Righto, started looking deeper at the motor this weekend. As I said earlier, I picked it up for 60 quid and was advertised as 'low mileage' (aren't they all) but it was worth a punt. It's a 5 bearing motor (you can tell from the red colour and the criss cross of webs cast into it just above the sump line) and is from a 24 volt lightweight. It's got an interesting distributor that has braided covers and what looks like plumbing fittings on the ends to attach to the spark plugs, to shield the radio system from interference. I'll probably convert it to a regular distributor/HT leads.
Head came off easily and is quite coked up, everything is clean otherwise and not seized/rusty. There's no perceptible ridge in the bores and they're not scored so things were looking up. After getting the distribooter out all is not well with the cam though
There's a great deal of wear on the lobe, the roller is worn into it quite deep leaving a ridge around the side:
The engine has a very tough looking system of rollers that sit on the cam which push up brass followers which operate the pushrods. No wonder these engines run and run, even when well worn out they work smoothly. Looking through the access ports on the side, you can see more wear and the rollers are all pitted too:
I want to get the front pulley off and the flywheel so I can get it onto an engine stand. That's a bit tough now it's out of the truck as the crank needs locking to undo the bolts etc. Spun it over on the floor, I had drained it but there's plenty of fluids left inside, look like a horror scene
Sump came off easily, lovely and clean inside! The sump had quite a bit of fibrous muck in it though:
Oil pump came out with 2 bolts:
Its drive shaft then pulls out with a satisfying sucking sound:
God it looks really simple in there, there's hardly anything in it, the axle looked more complicated than the engine guts. Had to get a couple of bearing caps off to see if this engine was going to be ok, here's #2 main bearing:
Looks good to me what do you think?? Bearing shells are smooth all the way round with no wear through of the bearing surface and the crank journal is smooth all the way across with no scoring. There's discolouration in the centre where the oil channel is in the bearing shell, but no perceptible change in feel compared to the outer surfaces.
Here's a big end:
What do you think? Same condition as the mains really, no heavy wear spots and bearings totally uniform and smooth. The journal looks worse in the pics than real life I think, it feels smooth as glass and with a fingernail you can't feel any scoring/ridges. Do you reckon these will be good with set of new shells?
Time to get the flywheel and gearbox plate off, a rubber handled hammer chucked in the crankcase locks the crank:
Here's the Haynes style description of removing the flywheel:
1. Undo 6 flywheel retaining bolts
2. Remove circular bolt plate
2. Remove Flywheel and store safely
Here's mine:
1. Remove 6 flywheel retaining bolts by putting hammer in engine and heaving on breaker bar on each bolt, attempt to stop engine rolling around workshop by sitting on engine, wedging feet under it, or let it dig into your shins.
2. Watch hitherto unseen metal plate roll into darkest spider infested corner of workshop.
3. Wiggle flywheel, feels a little loose so should just pull off. Insert fingers around ring gear and pull firmly.
4. Optomistically push bits of torn skin back into knuckles as flywheel pops off onto them and your feet.
5. Drag away
After that the gearbox plate was easy, just a few bolts, note late model large oil seal and O ring:
Now that's off I can get it on an engine stand and work with some civility I hope. I need to get the crank pulley off but doesn't look straightforward with this military attachment in the way. It's to help you find the starting dog easily by funnelling the starter handle in. Every bit helps when you're trying to start your land rover with a handle while someone is shooting at you I guess. I think I'll cut it off. The nut measures 41.15 mm across the flats, is that a 42mm socket size you think? Not sure if these later ones are metric or not...