998 Auto Rebuild

Started by MiniDave, May 05, 2020, 10:21:48 AM

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MiniDave

OK, thanks.......

I'm still waiting for the block and head to come back from the machine shops, the other thing I'm trying to decide is whether to build it all up and then paint it, or paint it in chunks and then assemble it.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

I think I've decided to paint it in chunks, so I can take them out in the back yard and paint them in bits rather than having to build a paint booth in the shop as I will have to lift a completed engine on the hoist and hold it there while I paint. More tape off work but I think I will get a better job when it's done. Painting it all in one chunk would be considerable quicker tho......hmmmm.

Clancy gave me a couple of things as a thank you for the work I've been doing - a set of Cleco's and pliers and an engine hoist device that he makes and sells for Sprites.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Willie_B

Nice items there. That engine lift attachment looks well made.

MiniDave

#53
The loops on top are not quite tall enough for my hook on my hoist to fit, you're supposed to put a bolt thru the loops (front to back) and then hook onto the bolt, but it doesn't fit so I wind up putting a bolt thru the chain on the hoist instead, which works just fine. This is his third design on these, looks like he needs one more!  ;D

I haven't tried to hook onto the loop itself, that might work too......

I don't do a lot of sheet metal work anymore, but the Cleco's are useful for holding things in place while you drill holes and such.

BTW, Cleco is short for the Cleveland Pneumatic Tool Company - who came up with the idea.

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#54
I'm hopeful this week things will get going again on this build......both the cylinder head and block should be back to me by mid week, and the last few parts I ordered 10 days ago now should also be here by Friday - things have really slowed down in the shipping world. I understand that FedEx has warehouses full of packages and UPS is running as much as a month behind on deliveries..... DHL has gone from their usual 3 days from England to me to more than a week. I'll actually be surprised if the parts get here on Friday.

I also had the header ceramic coated, and I'm eager to see how it turns out. I asked the owner if he wanted black, grey or silver and he chose gray as the other two were "too plain", when I got to the coaters they offered black, silver and one other color - NOT grey. So I made an executive decision and it will be "not plain"  77.gif  I think it will look pretty cool actually!

We'll see later this week on it too......

It's hot here - 90+ every day with the typical Kansas humidity -  I'm not spending a lot of time in the shop so I can avoid having to run the A/C and keep the electric bill down a little but when I do go to work for a day it's nice to be able to get it down a bit, just knocking out the humidity helps a bunch and I can run a fan on me to help keep MY temp down. I've become pretty sensitive to heat as I've gotten older, and tend towards heatstroke easily - so there will be no moving to Florida for me!

More as it happens...........
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#55
Cylinder head came home today, I cleaned it all up and ran a tap into all the threaded holes. I have all new fasteners for the head and new head bolts once the block comes back. Next I'll need to do a final clean up and get it taped off for paint once the block comes home - I'll have to do the same for the transmission and the rest of the bits.

I need to find someone who can do a finish hone on the rocker bushings - the problem is the shaft size - less that 5/8" - no one has a finish hone that small that I've found yet. I tried using a brake hone I have and while it works - eventually - it takes for freaking ever, and I have 8 of these to do. Plus too and also, I don't know what the finished clearance should be. Too loose and they wear too quickly and rattle, too tight and they wear out or might bind and bend a valve.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Block came back today, now I need to get busy cleaning to get ready for paint.

Then a marathon tape off session, set up some tables in the back yard so I can lay stuff out - then start spritzing. Dan, you sure you don't want to take a quick run up to beautiful Overland Park?  :D

Thinking about getting one of those pop up shelters to keep the sun off of me while I paint......they're not expensive and I can use it for shelter at car shows too.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

jedduh01

Looks great =  that factory yellow + factory red's that came on the heads and blocks are a VERY tough paint!

MiniDave

#58
It sure is, it's already been in the hot tank washer twice to make sure all the debris is out of the cracks and crevices so I'm just going to wipe it down and paint right over it.....if it's stuck on that good the new paint should stick well too.

The weather might have something to do with when I get stuff painted.....we're supposed to get several rainy days - too bad as the last few have been hot and dry - although humid.

The powder coater's just called and said my last bits are ready too, so that should be about it. The last few parts I have coming from Mini Spares won't be needed till about the end of the build, and they're supposed to be here Friday.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Interesting, the blue tape marks where the top level of the oil in the crankcase lies. A lot lower in the crankcase that I expected for 5 quarts of oil and a bunch of gears.....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

The gearbox is all buttoned up and ready to be painted. I have no idea how I'm going to seal up the end with the gear on it so I can paint, I might pull all those studs back out so I have a flat surface to tape to, then just use plastic I guess? Then I'll set it open side down on some waxed paper and shoot away?

Another way would be to go ahead and build it all together, install the engine on it then paint it, but there's no way I could carry that assembly out to the yard to paint it, and I can't paint it in the garage, so I guess I'll paint it in pieces.

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#61
Picked up the header tonight....the color really changes depending on the light, it's darker than it appears in the pics where it's bolted onto the head - it reminds me of Inconel SS  that's used on F1 headers.

The owner liked it!

The green on the top of the spray can next to the head is what color the engine and trans will be when it's done.

The rest of the powder coated pieces came home today too.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

jeff10049

Interesting color on the header I think I like it.  Be cool to see it in real life.  Different for sure.

