Project Coalnotdole's Scimitar - Machining work: Speedometer Drive Unit 12/4/19

[nacho man]

That’s a fucker about the engine, yours is absolutely gorgeous though.

 

It’s odd how this morning and it’s pretty dry, and I was thinking I would love a blast out in the country in mine while it’s quiet.

 

But I bleeding sold it last night.

[coalnotdole]

I was thinking the same, the IS250 seem to have a manual RWD gearbox, not the most common combination though, plus you would have to use an aftermarket ECU on it as well,  the V6 in my RX 300 makes a nice noise when you got it some beans.

 

Awful luck there Colenotdole,  but from our point of view it means we get loads more of your quality updates!

 

Are you using one of your Rebels as a daily while this is off the road?

 

I've been borrowing my dads LEXUS IS200 Sportcross to get to work as he only drives it at the weekend. fuel consumption is strangely close to that of the GTE. Rebel van is on running round to lockup garages duty. It rarely goes further than toolstation tbh.

[Rocket88]

Omega engine is a good call...........should fit  [someone will have done it already] even the 2.6 knocks out out 170 bhp........

[Zelandeth]

Omega engine is a good call...........should fit  [someone will have done it already] even the 2.6 knocks out out 170 bhp........

 

For maximum oddball points though it's got to be the 2.5 TD V6 though...

 

Lovely - if odd - noise, and while not a massive amount of power, makes up for it with torque...In something this much lighter I imagine it would go bloody well...

 

Bloody bad luck you've had with this.  On the plus side at least you'll know that once you're done with it you should have a solid car that hopefully should behave itself for a good while - and it does look bloody fantastic.

[coalnotdole]

Engine Strip Down...

 

Happy new year everyone, I hope 2019's going to be better than 2018 was...

 

Cheers for all the supportive comments, even though some of you dared to suggest fitting an Omega engine.    I'm just not sure the path to reliability is to increase the amount of Vauxhall content in my car...

 

This wasn’t on my agenda at all... I really thought I'd be using the car by now!

 

I've got the engine out now, The drivers side head was removed first to help with the balance when lifting.

 

 

I've got no work in progress photos from the lift, I made a bit of hash of the engine removal as I forgot about the garage door which prevented the crane going high enough to clear the engine bay... que lots of messing about adjusting lifting straps for it to finally clear, there was a point where I was sat in the engine bay desperately lifting the gearbox to get it to clear the front of the car covering myself in EP oil leeching from the back of the box... not clever.

 

 

Fortunately the end result is an empty engine bay and not bodywork damage. (came close a couple of times though...)

 

Heres the engine and gearbox on a wheely dolly.

 

 

A passenger side exhaust hanger snapped during engine removal, I'd love to get an alternative set of tubulars made ready to go back in when the engine is ready. I'd like the collector to come a little further forward so that the 02 sensor can mount on the top of the tubular rather than the side at present and to do away with that troublesome ball joint. Its a job thats going to depend on how far my budget gets pushed... Any suggestions for exhaust specialist fabricators and I'd be interested to hear them. Added bonus If they are somewhere near the south coast!

 

 

Gearbox detached.

 

 

While the engines out I'm going to have to have a think about if I'm going to stick with the Type 5 box, the overdrive isn’t working at the moment and the car really does need that lower final drive ratio. I'm not sure If its a case of refurbishing it again, Or if its time to make the switch to a more modern gearbox. Which may ultimately be more reliable.

 

I'm aware that in the 3 years since my last gearbox refresh, the selector arm bushes have got noticeable play in them again. Now with the O/d not working you start to wonder if an alternate box might just be less demanding in the long run?

 

I'm also concerned about long term parts support for the Type 5 as well, when I rebuilt the last gearbox I had to rely heavily on donor boxes for spare parts as a number of parts are NLA new. In some ways If It needs an alternative gearbox I'd rather do that now than revisit it again in 1 or 2 years time.

 

I've also been surprised by the wear / heat marks to the clutch / flywheel. It Looks to me like its been slipping, Getting the flywheel refaced is pretty cheap, but I'm probably going to have to go for an uprated clutch next time...

 

 

 

 

 

With the clutch and flywheel removed the engine could go the stand for stripping down.

 

 

while the engines out' I'd like to improve the mounting of the crank position sensor. Which I've never been that happy with.

 

 

Sump off.

