41 replies to this topic

[MiniMadRacer]

Cant go far wrong with AC Dodd depending of course where you are located

[Minigman]

So it’s looking like I made a bad mistake using the engine builder I have. Just too many issues to think anything else to be honest.

So who do I get to look at and potentially rebuild my engine?

Having spent £4500 on this build which has been nothing but trouble since it was built 1200 miles ago, I can not mess up again.

Recommendations welcomed please. Geographic location not important as happy to travel for the right job.

Would you consider doing it yourself ?

I’m thinking about it. Let’s be honest it couldn’t be any worse!

Lifting is an issue for me currently due to a heart issue I have but post surgery I should be good to go again. We’ll see if the builder will cover the repair / rebuild under warranty. Not that I have faith in his building skills any longer. It’s being looked into on 1st Feb. Having spent £4500 early last year and done about 1200 miles since I’m a little skint to be paying for another build at the moment.

[Minigman]

Not had an engine built by anyone, always built my own after having all machine work carried out by MED, or back in the 80's I used Avonbar.
Never heard of any poor builds from the likes of MED, Swiftune or KAD.

Agreed!

I wonder where I stand on the warranty.

I supplied the old engine for rebuilding but you’d assume everything is checked thoroughly. The crankshaft was crack tested, ground, balanced and hardened so if the thrusts have failed (I did hear of a dodgy batch from minispares a while ago). Who’s responsible for replacement and work to correct?

[BaronVonchesto]

 

 

So it’s looking like I made a bad mistake using the engine builder I have. Just too many issues to think anything else to be honest.

So who do I get to look at and potentially rebuild my engine?

Having spent £4500 on this build which has been nothing but trouble since it was built 1200 miles ago, I can not mess up again.

Recommendations welcomed please. Geographic location not important as happy to travel for the right job.

Would you consider doing it yourself ?

I’m thinking about it. Let’s be honest it couldn’t be any worse!

Lifting is an issue for me currently due to a heart issue I have but post surgery I should be good to go again. We’ll see if the builder will cover the repair / rebuild under warranty. Not that I have faith in his building skills any longer. It’s being looked into on 1st Feb. Having spent £4500 early last year and done about 1200 miles since I’m a little skint to be paying for another build at the moment.

 

As someone who recently rebuilt my engine with no experience whatsoever, then had to pull it out and rebuild again due to a silly mistake, honestly I'll say it's not that daunting a task if you have even the slightest mechanical inclination.

What's needed is a lot of patience and attention to detail. It's too easy to get sloppy in your excitement to finish the build.

There are lots of experienced people here who can answer any questions and walk you through it every step of the way. In my opinion I'd say get someone to lift the engine out, take apart the transfer case and gearbox, so you dont have to lift the heavy stuff yourself, then set about inspecting everything and possibly do a full rebuild again.

Take LOTS of pictures every step of the way, use sandwich bags to label and keep bolts, nuts, washers etc together from where they came from so you wont forget what goes where. Classic mini diy youtube channel is a good guide to help you put things back together if you've forgotten because the Haynes manual is usually just "reassembly is the reverse of taking it apart".

I'd say go ahead and rebuild the engine yourself!

[Minigman]

So it’s looking like I made a bad mistake using the engine builder I have. Just too many issues to think anything else to be honest.

So who do I get to look at and potentially rebuild my engine?

Having spent £4500 on this build which has been nothing but trouble since it was built 1200 miles ago, I can not mess up again.

Recommendations welcomed please. Geographic location not important as happy to travel for the right job.

Would you consider doing it yourself ?

I’m thinking about it. Let’s be honest it couldn’t be any worse!

Lifting is an issue for me currently due to a heart issue I have but post surgery I should be good to go again. We’ll see if the builder will cover the repair / rebuild under warranty. Not that I have faith in his building skills any longer. It’s being looked into on 1st Feb. Having spent £4500 early last year and done about 1200 miles since I’m a little skint to be paying for another build at the moment.

As someone who recently rebuilt my engine with no experience whatsoever, then had to pull it out and rebuild again due to a silly mistake, honestly I'll say it's not that daunting a task if you have even the slightest mechanical inclination.

What's needed is a lot of patience and attention to detail. It's too easy to get sloppy in your excitement to finish the build.

There are lots of experienced people here who can answer any questions and walk you through it every step of the way. In my opinion I'd say get someone to lift the engine out, take apart the transfer case and gearbox, so you dont have to lift the heavy stuff yourself, then set about inspecting everything and possibly do a full rebuild again.

Take LOTS of pictures every step of the way, use sandwich bags to label and keep bolts, nuts, washers etc together from where they came from so you wont forget what goes where. Classic mini diy youtube channel is a good guide to help you put things back together if you've forgotten because the Haynes manual is usually just "reassembly is the reverse of taking it apart".

