vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,282
Club RR Member Number: 146
|
|
|
|
|
For degreasing an engine like that, best thing is some spray on oven cleaner or heavy kitchen degreaser like Cillit Bang. If you use one of the very aggressive mousse type oven cleaners it can discolour bare aluminium and make it go dark, so that's worth bearing in mind. An old toothbrush is ideal for scrubbing all the wibbly wobbly inny outy bits while the oven cleaner does its thing and then rinse off with a hosepipe or, if you haven't access to that, a jug of water. Before doing the really crusty bits, try and scrape off as much gunk as you can, wooden things are good for this as they tend to grip the dirt and deform a bit to the shape of the surface you're scraping.
Another thing that can shift the grime is laundry powder, sprinkled liberally on the oily bits, scrubbed in with a stiff brush dunked in warm water as you go, and left to sit for a bit. It's a slower process than the oven cleaner, but the powder sticks in place quite well if you don't use too much water and can shift a fair bit given enough time and agitation.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,618
|
|
|
|
Right, so I spent a couple of hours on and off cleaning the engine. I found some degreaser stuff in the shed so went for that and used an old tooth brush to get in all areas. After washing it off, I left it to dry for a day or too and today went for my weekly shop .... Looks like, the Rocker Cover is leaking around the bolts . I guess it must have travelled down the cover edge and then down the side of the engine. I'll keep an eye on this and I also have a new gasket etc. so, i'll be changing this along with doing the valve clearances soon. Still could do with a bit more of a clean to get all the "ming" off it. I also after all this fancy painting the engine after this although in the current climate, I shouldn't be spending on tins of paint i don't need!   |
| |
|
|
vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,282
Club RR Member Number: 146
|
|
|
|
|
That looks lots better than before and at least you've found your leak source. When you fit the new gasket, would it be worth fitting some rubber washers under the metal ones? I'm thinking they might squish and seal and prevent deforming the cover.
|
| |
|
|
cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,618
|
|
Apr 26, 2020 17:42:58 GMT
|
Wish i was reporting I had painted this, done the tappets and replaced the gasket but, what I have done is let it get a bit mucky again and spent all my time on my Capri (using all 4 jack stands) or playing Music. I did just go out for a 30 min drive to see where I need to go tomorrow (possibly starting a driving Job) and It started getting really hot on the way back. I changed the temp sender a the other month and have not used it a lot since then... seems a bit weird though. The top hose was too hot to touch so its flowing though and I cant see any leaks. The only other thing i noticed when filling the tyres with air was the both front wheels seemed slightly warm to touch compared to the back being stone cold. Logic tells me they will be warm due to running gear, thought it might be worth noting. I was told to re grease a front bearing on my MOT advisories . She does worry me with this temperature, I wish It would just stick close to half!!!  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 26, 2020 17:46:00 GMT
|
maybe a fresh coolant and waterpump change along with thermostat is in need? shouldn't cost the earth and not a hardship on these ohv lumps  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 26, 2020 18:39:59 GMT
|
|
Haven't got two front stuck calipers have you?
|
| |
|
|
cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,618
|
|
Apr 26, 2020 19:18:37 GMT
|
Haven't got two front stuck calipers have you? I was wondering that after replacing two on my Capri. I jacked it up last week to compare and on spinning the passenger side wheel It didnt even make a sound. I tried braking and seeing if it would roll etc and it all seems fine. Maybe its very slight though. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 26, 2020 21:50:28 GMT
|
|
Does the cooling fan come on when it reads hot?
If the fan cycles off and on when left idling and nothing's leaking out i'd suggest it's the sender/gauge/voltage stabaliser.
|
| |
|
|
cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,618
|
|
Apr 26, 2020 21:58:44 GMT
|
Does the cooling fan come on when it reads hot? If the fan cycles off and on when left idling and nothing's leaking out i'd suggest it's the sender/gauge/voltage stabaliser. The fan does cycle on and off. I changed the sender and it seemed better but today just seemed to be getting up there while still driving, not sat in traffic. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 27, 2020 10:17:20 GMT
|
|
could be the voltage stabiliser then, most cars of that era won't give the full alternator output (around 14V) at idle but will at higher speeds (see if there is any change in the fuel gauge, my range rover randomly gains 1/8 tank and the temp goes up a corresponding amount).
