Heart Transplant

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Do artists make good engineers or does regimentation create better engineers ? Perhaps engineering development through testing and necessity is a better approach ? - Chevrolet engines are very reliable but not so inspiring.
 
Now of topic...
its not that the engineering is bad, but the engineers are outnumber by the bean counters, who have no understanding of compromise impact on product quality. when i was young i had the desire to own a bmw 320i but my good friend in the bodyshop business said it would cost as much as a porsche to keep. i now have a bmw motorcycle, and their quality control as experience through this lowly model reminds me never to buy one of their cars...
 
Now of topic...
its not that the engineering is bad, but the engineers are outnumber by the bean counters, who have no understanding of compromise impact on product quality. when i was young i had the desire to own a bmw 320i but my good friend in the bodyshop business said it would cost as much as a porsche to keep. i now have a bmw motorcycle, and their quality control as experience through this lowly model reminds me never to buy one of their cars...

It's part bean counters and I bet in the old days (pre-2000?) they made the engineers work repairing cars so they could appreciate what it took. Not sure what year the 320i you were looking at but it probably wouldn't have been that bad. The 3 series use to be rock solid.
 
Maybe it had the slotted pistons and they were binned with replacements on the agenda.
 
What I really need is an engine stand, does anyone have an extra one laying around?
I have found engine stands to be useful only at the very beginning of an engine teardown, and at the very end. I use soft alloy jaws in my bench vise and it works perfectly well on thee bottom two bolt-thru lugs.
 
Getting time to split the cases and clean and reassemble. Mike T has the Service Tool ET.2003 pinion tool so that will make it easy. What do people use to hold the crankshaft? Wooden dowel through the little ends on the con rods?
 
The Mk3 manual recommends a length of steel bar inserted into the deepest balance hole in the flywheel.
 
The Mk3 manual recommends a length of steel bar inserted into the deepest balance hole in the flywheel.

"To achieve this it is necessary to stop the crankshaft turning in the cases either by passing a round bar through the small ends and supporting on clean wooden blocks across the crankcase mouth or by placing a suitable bar into the deepest balance hole and allowing the bar to abut against the crankcase mouth..."

Did they omit the round bar through the small ends option in the MkIII manual?
 
swoosh,
I used the drill rod through the small ends and two pieces of hardwood across the machined surface as a bridge where the barrels would mate to protect the surface from getting marred. I followed Mick Hemmings video. Remember the timing pinion nut is L/H Thread on the crank. Cam nut is regular righty tighty lefty loosey. You should also use a intermediate gear shaft support while undoing these two nuts or you could damage the fit to this shaft in the timing side crank half. Edit: https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-details/17035
Cheers,
Thomas
 
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"To achieve this it is necessary to stop the crankshaft turning in the cases either by passing a round bar through the small ends and supporting on clean wooden blocks across the crankcase mouth or by placing a suitable bar into the deepest balance hole and allowing the bar to abut against the crankcase mouth..."

Did they omit the round bar through the small ends option in the MkIII manual?
No It's still in there, I just rebuilt my motor and the bar in the balance hole worked well.
 
swoosh,
I used the drill rod through the small ends and two pieces of hardwood across the machined surface as a bridge where the barrels would mate to protect the surface from getting marred. I followed Mick Hemmings video. Remember the timing pinion nut is L/H Thread on the crank. Cam nut is regular righty tighty lefty loosey. You should also use a intermediate gear shaft support while undoing these two nuts or you could damage the fit to this shaft in the timing side crank half. Edit: https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-details/17035
Cheers,
Thomas

"Under no circumstances must anything but firm steady pressure be applied to unscrew the camshaft sprocket nut - normal right hand thread - unless a dummy cut away timing cover is fitted and secured with screws at extreme front rear and bottom. If a hammer or mallet is used without such a cover to support the end of the intermediate gear spindle, there is risk of the latter boing pulled out of the crankcase."

Just don't smack it without support.
 
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