Engine rebuild pt3...

Replacement con rod cap bolts arrived Saturday morning - so I cleaned and oiled up all the bits and refitted pistons 1 and 4 with new bolts and torqued them up to
45 Ibs ft without any problems.

Fitting two of the cylinder head bolts into block as guilds, cleaned the surfaces and fitted the head gasket and head - tightening the nuts and bolts in the correct order.

After positioning the crank back to TDC on 1 and 4, I started fitting the timing chain and gear assembly. I will refit the original chain tensioner and check to see if it needs replacing.

3hrs

Head assembly...

With the valves reground it was time to refit them and paint the cylinder head. Using a block of wood to protect the valve head they went in without any issues.

Then using masking tape I covered up the out/inlets and the top camshaft area, I then gave the head a couple of coats of high temperature aluminium paint.

3hrs

Decoking the head...

With the head stripped it was time to give it a good blow through - using my Karcher pressure washer in every hole removing any build-up and old antifreeze that had turned to sludge. Then with some degrease solution, fine wire wool and brass wire brush I de-coked the build up of carbon from the chambers.

While doing this a had the valves and springs in the ultrasonic cleaner. After 20 minutes the carbon around the valves had softened up allow me the gently sharp if off and a quick go with a wire brush in my drill to remove any remaining bits. One set at a time so they wouldn't get mixed up.

4hrs

 

Engine breakdown... pt6

Next the camshaft, followers and shims. I loosening the nuts by a quarter of a turn one by one until the cam lifted up and was free of the followers.

Using an old flower seed tray cutdown to eight pots, I marked one to eight on the sides so I can refit them in the same order.

My valve spring compressor tool is not deep enough so to clear the top flange, so I will need to buy or borrow.

Also sent time cleaning all the old gaskets off and removing the water transfer housing/gasket from the rear of the head.

2hrs

Engine breakdown... pt5

Off with it's HEAD!

Having read my TR7 repair manual a couple of times, I started by removing the camshaft cover and unbolting the timing chain top sprocket from the camshaft.

Then I started loosening the cylinder nuts and bolts in the order from the manual. After removing the nuts I used my large bladed screw driver and adjustable spanner to remove the studs, but the two outer studs wouldn't undone.

Using my hide hammer I hit around the flange to break the seal. With the two studs still in place this made it very difficult to lift and the timing chain was also rubbing on the casting. After some gently persuasion (not) the head lifted off.

I was pleased to see very little water corrosion to the aluminium head - after having a couple of conversations other TR7 owners who's cylinder heads had been badly damaged.

A quick visual inspection of the bores also looked good, the block and crank were replaced back in 1985 due to a thrust washers failure.

3.5 hrs