Balancing and Machining Recommendation

[mbellinger]

A brief outline of the issue (this is NOT anything to do with a Dolomite).

I have a very nice race/rally A series prepared by Swift Tune, who are acknowledged leaders in this area (and charge proportionately). I inherited the engine with the car, but it was only built up about 1,200 miles ago.

I am converting the car to five speed, using the tried and trusted Ford Type 9 route. None of this is strictly relevant to my problem though, which is......

This A series is a 1098cc and the original type clutch covers have been NLA for this engine for some years. The work around is to fit a Borg and Beck unit which fits fine but requires the 1275 clutch actuating rod. None of this is an issue - I have all the bits. However, when the engine was built up, the clutch and flywheel and pistons and rods were all enthusiastically and very carefully lightened and balanced.

The new clutch cover is both lighter and smaller (in depth) than the old and fitting it will spoil the carefully balanced unit. I am advised that I can just get the flywheel and the new clutch assembly dynamically balanced (and lightened where necessary to achieve said balance), by a suitable machining shop. Round this neck of the woods though, in spite of my proximity to Brands Hatch, all the reputable firms who used to do such work have long since ceased trading.

Because it is just a clutch and flywheel assembly I can package it up and send it pretty much anywhere in the country. However, I want to send it to someone who knows their stuff though, and preferably who is recommended. Somebody mentioned a company to me called MED in the Coventry area but I have no knowledge of them.

Can any forum members assist me with recommendations please around MED or indeed any other suitable firms who are still active?

[tony g]

Im not sure you can balance the flywheel/clutch without the crankshaft being attached to it. On a balanced assembly you can change the balance just by rotating the f/wheel relative to the crank. Others may have differing opinions of course.

Tony

[MIG Wielder]

Hi Martin, I can recommend Oselli up in Buckinghamshire. I have used them succesfully twice, once on an MGB and once on a Sprint.
Not cheap; long lead time and the work takes a long time to finish but the results both times were superb. The engine was just so smooth.
This is their website for their engineering ops;
http://www.oselli.com/service/engineering/balancing

... and here is the provenance for A-series engines under the Classic Oselli tab.
http://www.oselli.com/classic_oselli

See what they say.
Good luck,
Tony.

[soe8m]

Normally the flywheel and clutchcover are balanced as a set and the crankshaft and pulley as a set. This because the clutch cover is a trow away item on competition vehicles. You can see sometimes a crankshaft and flywheel/clutch combi together on a balancing machine but a good machineshop had one of the two balanced first as a set before all complete is fitted on a balancing machine.

Jeroen

[Triumph1300]

http://www.med-engineering.co.uk/

I have no experience of them, apparently based in Hinkley.

I normally use Coventry Classic Engines for this sort of work, but I haven't used them for A series work

[Bish]

Hodson Engineering isn’t too far from you in Hildenborough, Tonbridge. He’s an old school racer type, one man band in a shed. Knows his stuff and prices are sensible. I have only had head work done by him in the past, but balancing is his speciality apparently.

Like I say, an old school guy so no website, and the last time I was there a couple of years ago he was talking of retirement. But maybe worth a call/visit?

Lawrence Hodson
Hodson Engineering
Unit 14
Gaza trading estate
Hildenborough
Tonbridge
Kent
TN118PL

01732 463658

[shaunroche]

'Trackerjack' used this lot when he built my engine recently...don't think there would be a better recommendation!

Saunders in Southampton....

http://saunders-motorworks.co.uk/

[marko]

Have you heard of Ratt Racing in Torquay? He gets all his balancing done by his mentor including lots of A series stuff. The chapter that does it is called Dave Phillips from Philspeed Engineering in Kingskerswell. As another suggestion he doesn't have a recent website and the one he does have has old numbers on it. I can however provide you with a phone number for you to post the whole assembly.

[trackerjack]

I now use Swaymar Marine in Horsham.
The guy who does it is old school but his machine is bang on up to date.
You can trust them Martin.

http://www.swaymarmarine.co.uk/engines.html

[shaunroche]

I now use Swaymar Marine in Horsham.
The guy who does it is old school but his machine is bang on up to date.
You can trust them Martin.

http://www.swaymarmarine.co.uk/engines.html

Who did you use when you built my engine then Jon?

[trackerjack]

I now use Swaymar Marine in Horsham.
The guy who does it is old school but his machine is bang on up to date.
You can trust them Martin.

http://www.swaymarmarine.co.uk/engines.html

Who did you use when you built my engine then Jon?

Yes indeed you are right I did use Saunders but it became obvious that they were quite expensive when compared with other companies particularly where machining and grinding is needed. I am finding that most engines now are requiring more work to bring them back to spec. I have spent some time finding companies that do work reliably (Saunders did) and don't cost a price that only Aston Martin and Jaguar owners pay!

When I walked into Swaymar's and saw the fantastic V8 speedboat engines they service and modify I was very impressed. Plus it was very clean and business like.

[soe8m]

Sometimes a bit more expensive is due to extra care. When a crankshaft is bend 0,05 - 0,10mm, what normally can happen and isn't that strange for BL parts you can grind that out at first oversize. A good machineshop will straighten first before grinding. Things that you cannot see but do happen do cost some extra.

Jeroen

[trackerjack]

Sometimes a bit more expensive is due to extra care. When a crankshaft is bend 0,05 - 0,10mm, what normally can happen and isn't that strange for BL parts you can grind that out at first oversize. A good machineshop will straighten first before grinding. Things that you cannot see but do happen do cost some extra.

Jeroen

You are so right, about 10 years ago one block I noticed the pistons were not square to the face of the block!! Was it the rebore or was it like that from the factory?

[soe8m]

Sometimes a bit more expensive is due to extra care. When a crankshaft is bend 0,05 - 0,10mm, what normally can happen and isn't that strange for BL parts you can grind that out at first oversize. A good machineshop will straighten first before grinding. Things that you cannot see but do happen do cost some extra.

Jeroen

You are so right, about 10 years ago one block I noticed the pistons were not square to the face of the block!! Was it the rebore or was it like that from the factory?

No dolomite engineblock is square. The main bore is not square with the deck. My machineshop has a stand that clamps in the crankshaft bore and when skimming the deck is square again and all pistons have the same heigth. Also the front face is not suare. Every single jackshaft plate is worn at one side and not equal on the total surface. such a funny engines we have.....

Jeroen

[trackerjack]

Sometimes a bit more expensive is due to extra care. When a crankshaft is bend 0,05 - 0,10mm, what normally can happen and isn't that strange for BL parts you can grind that out at first oversize. A good machineshop will straighten first before grinding. Things that you cannot see but do happen do cost some extra.

Jeroen

You are so right, about 10 years ago one block I noticed the pistons were not square to the face of the block!! Was it the rebore or was it like that from the factory?

No dolomite engineblock is square. The main bore is not square with the deck. My machineshop has a stand that clamps in the crankshaft bore and when skimming the deck is square again and all pistons have the same heigth. Also the front face is not suare. Every single jackshaft plate is worn at one side and not equal on the total surface. such a funny engines we have.....

Jeroen

So what you are saying Jeroen is that even the basics of engineering they could not get right!!
Which is what I have been saying all along