 

 

Timing gears off,

 

 

 

With that removed I was finally able to solve the mystery of what camshaft was fitted:

 

 

 

Its a Kent Cams V62, power band - 2000 - 6500rpm, A slightly different spec than I'd expected. For some reason I'd assumed it would be more likely a V63. At least next time I can set the valve clearances accordingly.

 

Pistons out,

 

 

The bores all look ok visually but I'm probably going to get them checked as a precaution. I'd prefer to know they have been accurately machined.

 

 

The Main and big end journals all look very good (as you'd expect on an engine thats supposed to be nearly new)

 

 

 

The bearings also look very good.

 

 

 

As do the thrust washers:

 

 

I've taken the piston rings off and numbered them all carefully. The five good pistons have all been cleaned up, Carb cleaner was far more better for this than meths.

 

Before:

 

 

After:

 

 

Heres a look at the damaged piston, I've already got a replacement from Burton power.

 

 

 

I've stripped the heads they have gone off to get all of the exhaust valve seats replaced.

 

 

 

In the new year the plan is to get the engine harmonically balanced, The bores checked. I need to have a look at the trigger wheel / crankshaft position sensor and see if they can be improved.

 

Cheers

 

Joe

[Mally]

Ere, you don't mess about you d'yre?

[cort16]

Sorry to hear of all the troubles it was looking great. It looks like you’ve got it well in hand.

There are kits to fit a 6 speed rx8 gear boxes to pintos for cortina and capris I guess it would work for you too ?

 

http://www.scimitarweb.co.uk/sgwrs/viewtopic.php?t=30118

[coalnotdole]

Ere, you don't mess about you d'yre?

 

TBH I've had a really lazy christmas period with a stinking cold and I've done very minimal work on the car(s) Hopefully I'll get on a bit better tomorrow and get the Flywheel Dropped off for skimming, I also need to get the pistons pressed off the rods so that they can go for balancing. I'd quite like to get all of that done this week while I'm off work.

 

Sorry to hear of all the troubles it was looking great. It looks like you’ve got it well in hand.

There are kits to fit a 6 speed rx8 gear boxes to pintos for cortina and capris I guess it would work for you too ?

 

 

I did read up a bit on Rx8 gearboxes, the ratios on the 5 Speed would suit the scimitar better, but its also thought to not be as strong as the 6 speed. I'm also not sure that anyones actually got as far as putting one on the back of an Essex though I'm aware of several owners saying they were going to try it.

 

The most obvious choice for an alternative would be the Ford Type 9, but unless you get a late one from a 2.8 capri, its not likely to deal with the higher power or torque from the Essex, the 'lesser' T9's can be rebuilt to take more power to do it your looking at lots of goodies from Quaife and I'm not sure my pockets are that deep.

 

The other alternative is the Borgwarner T5 (world class gearbox) As used in the Sierra cosworh 2wd. Sadly scene tax is payable and the tailshaft is quite long. As Scimitar has its engine so far back the gear lever is likely to end up being somewhere behind the drivers seat. It should be possible to shorten the selectorshaft but it would require some very fine cutting and shutting.

 

The T5 also makes an appearance in quite a few other cars and I'm currently looking at TVR T5 gearboxes... There seem to be alot of them about with low milages, presumably because lots of TVR owners drive their cars into lamp posts....

[dozeydustman]

The bore looks pretty saveable, not sure about the head though. How much can they skim off before it's well outside tolerances if you don't have a spare pair of heads

 

Sorry to hear of all the troubles it was looking great. It looks like you’ve got it well in hand.
There are kits to fit a 6 speed rx8 gear boxes to pintos for cortina and capris I guess it would work for you too ?

http://www.scimitarweb.co.uk/sgwrs/viewtopic.php?t=30118

 

The 3-litre Essex needs an unobtainium bellhousing (Ford Zephyr or Granada mk1 with the 2.5) to mate it to a type-9 or most other 'boxes, or requires adaptor plates and possibly a special input shaft being installed in the gearbag.

 

The Mazda box - will it be able to take the torque of the Essex, especially a tuned one? Ratios are very similar the the standard gearing in the Scimitar (Mazda 4th & Scim O/D3rd are both 1.1:1) so you don't really gain advantages in terms of ratios available over the standard box.

 

I certainly wouldn't whack a type-9 on a tuned Essex, they can barely handle the torque of standard tune Ford V6s.

[dozeydustman]

I think I must have been typing my spiel up at the same time as you CnD

[coalnotdole]

Your right normally you'd need a near unobtainable bellhousing to go the T9 route but you can now get Aftermakert Aluminium bellhousings are around to fit both T5 and the Type 9 to the Essex.

