tony g wrote:I wasnt aware that King bearings were tri metal. Is that definite?
Tony
Tony, I picked up mine today from Coventry Classic Engines, They are king. Keeps a fair bit of stock but didn't have std 1500 ones but ordered them in and came today as he said they would. Very good service. Cost me £24.00 which I thought was OK?
Rich..
tony g wrote:I wasnt aware that King bearings were tri metal. Is that definite?
Tony
Sort of! they come in 2 varieties, the std tin type, and HD/LC which are tri metal.
Easily available from all the suppliers in both types.,think the last set I got were £16,about 4 years ago from Paddocks.
But they are nothing like the old VP2 trimetal bearings. Not a patch. But about the best easily available type. Be OK fornormal use, if driven at all hard seek out another type. Somebody has had VP2 remade but for TR's, so you get 2 spare pairs.
I would bite Jod's hand off for a set of those std glaciers if I were you...
The trick to a long lived 1500 is an anti drain oil filter, sadly rarely available. Spin it for a good few revs on the starter til
the light goes out before pulling the choke to fire it. Helps a great deal. Also dont ever ride the clutch in traffic as this engine
has the most pathetic thrust washers on the planet.
Jonners
Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.
Jon Tilson wrote:I would bite Jod's hand off for a set of those std glaciers if I were you...
The trick to a long lived 1500 is an anti drain oil filter, sadly rarely available. Spin it for a good few revs on the starter til
the light goes out before pulling the choke to fire it. Helps a great deal. Also dont ever ride the clutch in traffic as this engine
has the most pathetic thrust washers on the planet.
Jonners
Mines an Auto Jon but will definitely not start it without turning it over a few times first. Never had a problem with pressure before just developed this growl at the top of a rev when asking for a bit more speed. Bought my filter and states it has a anti drain valve fitted, has the same number as the ones I had previously off Rimmers. Fitted the caps this afternoon and having never attempted anything like this before I was really pleased with the way it went although the number 4 was a pig to locate but got there in the end! Also been to get new sump bolts from a local factors as there were 2 missing on mine so now have a new set of 16 with new spring washers and gasket set also came this morning so will hopefully have it all back together by Thursday if everything goes to plan. The crank journals looked fine although the caps had seen much better days it was the top ones that were worse on all 4 rods. The sump was very clean too, no gloop at the bottom or any swarf / filings of any note either.
Rich
Nice...The pics seem consistent with reasonable engine wear and time for a shell change.
I've reshelled my Spit twice IIRC in 130k miles and the crank remains as OE. I also did the 2 accessible mains and replaced the thrusts too. I may even have managed the front main on the Spit. Shows how long ago I did it as I cant quite remember if its possible. I know a dolomite only allows easy access to the rear two mains, but maybe the engine can be jacked up enough? If you do go for the front main the alloy block is also bolted through the front engine plate and has cork seals at its ends so be careful when removing and some gasket repairs may be needed.
I think you will have some nice quiet running but now but if its still noisy then the timing chain tensioner would be next on my list.
Jonners
Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.
Those used shells dont look bad at all, but if you (Jonners) think that'll cause a knock on a 1500 i'll bow to your knowledge Not sure what the babbit layer thickness is or what the original bearing clearance is but Ive stripped a lot of engines that werent knocking but I'd change the shells as a matter of course if copper was showing to save labour later.
Rich, i know youre competent enough but I'll ask anyway, the con rod caps go on one way only and torque setting is critical are you up to speed on these bits?. Let me know if you need any help mate.
tony g wrote:Those used shells dont look bad at all, but if you (Jonners) think that'll cause a knock on a 1500 i'll bow to your knowledge Not sure what the babbit layer thickness is or what the original bearing clearance is but Ive stripped a lot of engines that werent knocking but I'd change the shells as a matter of course if copper was showing to save labour later.
Rich, i know youre competent enough but I'll ask anyway, the con rod caps go on one way only and torque setting is critical are you up to speed on these bits?. Let me know if you need any help mate.
Cheers
Tony
Yes Tony studied the leyland Dolomite 1500 Manual for this very reason. The caps go on tab to tab but opposite sides if that makes sense and torqued up to 65 ft lbs. There is still ever so slight side to side movement is this normal? Said before that it was a knock but there was no actual knocking but what I heard as a bottom end noise! More like the Growl that Steve described earlier in the thread. Will try and do some more re assembly tomorrow as was washed out today! If you can Tony drop me a text as my new phone hasn't got your number, must of had it saved onto the phone not sim.
Cheers Rich
Like you I would change shells that are showing copper.
Whether or not the showing copper would cause the noise is hard to quantify. I first developed an ear for big end bearing noise from a mk1 T2000 years ago, which also responded to new shells with no regrind needed. I consider myself sensitive to "endiness" and listen to it on any ohv car that comes my way, Spits and Dolly 1500's being the worst culprits.
Main caps can be a tight or fiddly fit in my experience but the big end caps are pretty easy usually. If they don't there is something wrong. I think nowadays I would be inclined to pull the engine out to avoid oil on my face...
Jonners
Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.
So she lives and starts and runs but this weather don't help when you need to drive!! Anyway left the king lead off and turned over for a few rotations, then fired up straight away. Sounds great as has always done but sounds a little smoother to me and up to temperature fine. Had new shells, oil, Filter, Plugs, and sump bolt set. Tomorrow I plan to give it some testing..
Thanks for all the input will report back tomorrow.
Rich
Not sure what the babbit layer thickness is or what the original bearing clearance is but Ive stripped a lot of engines that werent knocking but I'd change the shells as a matter of course if copper was showing to save labour later. 
