The Beast is Alive!

[mikesr]

Finally got to the point where I could start the engine. A couple of slight hiccups.
1. No fuel pump priming possibly had seized - I hadn't reconnected the fuel cut off plug.
2. No starter possibly it or battery was duff - had managed to plug the connector between the plug casing and the spade.

Thankfully my 10 year old lad was there to offer advice on how to plug electrical connectors together.

Then we had lift off. It started almost immediately and the oil pressure light went out quickly followed by the oil pressure gauge climbing.

Now of course I am completely paranoid that something isn't right.
Are the tappets really that noisy from cold?
Are there any leaks?
Why have I got so many bits left over?

Some pics of the engine bay (and yes the oil catch can is dangling in the breeze. I'm remaking the bracket)

[JensenA]

Great job Mike - that looks impressive and beautiful, and yes the tappets are noisy from cold

[stuthemong]

AWESOME

[mikesr]

Those air boxes need a respray. They make the engine bay look tatty

[itiejim]

Excellent job - well done

I'm sure it'll be fine, enjoy!

[HarryW]

Tappets are pretty noisy from cold, more so if you're inside a garage, sounds like a bag of nails , it should reduce to a light tappety noise when hot and imhe never completely go, although from inside the car it sound like it has. Too quiet tappets on cold start up could mean too tight a clearance and subsequent poor performance from valves not being fully closed once hot though.

[mikesr]

Well the one thing I was fearful of has come to pass.

Despite extra special care fitting the pumps and sump I've got water leaking from the pump to sump joint. So annoying.

I seem to remember someone having similar issues with an undersized O ring and still having issues when the correct size was fitted. I made sure the O rings were the correct size and the mushroom head is in the right place so there isn't a cap head touching the block.

For about 3 nanoseconds I was thinking Radweld. But I didn't spend the last 12 months rebuilding an AJP to then destroy it with a bottle of gloop.

Too damn tired to start the engine out today. At least I know what I'm doing this time around and everything is lovely and clean. I should be able to turn it around over next weekend.

If anyone has any tricks to successfully sealing the pump to sump joint I'd be very grateful for the advice.

In the meantime if anyone needs me I'll be in the garage under the car crying into a small puddle of coolant

[spongy]

Good job that man,its very nerve racking when you have built up an engine and you fire it for the first time.Just enjoy it sir you have earnt it

[itiejim]

Bu@@er.

I had to have mine out a second time for a pump issue as well and understand the frustration

I had exactly the same issue with the O-rings which were clearly too skinny and ended up using one from a local agricultural parts place (this is Herefordshire you know)!

Good luck with it!

[spitfire4v8]

Mike : before you start taking it all out make sure you run the engine through a few heating/cooling cycles. I remember an AJP that I had rebuilt many years ago with the same issue .. the next day it magically sealed itself and never gave any trouble afterwards either. If it's more than just a very small weep though you might have a bit of work to do, but don't rush for the engine crane just yet ..

[robsco]

Stunning, and you're in North Yorkshire too. I wouldn't mind having a nosey at this when its finished.

[a1rak]

mikesr said:

Well the one thing I was fearful of has come to pass.

Despite extra special care fitting the pumps and sump I've got water leaking from the pump to sump joint. So annoying.

I seem to remember someone having similar issues with an undersized O ring and still having issues when the correct size was fitted. I made sure the O rings were the correct size and the mushroom head is in the right place so there isn't a cap head touching the block.

For about 3 nanoseconds I was thinking Radweld. But I didn't spend the last 12 months rebuilding an AJP to then destroy it with a bottle of gloop.

Too damn tired to start the engine out today. At least I know what I'm doing this time around and everything is lovely and clean. I should be able to turn it around over next weekend.

If anyone has any tricks to successfully sealing the pump to sump joint I'd be very grateful for the advice.

In the meantime if anyone needs me I'll be in the garage under the car crying into a small puddle of coolant

This will be a long post but do read it carefully. I could write a book on this issue.

