Engine adapter plate

[SprintMWU773V]

I've had some parts bead blasted including the engine adapter plate. I think perhaps I should have had it plated, my tank is far too small and it's not really cost effective to get one item plated. I was wondering if I could paint it to prevent it from rusting. I can't think of any reason why this wouldn't work assuming I used a high heat paint line an engine enamel. You don't see the part but it will go rusty very quickly if not protected. Alternatively I could just wipe some oil over it, paint seems a better idea though.

Thoughts

[xvivalve]

Do you mean the back plate Mark? What I call the adaptor plate is alloy...

I've never seen a rusty backplate, they are generally caked in oil, but I think they were painted black ex factory...

If you have deep pockets, I've seen aluminium copy back plates, which would certainly take some weight off the car...

[SprintMWU773V]

I'm thinking about the flat plate, the 'adapter plate' you refer to is indeed alloy, also been bead blasted but of course that won't rust. It was hard to tell on my dismantling photo whether it was black with oil or black with paint. I had it cleaned when I had the block done and it only had a little paint left on and I thought that was from where I'd painted the block some years ago.

Typically I only have satin black regular paint in stock, I'm thinking it will get hot so something more resistant would be good.

[Robert 352]

I went to quite a lot of trouble to ensure that the faces on that adapter plate where it touches and bolts to the back of the block and to the alloy adapter ring were clear of paint. Perhaps I was being a bit over cautious but I wanted to be sure that the gearbox and clutch assembly was perfectly aligned to the block itself.

Whilst two possibly varying thicknesses of paint would not make a great deal of difference it just seemed to me not worth the effort of painting those faces I did paint the surface of the adapter plate where it was not touching the block. It is, and has in my case, going to get covered in a film of oil so those mating faces are not and have not rusted in any way.

It's a bit like blue printing an engine I guess for all I was trying to do was to minimise any possible misalignment.

Robert

[soe8m]

Robert,

Maybe the uneven paint just does align the gearbox. All faces of a slant are misaligned. The deck is not square to the cranckshaft bore and the front face of the engine is also not square what can be seen by the uneven wear of the jackshaft keep plate. All faces of the engine are off line and maybe the clue is that the uneven thickness paint keeps the gearbox input bearing in one piece.

Jeroen

[Robert 352]

Jeroen

That explains it all! All that misalignment!

I should remember too that since you and I are not British we can make comments about the construction of these cars - and get away with it, but perhaps not here for we might offend some of those others who might read this. Some might point out that I am sort of British but sadly that is not the case for when I reach British Immigration I have to enter by the "others" queue which I suppose will be the same for you following Britain's exit from the EU.

I think then next time I shall repaint the plate with several thicknesses of paint and perhaps I might get a better alignment. I wonder too whether several more thicknesses of paint all over the place might reduce the oil leaks!

Now let me see if I can find some good Orange paint in order to repaint my plate. Orange would have to be the right colour and thickness, surely!

Robert

[James467]

All faces of a slant are misaligned.

Not mine, had mine checked when it was bored out.

[xvivalve]

All faces of a slant are misaligned.

Not mine, had mine checked when it was bored out.

An OCD palpitation moment there though, I'm sure

[xvivalve]

I've specified DFT (dry film thickness) for intumescent paint many times, so I guess the same could be done for 'gasket paint'!

[James467]

An OCD palpitation moment there though

Most definitely! You know me and NWL!

[SprintMWU773V]

Well I picked up the parts yesterday and took advantage of a fine evening to blow some paint over the back plate. I found an aerosol of engine paint which is quite nice to use and has the advantage of not needing to be primed.

[GTS290N]

As Jeroen suggested, I hope you've put on the appropriate layer to aid sealing as per factory methods.
1. Put on blindfold.
2. Place aerosol can in 'other' hand.
3. Turn your back to the plate and spray over your shoulder.

Should be random enough.

[new to this]

Can you buy the gasket for the back plate on its own ?

Dave

[soe8m]

All faces of a slant are misaligned.

Not mine, had mine checked when it was bored out.

They all have the same misalignment, sprints and 1850's. It was probably in the tooling so yours isn't straight either.

Jeroen