Mk1 Minter

gtirx2 wrote:Ooh I like the engine part of a project and it looks to be coming along nicely  

The bores look in great shape and I am surprised not to see a ridge,going by the small stapped numbers on the piston and lack of ridge I would proberly say it has got oversized pistons in it?

Also not seen a head crack there before which is strange,normally they may have ones between the valves but not seen them on the edge of the combustion chamber on a mk1 like that.

Also is the replacement head a mk1 or mk2 head?
The reason I ask is it looks like a mk2 inlet gasket,i think the mk1s gaskets are more egged shaped on the inlet ports.
I am not sure if this is the case as I have never checked but I would check to make sure the mk2 gasket don't interfere with the spray pattern of the mk1 injectors.
I think the top of the inlet ports on the mk1 is more egged shaped to match up with the inlet runners and injectors postion in the runners if that makes sence?

Yes the invoice for the rebuild in 1997 lists oversize pistons & rings, good spot!

Replacement head is mk1, cast date May 1987. The inlet gaskets do appear to be mk2, but correct ones with the oval shaped inlets are on order

I thought the bores looked in great shape,should be a good little runner   

Yeah not sure on the gaskets and the mk2 maybe fine,its just one of them things that you can over look and will bite you in the arse later lol.

Does look mint, i bet its a keeper!

gtirx2 wrote:I thought the bores looked in great shape,should be a good little runner   

Yeah not sure on the gaskets and the mk2 maybe fine,its just one of them things that you can over look and will bite you in the arse later lol.

I'm hoping it'll run sweet - there's barely any crank float and everything seems good & tight in terms of mains & big-ends. I did read some stories on Sporting Fiat Club about warped blocks that kept me awake that night so I hope mine isn't one of them!

You're right about the mk2 gasket, it obscures the mk1's injectors.

richvans wrote:Does look mint, i bet its a keeper!

I'll be buried in it!

OK - engine reassembly update...

Block - flywheel end - painted up and parts refitted:


And the other end:


New waterpump fitted & block face given a final clean up ready for head fitting:


Head ready to go on:


Fitted, along with new thermostat:



Rear:


Sump, cleaned up & repainted with POR engine enamel:


Fitted:


Cam-carrier refitted:


Getting there:



As it sits now:


That is all

Amazing mate! loving the attention to detail! There are some SERIOUS UT projects going on at the moment! With some unbelievably clean engines and underbodies! awesome!

Dunc

Hi guys,

A few more parts attached to the engine...

BIG thanks to Louie for hooking me up with a good s/h exhaust manifold - the original had more holes in it than Swiss cheese & I feared it would take forever to source another (good) one.  Ready for painting:



Painted (in flame-proof 'cast iron' aerosol):



Rear of engine with correct manifold gasket in place:


Manifold fitted:


This allowed me to fit the inlets:



Moving my attentions to the (new) turbo, I fitted the adjustable actuator:


I needed to make a new gasket for the turbo-to-elbow joint:


Old vs. new:


On turbo:


Elbow fitted (painted with flame-proof 'cast-iron' aersol again):


Ready to fit:


Fitted:


Heatshield on:


Dizzy cap & HT leads fitted, plus dipstick, oil pressure gauge sender, etc:




As it sits now:


Gearbox next

More more more!

Fantastic!

Dunc

Lovely, this is spurring me on to get in the garage myself!!!

Ooh engine porn,looks stunning mate,this car must be getting pretty close to completion   

Just to give you a little more to think about lol is the timing belt tensioner.

I originally tentioned mine that way ie downwards or anti clockwise as it seemed to make sense as the nut should almost self tighten if it did try to come loose,it also looked similar to the diagram in the manual if you can make sense of it lol.

Anyhow I found that for what ever reason my belt used to get tighter with heat and would sing once hot.
The only way around this was to run an almost silly loose cold tention as if I tensioned it normally when cold it would always sing when hot and be very tight.

I spent a while looking into this I remember and in the end come to the conclution that it should be tensioned the other way,upwards/clockwise.
Its been like this ever since and has been fine and can be tensioned normally cold now with no more singing or tightening once hot.

I am not going to tell you whats right or wrong as I am still not positive lol but just saying it maybe worth a bit of research.

is it just me but i can't see any pictures

gtirx2 wrote:Ooh engine porn,looks stunning mate,this car must be getting pretty close to completion   

Just to give you a little more to think about lol is the timing belt tensioner.

I originally tentioned mine that way ie downwards or anti clockwise as it seemed to make sense as the nut should almost self tighten if it did try to come loose,it also looked similar to the diagram in the manual if you can make sense of it lol.

Anyhow I found that for what ever reason my belt used to get tighter with heat and would sing once hot.
The only way around this was to run an almost silly loose cold tention as if I tensioned it normally when cold it would always sing when hot and be very tight.

