19 Years of Tin Snail - Back to normality

[lesapandre]

If you are in the area this is a good Citroen enthusiasts meet - but only every month - not just Tractions.

http://www.lesamisdelatraction.fr/pages/page-principale.php

 

It's at L'Aigle - in the town centre - first Sunday of each month at Place du Chateau from 10am-12noon.

[dollywobbler]

Engine is making some horrible noises. I have TEH FEAR.

 

[dollywobbler]

FUCK.

Cylinder head studs should not do that. 

[LightBulbFun]

its not a good week for you and aluminium flat twins is it?  

what's the plan of attack now? 

[richardmorris]

Bloody hell. Didn’t you retorque them in your last video?  How did it get so far out has it punched a hole in the rocker cover?

 

actually, that was the one bolt you said was loose and needed tightening. Has it stripped its thread?

[richardmorris]

The curse of Samson!

[dollywobbler]

3 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Bloody hell. Didn’t you retorque them in your last video?  How did it get so far out has it punched a hole in the rocker cover?

 

actually, that was the one bolt you said was loose and needed tightening. Has it stripped its thread?

Yes, it was that one. It must have already been failing, hence being able to tighten it up again. I pulled it out further for the photo, but it was well loose.

Options

1) Dismantle the engine, see if a thread insert can be used. It's a cylinder head and barrel off job to even investigate.

2) Grab Elly's original crankcase and dismantle this engine, so the barrels, pistons, manifolds and heads can be switched over (has done 170,000 miles, not run for 8 years, is mostly in bits)

3) Chuck in my entirely unknown spare engine and hope for the best.

[richardmorris]

Put the old spare in  as you’ve limited time before Croatia.

this is the engine that had the 50cc upgrade isn’t it?

£1500 option 4.  https://www.ecas2cvparts.co.uk/engine-2cv6-reconditioned-exchange-p-965.html?WSid=e4fc849a06317f6b352661de1cf3d65a

[LightBulbFun]

5 minutes ago, dollywobbler said:

Yes, it was that one. It must have already been failing, hence being able to tighten it up again. I pulled it out further for the photo, but it was well loose.

Options

1) Dismantle the engine, see if a thread insert can be used. It's a cylinder head and barrel off job to even investigate.

2) Grab Elly's original crankcase and dismantle this engine, so the barrels, pistons, manifolds and heads can be switched over (has done 170,000 miles, not run for 8 years, is mostly in bits)

3) Chuck in my entirely unknown spare engine and hope for the best.

4) you jokingly said in an early invacar video if a 2CV engine would fit, now I guess now we ask the question can you fit an invacar engine to a 2CV? (plus a head off the spares engine because spark plugs)

why was Elly's original engine removed in the first place? if it was due to an issue not with the crankcase then it may be viable? 

[dollywobbler]

3 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Put the old spare in  as you’ve limited time before Croatia.

this is the engine that had the 50cc upgrade isn’t it?

£1500 option 4.  https://www.ecas2cvparts.co.uk/engine-2cv6-reconditioned-exchange-p-965.html?WSid=e4fc849a06317f6b352661de1cf3d65a

I think engine swap has to be the sensible ideal. Not sure I fancy doing a roadtrip on a fresh recon engine! Burton sells 652 recon units I think, so as long as the spare engine makes it to The Netherlands (first stop) I'll be fine!

[richardmorris]

Check the engine out on the bench, make sure it all moves and no obvious gunky signs of  head leakage. Put in new points and plugs and do the valve clearances. Oil change and fit- what could go wrong! Probably put the carb you know back on.

 

burton is €1900 for the 652

https://www.burton2cvparts.com/engine-2cv6-652cc-big-bore-reconditioned-p-5826.html?cPath=499_8024_8025

[Fumbler]

Options 2 and 3 seem to be the best considering the time you have. I'd say fit the unknown engine and hope for the best and fix the old one after the trip. If time allows, fitting the large cylinders might be a good idea, however I think checking over the mystery engine by iteslf will take long enough.

[wuvvum]

Option 5 - take the Matiz to Croatia.

[LightBulbFun]

4 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Option 5 - take the Fox to Croatia.

editing this for you so Dollywobbler does not shiv you

[quicksilver]

Seems Elly doesn't want to go to Croatia and see her friends Hope you can get something sorted out but in the meantime here's something that might cheer you up

It's based on the 1/76 Oxford Diecast model with a few cosmetic mods. Not 100% accurate but a good enough replica in this small scale.

[dollywobbler]

Engine is coming out.

Fuel and exhaust left to disconnect. A lot easier than the Reliant!

[dozeydustman]

Nothing else to say but how frustrating.

[Matty]

Feel for you just put new wings on my car last week and it celebrated by beggining head gasket failure which will be costing ££££. Cars are shit ?

[Eyersey1234]

How frustrating. Sorry to hear this Ian

 

[dollywobbler]

Spare engine and spinning merrily on the starter. A little too merrily... Hope it develops some compression at some point! Have stopped for food.

[LightBulbFun]

That was quick!  does your compression tester fit 2CV engines?

im guessing you could swap over your 652cc piston/barrels/heads if there is no compression?

[dollywobbler]

2 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

That was quick!  does your compression tester fit 2CV engines?

im guessing you could swap over your 652cc piston/barrels/heads if there is no compression?

It does, though engines that have rested often have weak compression until they get a bit of fire in 'em. I will get some Before and After readings.

And yes, I could swap everything over. I don't really want to go down that road though. The more I do, the more potential there is for damage.

[egg]

Bad luck.

Please never cut your hair again.

[dollywobbler]

Compression results. 60 one size, 0 the other. Promising! The side that is 0 is chuffing out of the exhaust as it should though. Very odd. Maybe a sticky inlet?

Sadly, I then decided to check the oil pressure switch is working. It wasn't, so swapped them. Works fine with the test light, but I can't get it to work with the car's own wiring. My brain isn't up to working out why. Had to stop.

[stuboy]

oh balls

[dollywobbler]

Still having no joy with the oil pressure switch. With one side of my test bulb connected to 12v, and the other to the switch, I would expect illumination. There is none. Earth it on the engine and there is life. Have changed switch for a known good one. No difference.

[jonny69]

Is it worth checking the valve clearances while it's all still apart? Might be a very slack inlet clearance (fingers crossed).

I was also going to suggest maybe trying a fresh stud in the other engine. If the one in there is a bit corroded/chewed/worn, a new one might just bite with the remainder of the thread.

[wuvvum]

Do you reckon it'd make it to Croatia on one cylinder?  301cc is only 74cc less than the early 2CV engines.

[dollywobbler]

After finding both oil pressure switches were open circuit (!), I nabbed the one from Elly's original engine and that works. Phew.

Electrics together enough for a test, fuel connected, no brum brums. I think next step is valve clearances.

[dollywobbler]

Valve clearances loosened up, manifolds swapped over, no joy. Bit worrying now...