one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Restoration projects and Austin related chat in here please
Post Reply
Alan
Posts: 3511
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 5:10 pm
Committee Role: A30 Registrar
Location: Surrey/West Sussex

one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by Alan »

I've been very busy recently, so haven't had the chance to work on the austin as much as i'd like. i was going to concentrate on the rear end repairs that need doing, but as i have to weld outside, the weather is unpredictable at the moment, i thought i'd put my spare time in to what i've been putting off for a while.

i took the car out for a short drive yesterday as the weather was nice. when i returned, the car wasn't right. after closer inspection, after checking fluids, i found the sump has water in it. quite a bit. "oh well" i thought. that had made the decision easier.

so this morning..

Image

Image

Image

the engine is being removed and replaced with ....

Image

Image

i have put it off for a while. i am enlisting the help of a mate to remove the old tired 803. i'll then get to work on re-painting the engine bay.

i have a whole list of other jobs i'm doing as well. Painting the gearbox, fitting the higher ratio diff and re-routing the fuel line. i'll also be able to place the horn, washer bottle and fuel pump in better positions.

the car will be off the road now until the spring, so i'll keep you updated.

:D
Last edited by Alan on Sat Feb 18, 2017 4:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Modified 1963 AV8 A35 Van
Modified 1972 Rover P6 3500s

Austin A30 Owners club registrar
mark d stokes
Posts: 1035
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:06 pm
Location: Cardiff S Wales home of the flying dragon............

Re: one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by mark d stokes »

nice one al, all takes time, new engine is very shinny! will it stay like that????????
Alan
Posts: 3511
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 5:10 pm
Committee Role: A30 Registrar
Location: Surrey/West Sussex

Re: one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by Alan »

mark d stokes wrote:nice one al, all takes time, new engine is very shinny! will it stay like that????????
thats the general idea mate. depends on whether i have fitted the new gaskets correctly i suppose! all these engine's leak somewhere, that we all know.

only a couple of hiccups i might incur i reckon...... but it should be worthwhile. more photo's as and when. garage's are a cold/dark place this time of year. so when the open fire is roaring, nice grape juice isn't far away and the nosebag on offer is up to scratch....... 'things' take the back burner.
Modified 1963 AV8 A35 Van
Modified 1972 Rover P6 3500s

Austin A30 Owners club registrar
Alan
Posts: 3511
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 5:10 pm
Committee Role: A30 Registrar
Location: Surrey/West Sussex

Re: one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by Alan »

the day started with the dog barking. he hardly ever barks. it was the arrival of the club mag..... the postman... he was barking at. i took him for his morning walk, got back home, then sat down with a bacon sandwich and cup of tea. 3 pages in...... i'm off to the garage to do some work.

first thing's first, was to remove the lump. i unbolt all the mountings and towers, remove the bell housing bolts and slip a jack under the sump for good measure. tie the gearbox up and ........

Image

the engine's sitting on the floor. i jack the car as high as i can and slide it out.

Image

with the lump out of the way i then proceed to remove the rest of the running gear. i'm finally left with a large space for me to crawl into

Image

i then decide to remove the fuel tank contents. now let me tell you, don't believe what the gauge tells you. a sleeve full of fuel and a large puddle on the garage floor will back up my comments!

the gearbox will be left for a later date as i've decided to find a better option. so i am now able to crawl underneath (great eh??) to clean and re-paint all the chassis and floor etc. one thing i will mention is the annoying vibration that i had last summer has finally been solved. it was indeed the rubber gearbox mount. well..... the jelly mount judging by what was left of it. at least i can sleep now safe in the knowledge i know the problem.

i also removed the old fuel line. whilst slipping it over the axle, it actually snapped it in 2! it was that corroded, it had been leaking as well. (it was mentioned that it would need changing when it was MOT'd earlier this year by the tester). the fuel line was full of crud, you couldn't see through a short piece of it. how the fuel left the tank and found it's way to the engine bay, is anyone's guess. that will be another problem solved i guess.

so on to what's next. well i'll draw up a plan and mull it over. afterall, i have a few month's until the spring.