I spent a while looking into this I remember and in the end come to the conclution that it should be tensioned the other way,upwards/clockwise.
Its been like this  ever since and has been fine and can be tensioned normally cold now with no more singing or tightening once hot.

I am not going to tell you whats right or wrong as I am still not positive lol but just saying it maybe worth a bit of research.

Thanks the the advice, much appreciated I questioned the orientation of the tensioner too, mainly because I'd undone it and removed it before making a note or taking a picture of which way around it was before I started! After consulting various sources I looked at the diagram in the Haynes manual showing the use of the 'special Fiat tool' and it seems to apply the bearing rotation in a clockwise direction to tension the belt, so went with that. The belt also seems to run an appropriate distance from the little bracket that holds the cover away from the whole assembly too. Time will tell I guess but given your experiences I shall keep a close eye on it!

doody wrote:is it just me but i can't see any pictures

A problem with photobucket, now sorted

Come on Jasslebury! Get this thread updated with all your fantastic easter hard work.....   

Big Steve Raider wrote:Come on Jasslebury! Get this thread updated with all your fantastic easter hard work.....   

All in good time matey

pics pics pics!!



Dunc

Update time

With the engine getting there I turned my attentions to the FI system, starting with the crudy looking fuel rail:

Before:


During:


After:


Fitted with refurbed injectors:



Onto plenum:


Driveshafts next...they needed rubbing down, painting and new CV joints + gaitors fitting.

Stripped and cleaned up:


Ready for painting (POR-15 + Hammerite aerosol as a top-coat):


All ready for reassembly:


Done:


Intermediate shaft, with new SKF bearing (it's a 63006 bearing if anyone's wondering):

I had the oil cooler pipes refreshed with new hose but the original fittings rubbed down & painted:


Fitted, with new temp sensor:



Gearbox next...it took hours and hours just to clean off all the dirt, grime & grease - I tried all sorts of products but in the end good ol' fashioned mechanical scraping was the only effective way to go. I planned to send the 'box to a local company to be stripped, checked & rebuilt but wanted it in a reasonably clean condition before I took it.

After a few hours of cleaning (not that you can tell!):





I then dropped it off with Trade Transmissions in Peterborough...after a week or so they called to say the 'box had been stripped and had "very worn" 3rd & 4th gear selector forks, so it was a good job I had it looked at! With the selector forks replaced and the whole thing reassembled I collected it to bring home for painting.

As collected (it had been through their steam-cleaner hence the streaks):





After yet more cleaning up I masked it for painting:



In high-temp primer:



High-temp base-coat on:



Lacquered + clutch lever & selector linkage painted (POR):

With the gearbox done and a 4-day Easter weekend at my disposal I took the opportunity to fit it to the engine so that in turn I could reinstall the whole lot in the car, for the first time in 15 years!

Engine offered up to the crane:



Flywheel & (new) clutch fitted:


Gearbox on:


Intermediate shaft installed (took a bit of jiggling and force!):


Ready to go:


Following advice on here I decided to lift the front of the car and install the engine & box from underneath:



Took a bit of effort and care to make sure things didn't catch (although some bit still did ) but all-in-all it wasn't that tricky getting it in a bolted up:






Fitted the driveshafts:




Plenum on + a few pipes connected up:




Gear linkage, & clutch cable connected:


Intercooler to turbo pipe installed:


Intercooler to plenum pipe installed:


AFM to turbo (with Forge recirculating DV):



AFM & new Bosch battery fitted:



More done today but I haven't taken & uploaded the photos as yet...unfortunately it wasn't a good day as with everything connected I filled the coolant system...to find two pinholes in one of the metal coolant pipes on the turbo. Then when priming the oil system the oil cooler revealed a leak...and then when priming the fuel system the injector rail revealed a crack/leak

So near yet so far...that's all for now!

Fan-fappin-tastic work DJ!!!   

A real kick in the *ss with the leaks after you'd spent so long preparing and refurbishing the pipes in the first place... Still, no one said it was going to be easy...

  

Top job mate certainly living up to its mk1 minter name  

Are you certain that forge bov is plumbed in the correct way around though?

Big Steve Raider wrote:A real kick in the *ss with the leaks after you'd spent so long preparing and refurbishing the pipes in the first place...

Tell me about it - if it wasn't for the leaks I'd have been going for a fire-up today but as it is it'll be another week or two now

gtirx2 wrote:Are you certain that forge bov is plumbed in the correct way around though?

Possibly not! I'll double check it...

great work mate! this is definatly living up to its name of Mk1 Minter!

Shame on the small leaks, but you'll get there.

I LOVE how mint the engine bay looks! Cleaner than new!

Dunc