Sprint Restoration in South Australia (pic heavy)

[straylight]

ha ha....yup...

spent tonight with the engine on a stand and after fixing the pressure blaster (had to bypass the automatic pressure switch and just run it off the on/off switch), following the advice of sprintparts, spent 3 hours blasting out the waterways, rattling around with a scredriver and then blasting out the bits with highpressure air. Cleaned off all the gasket faces with gasket stripper, engine is now clean.

Then I got a workspace spotlessly clean, went over every nook and cranny of the engine with a clean rag, hit it with wd40 to protect it...ready for reassembly when the new bearings arrive.

Thanks heaps for your time today mark (sprintparts), great advice and lots of confidence about tackling this job.

and stew, there is no way I'm going to spend that much time polishing my timing cover ! you must be insane ! I'm going for the clean look rather than the surgical spotlessness look

...if I get this engine back together I'll be very happy.

stu

[newguy]

Shouldn't be to hard. Its like a very simple simple motor, no link or computer here lol

[straylight]

long weekend here in South Oz, after a sweltering sports day (36 degrees) we are in the middle of another hot stretch, start of march and we get a heat wave.

dolomite wise a few tidy ups in prepration for the engine rebuild and some nice gear to show off.


started work on the rear doors. Something I'd been putting off, but the spray painter will need them shortly 9and no, he hasn't started work on the body). Bad rust in the bottom, but it'll just have to be fixed.


stripping back the donor driver's door. bad rust around where the mirror attaches, otherwise clean and good.


madmart to the rescue...the easy way to remove quarterlights.....and simply tug.


triplecustard inspired cutouts for the remote door locking system.


used the dremel look-alike, geez it got hot.


lazy night during the week, got the cleaning rags out. Otherside is still black.


the workshop. The tractor now sits outside, the production line for door stripping is underway. I've slowly commandeered almost the whole shed for car restoration.....a small amount of floor space remains for the spray vehicle.


boasting a bit here. I picked up the engine stand at a "clearing sale", an auction when a local property sells up and they clear the contents. This was a garage sale and I blew my budget a bit. Picked up the stand for $35, home made job but very sturdy. Engine rebuild ready to go, just waiting on bearings from SPRINTPARTS....


nice and clean water pump housing. I followed SPRINTPARTS advice and cleaned out the waterways with a pressure blaster and rattled a screwdriver around a lot.


this is my only concern with the engine rebore, marks on #2. I can just feel the marks with my fingers, i'm guessing half a thou. Is this a worry ? You can also see the shiny resleeve on #1.

ready to rock and roll. Clean work area, gonna' do this properly and slowly.


part of the clearing sale haul. I cornered the market on gaskets. Most are opened packs missing the head gaskets but a few were complete. paid $140 for around 80 gasket kits. Sold a few on ebay already and got my money back


one of the few items I actually wanted at the sale, picked up the hoist for a cool $170, half a ton job, long arm and with at least two more engines to play with, seemed like a good buy. Tiff has just started talking to me following the budget blowout at the clearing sale.

I need to return to paint stripping, off to the pub tonight with my lads, Tiff is in Adelaide visiting her parents and picking up fencing for the pool, so boys weekend at home.

stu

[sprint95m]

Have you looked at your gearbox for wear in the clutch operation mechanism, Stu?

Wear here adversely affects gear changes when it prevents adequate clutch clearance.
There should be no play in:
cross shaft bearings
slipper pads ( used between cross shaft fork and release bearing carrrier)
tapered pin (holds fork to cross shaft).

These parts are also used in T2000/2500 boxes, so possibly Stag and TR6 also.
Oversize tapered pins are available (from Chris Witor here in UK).


I suggest you use a stainless steel braided clutch hose (if you don't already have one), Stu.
(I think I also suggested previously that you should check your clutch pedal for wear, didn't I?)

[straylight]

thanks Ian, I was looking at that very thing while I cleaned the gearbox The hole in the pushrod on the clutch slave is elongated, the release bearing makes a spinning noise and has slight lateral "wobble". I haven't checked the rest of the release mechanism but I'll have to get onto it. I'm going to order a release bearing so might add the other bits.