MiniDave

It's supposed to rain Friday, so it looks like today and Friday will be clean up and tape off days, then Sat if it's dry I'll set up and get everything ready, then if it's not too hot I'll put some paint on. I also need to mow today before it rains tomorrow.....since I'll be working out in the back yard. I also bought one of those 10X10 pop up tent things to keep the sun off a little - at least off me!  ;D

What effect does higher humidity have - just longer cure times or does it matter on 2 pack paints?

I have three major parts to paint that I want to all be the same color when done, the block, trans and head. Then I have a few smaller parts like the thermostat housing, water pump and drop gears housing that need to match too. Everything else I had powder coated satin black - like the end cover over the torque converter and the timing chain cover, pulleys etc..

Getting the color on will be a major step.....how long should it cure out before I start handling the parts? A week?
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Tomorrow is paint day at last, we were supposed to have rain all weekend and today, and didn't get a damn drop - so much for the weather guessers - so I could have done this on Sat and be that much closer to building it up and getting it running. Oh well.....

I got the tent set up in the back yard and tomorrow I'll spray for bugs to keep the nits out of the works, then  set up the block, head, trans, rear housing and a few small bits like the water pump and thermostat housing and spritz away.

Weather is supposed to be cooler tomorrow too and I'm looking forward to that, but it's only going to last one day so I'm taking advantage! Once everything is coated I'll let it sit overnight to cure out a bit then bring it back inside and let it set up for a week or so to really harden off.

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

OK, so first a good coat of primer.......then color!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

The first can of color did not spray very well, and I only got about 3/4 of the can out before it just quit shooting. So I had to break out the second can - that one worked perfectly and lay down really smooth. I also was able to get into all the little spots I missed with the first coat.

so now, let it cure out, then move all the parts back into the shop and let them harden off for a week. then I can start the assembly process.

With any luck I'll have it up and running in 2 weeks time and he'll have it back before the end of July so he can get it put back into the car.

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

This color really varies with the light....

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

No offense indtended, but the color is close enough to the regular MOWOG green we are all familar with, that it just looks 'off'.
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

#69
Well, the owner likes it - so if he's happy......I think this color is much lighter and less "olivey" but I don't have anything in Mowog green to compare it to.....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

Well, the customer is always right.   ;D   The lighter green used on Healey engines is a common BMC alternative engine color.   But what's the background story on the green paint you painted?
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

#71
I remember seeing it on VWs and Audis in the 70's, only as a metallic......maybe he saw it there?

I also saw an ad from Crafted Classics (Engine builder in UK) that had a pic of an engine with a light green paint next to one in Mowog green - and he preferred the lighter shade - so maybe he asked them? That's all I know.....

The engine machine shop didn't put the pistons back on the rods, so I ran them back up - maybe they'll be done by Friday.....

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Picked up the pistons today, and a friend gave me the name of a shop that he thought could ream the bushings in the rocker arms for me.

I drove the 20 miles out there today and dropped off the rockers, guy said he'd try and have them ready by tomorrow. This is a really old school machine shop owned by a really old and old school guy. He said he used to have 27 people working for him and now has one - he sang the same old song about not being able to get good help, young guys just aren't reliable and don't have good work ethic and he can't trust their work and so on.......

We exchanged war stories for about half an hour then I left - we'll see if he comes thru for me tomorrow.....I would like to use his shop as he says he can do crank grinds as well as bore blocks and do the hardened seats too - but I question whether he can get things done in a timely manner. He said his crankshaft guy was down to two days a week as that's as long as his knee would let him work - he's scheduled for a replacement as soon as the doctors go back to doing elective surgery again.

Same story I hear all over town - old guys barely keeping the doors open, buried in work they can't get out the door and no help.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

I picked up the rocker arms this morning, the guy called at 9 am to let me know they were done! That's the last piece of the puzzle on the 998 automatic, now I just need to get down to assembly.  77.gif

We talked a little more about doing some work for me but he said he'd rather see me take it to some of the other shops in town as he just doesn't think he can get my stuff done in a timely manner. I didn't disagree with his assessment, as I walked thru his shop I saw stuff piled up everywhere - he pointed to an old Nash engine that had already been there 2 years waiting for a rebuild. I thanked him thoroughly for the quick service and headed over to the local Brit parts place to pick up a few bits for other jobs and headed home.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Jimini II

Quote from: MiniDave on June 25, 2020, 02:56:42 PM
Picked up the pistons today, and a friend gave me the name of a shop that he thought could ream the bushings in the rocker arms for me.

I drove the 20 miles out there today and dropped off the rockers, guy said he'd try and have them ready by tomorrow. This is a really old school machine shop owned by a really old and old school guy. He said he used to have 27 people working for him and now has one - he sang the same old song about not being able to get good help, young guys just aren't reliable and don't have good work ethic and he can't trust their work and so on.......

We exchanged war stories for about half an hour then I left - we'll see if he comes thru for me tomorrow.....I would like to use his shop as he says he can do crank grinds as well as bore blocks and do the hardened seats too - but I question whether he can get things done in a timely manner. He said his crankshaft guy was down to two days a week as that's as long as his knee would let him work - he's scheduled for a replacement as soon as the doctors go back to doing elective surgery again.

Same story I hear all over town - old guys barely keeping the doors open, buried in work they can't get out the door and no help.

Teenagers nowadays don't want to learn a trade they would rather sit behind a computer in air conditioned comfort.
I asked my eight year old Grandson what he wanted to do when he was older his reply was a you tuber or a Football player.
I am glad the machine shop guy was at least honest with you Dave i can't stand shops that BS and lie about time frames.