 

Burton power do them and I think you can also get them from Ric Wood and a few other specialists.

[cort16]

It same same gearbox you get is IS200's and S15 Silvia's so I think it'd be up for the job. The kits come with adaptor plates to fit straight to the RX8 gearbox bell housing.

Not sure I'm missing something but I know a lot of Cortina and Capri bods are going this way just because of type-9's are getting expensive.

I have seen kits for the essex but most of the stuff out there is for pinto's or BOA's so I don't know the availability.

[DodgeRover]

The T5 boxes are cheap and plentiful in Aus as they were fitted in Falcons, should be possible to get one shipped.

[dozeydustman]

It same same gearbox you get is IS200's and S15 Silvia's so I think it'd be up for the job. The kits come with adaptor plates to fit straight to the RX8 gearbox bell housing.

Not sure I'm missing something but I know a lot of Cortina and Capri bods are going this way just because of type-9's are getting expensive.

I have seen kits for the essex but most of the stuff out there is for pinto's or BOA's so I don't know the availability.

 

If it's the J160 'box, just reading up on it, it can handle a maximum of 220nm/168lb ft of torque without substantial mods, so weaker than a standard type-9.

 

Standard Essex puts out 180lb ft. The Japanese engines the J160 are lower torque revvy 4-pots and rotaries.

 

The standard 4+O/D unit in the Scimitar is a tough old box. Flicking the O/D in and out on twisty country lanes is quite a pleasure.

[cort16]

It does sound like it'd blow up then. Shame as it's a nice solution, probably best left for the pinto that in my cars case is lucky if it puts out 90bhp and 110 lb of torques.

[garethj]

Sorry to read about the engine, I’d have sold it on as mostly assembled parts and fitted another one by now, but you know what you’re doing.

 

If you need some CAD help with coil pack brackets or the rear window, give me a shout. Ask them what format they need the window in and with your measurements I can create that for nothing.

[Guest Hooli]

Blimey, I doubt I'd have got as far as finding the engine crane yet.

[Sheefag]

Probably a very stupid idea but £130

 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/261807031147013

 

£130

Oldham, England.

2.9 v6 efi for Sierra XR4x4/ Scorpio very clean

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest Hooli]

Essex > Cologne!

 

(it's only when talking about engines you can ever say that).

[dozeydustman]

Your right normally you'd need a near unobtainable bellhousing to go the T9 route but you can now get Aftermakert Aluminium bellhousings are around to fit both T5 and the Type 9 to the Essex.

 

Burton power do them and I think you can also get them from Ric Wood and a few other specialists.

 

Was unaware of the new bellhousings being available, we sold the gold Scim in 2014 after dad ummed and ahhhed about converting it to manual.

 

 

Probably a very stupid idea but £130

 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/261807031147013

 

 

 

The 2.9 cologne unit is quite different from the 2.8, the very late Middlebridge Scimitars had them though I can't remember if the chassis needs modding to fit or it's just a case of using the appropriate engine mounts. The 24v Cosworth V6 certainly won't fit without a lot of faff. I can't remember if the 2.9 would go straight onto the Scim's type-5? box or needs mods first, so would need a Mk3 Granada gearbox or T-5.

 

I think with the amount that Colenotdole has invested in a powerful Essex lump it'd be a shame to whack something different in.

[coalnotdole]

Sorry to read about the engine, I’d have sold it on as mostly assembled parts and fitted another one by now, but you know what you’re doing.

 

If you need some CAD help with coil pack brackets or the rear window, give me a shout. Ask them what format they need the window in and with your measurements I can create that for nothing.

 

Cheers for the offer of CAD help, I might well be taking you up on that offer Its been kicked down the line a bit by the engine work but give it a couple of months and hopefully I'll be back at that stage.

 

 

I think with the amount that Colenotdole has invested in a powerful Essex lump it'd be a shame to whack something different in.

Nail on head really. I've got this engine... I'm going to make it work. Its not really delivered so far but I'm determined to have a decent crack at it, If it turns out fuel injecting old engines is fundementally a shit concept that will drive you to bankruptcy you can be sure you will read it about it here!

 

It may be that its impossible to get a Ford Essex to reliably make IRO: 200bhp, with 200ft-lbs of torque and still return 28+mpg. But thats not going to stop me trying...!

 

The car has become a kind of experimental project on what happens if you selectively improve an old car while trying to retain the key elements of the car that you really value. I'm happy to change some aspects of the car while others remain red lines.

