[supertreeman]

Subscribed! This will turn out nicely Im sure. Keep the progress photos coming

 

[DJW]

Not much of an update: block is still out getting a 95mm re-bore.

In the meantime I turned a couple days off work into a very relaxing snapping and grinding of 39 year old rusted bolts.

Disassembly is a lesson in patience. I’m getting there.

 

[1of40]

Excellent job, and really admire the ambition.

 

[DJW]

Rear axle question

The driver side shock attaches to the frame forward to the axle… but the passenger shock attaches to the frame behind the axle:

The new chassis only has holes predrilled for shocks mounting in front of the axle.

I was just going to drill mounting holes rearward of the axle on the passenger side of the new axle…

Bad idea? Are all Salsbury rear axles set up like this?

(Please excuse the mess in the photo… my garage is a disaster until I get the old chassis out of here!)

 

[DJW]

Still ploughing forward!

The engine block is still with the machinist… I’m hoping it’ll be done any day now.

And I was finally able to get a couple more steps ahead on disassembly.

Its beginning to feel like progress.

 

[DJW]

Lots to update now!

I received the newly bored and honed block back from the machinist:

 

[DJW]

Then got my paint (original colour from The PaintMan in the UK).

 

[DJW]

This weekend has been the awesome part: installing the crank and pistons!

I read a lot, followed along in my workshop manual, and the incredibleYouTube videos from Brittanica Restorations. I also joined the GnR forum (thinking that there is a lot of experience and expertise in that community with the 2.25).



All the bearings came from Roland at ACR (along with piston rings and gaskets). Followed Brittanica Restorations as well as I could.

New main bearings, and Lucas HD oil stabilizer. How something can be so sticky, yet oil is a modern feat of chemical engineering. The stuff is a mess!

Then the new crank:

Next up we’re the bearing caps. Including number 5 (we will see if it leaks 🫣)

 

[DJW]

Then the thrust washers! Loaded them up with oil stabilizer copper side to the crank, and slid them in

Next was the end float: ordered a dial gauge from Summit Racing, along with feeler gauges. I had never used one before, but checked many times and the float was 4 thousandths of an inch.

Then torqued the bearing caps down to 100ft lbs

 

[rdavisinva]

I believe there are cork gaskets that go into the slots you filled with schmekel.
.

 

[DJW]

Hopefully everything so far is correct and within spec.

the next part was installing the new pistons!

I weighed each of the pistons (with grudgeon pin) and they were all 695 grams. The rods were all 808 grams… which is good, because I didn’t want to try to balance them!

RING clearance:

this is a bit of a difficult one for me, the pistons are 95mm diameter (instead of 90.47) and now have the travel of a 2.5 litre crankshaft. So I went with the tolerances from a 2.5.

The top ring gap-in-bore were 0.65mm/ 0.65mm/ 0.60mm/ 0.60mm… which is the upper limit for a 2.5 litre.

The second ring gap-in-bore was 0.48mm (well within tolerance.

I carefully placed the rings on the pistons (correct order and right side up)…

Then looked into gap spacing. Confusing things ring gaps. Uncle Doug had a good post on another build thread from years ago, and that matched what Brittanica Restorations did in his video- so I stuck with that:

Engine front is to the right. Making the cam/thrust side the bottom of the picture. Gaps spaced 120 degrees apart.

 

[DJW]

Finally, used my ring compressor and installed the pistons!

Hopefully so far everything is reasonable. But I’ll take any and all advice I can get. It’s an awesome feeling to actually be putting this back together!

New camshaft, timing chain, and, well everything else is up next.

 

[DJW]

I believe there are cork gaskets that go into the slots you filled with schmekel.
.
View attachment 481195

Thanks for reading and helping. I have the rubber t seals in my basket at RN… I had looked into buying filed blocks to help with the install-
But Mike from Brittanica swears by the schmeckelling method, and it seemed a bit simpler?

 

[DJW]

Dang- I expect this is going to happen a lot from here out.

getting everything ready for the camshaft, and one of the rollers… must have rolled away.

Without really knowing what to look for: The slides all look good, and the rollers “roll” smoothly. The tappets look good (smooth and round).

Its either a new set from RN… or just the roller-follower from Rovah Farm.

 

[Red90]

New set. Must be genuine. Aftermarket ones are made from cheese.

 

[supertreeman]

Strong work!

 

[rdavisinva]

How goes the project?
I was thinking you could also use the 300TDI long belhousing R380 to push the engine up to the radiator.
This will greatly reduce the firewall heat in the summer.
It would require some motor mount work, but think it would be worth it.

 

[o2batsea]

I'm still in awe of the fact that the machine work was done in a couple months. I have had my MG engine at the shop for three years and it still hasn't been done.

 

[DJW]

How goes the project?
I was thinking you could also use the 300TDI long belhousing R380 to push the engine up to the radiator.
This will greatly reduce the firewall heat in the summer.
It would require some motor mount work, but think it would be worth it.

Thanks for checking!
And that seems like a good idea- I can’t weld (one day I’d like to learn)… but it’s something I’ll think on.

The project itself is still coming along.

the motor rebuild is “done”-ish. Timed, valves set, just have the thermostat housing to put back on when the hose arrives. Distributor, fuel pump…. Onwards and upwards.

I am kinda sad I didn’t keep the truck together-
I’d love to see if this motor will actually work again!

Next up: rear chassis.

I got all new parts (seals, bearings, stub axles). I’ve cleaned the housing. Just waiting for the Rust Encapsulator paint from Eastwood. Then once that’s back together I’ll get it under the frame… then (hopefully tackle the front axle).

 

[DJW]

My current plan (but it changes week -to-week) is to rejet the Weber Carb first. Make sure it all works, then likely install a Holley Sniper auto lite.

I’ve done a lot of thinking on the transmission and 1.667 Transfer case too

I’m deciding the Keep them both.I figure the 1.667 will help the stronger (but still weak) engine… and IF it ever starts up again, I’ll treat myself to a RoamerDrive so I can take it 55-65mph!