting company with the box BUT was fearful of the ally head threads being damaged . It's the soft locktite not the very stiff one --- I forget the actual number now but it's the one you use if removal is necessary on regular basis
The brake cleaner does a fair job but it's a fiddle. First job tomorrow

[CMA]

I've just refreshed all the threads on my zetec head using a tap and had no issues, they didn't have thread lock in bit some were seriously gunked up with stuff.

[stylussprinter]

Took your hint on using a tap Rob , yes it worked very nicely along with the brake cleaner but I didn't use the final tap from the set --- just the middle one as there's a little more gradual start on it
Once the exhaust manifold was off , I cleaned up the bolts and threads , ready for going back on then took the starter off . Inner wheelarch engine guards are now off so it's engine mounts , ARB and tower brace then bellhousing bolts , ready for the lift out tomorrow hopefully at some point.
Lots to do other than the Stylus on Thursday/Friday then I'm off to Goodwood to assist Simon with his Jedi on Saturday's Bognor Regis Sprint (where I should have been in my car ), so no more on the spannering till next week.
I'm quite enjoying driving the Alfa 159ti road car at the moment so a run down there and back will be quite nice at 6-30am , especially now it's got Eiback springs and Bilstein B6 shocks
Simon did very well for his first ever drive of a single seater at N Weald last Sunday , getting 1st in class (no others in his class ) plus FTD at a cool 5 seconds quicker than anything else there on the day --- nice

[stylussprinter]

Engine out , box out and lid off inspection ---- looks clean and no burrs on cogs or rings , also the oil was totally clear of any bronze filings etc when drained last week . All gears easily selectable and roll pin was in flush on the selector block ---- so no simple answers .
Looks like a chat with Brian Hill and a trip to KENT .

[CMA]

Took your hint on using a tap Rob , yes it worked very nicely along with the brake cleaner but I didn't use the final tap from the set --- just the middle one as there's a little more gradual start on it
Once the exhaust manifold was off , I cleaned up the bolts and threads , ready for going back on then took the starter off . Inner wheelarch engine guards are now off so it's engine mounts , ARB and tower brace then bellhousing bolts , ready for the lift out tomorrow hopefully at some point.

Good to hear it worked. I always start with the 2nd tap and only use the bottom (final) if I need to clean right the the bottom of a blind hole. Sometimes of its really clogged up I use the starter tap then move onto the 2nd.

[norma]

If I'm just chasing a thread and I haven't got a tap then I just use a cutting disc on a grinder and cut 2 or 3 slits up a bolt to accomodate any swarf and then use that - normally does the trick.

[stylussprinter]

Just back from Brian Hill BGH GEARTECH down in Cranbrook . Quite a lot to do in the box once it was stripped . Baulk rings with tabs snapped out plus 3 were cracked very fine so couldn't see looking in the top. Seeing as labour is the same for stripping/rebuilding , it made sense to renew anything not 100% , so new front and rear heavy duty needle roller bearings plus other bits/bobs ----- totalling £454-19p with vat.
BRILLIANT service though --- he was very busy with stacks of work already waiting but after a chat , I cleared off to the village for something to eat around 12-00am while Chris and Brian repaired my Quaife clubmans T9 ---- I collected it done and dusted at 5-00pm

That saved me driving another 100 odd miles there and back again to get it next week
Can't praise BGH enough , they really know boxes and have made many improvements .

So just got to get it all back together now plus a few little jobs I've seen need doing since taking the engine out

Top outer rodends , no play in them but kevlar hanging out of the spherical ball so not taking chances ----- plus a little rust on the surface of the underside lower chassis tubes

[norma]

that is VERY good service, price seems ok too to be honest.

[stylussprinter]

Might even get an event in before the TWMC Sprint in June

[bluestu]

Good news try and find a garage to do that kind of service!

[stylussprinter]

Good news try and find a garage to do that kind of service!

He's brilliant , I really like Brian and his humour , typical ex-services engineer and unbelievably still working at 82yrs old . Chris working with him and doing most orders now , is also VERY knowledgable . Their ideas on how to sort power/box problems on the hoof is excellent . Things we talked about yesterday plus little pieces of own design rings , cones etc --- just amazing that no big name people come up with this stuff
I didn't know much about boxes before , hence not ever taking one apart but know more about each bit's function after yesterday
If I had left the box with them for a month or more , the solution requiring the cones turned then fitting their new ring design could have been done ----- too long to wait so hope it lasts as long as his last rebuild in 2007
Another little bit of info re -- Brian . He was the guy who designed Caterham's original 6 speed development box

[stylussprinter]

I bodged up a gearbox oil catch/return over the pinhole in the lid yesterday. Only a very small amount seeps out and lays around the edge , not enough to run down or drip underneath but thought I'd try to keep it dry.
You'll laugh when you see the photo but it'll do the job --- I think It can't be seen when the box is in the car so that will contain my embarasment I've used one end of a plastic 100ml syringe , glued upside down over the pinhole in the lid so it can still breath via the needle end then run back into the box .Got to check that it's stuck nice and solid yet ---- pic to follow