I'd say go ahead and rebuild the engine yourself!

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I’ll certainly consider it if it’s not done under warrantee.

[Minigman]

Got a friend round and pressed the clutch in with the engine turned off.

I’ve definitely got movement on the crankshaft pulley when the clutch is pushed down. Looks something like 2mm ish by eye.

Now thinking it’s thrust bearings or crankshaft gone.

Edited by Minigman, 10 January 2020 - 06:19 PM.

[Spider]

See how you go in regards to a warranty claim with the builder. If you've done everything he's said and nothing silly, then it's really his problem. Four and a half grand is nothing to be sneezed at. See if you can be there when he strips the engine down.

 

I wonder where I stand on the warranty.

I supplied the old engine for rebuilding but you’d assume everything is checked thoroughly. The crankshaft was crack tested, ground, balanced and hardened so if the thrusts have failed (I did hear of a dodgy batch from minispares a while ago). Who’s responsible for replacement and work to correct?

 

 

If the engine builder supplied all parts and fitted them, then regardless of who he bought them from, from your perspective, its his problem. If you supplied the parts, then it's his problem to supply the labor to replace them but not the parts, unless you insisted on what ever parts you supplied be used 'blindly'. It's still up to him to inspect the parts and even if you did supply them and he feels they are not up to standard, then he should reject them.

 

 

Got a friend round and pressed the clutch in with the engine turned off.

I’ve definitely got movement on the crankshaft pulley when the clutch is pushed down. Looks something like 2mm ish by eye.

Now thinking it’s thrust bearings or crankshaft gone.

If you are actually able to see it move by eye, then there's more end float there than it should have.

[Minigman]

I only supplied the old engine (which included the gearbox which was also rebuilt) He built it back up supplying all bearings etc. I did supply the new pistons, vernier timing gear, lightened flywheel and the stage 3 head (within the £4500). He just charged for the remaining parts and labour plus fitting into the car and setting up.

This is the same builder that didn’t notice the cam bearing had been installed by the engineering shop the wrong way round. Then when the rocker still filled with oil having had another bearing reinstalled correctly, he identified the hole in the bearing was too large and was swapped out for the 3rd time. I’m now wondering if this has had a detrimental effect on the whole engine as a result.

Either way it’s bad news and poor for an engine with just 1200 miles on it.

[Minigman]

Some nice bits I found in the oil now I’m draining down in proportion for the engine coming out next weekend.

Looks like a main bearing and part of a needle bearing in there for good measure.

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[Rorf]

Ouch 4500 pounds down the drain, bad luck.

[Minigman]

Ouch 4500 pounds down the drain, bad luck.

Hopefully something out of it salvageable. I haven’t got another £4500.

[Cooperman]

I just wonder if a thrust bearing has been installed the wrong way around.

I first got into enginebuilding in my 20's after a good friend had an engine rebuilt for an A35 and it was not done well. As apprentice aero-engineers we reckoned we could do better, so we did. Thank you, de Havilland Aircraft Company for the use of apprentice workshop space and tools in our spare time! It was easier than we expected and I have never looked back.
Do it yourself. There is all the help and advice you could ever need on here. You know you can!

[floormanager]

SMMC near Conventry are really good and helpful if you get stuck and need machining.  As others have said, doing it yourself is worthwhile. You do not need many special tools  and at least you'll know it's done right as you can spend your time ensuring it's as it should be.  Sorry to hear of your problems, that's a lot of money to be disappointed.  Good luck, we are all here to help.

Paul

[gazza82]

I first got into enginebuilding in my 20's after a good friend had an engine rebuilt for an A35 and it was not done well.

First one I rebuilt was the 1098cc A-series ... out of a Midget. I head dismantled a MM A-series years before in the Scouts (old GPO van) but never planned to try to run it.

As apprentice aero-engineers we reckoned we could do better, so we did. Thank you, de Havilland Aircraft Company

Where my late Dad worked in the late 40s. Went on to be a riveter at Fairey and Westlands .. I have a couple of his de Havilland momentos around somewhere!

Edited by gazza82, 08 February 2020 - 07:32 PM.

[Minigman]

I just wonder if a thrust bearing has been installed the wrong way around.

I first got into enginebuilding in my 20's after a good friend had an engine rebuilt for an A35 and it was not done well. As apprentice aero-engineers we reckoned we could do better, so we did. Thank you, de Havilland Aircraft Company for the use of apprentice workshop space and tools in our spare time! It was easier than we expected and I have never looked back.
Do it yourself. There is all the help and advice you could ever need on here. You know you can!

If it is the thrust bearing then hopefully I’ll have some come back with the engine builder. That said, I’m not sure I’d want him building anything else for me. It’s just a bit gutting so much money was spent and it lasted so little time. And no doubt the gearbox will need to be stripped down too as well as the engine.

What do you think an appropriate course of action would be?