After getting the new headlight buckets installed and some sealed beams put in them, I decided to take the lights to another level (is that not the worst and most overused cliche' ?) anyway I found a good deal on some Hella H4s (Thanks for the links, Crashton!) and as I've decided not to spend the money on Xenons right now, all in with 55/100 bulbs and shipping the Hellas cost me $100 - I'd spent $35 on the sealed beams, so they went back to Autozone today. If anyone wants a set for their car the link is on page three of this thread.... anyway, here they are...as the come from the box... Bulbs installed.... and in the buckets and I did wind up taking them to a whole new level - I got Buzz up on the lift ready to start the engine-ectomy. I measured and it does go high enough to clear the engine/subframe if I take it out the bottom so that's what I'm planning to do - we'll see how it goes. I have a friend bringing down his engine hoist on Tuesday so I can pull the engine out of the subframe and get started on it. More as it happens.
Hella.... FTW Did they come with the rubber cup seal that fits around the prongs on the bulb to keep water out?
Looking good Dave. At one time everyone put either Cibie, Hella, Marchal or Bosch headlight conversions in. As time has moved on the price has gone up & they've gotten kind of hard to find. The last pair I bought scrounged from my last MG & currently living in my Miata are labeled motorcycle lights. For a while the DOT stopped letting them be sold for cars, hence the motorcycle labeling. I think you'll find that you like those a lot Dave! Nice the scissor lift Dave. Hey Chuck one of those would be sweet in your shop. :biggrin5:
That apparently is a recurring echo that floats around in my shop all the time.... Sometimes it changes based on the reflection and becomes a two post lift...
I had Cibies back in the day too.... The lift is perfect for my needs, I'd rather have a Maxjack as it leaves the entire underside of the car open, but my floor is cracked and not so good, and you have to bolt those down. It lifts as high as 53" but my ceiling height limits how high I can lift - can't get much above 3 ft....but that lets me do brake and suspension work without lying on my back, and it makes changing fluids a lot easier too. I took the spoiler off to make sure it wouldn't drag going on the lift, I can't decide if I prefer it with or without the spoiler.... I have two post lifts at school I can use pretty much anytime there aren't classes using them, but not for a project that will have to stay on the lift a while like this.
I got the motor and subframe out today....next I'll separate the motor and subframe and pull the head to have the hardened seats put in so I can run unleaded fuel. I'm also considering changing the diff ratio, I'm running a 3:44 now which gives almost 4500 at 70mph - pretty Buzzy - going to a 2:76 gives up a lot of acceleration but puts me more like 3500 which would be much more comfy on the highway - IF the motor has enough oomph to pull it, especially on hills. Maybe I need that supercharger after all!
That subframe looks in good shape. Clean it up & paint it & it's like new. You might want to source a timing chain cover with a vent & oil separator on it.
After doing yardwork all afternoon my back was in no shape to work on the car, so today being rainy and cold was the day to pull the motor from the subframe, in the hopes that someday soon the sun will shine again and I can take it outside and clean it up! Got that accomplished today thanks to the loan of an engine hoist from a fellow Mini owner (thanks, John!) and now I'll start tearing it down. The head's going off to the machine shop for some hardened seats so I can run unleaded gas, I'll pull the diff and swap to some taller gears, although the housing says 3:34 gears are in it (I didn't know they made a 3:34, all I've seen is a 3:44) so they're not as short as I thought. I'm still going for the 2:76 and hope it will pull them OK on the highway. I'll pull the clutch and fly wheel and then the drop gears housing so I can modify it for the breather - while it's out I can change the clutch disc if it's worn. Then it will be into clean and paint mode till it's time to re-assemble.... On the hoist.... Ease it out of the subframe.... And onto her "bench", ready for teardown.... Then after all that's done it will be into clean and paint mode till it's time to re-assemble.... Tomorrow - Off with it's head!
I see your assistant was watching for something to other way during the subframe release part of the job.
That's Clem pup, she's my buddy Don's dog, just over for a visit. She's very well behaved for a youngster, and for her breed - they have a LOT of energy!
Hmmm, this looks a lot like a blown or at least failing head gasket..... it's going down to have hardened seats put in anyway, I'll have him skim it slightly to make sure it's good and flat. The ordered parts list just keeps growing......
Looks like one of the valves may have been replaced in the past... Same end as the leaking head gasket?
I'm sure they've been replaced at some time, I have paper work that says the engine was overhauled in 2008, only about 5K ago if you believe the speedo reading. However, I'm seeing things like the blown headgasket (between the center most cylinders) and terrible wear on the top of the valve stems and ends of the rockers, and now I'm really wondering.....if they did o'haul it they did a cheap job and skipped a lot of steps - IF it was even done. The head guy noticed it didn't have valve stem seals on the exhaust valves, and as carboned up as it is, it's definitely been burning oil - it will get new seals, guides, and maybe new valves if these are worn to far and he'll resurface the head flat again. Next I'm going to take the block up to school where I have all the right equipment and measure the bores - first to see if it has been bored 60 over the way the paperwork says, then to check for wear and taper. Then I'll know what to do next. At the very least it's getting a complete valve job, and probably rings and rod bearings. The pile of money needed just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
I sure wonder what rebuilt meant to the guy who did it. It's good you are pulling it apart. Yes more money, but it will be worth it in the end. Since you are going so far to make things right, at least have a look see at the main bearings. With the quality of the other work you may find you need them.
The rocker arm faces are worn badly too, we have a machine at school to resurface them - this was very common practice back in the day, so I know how to do it of course. Now I'm wondering if - in this deep - it might not make sense to buy an uprated cam and some roller rockers to try and get a little more torque out of the wee beastie. Couple that with new rings and bearings and I'll have basically a new motor. This was not what I wanted when I bought Buzz..... The only thing good about all this is I'll know exactly what I have. I think I need to get my hands on a copy of David Visard's book, anyone have a copy to loan?