Mark's Murdered Motor - The Blown Engine Saga (cont...)

[Gabba Gamma Hey]

After five forum pages on the subject, I thought it might be less taxing on members' patience to start a new topic on the subject of my Blown Engine.

But as those who were at the January get-together last Sunday will know, the engine built up by Tanc Barratt from two knackered ones was about to go back in my Coupe and on Tuesday I nervously ventured up to Kidderminster to inspect their handiwork. As it turned out, I was pleasantly surprised: the engine ran smoother (and quieter!) than its previous incarnation and the engine bay looked as clean and tidy as a Gamma engine bay ever could. Oil pressure when warm is in the lower half of the dial, but I understand this is normal (can anyone other than Tanc Barratt confirm this?) but they swear an external gauge showed the same, and once they've roadtested it some more and sorted out the heater control which had evidently become jammed whilst the car was standing outside these past few months  (any ideas?), I'll be taking it back home. (In daylight, because when removing the engine half the [unsoldered] connectors to the re-wired headlamps fell apart and it'd be cheaper for me to start over again rather than have them do it).

As I was in my estate car, I collected what we figured were the 'useful' if unused bits of the two engines, which includes a flywheel, two banks of of cylinders, three pistons/conrods and four liners, much rusty pipework, a corroded oil and water pump (rebuildable perhaps?), a decent power steering pump, plastic belt covers and a complete block. Not sure what to do with all these parts, but an experienced engineer/member might know what's worth keeping. Maybe the consortium would like all this stuff, but in any case it's in the same lock up I'm storing the parts that came with the second engine and which "we" now own.

Barratt's did not after all put the S1 cams in the S2 heads because they were too corroded and I didn't want the extra expense of re-profiling them. The bill's horrible enough as it is, but nevertheless reasonable given the amount of work involved.     These guys really do seem to care about what they do.

I also now have a re-chromed S1 gearlever which I intend to retrofit as I think it looks much nicer than the rubbery S2 version: can this be done without dropping the gearbox? 

I'm sure it's not the final end of the story, but for now I'm feeling somewhat releived, as is my wallet!

Onwards, then - Mark 

[Geoff 'thecolonel']

Hi Mark,

Oil pressure in the white area is normal, at idle (warm engine) it's possible
for it to drop to the extent that the light may flicker, believe it or not this is
normal (even mentioned in the handbook).

Gear lever is simple to change without touching gearbox.

[Gabba Gamma Hey]

Just to keep things neat and tidy, this could, indeed should really be the end of the saga.

Collected the car from Barratts this morning after a couple of days of glitches (Power steering pump operating erratically, solution: add a treatment. Stuck heater control, solution: dismantle dashboard, lubricate linkage) and trepidatious though I was, the car ran like a dream during the 30-odd mile trip home... in the gathering sleet. 

If anything it runs sweeter and feels more torquey than of yore, although I took care not to rev beyond 2500rpm. As advised by Geoff, oil pressure was constantly just to the left of the central position, but barely discernible at idle, and coolant temperature never reached the centre line. 

But although the engine now runs again (though I live in fear of head gasket hell), the brakes are spongy from having sat so long and need bleeding, and I'm pretty sure the o/s/f wheel-bearing is going... which is a drag since the n/o/s spares I have are both for the rear. And then there's the headlamp wiring to re-do... 

Life with a Gamma is never boring then, is it?! 

Thanks again for everyone's help and support over these recent months and for those that 'lent' me vital gaskets, replacements are on their way from Italy "by the end of the month". Ho-hum.

Finally, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Tanc Barratt and his boys to work on anyone else's Gamma: courteous, technically meticulous, honest and although not the cheapest, very fair and anxious to minimise costs wherever possible.

Cheers - Mark

[Charles]

Hi Mark,  As you are a consortium member, I can let you have a front wheel bearing for £50 should you require it.  I'll even fit it for you as a favour if you visit us in Wiltshire.

[GDH Ruud]

Very good, where is the forward onward thinghy gone to ? 

[Gabba Gamma Hey]

Mr Ruud,

Onwards is of course a state of mind and for the moment I am happy to find myself static... or at least my Gamma is! 

Thanks for your concern.

Sideways, then - Mark

[GDH Ruud]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq4L2dE0o8g

Jazzy, I'll try it  next ride

[CSkjott]

A cool pic; 'murdered car or not'

http://markswill.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/dsc_009425.jpg

 

[Gabba Gamma Hey]

I'm blushing.    Mind you that pic was taken long before the motor went kaput... as evidenced by my having a relatively full head of hair. I am of course now grey and almost bald!

Onwards - MW