fbekholden.com

A bit more work on radiator housing mods. Cut up the surround sections previously removed and re- welded the right angle braces on the front for extra support. The changes yesterday to the bottom section of the kframe have given me an additional 13mm which is plenty of room.
Now just have to finish reshaping the guard brace to allow a neat fit of the header tank.
All up, pretty happy with this.

Very tidy, in fact so tidy I can’t see how you have moved it forward apart from the bottom tie iron clearencing. Unless you have moved the radiator side tabs rearward.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

It's all about cutting the sides out. The original radiator side panels angled in, so cutting 45mm off each side to fit the wider radiator brings everything out a fair bit. Then I sliced through the panels each side at the bottom and re-welded it so that the bottom moved forward about 10mm. That straightened the vertical mount. Slicing off 12mm along the kframe bottom (which took out the bit with the semi circle for the pulley tool) and removing the indented pieces where the side panels join the kframe and welding up again allowed the bottom tank to move in 10mm. And finally, cutting out 10mm from the top crossbar to fit the header tank in- thats the bit I'm playing with now. It's magic

melly wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 6:21 pm

Brett027 wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 7:42 am

melly wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 9:39 pm Veeerrry Nice Brett- you still gunna run tripple strommies on a 186?

cheers, melly

Yes, but only after motor is set up and running well. I will get motor tuned and settled down with WWcarb and standard dissy, then swap in electronic distributor and then once happy with that set up, change over to the tripples. I reckon its too hard trying to get all new stuff working at once, otherwise it makes it hard to diagnose issues.

righto makes sense,cheers Brett.

Melly

Been having a think about engine stuff over the last few days. I have been advised by two seperate gurus that running in my new lumpy crank has to be done right, otherwise there is a good chance lobes won't harden and it will fail after a few hundred kms. I have been reliably informed that it's best to prelubricate engine with oil pressure (if I can set up a pressurised system and pump it through the oil sender hole) and then once oiled up, run the engine at 2000 or so rpm for at least 20 mins with no stops. This will also require some fans/airflow for exhaust system cooling. Apparently someone (in Canberra with a very expensive engine build) while doing this operation ran out of fuel early on and it all ended badly. So, I will set up the new engine with the original single stromberg and a half tank of fuel to make that bit foolproof. Also I will set up a points dizzy because I know I can test it and set timing before a start up.
Who knew things were so complicated?

I suspect that the "if it stops during the cam break-in period then the cam is stuffed" part might be a little suspect. Provided you restart the engine and come up off idle rapidly, the engine will not know any better and will continue to bed in the cam and lifter faces.

The Crane Cams procedure as an example refers to stopping for any suspect noises, then going again... no mention of the cam not surviving.
https://cranecams.com.au/pdfs/CAM%20RUN ... CEDURE.pdf

Cheers,
Harv

Well I hope you're right Harv, cause I have started to think that what I've been told is a nightmare scenario for starting a brand new engine for the first time.

You just need to avoid idling or over revving or any load. As far as pre lubricating, I just crank it over with no spark for a bit until oil comes up the pushrods.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

Lumpy cams, with high pressure valve springs can possibly create problems. Really it’s about lubing on install then running engine @ 2000 rpm to promote oil splash and lifter rotation. Non friction modified run in oils help as well.
The cam then gets a polished surface for the lifters to run on and that prevents galling and damage, which can happen at idle because oil splash is limited and the lifters may stop spinning at the low rpm.
Once run in change the oil and filter and there should be no issue.
Greg

That's what I was told too Greg. I have the double springs and ideally would take helpers out to reduce the pressire a bit. But probably wont
Edit: Ok- I will definitely take out helper springs. Gives me a chance to better pre lubricate lifters etc. as well.

The lighter the springs the better your chances of bedding in the cam .. it is a pain in the arse changing springs but I highly recommend it! I also run the sump a bit over full as to add to the oil splash


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Brett027 wrote: Sat Jul 02, 2022 8:17 pm That's what I was told too Greg. I have the double springs and ideally would take helpers out to reduce the pressire a bit. But probably wont
Edit: Ok- I will definitely take out helper springs. Gives me a chance to better pre lubricate lifters etc. as well.

the other issue here is the poor quality of hydraulic lifters available today, they are junk TBH, they will rattle and scream like a leftie losing their electric idealism. if i knew how to post videos and pics here i would show you the runout of a new lifter from a reputable company

Good creative day today. Made a start on my firewall mods for the tripples. Got the option of CD150s as per LC XU1 or CD175s as per LJ XU1. Will go the way of which is the best set of carbies. Got a fellow to sort through them.
As well, the postie dropped off a pair of Torrie backing plates that Clay found for me- thanks mate.
Photos of stuff happening in random order


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Happy to help Brett.

Thanks for the photos. Very innovative thinking with the panel reverse. Someone a while ago was saying they had used a biscuit tin. I was thinking that may have been a basis for your backing plates, we’re you to make from scratch.

It looks like you have tons of room in your tunnel.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

The Torana boys seem to rate SUs above the CD Zenith Strombergs in non-original applications.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

Yeah I am fond of tripple SUs too - had them on my EH and then LJ GTR. I'll see what it costs me to get the CDs going properly and depending might just jump ship. Manifolds will work with either and so will air cleaners. They come with nice shiny chrome dashpot covers which is another plus