Restoring my Skoda Estelle's engine: Sharing the joy (and ordeals) :)

[Aram]

Latest work: flatting the engine's head.

 

 

 

[Piko]

Yust great! Aram.

The first time running will be quiet something.

 

[Aram]

Today's work: adapting oil filter, oil pressure sensors and temperature sensor (from Lada).

 

 

 

[Aram]

Today's work: valve collet, installing head studs and getting ready the head for torque

 

 

[TMB]

Aram, your work is absolutely amazing!

[Aram]

Doing prep work to torque the head I found out that two or three of the studs didn't hold 1/3 of the torque and started to get smoothly ripped out of the block. This is because, although in my visual inspection I didn't find it, it seems those holes had thread damage inside. The new studs got threaded in nicely by finger twist and I secured them with a light torque using two nuts, but as soon as I applied real torque, they jumped. My guess is that someone either over tightened the fasteners there as they touched the bottom of the holes, or they once installed them dirty.

 

Not a crisis tho, I have the cure: I will make new studs, all of them, just to avoid having mixed studs and probably the same risk, as follow: one tip as M12 x 1.5 then step down the rest of the stud to M10 and thread the other tip M10 x 1.25. Then drill the block holes to thread them M12 x 1.5. The M12 side gets into the block just up to its surface, the rest of the stud goes up as M10 so no need to drill the head (which is not a problem by itself, but it will demand drilling also the valves rockers shaft's supports and I don't think they have meat enough for a larger hole).

 

I find quite interesting the fact that even a carefully visual inspection yielded an "ok", the new studs got secured "ok" but wouldn't be enough in this case.

[Aram]

Today's work: assembling valve rockers stuff

 

[KenONeill]

@Aram - Hint for checking the trueness of something like your rocker shaft. Use a piece of "new-made" float process window glass; it doesn't have to be much bigger than the mating face on the cylinder head, but when sat on the work bench will give you a dead flat surface to compare the flatness/straightness of your component against.

 

The process was in commercial use in the UK from 1960, so any glass after that date is potentially useful to you.

[Aram]

6 hours ago, KenONeill said:

@Aram - Hint for checking the trueness of something like your rocker shaft. Use a piece of "new-made" float process window glass; it doesn't have to be much bigger than the mating face on the cylinder head, but when sat on the work bench will give you a dead flat surface to compare the flatness/straightness of your component against.

 

The process was in commercial use in the UK from 1960, so any glass after that date is potentially useful to you.

 

Indeed, that's something I used as well to check that shaft. Thanks for the info.

[Aram]

A few mornings' work

 

[KenONeill]

Well, the key point about valve (and points and spark plug electrode) clearances is that they be correct, not that a "feeler gauge" was used to set them.

[Aram]

More work: rubber washers, some ancillaries installed, modified engine mountings and fixed plug in the oil filter mounting

 

[Aram]

Today's work: adapting a Lada alternator, fabricating its belt tensioner. This was a kind of straight forward little job which demanded not much effort really.

[Aram]

Today's work: insulation plate for the Lada carburetor I will install...that Bakelite thing is so hard!

 

[Aram]

Today's work: aaaaaalmost done with the engine! Today were the manifolds.

 

[skomaz]

Aram - I continue to be amazed with the work you are putting into this and the ingenuity you have to get round problems...   I really hope it all works in the end!

[Aram]

2 hours ago, skomaz said:

Aram - I continue to be amazed with the work you are putting into this and the ingenuity you have to get round problems...   I really hope it all works in the end!

 

Oh it "needs" to work at the end unless it turns to be so ungrateful. I'm almost done with the engine. In fact I only need to clean the alternator and massage the carb...but as the carb was working ok, I may clean it after a first run, to to avoid adding yet another failing point if I mess with its regulation. I guess I should first try to crank it, then if all went well, clean the carb. But before that I will fabricate a support mount for the starter so I don't need to hook the massive gearbox just for the starter. And do a proper test stand.

Edited 5 July, 2017 by Aram

[Piko]

Hello Aram,

 

Why not using the original carburator?

How did you manage to cut that bakelite plate in half with the same thickness all over?

I surely wouldt give you my engine for an overhaul.

[Aram]

On 7/11/2017 at 05:10, Piko said:

Hello Aram,

 

Why not using the original carburator?

How did you manage to cut that bakelite plate in half with the same thickness all over?

I surely wouldt give you my engine for an overhaul.

 

The engine came with a Lada carburetor. It is something quite normal here...they adapt such carbs to almost any engine. I have even seen "modern" fuel injection engines with their fuel system removed and a Lada carb installed, mainly because lack of new parts.

 

As for cutting the bakelite plate in halves: first, I trace cut lines in the sides with permanent marker... simple stuff: lay the marker over the table, adding or removing paper sheets below it to adjust its tip height, then rotate the plate over the table but not over the sheets, rubbing the side to mark against the pen tip. That guarantees that the line is marked evenly in all the sides. Then put the thing in the vice and using the jigsaw mark well those lines by slow, short and precise moves. Once the sides are well marked, start sawing a few strokes, then rotate the part again and again. It is like if the bakelite was to have a round inner cut.

 

Once it is cut, obviously it won't be precise enough so I attach a thick sand paper like 30, 40, 50 grits over a flat surface, secure it with masking tape, then sand the cutted side again like when cutting, a few strokes back and forward, then rotate the piece and again and again, checking with a caliper and against a piece of glass. Sounds like tremendous work but a. needs to be done, so no excuses and  b. t is enjoyable, specially when it is done.

[Aram]

So, engine is done. I will work now in a proper test stand for it...

[Aram]

Some more work:

 

Engine test stand (I tested the thing after done, with a 110L steel tank half filled with water, the rollers supported the weight just fine).

 

Rear shock abs internals

 

Rear springs

[Aram]

Coils work, done.

 

 

[Aram]

Today's work: checking oil pressure

 

I freaked out at first because the rockers were not getting any oil...the camshaft position was preventing oil going up there. So turned the engine to BDC and the oil flow improved a lot: in Haynes book then I see they call this "pulsating chamber", so it seems it acts like a valve so closing/opening would increase oil pressure, so it gets into the head by bursts.

 

Even more: this explains why the filter gasket (old) wasn't holding and I could get oil pressure being blowing like if I opened a disturbed soda can! Since now the engine is all clean/revamped, oil pressure is good and the weak point was the old gasket. I made a new one, worked.

 

[KenONeill]

@Aram - My general, ie not engine specific, experience, including one car with a cam in head engine that called for setting tappet gaps with the engine running, suggests that you only get a gentle flow that "keeps the valvegear oily".

[Aram]

5 hours ago, KenONeill said:

@Aram - My general, ie not engine specific, experience, including one car with a cam in head engine that called for setting tappet gaps with the engine running, suggests that you only get a gentle flow that "keeps the valvegear oily".

 

Thank you Ken. Just in time! I want to start it today but was uncertain about the oil up there. Great! Now let me see how it goes...