It was me who recently had that problem and it was a complete arse to solve. If it is like mine it is not likely to be the O rings in the pump to sump/block joint that are leaking. It looks like that at first but I would bet it is from the front flange of the pump where there is another o ring (which you will not have touched or seen) What happens is that the pump gets twisted when you assemble it to the block and sump. It is vital that you tighten the bolts in the correct order and have the correct size o rings.

This is what I did to solve this problem.

1. Double check you have the correct size O rings made from VITON. The should fit perfectly in the slots and do not need pushing or streching to get them to fit. The should protrude no more than 0.6mm above the O ring groove, any larger will cause more stress and twisting on the pump assembly when it is sandwiched by the sump / block fitting.

2. If you are sure the O rings are correct fit the pump assembly to the block and pull it into place using the four bolts at the front. Be sure to use sealant around the front thin o ring and the metal flange at the front of the pump. Tighten all four bolts to the correct torque and THEN RELEASE THEM by about 1 turn.

3. Then check the rear mounting bolt flange to block clearance. If there is a gap then carefully fit washers or shims so that there is no gap between the the mounting bracket and the tapped hole in the block.

4. Tighten and toque up the rear mounting bolt, use threadlock. This will support the rear of the pump and stop the sump twisting the water pump assembly.

5. Fit the sump assembly and tighten all the sump bolts to 50% of the torque.

6. Re-tighten the front 4 pump to block bolts to the correct torque

7. Tighten the sump bolts up to 100% torque.


THEN PRESSURE TEST THE COMPLETE ENGINE WATER SYSTEM BEFORE YOU REFIT IT. I did this by fitting the water rails and hoses then blocking off the ALL the hose ends. You can the fill the engine with water and via the water rail and the pressurise the system with a pump. I used a pesticide sprayer but a waxoyl gun or hand fence sprayer works just as good.

Do not use the water pressure from the mains as this can be over 2bar (28psi) and the engine water pressure normally does not exceed 12PSI. (rad cap settings)

Give me a call if you want any more advise. I really do feel for you as it is an engine out job to sort it. Mob: [phone].

It could make sense that running the engine through some heat cycles may help as the heating and cooling of the block assembly could release a twisted pump. Good luck.

[mikesr]

Hi Paul

Thanks very much for the detailed post.

I suspect one of the O rings is too large a cross section and has contributed to twisting the pump.

I also used nitrile O rings so will replace them with Viton.

Do you have the O ring sizes that you used to hand?

[a1rak]

Hi mike, I will have a look tonight and let you know if I can. But what I did was order several different size O rings all around the required size. I measured the OD the ID the depth of the slot on each of the two water pump orings and then tried each o ring for the best fit. Only 1 out of about 5 different sizes was correct and knowing TVR reputation your o rings may need to be different to mine.

Google VITON o rings as there are several good web sites with all the sizes on and they are not expensive so order a selection. Where I think it will be leaking from is the pump itself. If you follow the shaft backwards the first water pump bearing housing has a seal it it to seal the front bearing housing to the main pump body. What happens I think is that the front of the pump is securely fixed by the four bolts and there is no give. If you do not then fit the rear mounting bolt and spacers correctly the pump twists when you bolt the sump on this causes the seal /gap mention above to open and it then leaks water.

Just take the time to pressure test the engine before you refit it as you may still have to make adjustments even with the correct o rings and assembly followed.

[mikesr]

So it took two weekends rather than one but the engine has been out and back in with the sump and pumps removed and refitted. Annoyingly it was a stupid mistake that caused the water pump leak - fitting too large a diameter O ring to the recess in the water pump.

But all is now sorted. No leaks anywhere (touch wood) and everything apart from one front sidelight behaving itself.

Just the bonnet to go back on and then an MOT and back on the road just in time for the greasy autumn roads

[aide]

mikesr said:

Just the bonnet to go back on and then an MOT and back on the road just in time for the greasy autumn roads

and TiTT7!