 

All the stuff I've changed can be reversed, things can be unbolted, swapped out and put back to standard if needed. If at the end of this process I've not made a better car than Reliant did I'll return it to a point where its much closer to factory spec! Cut my losses and flog all the fancy parts on ebay!

 

If for example I fit a 5 speed gearbox and Its not better than a 4 speed with overdrive. Be sure I'll put the old gearbox back in!

 

In meantime Burton Power sent me this:

 

 

 

 

 

Which was a bit annoying as its not actually the part I ordered...

 

Cheers, Joe

[Zelandeth]

I'm really enjoying the concept of this, the whole "making the car the best it can be" in terms of actually being lived with and reliable.

 

Very similar to why one of the first things I did with the Lada was toss the carb into a box in the shadowy back corner of the garage.  A decent electronic ignition system and sensible fuel injection system are streets ahead of carbs and points I reckon - especially where you're talking about a car you want to drive every day.

 

Even though it's not quite 100% yet so the economy gains have yet to be seen, the driveability though has been vastly improved from the carb setup and the ability to just turn the key and go irrespective of ambient or engine temperatures is great.  Even if the ignition system did give me an absolutely phenomenal belt during testing...

 

Bolting an injection system on to an older engine, can it work well?  Yes it can.  Is it cheap?  Heeeeeellll no!  Mine was mostly done with random secondhand bits aside from the fuel tank and pump and once you add it all up it's still cost me the best part of a grand.

 

Just a shame you've had so much trouble mechanically...at least at the end of the road you should essentially have a new car!

[LightBulbFun]

on the defence of carburettors aint the a lada a bit of a special/worse case scenario because they had the gr0.8 idea of trying to make a carb work with a cat?

[Zelandeth]

on the defence of carburettors aint the a lada a bit of a special/worse case scenario because they had the gr0.8 idea of trying to make a carb work with a cat?

It is, though I'd not have discounted trying this out if it had been an earlier one anyway.

 

Thing is that carbs can work very well when they're in tip top condition. An EFi setup *when designed well* however should behave well with far less tweaking over time, and allow an engine to run reasonably even when things are really quite tired. Simple reason for that being closed loop control...the fact that the injection system can see what the engine is doing means that it can compensate for a lot of variations that a carb would struggle with over time.

 

I'm not anti-carb either, just reckon that a good injection setup on a daily makes more sense.

 

I think the 90s was the best time period for EFi gear in general though. Companies had by and large got the bugs worked out of things as it tended to just work and perform well, and most faults could be pretty easily diagnosed. By the time you started to get into the 21st century though the complexity had snowballed too far I think and diagnostics without computer assistance becomes far more difficult.

 

On the other hand - custom ECUs that you can program to your spec are now available off the shelf for sane money too...I was considering getting a Megasquirt system for the Lada before my donor vehicle turned up.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yo Zelandeth, is your Lada EFI conversion detailed on the web anywhere? I'd like to read about it if so.

[dozeydustman]

It may be that its impossible to get a Ford Essex to reliably make IRO: 200bhp, with 200ft-lbs of torque and still return 28+mpg. But thats not going to stop me trying...!

 

Should be able to approach 200bhp with a twin 38DGAS of triple HIF carb setup if you do have to remove the EFi stuff. Some useful tuning info on the Car clinic website http://www.essexengines.com/index.htm - it's a bit outdated in design but fine if you use Intershite Explorer

[Rocket88]

I know these have been turbocharged in the past.....

[Zelandeth]

Yo Zelandeth, is your Lada EFI conversion detailed on the web anywhere? I'd like to read about it if so.

 

I've a half written walkthrough of it on my desktop PC. Your asking has reminded me of this... I'll try to get it finished in the next couple of days. Thanks for reminding me! Only slight headaches I had were having to come up with my own throttle linkage and a significant amount of head scratching to sort a lambda sensor issue which was eventually traced to a design flaw in the ECU and then took five minutes to fix.

[Guest Hooli]

 I really want to keep O/D as it is part of the character.

 

Good luck. O/D is one of the things I like in older cars, it's so much nicer than an extra ratio.

[richardthestag]

regarding your slippy hot clutch/flywheel thing. I have seen a Stag do this also.

 

Clutch cover plate is thinner on newer stuff and bolts can bottom out in the flywheel which means that a) the cover is not tightened down b ) you get juddery clutch engagement c) it slips just a tinsy bit.

 

do your clutch cover bolts look mangled at the end of the thread? grind them back a couple of turns so they dont bottom out any more