P38A Project P38

monkfish24 · Jan 30, 2019

pwood999 said:
GEMS 1998 4.0 V8.

Interesting.... Same as mine except a 4.6 rather than 4.0. I did find my first 100% imperial bolt today on the back of the O/S Head for the engine lift ring. It was a 1/2" head so would obviously fit nothing else.

monkfish24 · Jan 30, 2019

Success today!
Second head is off and first head is back from the engine shop. The head was refaced so is now nice and shiny, quick degrease before it goes back on tomorrow. The heads and rockershaft have been stripped and checked by the engine shop and it has come up looking really good. No scoring on the rocker shafts.

I am very pleased to say that there is no evidence of a slipped liner in any of the cylinders. All of the cylinders look clean with no scores or scratches. I can't find anything obvious to show that the coolant had been escaping into the cylinders but it had failed a sniff test so could well have been the other way around.

I finally got around to draining the oil today. It was very black but very runny. No sign of the oil itself being emulsified, I may boil a bit off tomorrow and see if it pops but I very much doubt it will.

I also tested the thermostat, it opened very slowly even with boiling hot water from the kettle going in to the wax capsule side. Just out of curiosity, is there any difference in opening temperatures for a white and black thermostat casing? I have anew one on order anyway.

I made a start on wrapping the first exhaust manifold, I bought some Kevlar tape online and managed to wrap the manifold without blocking off the bolt holes. Now my fingers itch like hell, forgot how bad that stuff is.

I have checked all the tappets, I'm on no way concerned about the cam shaft and tappets, looking at examples online, they have had a very easy life and should be fine for quite a while.

At this stage, it's just before a cold snap, I'm working in a garage that is made from corrugated steel and telegraph poles and is on it's last legs. I don't even have electricity to it so i'm working by torch light. I have got help today from a friend who is a trained mechanic with lots of experience and he agrees with all my findings.

Looking forward to getting this back together and back on the road

.

Henry_b · Jan 30, 2019

Great new's run some 15w40 Diesel oil in her when she's buttoned up...

Nice to hear about the Cam..

Will have to pull the top end off my Thor and have a look.

monkfish24 · Jan 30, 2019

Wrapped exhaust manifold.

monkfish24 · Jan 30, 2019

Henry_b said:
Great new's run some 15w40 Diesel oil in her when she's buttoned up...

Nice to hear about the Cam..

Will have to pull the top end off my Thor and have a look.

Yeah, It will have a few flushes for a good clean out, sump is coming off tomorrow for a good clean out and a quick check of the bottom end. Then as you say, a good quality engine oil of the 15w40 variety should be good.

Datatek · Jan 31, 2019

monkfish24 said:
Yeah, It will have a few flushes for a good clean out, sump is coming off tomorrow for a good clean out and a quick check of the bottom end. Then as you say, a good quality engine oil of the 15w40 variety should be good.

The recommended oil is 5W40 for the diesel.

Henry_b · Jan 31, 2019

Datatek said:
The recommended oil is 5W40 for the diesel.

she's a v8, Data

Datatek · Jan 31, 2019

Henry_b said:
she's a v8, Data

According to RAVE 5W40 or 5W50 is recommended to API service level SG or SH or
ACEA A2.96

Henry_b · Jan 31, 2019

Datatek said:
ah OK, needs something thick and gungy then.

Thick so it dunt pish out

monkfish24 · Feb 1, 2019

A little more progress today, only a small amount as it's about 4 degrees in my shed!

Henry_b · Feb 1, 2019

Looks to be coming together!

monkfish24 · Feb 1, 2019

Slowly but yeah, I am hoping to have it running next week. still waiting on a few parts to turn up. I plan on replacing the matrix o rings and blender motors before it goes back on the road as well.

Henry_b · Feb 1, 2019

monkfish24 said:
Slowly but yeah, I am hoping to have it running next week. still waiting on a few parts to turn up. I plan on replacing the matrix o rings and blender motors before it goes back on the road as well.

Sounds like you have some fun ahead!

RangeRoller dt · Feb 2, 2019

Perhaps with a leaky sump, the mayo didn't come from inside but rather they've added whatever they had at hand topping it up over time with any old crap? Should be sorted now tho!

monkfish24 · Feb 2, 2019

RangeRoller dt said:
Perhaps with a leaky sump, the mayo didn't come from inside but rather they've added whatever they had at hand topping it up over time with any old crap? Should be sorted now tho!

Yeah, I get the feeling that it's just done a lot of short journeys. There doesn't seem to be any major wear in the engine and the oil looked really good, I think it's just an accumulation over the years of condensation.

RangeRoller dt · Feb 2, 2019

monkfish24 said:
Is there a difference in opening temperatures between a black and white housing? My thermostat works fine (stamped with 1998 so the original) but I thought, seeing as it's apart I'd just replace it. I tested the black (old) and white (new) thermostats together, the white (new) thermostat seems to take a little longer to open.

The temperature it opens should be stamped in small print on the back end somewhere. My original BMW stat was 80•c but was stiff and jamming when taken out and tested. I replaced it with a cheap 79•c unit, it's made no practical difference other than the new one works. Mine is diesel but u get wot I mean- stat is a stat right?

monkfish24 · Feb 4, 2019

Bollocks!

I over tightened the bolts, I did a 360 rather than a 180. ARGGGGHHHHHHHHH........

Anyway, it's all looking better.

Henry_b · Feb 4, 2019

monkfish24 said:
Bollocks!

I over tightened the bolts, I did a 360 rather than a 180. ARGGGGHHHHHHHHH........

Anyway, it's all looking better.
View attachment 169021
View attachment 169023

You did a 360 and didn't pull the threads out of the block!!

You'll need to pull the bolts out and get some new ones, have a look at the HG too..

The Stretch bolts will be fatigued to hell

monkfish24 · Feb 4, 2019

Henry_b said:
You did a 360 and didn't pull the threads out of the block!!

You'll need to pull the bolts out and get some new ones, have a look at the HG too..

The Stretch bolts will be fatigued to hell

Well..... I did snap a bolt..... Number 2 position.... I'll have to try and extract it out and hopefully not have to pull the gasket off.

I have done an engine before where the head went back on the wrong way round! Undid it all and put it the right way round with the same gasket and bolts and all was ok. We'll see if I get lucky.....

Henry_b · Feb 4, 2019

monkfish24 said:
Well..... I did snap a bolt..... Number 2 position.... I'll have to try and extract it out and hopefully not have to pull the gasket off.

I have done an engine before where the head went back on the wrong way round! Undid it all and put it the right way round with the same gasket and bolts and all was ok. We'll see if I get lucky.....

I'll pray to the RR Gods for you!

Be careful it's possible/guaranteed considering the level of squish, that you've squished the HG far too much, rendering it useless.

P38A Project P38

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