The TSE looks good but we're still in the $400+ range, and barring a sudden windfall I'm cash limited trying to get the engine rebuilt.

Any thoughts on getting a cooler from eBay (as in - ex NASCAR / IMSA / Sprint usage, NOT "Joe's Oil Cooler Emporium and Hot Tub Outlet") that's been pressure tested? I see several there between $70 and $150...it's a thought.

 

<p>That's why I told you to call 2ndchancerace parts. They have used ones from circle track.</p>

 

This is my take on Hornetball's enormous oil cooler setup. The cooler really only accounts for 25% of the cost of the setup.
edit: picture fixed; end result is $340 not including shipping for a pretty baller setup.

 

The picture link is broken, but I searched Hornetball's build thread and discovered his parts list...PURE GOLD, which I will plagiarize liberally!!

 

Both myself and ThePass have used the smaller 24row cooler with the same set up for many years and it's been more than adequate in our experience. This should serve you well!

 

There's a Saab 9000 oil cooler (Setrab?) on EBay now for $40. I'm thinking that, plus the Derale 25702 180* sandwich plate, plus hoses and fittings and I could get the job done for around $200.

I have an aftermarket nose on my car that has vents on both sides of the radiator opening. My thought is to mount the cooler on the passenger side (behind some mesh, of course). That way I can get fresh air to the cooler w/o obstructing the IC or losing a radiator fan.

 

Anybody here use Schaeffer (sp?) synthetic oil? I was doing some oil research and came across a recommendation from Advance Motorsports (saying they only use Schaeffer in their Spec Miata cars). Further investigation had others chiming in on the goodness of that particular brand.

Any opinions?

 

Cleaning the engine now. Upon inspection I found this on the crank (#1 rod journal...the one with the bearing failure);


It looks horrible, I can see pits and some grooving, but it feels smooth to the touch and passes the "fingernail test".

Should I have the crank (or just this journal) re-surfaced?

Here's the whole crankshaft. All of the other journals look and feel fine.

 

I would have it inspected for sure, how did the bearing look? I imagine it was already posted but I didn't catch it.

 

Didn't post the bearing. It was completely toast. The bearing material was mostly wiped off of the steel back. I took the crank to a local machine shop and they concur that it should be ground.

DAMMIT!!

 

Not the end of the world - at least at this point the clearances can be dialed into exact numbers.

 

Yeah...I'm taking the "glass half full" outlook. This is forcing me to make sure that my oiling system will be better this time around.

BTW, I'm also considering an Accusump...someone talk me out of it...

 

So what would happen if the plunger in the oil bypass in the pump is stuck in the "up" position?

That's what I found tonight when I took apart the pump tonight. When I took out the snap ring (this is a Boundary Engineering oil pump) I fully expected the retainer, spring and plunger to fall out. The retainer and spring fell out easy enough, but the plunger didn't budge. A few "brisk" taps on the housing did nothing.

Most of my tools are not here with me, so I can't do too much - tomorrow will be a different question. We'll see what happens...

PS, I'm kinda ticked that my $300 pump would let me down like this.

 

Another f**king setback last night

I got my re-ground crank installed last night and it fits "like buttah" EXCEPT there seems to be some longitudinal play (I don't have a dial gauge, so I don't have numbers) that's a bit disconcerting. Time to get a dial gauge and check it.

But that's not the setback...

While installing the crank I managed to accidentally kick one of the pistons that was laying near the engine stand (yeah, I know...it shouldn't have been on the floor). It scooted about a foot and one of the rings managed to snag the corner of a box and...you guessed it...the ring snapped!

So now I've got to order new rings (done, via Fab9), which means the cylinder has to be honed and the end gaps checked (and filed if necessary). All for a totally avoidable screw-up on my part.



Now I have to do all the prep work and wait wait for delivery. I was hoping to be up and running this weekend...now that ain't gonna happen.

****...

 

Keep your head up - sorry to hear that. I've upgraded your shipping and your rings will be there Friday so if you

A little story to make you feel better about your situation: A customer just called to report that he installed his thrust washers backwards and destroyed his block, crank and filled his new BE pump with metal shavings...

 

You DA MAN!!

BTW - I'm planning for ID1000's and COPs in the near future. I'm going to source it all from Fab9.

 

Isn't it better to replace the rings anyway? Seeing as you had pistons out anyway. Or were they new rings?

 

Those were brand new rings - that's what made it so bad.

Progress over the last few days;
- checked the crank endplay; .007 in, more than I'd like, but within spec
- drilled out the locating pin on the exhaust cam (if I could do it, why couldn't the machine shop?) and installed a new 5mm pin from McMasters (I got spares if anyone needs 'em) - used Loctite 660 to secure it.
- scored a used exhaust cam on EBay, gonna do an exhintake mod (just 'cause I can) - drilled out the intake cam gear
- polished the gallery in the oil pump where the bypass plunges rides (used 1000 grit paper), now it moves freely through the entire travel
- removed the oil gallery plugs in the head and cleaned all the passages with a rifle bore cleaner and pipe cleaners
- ordered new BFG comp2's for street driving (had been using 2 y/o RS3's - SCARY in the wet!)

Now I'm waiting for the rings and new timing belt to come in so I can put the engine together - maybe tonight...definitely tomorrow.

 

Cleand up the workspace (a little) last night. Waiting for the rings to arrive...can't do too much until then...

 

Dam! That sucks, at least you will have spares for next time.
The rings are actually a lot more brittle than I was expecting. Hope I don't have any issues with the boundary pump...