i'll keep you updated.
Modified 1963 AV8 A35 Van
Modified 1972 Rover P6 3500s

Austin A30 Owners club registrar
User avatar
A40FARINAGURU
Posts: 16413
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:14 am
Committee Role: A35 Registrar
Location: Birmingham (Home of the Austin)
x 21

Re: one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by A40FARINAGURU »

just as a quick comment Alan, the front copper brake pipes should really be fitted between the stub axle & backplate to keep them out of the way of being caught on something & braking off & then 'no brakes'!!
Nick Bayliss

Club's A35 (Saloon) Registrar, South Midlands Area Contact

Email, a35@austina30a35ownersclub.co.uk

Connected with A30/A35's for 63 years

A30/A35 Member A1372 (since 1981)
Alan
Posts: 3511
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 5:10 pm
Committee Role: A30 Registrar
Location: Surrey/West Sussex

Re: one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by Alan »

A40FARINAGURU wrote:just as a quick comment Alan, the front copper brake pipes should really be fitted between the stub axle & backplate to keep them out of the way of being caught on something & braking off & then 'no brakes'!!

should they??? they were like that when i got the car. it had been overhauled by the previous keeper. i've never given it much thought to be honest. i have the feeling the gentleman that made the pipe's, made more than he needed to! he'd also run the wiring loom 'along the floor' before i re-routed it properly in the roof channel!
Modified 1963 AV8 A35 Van
Modified 1972 Rover P6 3500s

Austin A30 Owners club registrar
User avatar
A40FARINAGURU
Posts: 16413
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:14 am
Committee Role: A35 Registrar
Location: Birmingham (Home of the Austin)
x 21

Re: one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by A40FARINAGURU »

yes they should be behind the stub at the bottom nicely tucked away there should be a slight recess in the backplate for it to curve around the stub axle, i would suggest you try & modify or replace them to their original position for the sake of your safety, you have only go over something at night & it tangles around the pipe & rips it out of it's fitting without you knowing & you find you have no brakes when you try & stop
Nick Bayliss

Club's A35 (Saloon) Registrar, South Midlands Area Contact

Email, a35@austina30a35ownersclub.co.uk

Connected with A30/A35's for 63 years

A30/A35 Member A1372 (since 1981)
Alan
Posts: 3511
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 5:10 pm
Committee Role: A30 Registrar
Location: Surrey/West Sussex

Re: one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by Alan »

i'll not worry too much to be honest. it will all eventually be taken out as i have all new midget parts for a disc upgrade. that will not be soon though, as i have enough to deal with at present. it will more than likely be next winter. thanks for pointing it out though. i'd never had guessed.
Modified 1963 AV8 A35 Van
Modified 1972 Rover P6 3500s

Austin A30 Owners club registrar
User avatar
troutrunner
Posts: 7296
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2009 6:34 pm
Location: Near the Vale of Belvoir

Re: one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by troutrunner »

Alan,
Keep up the good work, she's nice and clean in the engine bay, wish you well with the transplant :wink:
Paul
Member No.A728
Image
Nil illegitimi Carborundum
Alan
Posts: 3511
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 5:10 pm
Committee Role: A30 Registrar
Location: Surrey/West Sussex

Re: one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by Alan »

troutrunner wrote:Alan,
Keep up the good work, she's nice and clean in the engine bay, wish you well with the transplant :wink:
cheers paul. to be straight up, the floors, sills and general underneath is better than any other car i've seen of this age. all the welding that has been done to the floor area is a small plate on the drivers side corner. thats it. the rear has suffered the worst over the years. it will need attention in the spring.

all this work is for it's long trip to scotland next may! :D
Modified 1963 AV8 A35 Van
Modified 1972 Rover P6 3500s

Austin A30 Owners club registrar
User avatar
troutrunner
Posts: 7296
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2009 6:34 pm
Location: Near the Vale of Belvoir

Re: one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by troutrunner »

ampwhu wrote:all this work is for it's long trip to scotland next may! :D
And you will be welcome to call in and stop the night for a beer or three and join us in our trek north, "Rubber Duck we got our selve's a convoy", the more the merrier
Paul
Member No.A728
Image
Nil illegitimi Carborundum
Chairman
Posts: 1752
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:19 pm
Committee Role: Chairman
Location: Newton Abbot, Devon
x 1