Also check the fan is running the correct way, my Dad had a scimitar which would sit all day at idle but get hot in slow traffic, the PO had wired the fan to blow forwards.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,618
|
|
|
|
So today I thought I'd start on the Tappets. I have to keep moving the Car to work on the Capri and its annoying me how I spent all that time cleaning the engine to let it become a mess again. Anyway... the task at hand is to, check the tappets (sounding a little bit sewing machiney), spray the rocker cover Blue and put it back together with a new Gasket. The cover was so lightly screwed down I wonder if thats why it was letting oil through. I think it was trapped around the thermostat too. Here it is before...  Right now here is the part I have never done before. The Exhaust gap (all has to be adjusted cold) should be 0.59mm . With my feeler gauge and with my bad maths I could only find a 0.58mm. Would this be a problem? I know the tolerances have to be right. The Inlet Is at 0.22mm which I found with ease. Borrowed my Girlfriends pink electrical tape to hold them together   Now for the bit I find slightly confusing but, think I got right. With valves 1 & 2, you have to adjust these when valves 7 & 8 are "rocking". Now, when this is happening 7 & 8 valves seems to be moving one more than the other and this happens for a while. At this point valves 1 & 2 seem to stay in the TDC place for quite a while. Is this right? I cant see how else It would work and just to note, I am turning it on the crack with a ratchet and its slow due to leaving the spark plugs in. The gaps seemed to be generally in other than a few slightly off. I'm wondering if its due to the 0.58mm rather than 0.59mm but, I can imagine that might not be noticeable.  As for the paint... here is the before and after. Its not perfect. I don't think i'm going to waste any more paint on this though as I want to do the Capri too.   Lastly the next thing to address ...  |
| |
|
|
cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,618
|
|
|
|
Oh yeah, also not to keen on whats happening here! Any ideas? No loss in fluid and the brakes seem fine. The only thing I can think of is the garage changed a rear drum cylinder and topped up the fluid a few moths ago for the MOT.  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Looks like you've got a leaky master cylinder. Easy enough to change.
The difference in size on your feeler gauges shouldn't make any difference.
|
| |
|
|
cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,618
|
|
|
|
Looks like you've got a leaky master cylinder. Easy enough to change. The difference in size on your feeler gauges shouldn't make any difference. Was thinking that... erg. second one I've had on this Car. I'll clean it up tomorrow and keep a close eye on it. |
| |
|
|
cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,618
|
|
|
|
Right then... After checking this several times over I think i've got it right. this engine order was: 7 & 8 Rocking = Adjust 1 & 2 5 & 6 Rocking = Adjust 3 &4 1 & 2 Rocking = Adjust 7 & 8 3 & 4 Rocking = Adjust 5 & 6 From memory... i should be right I just did it about 7 times . This i found the most confusing is the valves rocking idea. With the first piston, I rotated it round to TDC using the timing marks and adjusted it there. With this and the other It seemed when the valves were rocking the exhaust spring would be compressed fully and just about to move. I took it at this point before it become released again is when I would adjust them both. You could hear a slight wheeze from the compression and at that point get the Inlet feeler gauge in. After all this and reading its better to be a little slack and than too tight on these engines, I make sure non of them were overly tight at this point. Cleaned off the old Gasket, lightly greased the top of the block, on went the new Gasket and lovely blue Rocker Cover. Highly satisfying. Although after tightening the bolts down with the Torque wrench, It cracked the paint a little... i'll do this again in 6 thousand miles. I started it up (alarming noise when i left my wrench on the crack pulley  ) and it fired up lovely. Took the dog out for a Lockdown spin and it sounded lovely. Just a hint of Sewing machine but with no radio on, quite! I hope i've done this right as it sounds great. The last Garage that did this in Crouch End sad it was right but it always sounded loud. I forgot to take a pic with the plugs and air cleaner on but here we go.  |
| |
|
|
cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,618
|
|
Jul 21, 2020 18:55:39 GMT
|
Man this engine is such a work horse!! Since lockdown started I realised this was the time to do a service on it hence the tappets above. THEN I thought I'd do an oil change as that hasnt been done in maybe 2-3 years!!!! I did the classic "oh i'll do that next week as i'm not going anywhere in lockdown"... then had to do another 600 miles without time to do a change. I cant believe its been so long and I feel ashamed if I'm honest. This Car is my pride and joy! moving to London/work getting instantly busy, Scraping my old Focus when I moved here and then buying a Capri... I just forgot  and this thing never complains (good job its not a CVH) Anyway... It turns out I had a new filter already in the shed and Halfords had a sale on Mobile 10w40. I wanted to use 5w30 but my local garage said it could leak past the old seals so, 10w40 it is... its been good to it for the last 7 years. I should order a Set of points and do that too probably... thats been around a year. It still has brake pads and wasnt too long since it had Brake fluid. At some point I'm going to have to tidy up the engine bay, its getting a bit tatty under there.  |
| |
|
|
vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,282
Club RR Member Number: 146
|
|
Jul 21, 2020 19:13:20 GMT
|
|
Having a car that just works, I wonder what that's like?
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Jul 21, 2020 20:16:49 GMT
|
|
Change the oil, change the oil, change the oil. Change it a couple of times a year regardless of mileage.
|
| |
|
|
cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,618
|
|
Jul 21, 2020 22:54:57 GMT
|
Having a car that just works, I wonder what that's like? I know... i've probably jinxed it now. My Capri on the other hand in 7 years this car has less than half the post that’s had in a year! |
| |
|
|
cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,618
|
|
Jul 22, 2020 18:25:38 GMT
|
|
Just did about 130 miles in it no fuss. Even picked up some Capri Gaskets on the way... love this thing.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
) and it fired up lovely. Took the dog out for a Lockdown spin and it sounded lovely. Just a hint of Sewing machine but with no radio on, quite! I hope i've done this right as it sounds great. The last Garage that did this in Crouch End sad it was right but it always sounded loud. 
and this thing never complains (good job its not a CVH)