Oil take off block

Started knocking something up this afternoon...Did it all on a Bridgeporth Mill...Very useful tool!

Need some more work to its shape.
Recessed bolt heads as there is only a few mm clearance.
Need to ponder the fittings I will use over the weekend but its basically done bar the oil holes which will run through the block and flow assisting recesses and porting on the gasket face...Easy work took me couple of hours including learning to use the machine and tools. I want a mill!

Cost me £5 for the alloy and £25 for the rental of the machine and tools.

Probably another 2hrs work in it...So about £80 with the take off fittings, gasket, bolts and whatever. I like to make my own stuff!

Get back Rumpith!!!!

Har Har Har...

More fiddling

Not too much progress, water system is laid out, pipes cut and complete.

Next job is a custom-made oil take off plate, as there is no opportunity/room to use the standard system. Need to pop down the engineering shop tomorrow and check I can make one on the mill there or Trackerjack will be called into action.

Need a piece of alloy 34mm thick x 55mm x 95 to drill some holes in and add some take offs to for pipes, also can add an oil pressure gauge take off to it. Then fit a remote filter on the passenger side shock tower. Thats basically all the ancillaries complete.

I will need to consider the place and wot not as I intend to fit a Caterham apollo tank at a later date, if needed, which will plumbed on the line back from the filter to the take off plate..This is a funny tank that fills with oil, 3litres of oil, it then feed the engine when surge happens, also means the engine has 7.5litres of oil...

Once all this lot is done I can pull the engine do the flywheel mods and clutch, then once the bulkhead is made its finally assembly.

New employee

I seem to have picked up a trainee. Its a boy, don't know his name, he came to see me in the garage the other day...I was impressed with his ability to buff wheels, sills and valances with his tail...So I have signed him up for more work.

Cheeky chappie, the fearless cat..
I moved him onto some more complex tasks today, here he is pondering the wiring of an MGF, I am sure given time he can whip this lot into shape?

Water works 2

I see a theme coming on, its a modern version of the last style of engine bay! Little brothers big brother.

Got some of the piping bent up and shaped. Just need some P clips and ponder/make a few more mounts...Couldn't think of the best solution for a couple of areas so will sleep on it. By far the nicest method of plumbing, alloy hardlines.
Swirl pot to header tank line follows an equal height from front to back. Just needs another P clip on the rocker box. I changed my plan to tig this small pipe onto the main one. Neat enough.
Small annoying issue with the alternator on the new exhaust, the main feed wire is about 5mm from the exhaust primary tube, will need to pickup a different version of this alternator with the terminals on the otherside, or modify it or do something...Yet to look at the thing.
Water pipe that sucks water from the header tank...Clips onto the back of the head with a P clip. I will make some mount thing that mounts the lower section of this small pipe to the mount plate on the main alloy water pipe...

Now I pondered this system for a while...If I need to remove the engine all I have to do in the engine bay is to undo the front section of pipe on the water pump, infront of the shock tower, which fits on the main alloy tube seen above...Pop off the smaller pipe by the EWP all the plumbing is joined to the engine mount/ block, so I can remove the engine without having to remove any ancillaries at all bar the wiring connections, fuel line, the small pipes from the header tank to the alloy tubes and the main water pipe on the other side (yet to be made) and whip the exhaust manifold off, plug leads.

I reckon its a 15minute job to uncouple the engine in the engine bay area :) I love simple things, always the best!

One area of concern is the standard K water inlet thing behind the water pump, its a plastic mess with a rubber seal and without the original water rail, which was mounted to the block I can see it popping off....

When the engine is out I will punch the plastic body(thermostat housing) out of the block and get an alloy tube welded into the block from the inside of the water pump area...I just can't afford any overheating or risk of overheating, water system problems etc..

I see this as thermostat thing as a weakness. I will probably add a water level sensor in the header tank and an alarm in the cockpit...Also I am interested in block pressure so will add a pressure sensor in the water system, again header tank, can use an old oil pressure gauge as a block pressure gauge...You then know if there's impending doom, ie if the block pressures falls to zero you best stop the engine...You cannot afford to run a K low on water, loosing water, no block pressure or busted head gasket...Look after their needs they are great, overheat them, drive with problems, they are pooped.