Re: one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by Chairman »

ampwhu wrote:
troutrunner wrote:Alan,
Keep up the good work, she's nice and clean in the engine bay, wish you well with the transplant :wink:
cheers paul. to be straight up, the floors, sills and general underneath is better than any other car i've seen of this age. all the welding that has been done to the floor area is a small plate on the drivers side corner. thats it. the rear has suffered the worst over the years. it will need attention in the spring.

all this work is for it's long trip to scotland next may! :D
There is nothing like being prepared Alan, and you have allowed yourself plenty of time. I'm still trying to sort out a non starting A35 daily driver that has still not been fixed since mid september. Turns out it was the head gasket, now replaced, all the ignition side of things working spot on and timing correct. Still will not start !! I suspect that it may be fuel. The normally reliable SU has been off and cleaned, beginning to think the petrol is off!! So off to get some fresh stuff and then rig up a slave supply and try that. Then its back to more welding on Junior's A30 which he wants MOT'ed and back on the road by mid November :shock:
Keep us posted with your progress.........
Mark Bouskill
Chairman
Van and Countryman Registrar
Alan
Posts: 3511
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 5:10 pm
Committee Role: A30 Registrar
Location: Surrey/West Sussex

Re: one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by Alan »

thankyou mark. vote's of confidence is what drives us on i think.

anyway, another couple of hours today under the car was had by me. on closer inspection, it seems my o/s halfshaft has soaked my brake linings. so i'll have to re-new all the rear brakes now. i jacked the car up and removed one halfshaft. i couldn't remove the other as the garage is too narrow so i pulled it out a little. then out came the rear diff. i was suprised to find it in A1 condition.... very please with that.

i cleaned as much of the underside as i could before packing up for the day up at the garage. back to my workshop to get to this point.....

Image

i now have the new diff, gearbox and engine all nicely painted. still undecided on what to do with modifying a gearbox for the car. the one pictured was the one from the car. it is in perfect working order so i may return it to the car......

that will be all i can manage for a couple of weeks as i have no spare time.

i can do with a rest after this weekends graft. i'll open a nice bottle of red now i think......... :D
Modified 1963 AV8 A35 Van
Modified 1972 Rover P6 3500s

Austin A30 Owners club registrar
Chairman
Posts: 1752
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:19 pm
Committee Role: Chairman
Location: Newton Abbot, Devon
x 1

Re: one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by Chairman »

ampwhu wrote:thankyou mark. vote's of confidence is what drives us on i think.

that will be all i can manage for a couple of weeks as i have no spare time.

i can do with a rest after this weekends graft. i'll open a nice bottle of red now i think......... :D
My pleasure Alan, glad to read that you are an ardent red man too....... :P Will be on mine shortly........

Progress was good with Juniors A30, a few hiccups.......pulled the earth wire out of the welder so had to fix that, then finished welding on the o/s sill. made up and welded two repair sections into the o/s/f footwell, then ran out of welding wire..... :oops: thought the welder was playing up again....hey ho more items on my BOC account tomorrow.......need to be working on it most evenings and weekends now if it is going to be on the road in November :shock: Hopefully I will get some photos posted on here soon........ :?
Mark Bouskill
Chairman
Van and Countryman Registrar
Alan
Posts: 3511
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 5:10 pm
Committee Role: A30 Registrar
Location: Surrey/West Sussex

Re: one engine slowly fades....... another re-lives!

Post by Alan »

small update......

i'd removed the diff the other week and had painted a few area's of the underside.

Image

good clean up and a good look at the inside of the axle casing, nothing to worry about. then onto prepin' the 'transplant'

Image

lovely jubbly. although i got to the point where my eyes were deceiving me. i thought i'd put the diff in upside down as, when i look down the transmission tunnel front the front, it didn't seem to sit centrally. meaning how would the prop sit in the tunnel without hitting the sides! a quick phonecall, verification that i'd got it in the right way and then onto the half-shafts.

Image

now i'm kind of praying that this does all work, as i have spent a while cleaning and painting the underneath.

another break now for a couple of weeks as life is running rather fast these days.

should be ready to paint the engine bay next.......
Modified 1963 AV8 A35 Van
Modified 1972 Rover P6 3500s

Austin A30 Owners club registrar
Post Reply