I'll see if I can buy a cheap cluctch slave pushrod otherwise I was going to weld it up and rebore it.

I already have a braided hose, so all good there. Learnt that one the hard way.

I'll follow your advice on the clutch pedal side of things.

I've never had a hiccup with the gearbox or overdrive so I'm reluctant to pull it to bits. I've plenty of time to mull over that one. I was going to just put it straight back into the car after a gearbox oil change.

thanks again ian, awesome help

stu

[sprint95m]

The release bearing should be silent, so you do indeed need a new one.
Go for an RHP version (as originally fitted), which was also fitted to T2000/2500.
The SKF alternative will work (but for how long? As it isn't actually the correct dimensions)..................please read this topic on the subject

(Richard's comments from the USA on his experience with the TR7 gearbox and clutch are interesting, but I think the heavy duty clutch plate he refers to won't be suitable for a Sprint (splines are different I think, but I have not checked this).)

[sprint95m]

[quote="straylight"I've never had a hiccup with the gearbox or overdrive so I'm reluctant to pull it to bits. I've plenty of time to mull over that one. I was going to just put it straight back into the car after a gearbox oil change.
[/quote]
I too, would just refit the gearbox with new oil.


Is a T2000/2500 cylinder pushrod the same?

[straylight]

ah, that would explain why the release bearings are $45 a pop !

late night in scotland Ian ?

[Neil907]

Whilst you are there it would be worth pulling the sump plate off the overdrive and giving the filters a clean. Its just a case of undoing six screws and one plug and replacing a small gasket.
When you do the cross shaft bearings you can put two bearings in each side which will make them last a bit longer aswell.

[straylight]

thanks neil, you guys are ahead of me....I've just inspected the cross shaft and it has about 1/16th" play at each end. Not back and forth, but lateral, across the shaft. So new bearings needed there as well.

[newguy]

Is there supposed to be bearings on the cross shaft?

[Neil907]

yes, that go into the gearbox casing they are about 3/4" wide.

[straylight]

got home tonight to find the sprintparts bits had arrived.....so, lazy afternoon after work and a few hours spare, thought I'd get a start on the engine rebuild. At least get the crank in. Alas, after fitting two main bearing shells I looked ahead and realised the thrust washers weren't in the pack. emptied the garbage to go through the wrapping, not to be found.


engine with two main bearing shells, stopped there.

so, set about the bell housing and release bearing, knowing I'll need to order a new one. Got the retaining wire off, undid the weglock bolt, tried to push the cross shaft through but it ain't moving. Quite a bit of hammer force, using a drift, but she feels rock solid.


one side, the side I'm hammering.



t'other side, the side that should come out.


inside

so, what gives ? should it be hard to remove ? With the weglok out, I'd have though it would simply slide off the release fork.

so, with that not working, I thought I'd assemble a piston, using the new pins, circlips and rings. Ended up with this. Nicely oiled and while I couldn't find any chamfered edges on the rings, I'm confident it is as it should look.


piston assembled

so, the place where the cross shaft bearings are to fit is fairly obvious, just got to get the cross shaft out. wait for the thrust washers and go from there.

the town gets invaded tomorrow by 25000 people for the two day "field days", quite an eye opener to see the big tents (half a mill each) and site filled with engineering and agricultural supplies. Mustn't spend any more money !

stu

[straylight]

weglok bolt has sheared, leaving enough in the cross shaft to foul it sliding through the fork journals.

I can wiggle it, get about 1/8" movement.

Can't get to it with a drill without drilling through bellhousing. Thinking about super gluing the wedgelok back onto its missing end and trying to unscrew it. If only I could get a small drill in there I could "easy-out" it.

I recall reading you guys suggested cutting the cross shaft out ?

damn.

[Mad Mart]

Drill through the bell housing & then tap or drill the rest of the bolt out. That's what I do/have done, then put a bit of sealant in the hole afterwards.