Heart Transplant

[swooshdave]

I wonder if anyone would question whether or not to repair if the engine was a Vincent?

Nope!

 

[swooshdave]

This is a teaser. Normally you don't want to see your pistons at different heights on a Norton engine, unless it's got a 270˚ crank... which this one doesn't.

Video of the first part of the disassembly of the bike coming Sunday...

There is some good news and there is some bad news. You mostly know what the bad news is.

 

[grandpaul]

How many miles did you have on that engine???

 

[swooshdave]

How many miles did you have on that engine???

No idea. Not that many, I think. Dunno.

 

[swooshdave]

 

[swooshdave]

Is this salvageable? Is it worth saving? Despite the mess this is the only thing wrong with the barrel, everything else, including the bores are dirty but nice.

 

[swooshdave]

There's a bit of damage on the inside with a pretty deep gouge.

And something tried to come through here. Minor compared to the hole in the bottom.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Oh well, I guess it’s not too unexpected though eh?

The barrel can only be salvaged by putting a liner in it. Even then, I would get it properly crack tested, AFTER boring it out to take the liner and BEFORE fitting it, to check cracks do not propagated further into the casting (thus allowing the liner to come loose, and drop, and put you back here again).

The crank journal looks unlikely it’ll clean up with a grind, but it’s not easy to tell until you strip it and clean off the detritus with emery, you might be lucky. It could be welded up. But probably cheaper to buy a replacement crank half.

The cases have clearly suffered massive trauma. The hole on the bottom is only evidence of the final exit point of the escaping rod. You’ve now found evidence of further trauma.

As mentioned in previous posts, if it were a Vincent then yes, it’d be different because new cases are over £3,000, and much money is at stake regarding originality and provenance. But it’s not. And your best way of having good, strong cases is to find some good undamaged replacements. If you buy new ones you even get to keep your engine number !

All only IMHO of course.

 

[swooshdave]

 

[kommando]

The big end with the aluminium shell lining bonded to it can be cleaned using Hydrochloric acid, this will remove the shell lining but leave the steel big end untouched. Done it a few times to recover cranks in Briggs engines. Also called muriatic acid and concrete cleaner. You drip it on and it will fizzle, carry on dripping it on until the aluminium is all gone.

 

[swooshdave]

The big end with the aluminium shell lining bonded to it can be cleaned using Hydrochloric acid, this will remove the shell lining but leave the steel big end untouched. Done it a few times to recover cranks in Briggs engines. Also called muriatic acid and concrete cleaner. You drip it on and it will fizzle, carry on dripping it on until the aluminium is all gone.

I was hoping that is it. There are some marks that look like gouges in the journal but I'm hoping it's just in the bearing material.

Sadly not my biggest concern right now.

I really was hoping the barrel was unscathed, as unrealistic as that was. Very glad there was no damage to the head.

 

[kommando]

As long as those gouges are not in the steel but the aluminium the acid will remove it to reveal the steel which hopefully is untouched, did 3 briggs cranks and all were reused with no regrind needed but their con rod runs directly on the crank and the con rod is made from a bearing aluminium alloy but it does only need to cope with 3500 rpm max.

 

[grandpaul]

I don't think those gouges will clean up at max undersize, but hope for the best!

That is one sloppy mess, dude.

 

[baz]

What was the cause of the engine throwing a rod?

 

[CanukNortonNut]

What was the cause of the engine throwing a rod?

Lack of oil to the crank. Blown out oilpump seal or some gimmick devise to stop wetsumping would be my guess.

 

[CanukNortonNut]

That engine looks like it was taken apart once before. Letter Stamps on the flywheel. T and D. Plus the way the lock-wiring was done on the cam follower retainer screws. Too bad about the barrels but that is typical when a rod lets go. The cam followers and the cam still look good. Swoosh how is the gear on the cam? Did it survive?
Cheers,
Thomas

 

[Fast Eddie]

IIRC it was a failed anti wet sump device.

 

[worntorn]

IIRC it was a failed anti wet sump device.

That's how rumors get started!

Oil pump o ring fell off on refitting timing cover after having a gander looking for rattle.

Glen

 

[Fast Eddie]

Oops.

Sorry Dave.

Well corrected Glen.

I’ll get my coat...

 

[swooshdave]

That engine looks like it was taken apart once before. Letter Stamps on the flywheel. T and D. Plus the way the lock-wiring was done on the cam follower retainer screws. Too bad about the barrels but that is typical when a rod lets go. The cam followers and the cam still look good. Swoosh how is the gear on the cam? Did it survive?
Cheers,
Thomas

Dreer took it apart 30 years ago. Not for a full rebuild, just to make sure everything was ok. Not a ton of miles in the meantime. Not sure what exactly he did or didn't do. That was a long time ago.

Gear on the cam? In the timing case? Don't know until I get in there.

No rush. I have the spare motor to deal with first. Comstock says barrel is toast so I need to find an option there.